Cast iron stoves Vesuvius Legend: brand series and features

Hello! Today we are reviewing a stove - a phenomenon, a stove - an event. Its appearance caused a local revolution. This is a situation where the name of the product predetermined its fate. Legend sauna stove from the Vesuvius company. Let's take it apart piece by piece. Go!

Fig 1. Vesuvius Legend sauna stove

Vesuvius Legend is perhaps the most popular sauna stove in the Northwestern Federal District. Every second sauna stove purchased in our network is a Legend in one of its modifications. This popularity is due to the following factors:

A wide range of. More than 40 models allow you to choose a stove exactly according to your request;
Mesh heater. A large mass of stones takes a long time to cool and looks beautiful;
Cast iron firebox. Reliability and long service life;
Affordable price. Only 20-25% more expensive than a steel stove.

Brand series and their brief description

Domestic has been supplying cast iron stoves to the Russian market since 2004.

During this time, consumers were lucky enough to learn about several series:

"Premium". The models create the effect of a traditional Russian bath. The cladding is made of mountain stone - soapstone. The firebox perfectly warms up the bath room, retaining heat for quite a long time. Made of steel 5 mm thick;
"Russian Steam". It gained popularity for its light and velvety vapor. The upper part is equipped with a heater that can hold up to 60 kg of stones. They heat up quickly and distribute heat throughout all bath rooms in a short period of time. Stylish design emphasizes the interior of the bathhouse;
"Lava". Differs in power. The firebox is made of structural steel, so it warms up the steam room as quickly as possible. A person can regulate the temperature. The stones heat up to 350 degrees and retain heat for a long time;
"Rusich". These are wood-burning models that fill the sauna with relaxing warmth in a short time. Equipped with open type heaters. They are distinguished by good technical parameters, classic design and low cost;
"Scythian". It is made of durable metal and operates on solid fuel. The main function of the stove is to instantly heat the steam room and adjacent rooms. The metal compartment can hold more than 200 kg of cobblestones;
"Optimum". The stove is made of metal and has a low cost. Suitable for use in rooms with an area of 6 to 14 square meters. The simple design consists of a basket for stones, a cast-iron door and a remote-type firebox;
"Hurricane". Durable model equipped with a closed heater. It allows sauna lovers to steam to their hearts' content. It warms up all rooms perfectly and retains heat for a very long time. Considered the most popular stove;
"Legend". Made from durable cast iron. Used in rooms with an area of 10 to 30 square meters. The metal thickness is 12 mm, so the stove is the most durable and high-quality representative of Vesuvius.

Firebox design and furnace power

Everything ingenious is simple. The Legend furnace firebox consists of only three elements. These are two “shells” that form the combustion chamber and the flue gas exhaust manifold. The cast iron elements are connected to each other by pins. At the junction of the parts there is a non-flammable cord and a heat-resistant compound to ensure the tightness of the firebox.

Fig. 2. Connection of elements of the cast iron firebox of the Vesuvius Legend stove

There is a cast iron grate inside the oven. Through it, combustion air enters the firebox. When the grate burns out, it is easy to replace it with a new one and continue using the stove. The chipper tooth on top of the firebox prevents flue gases from escaping directly into the chimney. When installing the stove, please note that the bumper should be located closer to the fire door. Otherwise, you will heat the street, not the bathhouse.

Vesuvius Legend is available in different capacities: 12, 16, 22 and 28 kilowatts. This allows you to install stoves in steam rooms from 6 to 30 cubic meters. Conveniently, with different powers, the stoves differ from each other only in height. This saves space in a steam room.

