Kutkin oven: advantages, functionality, types and principle of operation

If you need a stove for a bath that can operate in several modes, take a closer look at the units produced by M.M. Kutkin. It can be used in four modes:

• like an infrared sauna - with a low temperature and radiation in the IR range (so says its creator, but there is no confirmation or refutation that such a mode is possible);
• create conditions like in a hammam (low temperature about 40°C and humidity 80-90%);
• Russian steam room with a temperature of 50-70°C and a humidity of 40-70% (as you like);
• dry-air hot sauna with a temperature of 90°C and above and low humidity - no more than 10-15%.

  
  This is what Kutkin stoves look like, lined with a coil and in the Economy+ version

To make it immediately clear, all these modes can be created using a stove without modifications or modifications. You will need to set the stove correctly, exactly for this mode (ash pan/ash pit/water/filling firewood/stove lid) and you will be able to maintain the mode for quite a long time.

Another feature of this stove is that it can be powered by gas. Moreover, everyone admits that in the gas version, the Kutkin stove works better than all others on the market.

Reasons for the popularity of the model range

The use of a closed heater is one of the key advantages of the equipment in question.
This design makes it possible to install stoves in Russian baths, which are quite capricious regarding maintaining temperature and humidity conditions. In addition, the stove is designed as a multifunctional equipment capable of recreating the microclimate of other types of baths with a thousand-year history. The units are unique because they can operate on any type of fuel - gas, wood, diesel. The main control tools are implemented without being tied strictly to the right or left side, which allows you to mount them at your discretion. When compared with other common models of sauna stoves, fuel consumption here is almost three times lower.

The equipment may have a unique design, since its cladding, at the customer’s request, uses such aesthetic materials as granite, ceramics, jadeite, soapstone. The steel contains up to 17% chromium, which ensures an impressive service life and high quality models.

Reasons why Kutkin stoves are chosen:

• compactness,
• fire safety,
• possibility of implementation without reworking the finished project,
• convenience of heating any area,
• affordable price,
• reliability in operation,
• producing light steam,
• the possibility of installing an additional tank for accompanying water heating,
• high quality of assembly and raw materials, use of European components for control in the production.

It is important that the modifications are easy to install, they do not require labor-intensive modifications, all work can be done alone

Installation

The technology for installing the Kutkin furnace is quite simple, so it is not necessary to resort to the services of specialists.

The main thing is to fulfill all the conditions:

1. Thanks to the telescopic fuel channel, the stove can be installed in any wall. If desired, a fireplace or regular door can be moved into the next room. In order for the stove to operate on gaseous fuel, you will need to install a special flap, while the nozzle connection passes through the fuel channel.
2. If you want to line the stove body with natural stone or other material, then the tiles are sent ready for assembly - and it’s not difficult to line them with ready-made fragments.
3. The hot water storage tank is fixed using threaded hardware. It can be connected to the side or moved to another room.
4. The heat exchanger is located not in the housing itself, but in the economizer area.
5. In order to connect the stove to gaseous fuel, it is important to have the appropriate design and solution available, for which you will have to contact the Gas Service.
6. An economizer is used to remove exhaust gases, which reduces the temperature of the exhaust gases and has a positive effect on the performance of the heating device. It is important to ensure that the pipe is thermally insulated, this will reduce the amount of condensation formed.

To summarize all of the above, it is worth saying that the Kutkin bathhouse stove is an effective source of heating, and many positive user reviews are direct confirmation of this. A wide selection of models allows everyone to choose the most optimal heating source.

Operating modes

Kutkin ovens can operate in several modes:

• dry air (working with the heater lid open);
• wet steam mode (if a sauna is preferable);
• Turkish steam room mode (working at low temperatures).

The creators of the furnace claim that it was originally created as a dry-air oven, and was later improved to operate in several modes. For the economizer, jadeite stone is mainly used.

Today, fireplace stoves are becoming more popular. It's nice to sit in a warm dressing room, enjoying the peaceful picture of firewood burning in the stove. The Kutkin stove is equipped, at the customer’s request, with a large glass firebox door. It is made of specialized heat-resistant glass, which does not smoke during operation. The standard oven model is also equipped with glass, which is smaller in size.

Due to the fact that fuel tends to become more expensive, this stove has the ability to operate in two modes:

• on gas;
• on wood.

