ESSE Cookers & Stoves - Barnoldswick

Bruce W.

Bought an electric induction range cooker, the EC4i, in 2015. It cost £6000. Expensive, but as we are keen home cooks, living in a cottage style house, we wished to invest in something that would last a lifetime and suited our style. Initially, we were delighted with it, looked great, functioned well and appeared to be solidly built.

Over the last 6 years, we have had numerous problems. First an induction pad failed; not a serious problem and was covered under warranty, but finding a technician who was able to fit it was very difficult and meant the hob was not fully working for over a month. Then the fan oven blew a thermostat and again, oven out of commission for over 6 weeks. Then the grill element blew. Then another stat failed.

Each time, I found Esse difficult to deal with. Those answering the phones appeared unsympathetic, unfriendly and appeared to expect me to know the parts that I needed to order for repair. I'm quite technically minded and build computers, but I struggled to select the correct part from various similar looking switches on their site. Even after speaking with an Esse technician, the wrong parts were sent and after an extended period of time waiting for a technician, he couldn't fit the parts. Seeing inside the range itself, when the technician opened it, it appeared to be thrown together with off the shelf parts. The front was all enamelled steel/iron, but the back and sides flimsy pieces of steel.

Ordering a part, each time, sending a small package by post cost £20 delivery.

We always dreaded the next time the cooker would fail and that we'd have to resort to cooking for our family with the microwave or a gas hob while we started the difficult process of getting the cooker fixed.

This month, however, was baking a loaf of bread in the main oven when the range blew a fuse and went on fire. The plastics inside were burning and smoked out our kitchen. The fire brigade had to attend to put out the fire, the only way they could was to take the top off the range, cut all the wires and throw it in the garden.

This experience caused considerable stress, especially to our 2 small children, as we thought our house was about to burn down and has left us cooking on a camping stove again, now with a disgusting smell of burning plastic throughout the house.

Our Esse is now a £6000 piece of scrap, sitting in a scrapyard.

I have contacted Esse almost 4 weeks ago and sent them photos. Although they acknowledged receipt of my complaint, I have heard nothing since. I'm not surprised, however, seeing the reviews on here or on Trustpilot. They haven't even claimed their company profile on Trustpilot and haven't answered any complaints on either site.

Stay away from this company.

Olivia R.

Have never brought an oven direct, as we inherited it with the house. But have dealt with Esse on oven repairs and found then professional in all areas of business.

Was a costly repair but effectively have a new oven so hoping for no more in the near future.

Shortly after the repair and new parts, the hotplate then wasn't getting hot, they were quick to diagnose it on email and book someone in, as a wire had simply come loose when it was being moved back into position.

Struggled to find anyone locally that had parts or knew about Esse ovens, so going direct was the only option we had. Was told quote before any work was agreed. Engineer was friendly and professional, booked in efficiently.

Although I've not brought an oven from them, I'm very happy with the repairs team and would recommend them.

M M.

We purchased an Esse Ironheart approximatley 12 months ago and was installed approximately 4 months ago. We expected a quality product for the price and the age of the company, what we received is less than impressive. If you are looking for a wood heater and stove that billows smoke when you open the door this is the one for you. The ceiling plate is angled towards the door so when you open the door smoke billows out the door, with no way of preventing this from happening other than remanufacturing a new plate. The fire box is CHEAP and within the first week it buckled in the heat of the fire and now needs to be replaced. We are paying a local fabrication firm to re engineer the ceiling plate to draw the smoke away from the door to fix the smoke issue and to re manufacture a quality fire box to replace the extremely cheap one Esse supplied in the Ironheart. Other less than impressive issues are, the oven only comes with one oven grill, and regulating the oven temperature is impossible, the door handle is always scolding hot and requires the metal tool to open the door, the sides of the ironheart are pressed steal and very flimsy.
Sadly the Ironheart looks fantastic but it does not perform and is not worth the money. Very disappointed.
Four months only and a replacement fire box is A$670.00. This is an outrageous amount of money to replace a fire box every four months on a wood fire that cost $12 000 Australia.

Ross M.

I am a Hetas installer and I phoned up to get advice on a stove which is not functioning as it should. I followed all the instructions to a 'T'. The first person I spoke to was so rude. Spoke to me lie I was a child. I had to insist I speak to another member there. Very poor. These manufacturers should be supporting us installing their products, not trying to blame us.

Michael G.

Had a morso Squirrel.
Esse not in the same league you’ve been making stoves since 18/0 blob but you have to wear gloves to open the door.
The build quality is horrendous and haven’t got an ash pan to suit the stove.
Also a bent bolt for the door catch, what a joke.
No wonder people don’t buy British. Thanks for the rapid response, obviously you have no customer care.

Gill M.

What a refreshing change - spoke directly to an engineer who was so patient and helpful when trying to find the appropriate replacement glass for my Esse wood burning stove. Everything was done and dusted in 4 days - new glass in place and perfect fit. Amazing! Thank you so much for such efficient and courteous service.

Paul B.

I've got both an Esse cooker (electric range) and a 5kW log burner. Recently I needed some repair work on one of the cooker handles (which is old; snapped spindle) and Esse were really helpful, friendly and the repair was very reasonably priced and done in no time. Thanks very much once again.

I'll also be back to try the cafe at some point!

Roy T.

Had my esse 500 stove 18 months but not impressed with the quality of the products. Top grate warped and broke and not willing to fix under warranty. I would expect this problem after years of use not after 7 months of actual use