Features of the Legend series

Vesuvius “Legend” is the largest series of high-quality cast iron stoves from a trusted manufacturer. To make it easier to choose the right model, the line is divided into three categories:

Steam room from 8 to 18 m3 - compact stoves for small baths, characterized by economical fuel consumption and affordable cost
Steam room from 12 to 24 m3 - heating devices characterized by the highest performance and at the same time maintaining compactness
Steam room from 14 to 30 m3 - the most powerful of the Legend stoves, capable of quickly warming up a room of very impressive dimensions

Each Vesuvius “Legend” sauna stove is made of a special cast iron-based alloy, patented by the manufacturer. The main advantage of this metal is its resistance to sudden temperature changes. Thanks to this, having purchased the Vesuvius “Legend” stove, you can be sure of its safety. In addition, the alloy from which the furnace bodies of this series are made is extremely durable, unlike brittle cast iron.

The most popular models of the series are Vesuvius “Legend” stoves 22 and 12 in the standard version. These inexpensive, but extremely practical stoves have already received high praise from thousands of sauna lovers.

Technical characteristics of the Vesuvius Legend stove

the volume of the serviced bathhouse varies in size from 12 to 28 cubic meters;
water heating is carried out without a heat exchanger;
top connection to the chimney;
open heater;
you can use stones up to 120 kg;
material of the body, grate, doors – cast iron;
an ash drawer is provided;
when installing, the distance to the ceiling must be at least 1m 20 cm;
it can be placed next to flammable materials no closer than 0.5 m;
For safe maintenance, a distance in front of more than 1 m is maintained;
firebox extension 2m 20 cm;
The warranty period for the operation of the furnace is 30 years;
pipe throughput diameter 120 mm;
recommended log thickness is from 8 to 15 cm;
To ignite the stove, add 3 kg of firewood or briquettes;
total fuel mass is 101 kg;
recommended stone diameter is from 10 to 15 cm;
power consumption 16 kW per hour;
frame oven type;
height 0.7 m, depth 0.75 m, width 0.57 m;
manufacturer Russia.

Quality and guarantee

All Vesuvius Legend stoves from 2022 have a warranty period of 3 years. And the service life declared by the manufacturer is 20 years. The Retro model has a service life of 25 years.

On the Internet you can find many reviews on the quality of Legend stoves. And they are all different. We can only rely on our experience. During the high summer season we sell 10 pieces. stoves Legend daily. And so on for several years. So, over the entire sales period since 2016, there has not been a single case of the firebox burning out.

There have been complaints regarding deformation of grate bars or fender teeth. This was due to the fact that the stove was simply overheated. Generally speaking, according to our statistics, the defect rate on the Vesuvius Legend stove is only 0.2%. That is, this is two pieces per thousand stoves sold.

Advantages and disadvantages

If we compare the units in question with other types of furnaces (made from other types of metal) from well-known manufacturers, we can highlight three main advantages.

They are:

in practicality and durability. Cast iron in its effect is as close as possible to brick stoves;
strength. When exposed to high temperatures and intensive use, cast iron does not deform and can withstand high loads;
high thermal conductivity and safety of use. A cast iron stove does not burn oxygen in the steam room and does not emit large quantities of infrared radiation. It heats up quickly, but cools down slowly.

The disadvantages include the large weight of the structures and considerable cost. However, there is good value for money.

Cast iron firebox

Cast iron is one of the advantages for which Legend stoves are chosen. It is not afraid of high temperatures and is very wear-resistant. And, perhaps, the most burning question is: how thick is the firebox wall?

Initially, the stoves were massive, and the thickness of the firebox was 12 mm. round. At the turn of 2018-19. restyling took place, in some places the wall thickness was reduced to 8 mm. This was due to two reasons:

The need to maintain an affordable retail price;
Transition to new casting technology.

Today, Vesuvius is the only domestic company that makes its castings on a high-precision automatic DISAMATIC line. This technology allows for smaller wall thicknesses with higher quality. It also ensures clear geometry of products and practically eliminates defects.

The firebox of the Legend sauna stove shows that the casting is very smooth and of high quality. You can pour water directly onto cast iron without fear of the firebox bursting. Tested by thousands of owners of these stoves.

If such a restyling confuses you, and you like cast iron, then there is the opportunity to buy a stove in an old body. It's called Legend Retro. The thickness of the firebox walls is still the same 12 mm. The weight of the Retro stove is a quarter larger, but the price is 15% more expensive. By the way, this is the only modification of the Legend sauna stove that you can buy without a casing and make the lining, for example, with brick.

