Description
The MK6 stove fan, brought to you by Warpfive, is a classic fan, and well worth your consideration. Visually striking, it actually looks almost Steampunk in its appearance, so if this aesthetic is pleasing to you, then it will definitely be a welcome addition to your home, for more reasons than just its air moving capabilities.
The manufacturer began utilizing a clear Borosilicate glass piston cylinder, which reduced the fan’s noise level to the satisfaction of their customers. To put the noise issue into some perspective, it should be noted that even before the change in the piston, the fan was still quieter than a typical tabletop oscillating fan, so it’s not like the device was ever loud enough to disrupt a conversation in the room.
These fans are fairly small, although you’ll find that they are somewhat larger than many stove fans produced by other companies. Mostly, this is because of the presence of the Stirling engine, which is a big part of what gives these fans their distinctive appearance. Dimensionally, the MK6 comes in with a base of 4.3 inches (110 centimeters), a total height of 12.8 inches (325 mm) and weighs just 2.39 pounds (1.08 kilograms), so it’s small and light enough to be easy to install and reposition.
As with other stove fans, no electricity is required for the MK6 to run. The Sterling engine is an external combustion engine, meaning that it use just about any external fuel source, in this case, the heat from the stove itself. When the stove gets hot enough (minimum operating temperature for the MK6 is 230 degrees Fahrenheit / 110 degrees Celsius), the fan cuts on automatically, and begins pushing warm air away from the stove and throughout the rest of the room. When the temperature of the stove exceeds the MK6’s operating temperature (842 degrees Fahrenheit / 450 degrees Celsius), the fan automatically shuts off.
Quiet and convenient, you’ll never have to worry about remembering to power the fan off before you go to bed at night, since it will shut off on its own as the fire begins to die in the stove and the temperature starts dropping. And, since it doesn’t utilize electricity, but rather, uses the heat from the stove to provide all of its power, you optimize the efficiency of your stove.
Consider, if you had to power the MK6 via electricity or battery packs, it wouldn’t be nearly as solid an investment, because those things cost you, month after month. By utilizing the stove’s own heat as its power source though, the total efficiency of your home heating system is increased.
Add to that the fact that the MK6 has a massive air moving capacity for such a small fan (320 cubic feet per minute), owing, in no small part to the fan’s four-blade design, and it’s hard to argue with this one.
Pros
The two biggest pros are the fan’s aesthetic, and its huge air moving capacity. Granted, the “look” of these fans might not be for everyone, and might not fit with every home’s décor, but even if that’s true for you and your home, they’re still undeniably cool to look at and watch in action. The air moving capacity really matters though, especially for people who are trying to equalize the air temperature in a large room. Some stove fans have half the air moving capacity of the MK6, and would really struggle to make a difference in a large room. You’ll be hard pressed to find a room too big for the MK6 to handle, however.
Cons
One of the biggest pros of the MK6 could also be seen as a negative. Unless you have a big room, the MK6 is likely more fan than you need. Why pay more for such a huge air moving capacity if your room would be served just as well by a smaller fan with less air moving power? Save your money and get a smaller fan in those cases.
The other potential negative is the fan’s cost. These fans don’t come cheap. At current prices, as of the time this review was written, the MK 6 could be had for £193.99. If you’re on a budget, that might put this particular fan out of your reach.
Conclusion
By any reckoning, the MK6 is a wonder. Brilliantly engineered and beautifully designed, it would make an excellent addition to any home. While there were some complaints about earlier versions of this fan being noisier than customers were expecting, Warpfive showed great responsiveness in this area, and made changes to the fan to reduce the noise level, solving that issue. Due to the sheer air moving power of the MK6, and its relatively high price, this fan might not be for everyone, but if you’re trying to equalize temperatures in a large living space, and have money in your budget to afford it, this is a superb choice.