If in your region gas is cheaper and more accessible than firewood, the Kutkin stove is equipped with a gas burner. The burner replacement process is simple and is described in the documentation. We remind you that if a gas stove is used, approval in the field of fire safety is required from various authorities. The choice of fuel does not affect the quality of operation of the furnace modes.

Kutkin furnaces description and design features

Stoves under this brand are manufactured in Novosibirsk and delivered throughout the country. The company offers customers stoves in several price categories for bath complexes and home saunas. The design was developed in production and patented.

The sauna stove is the most important element. It doesn't just heat the air to a certain temperature. The task of a sauna stove is to provide a light steam effect in the steam room, which will be beneficial for the body.

Sauna stoves "Kutkin" have a number of features:

• have a closed heater;
• equipped with several modes that allow you to maintain the optimal temperature in the bath;
• models provide the ability to install gas and diesel burners;
• it is possible to convert a wood-burning stove into a gas stove without extra expenses.

It is believed that Kutkin ovens are the most versatile of their kind. Let's see if this is true. The finished structure does not require cladding, although some owners try to give their bathhouse a noble appearance.

The model range is wide, it is divided into several classes:

• Economy
• Standard
• Premium
• Stoves with fireplaces

“Kutkin” stoves from the “Economy” series are capable of operating for steam rooms with a volume of 5 to 18 m3. Other series produce stoves for steam rooms with larger volumes. Each model is equipped with a number, according to which the buyer can easily understand what the power of the equipment is: 1.0 (up to 12 m3), 1.5 (up to 18 m3), 2.0 (up to 25 m3), 3.0 (up to 35 m3), 4.0 (the most powerful models).

It doesn’t matter whether the equipment is installed in a Russian bath or a Finnish sauna. Classification by category also indicates the sources used to make models

The following materials are used in production:

• heat-resistant AISI steel of various thicknesses;
• steel grade St.3;
• heat-resistant glass.

The material contains chromium in an amount of 17% or more. Its presence ensures the softness of welding seams and their durability. The stove kit includes an economizer, which is a mesh with decorative material. It decorates the structure, and at the same time stones are placed in it to cover the area where the stove and chimney connect. The weight of the stones is 20 kilograms. The weight of the furnaces themselves is light, which does not require additional work on the foundation.

Reviews

Alexey Smirnov, Chelyabinsk

Now I understand how to properly handle the stove so that the steam is normal and the temperature remains constant. It took five days of experimenting with different modes to understand Kutkin’s work. It heats the air in the bathhouse very quickly, but the stove is very unique, if you adapt, it won’t be worth the price.

Vladislav Adzhanyan, Kursk

The stove was inherited from the old owner along with the bathhouse, and he advised not to change it. Before lighting Kutkin, he decided to clean the pipe and chimney; the owner said that he didn’t look at all. I was surprised - everything was clean, not even dust. The stove burns well, sometimes even too quickly; it could be made slower.

Sergey Antonovsky, Moscow

The stove is not bad, but if it is not heated to the maximum from the very beginning, problems begin with the release of smoke and burning, and in the rain the smell of burnt hay generally appears. Heating is easy, Kutkin has never failed in this matter.

Description of the design of the Standard series furnace

The Kutkin stove can be installed in steam rooms of different sizes. If models are designated by the manufacturer with the following numbers: 1.0; 1.5; 2.0, this indicates that the devices can be installed in steam rooms with a volume of 10, 15 and 20 m3. These stoves are manufactured as follows: heat-resistant steel is used for the heater, its thickness is 2 mm. In this case, the material contains chromium in an amount of 17% or more. The internal screen and casing are made of AISI 430 steel; it also goes on the furnace lid, in the latter case the thickness reaches 1.5 mm.

The manufacturer took care of the presence of a telescopic fuel screen, as well as a fuel channel door, which is 1.5 mm thick and has glass. If necessary, you can install a firebox instead of a door. The above-mentioned models may have vertical or horizontal guides for tiles. The Kutkina stove can be supplemented with a forced-air burner, which is installed on top.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's talk about the pros and cons of the Kutkin oven. This information is compiled not only as a result of the manufacturer’s analysis, but also based on customer reviews.