TOP 5 best cast iron stoves for the Vesuvius bathhouse

Next, popular models, their features, advantages and disadvantages, as well as technical characteristics will be considered. A detailed study of the prominent representatives of “Vesuvius” will allow a lover of Russian bathhouses to choose the best option for themselves.

LEGEND STANDARD 16 (DT-4S)

This is a unique model that has no analogues on the Russian market. The oven combines all the advantages of metal structures and engineered brick installations.

A capacious casing paired with stones warms the room up to 350 degrees.

Additionally, stone elements serve as protection against infrared radiation.

General characteristics:

the furnace has a heated volume of 18 m3;
power - 16 kW;
belongs to the closed type;
chimney diameter - 12 cm, connection to it - top;
equipped with a chimney and ash drawer;
runs on solid fuel - wood;
dimensions (W/H/D) - 56x70x69 cm;
weight - 117 kg.

Advantages:

made of high-strength cast iron;
the door is made of high-quality, impact-resistant glass;
can withstand the weight of stones up to 120 kg;
economical fuel consumption due to uniform heating of the premises;
attractive appearance;
ease of cleaning from ash;
affordable price - from 22,000 rubles.

Flaws:

massiveness;
requires regular cleaning of soot.

LEGEND FORGING 16 (217)

The design consists of three elements with a material thickness of 12 mm. The ceramic cord is capable of producing operating temperatures up to 1200 degrees.

The parts are fixed together with strong bolts, which guarantees human safety during operation of the stove.

Specifications:

heated volume - 18 m3;
belongs to the closed type;
equipped with a chimney and an ash box;
operates on wood;
made of cast iron, and the door is made of glass;
chimney diameter - 12 cm;
dimensions - 56x62x76 cm;
weight - 110 kg.

Advantages:

holds stones with a total weight of 120 kg;
every detail is made of high quality material;
durability, strength, practicality;
safety of use;
easy access to the ash box;
Beautiful design.

Flaws:

the structure is difficult to move to another location due to its massiveness;
not every consumer can afford such a model. Starting price - 30,000 rubles.

LEGEND STANDARD 16 DT-4 B/V

Sturdy and durable model. The heater stove will serve a Russian bath lover for 30 years. The main advantage is the hermetically sealed connection of all structural elements.

The combustion process can be controlled by a retractable ash drawer.

Specifications:

heated volume - 18 m3;
equipped with a chimney with a diameter of 12 cm, an ash box;
belongs to the closed type;
operates on wood;
all structural elements are made of cast iron;
dimensions - 56x62x56 cm;
weight - 120 kg.

Advantages:

thanks to the ability to load stones with a total weight of 120 kg, the stove heats up quickly and distributes heat evenly over the entire area of the bathhouse;
Maintains the set temperature for a long time;
has the highest level of strength and resistance to negative external influences;
durable and attractive;
the price is available for purchase to everyone. The price tag starts from 20,000 rubles.

Flaws:

Like other models, this stove has considerable weight. Therefore, it is difficult for one user to move it;
requires cleaning the chimney and other structural elements.

LEGEND FORGING 22 (224)

It has an undeniable advantage - the presence of a sealed, self-cooling door. Heat-resistant glass is equipped with a convection-ventilated casing and a self-cleaning system.

The combustion tunnel allows you to heat the stove from the adjacent room, which is adjacent to the steam room.

Main parameters:

heated volume - 24 m3;
belongs to the closed type;
equipped with a chimney with a diameter of 12 cm and an ash box;
the thickness of the firebox walls is 1.2 cm;
heated with wood;
all elements are made of cast iron, and the door is made of glass;
dimensions - 67x66x90 cm;
weight - 140 kg.

Advantages:

has a large capacity of stones with a total weight of 180 kg;
glass is not subject to deformation and does not deteriorate when exposed to high temperatures;
the design has the highest level of strength and durability;
attractive appearance. Decorated with decorative forged elements;
heats up in a short period of time, releasing heat evenly;
good stability on any type of floor surface.

