Mexican style chimeneas

To the right and below are some examples of Mexican style chimeneas.

The traditional chimenea was made in a kiln from fired clay, but many modern (and more hard wearing versions) are made from cast iron and even copper. These metal alternatives are less colorful, but they often have fancy ironmongery to compensate for their lack of color. They can also get extremely hot - more so than a clay chimenea.

Many of the cast iron chimeneas have the addition of a fire grate (grill) as a protector to prevent hot coals or wood from spilling or exploding out of the stove area.

The metalic chimeneas also tend to have longer and narrower flues (chimneys) and they may rust if left unprotected in wet weather.

Most chimeneas, be they clay or iron, are supported off the ground in a cradle like stand. This prevents the high heat that is generated in the base of the chimenea from damaging a patio, lawn or decking. Even so, a chimenea should not be left unsupervised, especially when mounted on flamable timber decking.

The terra cotta (clay) chimenea offer what most beleive to be the best looks. It is also the most traditional and tried and tested version of the stove. It is also claimed to produce a better taste than its iron counterpart when used for barbeques.