The benefits include:

• the presence of various furnace operating modes, including low temperature;
• the possibility of converting a wood-burning stove into a gas stove with minimal investment;
• ease of operation;
• modern appearance, which is not inferior to foreign models of stoves;
• Fuel economy is an average of one and a half times;
• high quality materials, which makes Kutkin stoves durable.

We will also talk about the disadvantages in detail. They can be identified during operation:

• A narrow range of adjustment of flame intensity, as a result of which the stove can be easily overheated. It is possible to achieve a moderate mode, but to do this you need to gain experience in operating the stove, and this takes time.
• Some owners consider the lack of a steam gun to be a significant disadvantage.

Some stove owners noted that the heater sags over time, but this cannot be considered a pattern. The stove is truly universal; it has proven itself well among residents of the Novosibirsk region. Today, models are ordered by residents of other regions.

This is interesting: Ermak stove for a bath (video)

Criterias of choice

When purchasing Kutkina stoves, you should use standard selection criteria. They are as follows:

• Determine the size of the steam room and accurately select models that fit this criterion.
• Select the type of fuel you will use to heat the stove - the models presented include gas and wood stoves. Those who initially plan to heat with gas will not need to buy a wood-burning model and convert it.
• Determine if furnace refinishing is required at an additional cost.

The finishing will give the model a finished, laconic look. The manufacturer offers the following types of cladding:

• the coil looks noble, its dark green color is calming, and the snake pattern emphasizes the subtle taste of the owner;
• the austere gray soapstone stone in decoration looks beautiful, its pattern is called velvet;
• jadeite finishing is considered the most expensive in terms of cost; it is ideal for saunas and baths, and in combination with emerald details it looks bright.

The choice of finish is a personal choice for the buyer. Some owners make it themselves using tiles. Replacing cladding is a simple process that does not require special skills.

Universal Kutkin stoves quickly gained popularity; they are worth paying attention to.

Popular series of Kutkin stoves

The main criterion for choosing equipment is the volume of the serviced premises. The high power of the line allows you to purchase a model without a performance reserve - otherwise this can lead to difficulties in maintaining a comfortable vaping mode.

All manufacturer’s products are divided into 3 modifications:

• “premium” - the equipment has a decorative lining and a fireplace-type door is pre-installed;
• “standard” - stoves are offered with casing made of jadeite or coil, you can select it when ordering equipment;
• “Economy” is a standard oven without lining.

Kutkin stove “standard”
The difference between the two lower categories lies only in the provided casing, the functionality of the models is identical, the same steel 2 mm thick is used for their manufacture. Premium-class products use the same grade of steel - AISI 430 - but with a reinforced thickness - from 3 mm. Such variations are characterized by high inertia, but are able to retain heat much longer.

To determine the volume of the steam room for which each specific line of stoves was created, you need to look at the marking after the name: 1. cubic. meters, 2.0 – 20 cubic meters. meters and further in the same spirit. Next, when choosing, you need to focus on the stylistic features of the units and their sizes, and their ability to fit organically into the interior of the room.

If family members prefer different steaming modes, the only solution acceptable to everyone is to purchase a universal stove that can satisfy different needs. Kutkin stoves are ideal in this regard - they are equally good for both a Russian bath and a Finnish one.

Models, specifications and selection

The oven is selected according to the volume of the steam room. Since the unit is powerful, a large reserve is not needed: it will be difficult to maintain the mode.

Kutkin has three modifications of stoves:

• “Economy” - comes without cladding;
• “Standard” with lining (coil or jadeite to choose from);
• “Premium” - in cladding with a fireplace door.

The difference between “Economy” and “Standard” is only the presence of cladding. Both are made of 2 mm thick steel (AISI 430). In “Premium” the thickness is greater - 3 mm (same brand). As a result, Kutkin “Premium” stoves are more inertial, but also retain heat longer.

Technical characteristics of stoves for the Russian bath Kutkin

The volume of the steam room is calculated by the numbers that appear after the name: 1.0 - for 10 cubic meters, 2.0 - for twenty, etc. For the rest, you focus on the size of the units and how they fit into your premises. Technical parameters and dimensions of Kutkin furnaces are presented in the table.

Conclusions : Quite often there are situations when everyone in the family likes different modes. Finding a universal oven is very, very difficult. Kutkin is one of the few. Moreover, even such a difficult regime as the Russian bath is rated by connoisseurs as good or very good. The ease of temperature control and good acceleration dynamics of the steam room are noted.