Flaws:

high cost - from 33,000 rubles;
Requires professional installation.

LEGEND FORGING 16 (270)

The stove is cast from a special cast iron alloy that can withstand maximum temperature changes. The body remains intact and does not burst.

Decorative elements are made of textured metal strip, painted with heat-resistant paint, Bronze patina.

Technical specifications:

heated volume - 18 m3;
there is a chimney and an ash box;
made of cast iron, door made of glass;
requires firewood for work;
dimensions - 56x70x69 cm;
weight - 98 kg.

Advantages:

the top connection to the chimney allows you to easily carry out installation work;
the material of manufacture affects the durability and strength of the structure;
you can load stones with a total weight of 120 kg;
Excellent savings in fuel consumption, while providing the bathhouse with hot air for a long time;
attractive appearance allows the stove to adapt to any bathhouse interior;
affordable price - from 25,000 rubles.

Flaws:

requires regular cleaning of elements from soot;
not suitable for installation in very small steam rooms.

The history of the oven

Cast iron stoves for baths existed before the Legend, but they were rarely bought for two reasons: 1. they were expensive; 2. have always been in short supply. And it was clear that the first one to launch serial production of affordable cast-iron sauna stoves would break the bank. In 2016, Vesuvius became such a company. They were able to develop a furnace design comparable in price to a simple carbon steel model.

From that moment on, a revolution took place. Cast iron sauna stoves began to rule the roost. Today, almost all manufacturers strive to have a cast iron sauna stove in their range. And Vesuvius, having become the market leader, is developing more and more new models of stoves.

We recommend reading the article “5 rules for choosing the right stove for a bath or sauna”

Furnace installation

Let's consider an installation diagram in which the stove will be located in the steam room, and the remote tank will be in the washing room.

Standard installation diagram for the Vesuvius stove with a remote water tank

As can be seen from the figure, a “samovar” type heat exchanger is used, which does not allow heat to escape through the chimney pipe, but uses it to heat water. This increases the efficiency (efficiency factor) of the furnace.

As an example, we suggest watching a video that shows how the Vesuvia Skif Russian Steam stove is installed.

Heat exchanger for Vesuvius furnace

The heat exchanger for the Vesuvius stove looks like a geometric stainless steel container. Material thickness 1 mm. It is designed to heat water in rooms adjacent to the steam room. The heat exchanger is attached to heating and water supply systems using a fitting. To prevent depressurization of welding seams, water is poured into the heat exchanger before starting the system.

Plastic pipes must not be placed close to the heat exchanger. The material is not able to withstand high temperatures. A metal corrugated pipe is used for the tank.

Additional equipment

The Vesuvius sauna stove, reviews of which can help you, is also classified according to its configuration. Different models may have a remote channel or panoramic fireproof glass. The first addition is used for the firebox from the adjacent room. All consumers who have already enjoyed the quality of the stoves of these series note that with their help they can warm up the steam room in the shortest possible time. The temperature inside can reach 350 °C, and the presence of an outer casing will be very useful.

Furnaces of the Sensation and Premium series.

Oven Vesuvius sensation
When I first saw the sensation, I mentally called it Thermosuvius. This is a kind of hybrid of TMF (old Termofor) and Vesuvius furnaces. In fact, they took a cast iron stove and put it in a closed metal casing. What did we get? We got a small load of stones, and at the same time a lot of open hot metal - ideal for a Finnish sauna.

The premium series stove is the same sensation, but is lined with tiles made of coil, soapstone and sandstone.

