Smokeless Fuel: What to Burn, What to Avoid & Why It Matters

If you have a solid fuel appliance — a multi-fuel stove, an open fireplace, or a log burner — smokeless fuel is probably already part of your life, or at least part of your decision-making. And if you’re finding the whole subject a bit confusing, you’re in good company. Questions around what to burn, what’s legal, what works in which appliance, and what’s actually been banned are genuinely common, and the rules have shifted significantly over the last few years.

At The Sweeping Company, we sweep chimneys for a living. That means we see, close-up, what different fuels do to flues, liners, and appliances over time. So while we’re not here to sell you fuel, we do have a strong point of view on which choices keep your chimney in good shape and which ones cause problems down the line.

Here’s everything you need to know about smokeless fuel.

What is smokeless fuel?

Smokeless fuel is a solid fuel that produces little or no visible smoke during combustion. It’s used as an alternative to traditional house coal and, in some contexts, to wood. Smokeless fuels have grown in popularity since the Clean Air Act of 1956, which was a direct response to the Great Smog of London in 1952 — an air pollution disaster caused by the excessive use of coal combined with very little wind.

There are two broad categories. The first is naturally occurring smokeless fuel, the most common being anthracite — a hard, dense form of coal that burns with very little smoke. The second is manufactured smokeless fuel, which includes compressed briquettes and ovoids made from a mix of materials including anthracite, petroleum coke, and binding agents. Well-known brands include Homefire, Phurnacite, and Brazier, and there are many others on the market.

Manufactured solid fuels carrying the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo meet verified sulphur and smoke emission limits — so that logo is worth looking for when you’re buying.

Is smokeless fuel being phased out?

This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the short answer is: no. Smokeless fuel is very much still legal, widely available, and actively encouraged by the government.

What has been phased out is traditional house coal. The government’s phased approach to cleaner domestic heating began in 2020. Bagged house coal was banned from sale in February 2021, and direct sales by approved coal merchants ended in February 2023. Sales of wet wood in small volumes are also no longer permitted unless the wood is kiln-dried or seasoned.

Smokeless fuel has gone in the opposite direction — it’s increasingly the fuel the government wants people to use. Consumers need to switch to cleaner smokeless fuels, which are around 30% more efficient than coal. That efficiency argument matters: smokeless fuel burns hotter and longer than house coal, which means you’re using less of it to produce more heat.

There is one nuance worth knowing. The only ban relating to smokeless coal applies to non-approved versions with high sulphur content. These are no longer available in England, though they may still be sold in Scotland and Wales. Standard approved smokeless fuels — the ovoids, briquettes, and anthracite you’ll find at any fuel merchant or DIY store — are entirely unaffected.

What is the best smokeless fuel for a log burner?

This question has an important answer, and the answer might not be what you’re expecting: there isn’t one. Smokeless coal should not be used in a log burner at all.

This surprises a lot of people, so it’s worth being clear about why. Log-burning appliances were only designed for wooden logs. Wood burners can’t cope with the heat that coal produces, as coal burns to a significantly higher temperature than wood. Log burners don’t usually have internal ash pans, so there’d be nowhere to collect the remnants of coal either.

If you have a log burner and want to know the best fuel to use in it, the answer is kiln-dried hardwood logs with a moisture content of 20% or less. Kiln-dried hardwood logs can produce around three times as much heat as the same weight of wet softwood logs, because the energy of the fire isn’t spent on burning off water first.

If you want to burn smokeless coal, you need a multi-fuel stove or an open fireplace. Multi-fuel stoves are specifically designed to handle the higher temperatures that smokeless coal reaches, and they have the raised grate and ash pan needed for coal combustion to work properly.

Can you burn smokeless fuel in a wood burner?

As covered above, the clear answer is no — and it matters from a practical as well as a safety perspective. Burning fuels that haven’t been approved by the manufacturer of your stove can void any relevant guarantees. Beyond the warranty issue, burning coal in a log burner can cause serious damage to the appliance itself over time — and that damage tends to show up as cracked components, warped grates, and deteriorating door seals.

We say this as chimney sweeps because we see the consequences. Appliances that have been used with the wrong fuel age badly and create unpredictable flue conditions. Always check your stove’s manual or the manufacturer’s website if you’re in any doubt. The appliance type really does dictate the fuel type.

If you have a multi-fuel stove, you’re in the more flexible position. A multi-fuel stove is designed to operate at the high temperatures that smokeless coal can reach, and you can use either smokeless fuel or kiln-dried wood in it.

Is it better to burn wood or smokeless fuel?

The honest answer is that it depends on your appliance and your circumstances — but there are some clear differences worth understanding.