The video compares two metal stoves for Russian baths - Kutkin and Charodeyka. They are in the same price range, but their designs are different.

Model range of Kutkin stoves

The uniqueness of stoves under the Kutkin brand lies in the ability to operate on traditional solid fuel and natural or liquefied gas, and even diesel fuel.

When choosing suitable equipment, you can pay attention to the operational and production characteristics of the models. Namely:

• Sauna stove Kutkin 1.0 Standard - with a closed heater is intended for single steam rooms with an area of ​​up to 10 m³. Heat-resistant steel 2 mm thick is used in production. The welds are made using argon arc welding, which allows them to withstand heating up to 100 degrees without loss of strength.

  Door options in the Kutkin 1.0 Standard model are negotiated separately. Both a panoramic firebox with a free view of the burning flame and a door with a small glass opening are installed. The body can be lined with soapstone or other natural stone.

• Sauna stoves Kutkin 1.5 Standard are another basic model, recommended for use in steam rooms with a volume of up to 18 m³. To increase productivity, changes were made to the design: the possibility of firing in the top burning mode of wood and the use of an economizer were provided.

  Full automation of heating the steam room and maintaining the set temperature is achieved thanks to the Kutkin 1.5 Standard gas model.

  After lining the stove with natural stone, heat transfer increases by a total of 15%.

• Sauna stoves Kutkina 2.0 Standard - these models perform well in steam rooms up to 25 m³. The uniqueness of the design is the significantly increased volume of the combustion chamber compared to other modifications of this series. As a result, lighting the stove became much easier.

  Traditionally, the equipment includes an economizer and a long fuel channel. It is possible to lengthen the combustion tunnel due to its design resembling a telescope.

  The Kutkin2.0 Standard gas stove is equipped with an OНG-2 or NAVIEN burner. Depending on the installed equipment, the heated volume can vary from 18 to 25 m³.

• Sauna stove Kutkin 1.0 Economy+ is a small model in which the main emphasis is on the simplicity of the design, which made it possible to obtain a stove capable of heating a room up to 12 m³. An economizer and a hanging tank are installed as additional equipment.

  Like all other models in this series, Kutkin Economy Plus 1.0 can be covered with tiles made of natural stone: jadeite, soapstone and serpentine. Cladding work is carried out along guides installed during assembly at the factory.

• Wood-burning sauna stoves Kutkin 1.5 Economy+ - designed for heating the stove directly from the steam room. The equipment’s performance is sufficient to heat a room with a volume of up to 18 m³.

  It is possible to order a modified model with a built-in gas burner. The Kutkin 1.5 Economy + configuration with gas operation includes the installation of the OLYMPIA OHG-2 unit (Korea).

  Additionally, you can purchase an economizer and natural stone slabs for cladding.

• Sauna stoves from Kutkin 2.0 Economy+ - the design provides for heating a steam room from an adjacent room. It is possible to install a panoramic door with a wide view of the burning flame. The length of the fuel channel is 200-250 mm. There is provision for connecting an external tank for heating water.

  If necessary, you can modify the installation by converting it to gas, or buy a ready-made Kutkin 2.0 Economy + stove with an installed gas burner. In the basic configuration, the power of the equipment is enough to heat a steam room up to 25 m³.

• Sauna stove with a closed heater Kutkin 3.0 can be used with equal efficiency in both a Russian bath and a Finnish sauna; it is also possible to use this model for a Turkish hammam. The stove quickly raises the temperature to the set limit and then maintains the set parameters.

  The design of the Kutkin 3.0 sauna stove, when operating on gas, makes it possible to fully automate the combustion process. Changing the temperature mode can be changed in 10-15 minutes.

  The heater can be used in both closed and convection (open) modes. Can be used for large steam rooms with a volume of up to 35 m³. Finishing in soapstone and other natural stone is possible.

Installing a gas burner allows you to fully automate the steam room heating process. Recently, the additional function of remotely starting the operation of furnace equipment using a mobile phone has become possible.

Design Features

Since the dimensions of the heating unit are small, it can easily fit into a small steam room. Buyers can choose from models for installation in a steam room or with a remote firebox for an adjacent room.