Recommendations for use

The manufacturer of equipment for Vesuvius steam rooms prescribes recommendations for operating the device in the instructions for the models. You should familiarize yourself with them in advance and strictly follow them. This affects the service life of the device and the company’s warranty obligations. When working with company equipment, it is prohibited:

Use peat, coke, gaseous and liquid materials as fuel. This does not comply with fire safety regulations. The combustion temperature may exceed that for which the device is designed.
Firewood must not exceed the permissible dimensions of the firebox.
Do not use the device if the tank is not filled with water.
Install in residential areas for heating.
The chimney can only be closed when the fire has completely gone out.
Do not burn soot from the smoke duct.
Make changes to the original design of the furnace.

Important! To prevent the destruction of cast iron, you should familiarize yourself with the rules for laying stones. You can water the stones for steam generation at a minimum interval of 5 minutes. If these simple requirements are met, the company undertakes to eliminate all defects during the entire warranty period or replace the device free of charge.

The most basic advantages of these models are:

An impeccable aesthetic appearance, modern design, thanks to this, a stove of this brand can easily be integrated into any steam room interior.
The highest efficiency rate (reaching 90%) with minimal consumption of firewood or pallets.
When reaching the highest temperatures, it is resistant to various deformations.
Thanks to the spacious firebox of the product, fuel can be stored for 12 hours of operation of the unit.
Self-cooling and door cleaning.
Thanks to the safe manufacturing material, they meet all declared environmental norms and standards.
Long term of comfortable operation (15 – 20 years).
A series of models from have the ability to release soft healing steam.
Thanks to special stands, there is no need to install a foundation for the product, this greatly facilitates dismantling (if it is necessary to move the stove).

The principle of operation of the unit is as follows: the room is heated instantly, and due to the fact that the stove cools down gradually, heat accumulates over the next 8 to 10 hours.

So which model should you choose?

When developing the Rusich model range, engineers relied on the experience of foreign and domestic manufacturers, choosing what works and what is effective. And here is the result: a volumetric ventilated heater that heats stones from four sides at once in record time. And the process is helped by an external convector casing, which forms a fairly powerful convection flow in the steam room. In fact, “Rusich” is the fastest stove for heating a bath.

In the Skif model range, they decided to combine the advantages of metal and brick stoves: to make a super-capacity convection-ventilated casing for a huge number of stones that will heat up to 350˚C. And they accumulate valuable heat for a long time. And the stones in these models are placed in a casing on all sides of the firebox, protecting it at the same time from hard infrared radiation, which is difficult to get rid of in conventional metal stoves. A simple and at the same time unique solution.

Lava models differ from others in their special structural steel and ventilated casing with spectacular forging elements. Such stoves heat up the steam room almost as quickly as “Rusich”.

The “Vertical” model range has also become popular recently - it contains 100% advanced technologies: a combustion chamber with afterburning of exhaust gases, double circulation of the flame and, as a result, a greatly increased efficiency of the furnace. In fact, this is generally the only stove in Russia that has double circulation of flame and afterburning of gases - it is not without reason that it is chosen primarily by those who really understand sauna stoves and their functioning, and not just determine something by the external design alone.

But for true connoisseurs of the spirit of the Russian bath, the “Vesuvius” “Premium” model range was specially created. Convection-ventilated lining made of pure mountain coils is the secret of such stoves. They warm up quickly, and retain heat and a stable temperature for a really long time. Plus, the stylish appearance of the stone and the healing properties of the coil itself.

But for a real Russian bath with its special humid microclimate, the “Russian Steam” model is most suitable - its name speaks for itself. At the top of the stove there is a heater designed for 60 kg of stones - and they will heat up to 400˚C. The resulting steam is fine, dispersed and very light. Here we can safely say to the owners of such stoves - with light steam!

Hurricane series stoves for Russian baths.

The Hurricane series stoves are ordinary legends, on which they put a metal box, attached a door and made the mesh higher.
This is where the difference from the Legend ends. The series appeared due to the increased popularity of closed heaters. But the company did not bother designing a new stove, but decided to slightly modernize the proven line. Did they achieve what they wanted? Yes. Most dealers of this stove position it as an ideal option for a Russian bath, although it is not.

For a classic Russian steam bath, the heating element must be insulated, that is, the firebox must be surrounded by stones and covered with at least a metal sheet. Thanks to this insulation, the stone in the heater reaches maximum temperatures, and the steam room will never dry out.

