Anyone converted a fireplace to all-in-one rocket mass heater with oven and cooktop?

Hello,

I am hoping to convert my traditional fireplace into an all-in-one rocket mass heater with an integrated oven and cooktop in my basement. I have been searching for relevant case studies but have not been able to find any so far. I purchased several 3D plans by Mr. Wheaton and realized that I would need to combine elements from different plans to make this work.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could share your thoughts or advice on this approach.

Best wishes,
Kristina

Maybe one of matt walker's cookstoves would suit you.



Here's the thread on our build - Matt Walker tiny cookstove build in Portugal

Thank you!

Hi and welcome to the forum.
There is a good reason why you are finding it difficult to find info on such an endeavor!
 There are a few issues to overcome and very few people actually succeed to successfully reach this goal.
To start with the very nature and design of a rocket stove is to burn hot and fast for short amounts of time in order to store gentle heat is a dense mass.
Where as most cooking situations require a consistent but adjustable heat source, and that is not easy to achieve with a rocket stove.
This sort of project will be quite a big undertaking and very unlikely to be cheap!
At the very best you will end up with a compromising oven, certainly compared to a clean easy to use, fully temperature adjustable, gas or electric over anyway.
However when there is a will there is a way……
Incorporating a hot plate is probably the easy way, you can quite easily and for a reasonable cost, build a dedicated 6” J tube rocket stove with a large hot plate.
You have to be a bit more careful  not to loose to much heat through the hot plate if you want to further heat a mass and heating a half decent oven with a door is going to be a challenge.
I guess the next step is for you to tell us more about what you would like and expect. The area you want to heat and the actual space you have?

Fox James wrote:At the very best you will end up with a compromising oven, certainly compared to a clean easy to use, fully temperature adjustable, gas or electric over anyway

I must admit the oven isn't as useful as I thought it might be on mine - we simply don't run the thing for long enough to heat it up properly.  Maybe a white oven in the side, where the hot gases pass down into the bell, might have worked better. Or in a colder climate where you might have longer burns it would work well enough.

Dear Mr. Fox and Ms. Burra,

Thank you both for your helpful messages. It helps!
My goal is to install a heating system that is sustainable, dependable, and relatively straightforward to maintain.

This winter has been particularly cold, and my energy bills have increased significantly. We have also experienced three power outages. Although they were brief, they were enough to make me concerned about the possibility of a longer disruption. That experience prompted me to explore alternative and more resilient energy options.

I looked into the Walker Stove, as Ms. Burra suggested. However, I have not yet purchased it due to the substantial price (approximately $200 per plan), and I am still uncertain which option would be most suitable for my home. I understand that the Walker Stove’s heat output typically covers around 1,000 square feet, which would likely heat only the basement. I have also considered the possibility of installing a unit on the first floor in addition to the basement system.

That raises further questions. I assume either rocket mass heater or Walker stove can utilize the existing basement fireplace chimney. How would the chimney be routed for a first-floor installation? I am also reflecting on how a conventional cooktop together with a Walter stove might affect the overall aesthetics and potential resale value of the house. There are clearly many factors to consider, and I would appreciate any further guidance you may have.

Kristina,

Matt Walker's plans have the advantage that if you follow them strictly you will get proven results. If you are more adventurous then you can enter the rabbit hole of masonry heaters and build anything you like to better suite your needs.
If the chimney continues through entire house then an opening can be made on the first floor to connect the heater.

Cristobal Cristo wrote:Matt Walker's plans have the advantage that if you follow them strictly you will get proven results.

Matt also gives personal advice to help you choose which version of his plans to buy, and continued personalised advice as you build. Which we found very useful!