Model with remote firebox for the adjacent room

The doors can be of a regular format or wide - fireplace. The lining is made with soapstone, serpentine, jadeite or without lining at all. The pipe is shifted forward relative to the center, so it will be close to the wall, which suggests the need for thermal protection of this section of the wall - for this you can use basalt cardboard and rolled metal sheets.

Also, the design of the Kutkin furnace requires the presence of an economizer - this is a mesh with stones and a steam generation system. It is arranged around an internal stainless steel pipe. By the way, the economizer can be placed on the wall side, which simplifies the process of implementing thermal protection of the wall.

Sauna stove in installed form - Kutkin model * As for heating water, it is heated in two ways - on the pipe and inside the stove using a heat exchanger. The first option is more effective, and the second option can be used as a backup.

The internal design of the model is quite simple, and the external decoration is a double casing, lined with natural stone, however, the cladding is optional. The design also includes a closed heater with a lid and a mesh, which is filled with fine stones, like an economizer on a pipe.

If we consider the functionality of Kutkin’s heating equipment, then such a sauna stove can be used in several modes:

• Like an infrared lamp, that is, with radiation in the IR range and a low temperature.
• You can create conditions with low temperatures (up to approximately 40°C and humidity up to 90%).
• Third. An ordinary Russian steam room: temperature up to 70°C, humidity within 40-70%.
• Hot sauna with dry air, the temperature in it is up to 90°C, and the humidity is only up to 15%.

The convenient thing is that the user can easily do all these modes on the stove without any additional modifications. To obtain the necessary humidity and temperature conditions, you only need to choose the right mode - then the model will support it. The unit itself can operate on any fuel – solid or gaseous, which is very convenient.

Operating modes of the Kutkin furnace

As already mentioned, this stove can create the conditions of four different types of steam rooms, the most popular in our country.

Infrared sauna

This mode is achieved in the steam room when the room has warmed up to approximately 40°C. At this time, the walls of the casing and the economizer on the pipe have already warmed up enough and radiate heat in the infrared range. At the same time, you need to lay a little firewood.

If you need this mode, close the air supply and do not open the heater lid. The mode will last for a long time without overheating. The duration of the procedure is no more than 20-25 minutes, but depends on the state of health and well-being.

Installation option

Hammam

The Turkish bath mode is achieved using a large amount of steam. Bring the steam room temperature to 45-50°C, pour several ladles of water (about a liter) into the heater. The stones will be flooded, but there will be a lot of steam. The water will actively boil and steam will escape. After a few tens of minutes it will rise to 97%.

Since the heater’s container is made of stainless steel, there will be no metallic taste in the steam. The steam is good. Well, the sun loungers should warm up to normal temperature while the steam room is warming up.

Russian steam room

For this mode, the oven heats the room to 50-55°C. In this mode, without steam, they make several passes to warm up (two or three). No steam and no broom. You can give infusions of medicinal herbs at this time.

After the body has warmed up, you can increase the humidity. This is done gradually, pouring water into the heater in small portions. With each portion of steam, the temperature rises by about 5°. Several such portions and the humidity is already 40-50% and the temperature is already 65-70°C. There is no need to raise it any higher: it is uncomfortable and burns. To maintain this temperature, close the air supply, the wood burns only slightly (if the stove is on gas, it is simply turned off).

This hole is covered with doors

That's when soaring with a broom begins. Open the heater, apply the ladle (it holds 150 ml) a couple of times and close the lid. After a while, the humidity level rises significantly (depending on how much water you poured, and specifically, monitor the hygrometer). All. You can use a broom; it does not dry out in high humidity. If desired, you can add steam, but you should not raise the temperature higher; do not open the lid of the heater for a long time: it gave way, immediately closed it.

We went out to rest, the heater was closed. The stones were still warm. You add water again. And then it seems that the hissing is weak and there is not enough steam. As the manufacturer says, after it seemed like it would be enough for two or three more passes for sure. If this is not enough, throw in a couple of logs, in 15-20 minutes it will be enough. On gas, as Kutkin M.M. says, the stove reaches the operating mode even faster - after 7 minutes.

In general, up to 10-12 kg of dry firewood is required for two to three hours. This is for 1-2 people. For a small campaign you will need about 15 kg. But this is for a normally insulated bathhouse and at above-zero temperatures in the bathhouse at the start. And as you know, the weather and the degree of insulation are very important.