Smokeless coal burns hotter and longer than wood, making it a strong choice for sustained heat output over a long period. It produces less visible smoke and, in smoke control areas, it’s one of the approved fuels for use without a DEFRA-exempt appliance. Ash production can be lower too, which means less frequent clearing out.

Wood, on the other hand, gives you the flame appearance, the sound, and the atmosphere that many people associate with a real fire. Kiln-dried hardwood logs burn cleanly and efficiently when stored correctly, and they’re the appropriate fuel for log burners. In a smoke control area, you can burn dry wood legally if your stove is a DEFRA-exempt appliance. Wood isn’t specifically listed as a smokeless fuel, but by using a DEFRA-certified exempt appliance, good quality dry wood can be used safely in smoke control zones.

From a chimney health perspective, the fuel choices that cause us the most work are wet or unseasoned wood and high-sulphur coals — both of which produce tar and acidic deposits that build up in the flue and dramatically increase chimney fire risk. Clean-burning smokeless fuel, used correctly in the right appliance, tends to be gentler on chimneys than wet wood. That said, every chimney still needs sweeping regularly regardless of what you burn — smokeless fuel doesn’t make you exempt from that.

Can I burn logs and smokeless coal together?

It’s a logical-sounding idea — combine two fuel types for a longer, more efficient burn. But this is one we’d strongly advise against, and here’s why.

Wood draws air from above to burn, whereas coal-style fuels draw heat from below the grate. A combination of the two is highly inefficient. The moisture in wood — no matter how dry it seems — mixes with the sulphur in smokeless coal, forming an acid that can damage the stainless-steel liner of your flue.

That acid isn’t something you can see or smell immediately. It builds up over time, corroding the liner from the inside. Stainless steel flue liners aren’t cheap to replace, and the damage caused by mixing fuels is the kind of thing that only becomes visible when the problem is already significant. It’s simply not worth the risk.

If you want a longer burn, a better option is to choose a high-quality smokeless briquette or ovoid that’s specifically designed for sustained heat output — there are several on the market built exactly for that purpose.

Can you smell smokeless fuel?

Yes, you can — though the experience is quite different from traditional house coal or wood smoke.

Smokeless fuel produces significantly less visible smoke and fewer strong combustion odours than house coal, which is a large part of its appeal and the reason it’s permitted in smoke control areas. During normal burning, you might notice a mild, faintly sulphurous smell, particularly when you open the stove door to refuel. This is normal and tends to dissipate quickly once the door is closed and the fire has re-established.

Where a persistent or strong smell becomes a cause for attention is when something isn’t working as it should. If your chimney is blocked or leaking, or if your appliance airways aren’t clear, combustion gases won’t escape properly into the atmosphere and can flow back into your home instead. A sulphurous or chemical smell that lingers indoors after the stove door is closed is a signal worth taking seriously.

It’s also worth noting that if you’re burning smokeless fuel, you may not see any smoke — but combustion products are still being produced, and some of those gases are odourless. Carbon monoxide is the most dangerous of these. Every home with a solid fuel appliance should have a working carbon monoxide detector fitted in the same room as the stove or fireplace. Check it regularly and replace it according to the manufacturer’s guidance.

Persistent unusual smells — whether sulphurous, tarry, or musty — can also indicate that your chimney needs sweeping. Tar and soot deposits absorb into chimney masonry and, particularly in warmer or humid weather, can produce odours even when the fire isn’t lit.

Smokeless fuel and smoke control areas

If you live in a smoke control area, smokeless fuel is likely to be your default go-to. In a smoke control area, if you have an older non-exempt multi-fuel stove, you’re legally required to burn only authorised smokeless fuels. The government keeps an official list of all approved fuels on its website.

It’s worth checking whether your property falls within a smoke control area if you’re not sure. The DEFRA Smoke Control Area map is the most reliable way to find out, or you can contact your local council directly. Burning the wrong fuel in a smoke control area can result in a fine, so it’s a check worth doing before you buy.

How does your chimney factor in?

Smokeless fuel is a cleaner-burning choice than house coal, and that’s genuinely good news for air quality. But cleaner-burning doesn’t mean deposit-free. Smokeless coal still produces combustion residues that accumulate in the flue over time. The Solid Fuel Association recommends having your chimney swept at least once a year if you’re burning smokeless fuel, and twice a year if you use a multi-fuel stove as a primary heat source.

Regular sweeping does several things at once: it removes deposits before they become a fire risk, it checks the flue is drawing properly, and it means you’ll pick up early any signs of damage, blockage, or deterioration. A well-swept chimney is also a more efficient chimney — restricted flues reduce draw, which in turn affects how well your fuel burns.

Whichever fuel you choose, booking an annual chimney sweep is the single most effective maintenance step you can take.