What happens in reality? It is most suitable for Russian high-temperature, but not for steam. The walls of the firebox are open, which means that all the heat emanating from the firebox will flow into the room. And the box on the same 16 holds only 30 kilograms. The pipe passing through the box eats up useful space in a small heater. Yes, I agree that the stone heats up well in this heater, But! there is not enough of it.

The heater itself is not conveniently designed. It’s trivial that you won’t open it without gloves. In the Russian steam (a metal stove, which we’ll talk about later), we used a ladle to open the door, but in the Hurricane it is placed at an angle, and such a life hack will not work.

Reviews of Vesuvius bath stoves

Well, we can talk a lot about products, but still, it is important to know the reviews of living people who bought, tried and already have their own opinion. As usual, the owners of Vesuvius products are divided into two camps: some are satisfied and satisfied with everything, while others express negative reviews about the Vesuvius cast iron bath stoves. Here are some of these reviews:

“After purchasing the Vesuvius Skif 12 HF stove-heater, I was very pleased. It accelerates quickly and produces steam for the whole family. Service life is about 2 years. We use it at the dacha and have had no complaints. I heard that some people criticize Vesuvius products, such as the stoves do not heat well. First, such people need to insulate the walls and ceiling. The unit is inexpensive and good, I recommend it!” – Mikhail, Perm.
“I bought myself a Vesuvius Rusich stove.” Generally speaking, it’s ok, but there are also disadvantages. Due to the supply of air into the firebox through the ash pan, there is a lack of draft, and the stove begins to smoke. You need to install a long chimney and not skimp on it. When it increases, the smoke goes away well” - Alexey, Leningrad region.
“The Vesuvius Skif model, which has a transparent door, is simply gorgeous! It looks very nice in the steam room. But there is a small drawback - after the first test, soot appeared on the glass. This whole thing needs to be cleaned with a fireplace cleaner. True, all this is compensated by the spectacle itself that takes place inside” - Ekaterina, Omsk.
“They advised me to buy this stove. It is a fireplace type and has large heat-resistant glass. The good news is that the children were so impressed by the ability to follow the flames in the firebox that now they don’t have to be driven into the bathhouse. They themselves are happy to go there. In addition, it is convenient to regulate the intensity of firewood combustion, thanks to the ash pan. When it is pulled out, the wood burns quickly, and after 30 minutes there is already excellent heat. And if you push the ash pan back, the firewood will slowly smolder” - Timur, Kazan.
“I spent a long time looking through options for bathhouse stoves, mostly looking online. I purchased Vesuvius products. Of the stated 50–70˚C in the room, the stove produces only 40˚C, and I used 5 kg of birch. I was disappointed, I should have taken the option with a closed heater” - Alexey, Moscow.
“When choosing a stove, I liked the good price of Vesuvius. My steam room is small, only 8 m3, so the unit is enough. Due to its light weight, there were no problems with delivery. The model has a solid cast-iron combustion door, but this does not matter, since the main thing is to steam thoroughly, and not to watch the combustion process. After the first use, I was pleased with the result” - Oksana, Moscow.

Oven doors

The Legend's feature is a huge selection of combustion door options. There are 10 of them. The door can be either glass or solid. If you don't have to watch the fire burn, you can save a lot of money. The price difference is more than 10 thousand rubles.

The doors are sealed. They have a sealing cord laid inside them, which ensures a tighter fit to the stove frame. Modifications with a blower allow you to regulate combustion not with an ash box, but with a special viewer.

You can heat the Legend both from the adjacent room and from the steam room itself. To do this, you should choose a stove with or without an external fuel channel. The channel is made of steel 09G2S with a thickness of 3 mm, its length is about 20 cm. It is impossible to heat in the channel, so the length of firewood that fits into the Vesuvius Legend is 35 cm.

Fig. 4. Firewood 35 cm long is placed in the firebox of the Vesuvius Legend stove.