Finnish sauna

This mode is characterized by high temperatures - from 90° and above - and low humidity of no more than 15%. Such conditions can be achieved if you heat the steam room to 85 (the heater lid is closed, the valves are closed according to the situation, but do not allow the pipe to glow red). Then the lid is opened and after a few minutes the required temperature is obtained. The lid is closed, and the air supply to the firebox is also kept to a minimum. In this mode, the temperature is simply maintained.

Drying the bath

As you probably guessed, the lid of the heater simply opens. If there is a need or desire, you can throw in a couple of logs, but in general, the residual heat is usually enough to dry everything.

Kutkin stoves have few competitors, as well as metal units in general that are capable of creating the conditions of a Russian bath. These are just a few companies:

Operating rules for the unit

The manufacturer's lineup includes powerful equipment, so when using it, it is important to be careful to prevent the oven from overheating. With this design, convection becomes muted, the body quickly heats up, but cools very slowly, so it is better to refrain from completely loading firewood and always adjust the burning intensity. It is important to prevent fire from entering the fuel channel. To determine the heating level of the equipment, you should use an IR economizer - the color of this pipe should not reach red.

The start of kindling is accompanied by the extension of the ash pan: if you move it further, the combustion process will speed up - such manipulations are optimal at the stage when the firewood has just begun to flare up. Next, you need to completely close the ash pan in order to coordinate the air supply using the top regulator. Depending on how much oxygen enters the furnace, the intensity of combustion is determined, and, accordingly, the temperature inside the unit. To regulate the amount of thermal energy entering directly into the room, you need to use the heater - open its lid, supply water.

Usually, liquid is poured onto hot stones manually - it’s easier and more pleasant, but many craftsmen prefer to automate the steam generation process, since the design of the unit is quite conducive to this. The equipment may include an electromechanical valve; it is mounted on a pipe with water connected to the heater - this addition allows you to automate the spraying of liquid onto the stones. The feeding frequency can be adjusted: for this purpose, a special button is used and placed where access to it will be most convenient.

In a compact furnace, the dimensions of the firebox and ash pan are designed so that the unit can be conveniently surrounded by masonry without the need to cut bricks - that is, the dimensions of the equipment correspond to the standard order. But the stove together with the stones has an impressive weight: the mass of the first reaches 60 kg, the weight of the stones is up to 120 kg.

The design of the equipment allows the installation of a mounted heat exchanger, which allows heating water in a separate tank. The heat exchanger is installed in the firebox directly under the heater cover close to the fuel channel. This improvement helps to easily turn the drain in the desired direction, but to install a remote tank, the ceiling height must exceed 2 meters.

To correctly install a unit with a heat exchanger, it is important to follow the recommendations of specialists:

• the container with water should be located approximately 30 cm above the heat exchanger;
• It is permissible to use only metal connecting tubes; they must be installed in such a way as to prevent sagging;
• in the winter months, during periods of inactivity, the heat exchanger will have to be emptied of water.

The manufacturer provides detailed operating instructions, which indicate the optimal conditions for the operation of the units.

Gas stove for bath Kutkin

The unit can be equipped with a gas burner, and the manufacturer actively uses two tandems:

• combination of pressurized burners Olympia ONG-3 or ONG-2 plus 2 control panels;
• a combination of Italian automation and Irtysh atmospheric burner.

The equipment operates with equal efficiency on both liquefied and natural fuels. The factory settings provide for the use of main natural gas for the burners; the operating instructions provide detailed instructions for reconfiguring the burner.

Certified Kutkin gas stoves can be mounted on a combustible base - they do not require a reinforced “substrate”. However, the implementation of such equipment is carried out only according to a project confirmed by the relevant authorities; it is also necessary to conclude an agreement with a service company - it will be entrusted with comprehensive maintenance of the unit.

If the air temperature in the room at the start is kept in the positive range, the steam room can be used within 45-60 minutes after starting the stove. If, upon reaching the required microclimate, you immediately turn off the gas, the steam will last for another 50-60 minutes. To get light steam again, just restart the unit for at least 7-10 minutes. According to user reviews, the variation in question is a leader in its segment in terms of reliability and convenience.