Best Two-Burner Propane Forges in the UK: More Power for Bigger Projects
If you've outgrown a single-burner forge or regularly work on longer stock, a two-burner propane forge deserves serious consideration. The jump from one to two burners isn't just about raw heat—it's about control, speed, and what projects become feasible in your workshop. Here's what you need to know.
Why Two Burners Matter
A single burner heats one zone. You get a hot spot in the middle, cooler edges, and everything in between. When you're working a blade 12 inches long, you're constantly rotating stock or waiting for heat to spread. With two burners, you can heat the entire work zone evenly or run them at different temperatures for different jobs.
Real benefits: you can heat stock faster (crucial when time matters), work longer pieces without constant rotation, and run dual-temperature setups for annealing while you forge. You also get redundancy—if one burner quits mid-session, you're not dead in the water.
The trade-off is fuel consumption and cost. Two burners use noticeably more propane and burn through money quicker than a single burner. The forge itself costs more upfront. So whether this makes sense depends entirely on what you're actually making.
Devil Forge DFSW2
The Devil Forge DFSW2 is probably the most popular commercial two-burner option in the UK blacksmithing community. It's a solid, proven unit.
What works: The DFSW2 has a decent working chamber (around 6 inches wide, 4 inches deep), even heat distribution when both burners are dialled in properly, and good build quality. The burners are adjustable, so you can run them at different intensities. It's compact enough for a home workshop and the steel construction holds up.
Reality check: This isn't a £300 hobby forge. Expect to pay around £1,500–£1,800 depending on supplier. It's reasonably efficient for a two-burner unit, but propane costs will be visible on your bills if you're forging regularly. The chamber can develop hot spots if you're not careful with burner positioning—takes a bit of tuning. Replacement parts are available but not always cheap. If you need to swap a burner or repair internal brickwork, budget for downtime.
Who it suits: Bladesmiths working mid-length stock regularly (8–14 inches), anyone who wants even heat without constantly rotating work, or blacksmiths doing enough volume that speed matters.
Majestic Forge Options
Majestic Forge makes a range of two-burner units aimed at UK makers. They're another established name in British forging circles.
The good bits: Majestic's two-burner models typically offer slightly larger chambers than competitors at similar price points. Build quality is solid—they've been making forges long enough to get the basics right. They're more readily available through UK suppliers, which means faster shipping and easier returns if something's wrong on arrival.
Honest downsides: Majestic's two-burner range is less customisable than some competitors. You're more likely to get a fixed burner configuration rather than adjustable intensity. This works fine if the standard setup matches what you need, but if you want to run one burner cool and one hot, you might be limited. Also, as with most commercial units, internal refractory can degrade after heavy use—you should budget for potential relining after a few years of serious forging.
Who it suits: Hobbyists who want a straightforward, reliable two-burner forge without tinkering, or people buying from a UK supplier and wanting minimal hassle.
Custom Two-Burner Builds
The DIY route exists and costs less upfront—usually £600–£1,000 for materials if you're building from a basic forge frame and adding a second burner yourself.
Advantages: Complete control over chamber size and burner placement. You can buy individual burners and plumb them yourself, tuning them exactly to your needs. The cost is lower, which matters if you're genuinely unsure whether two burners are right for you.
Reality: You're building the forge yourself, which requires reasonable handiwork and basic plumbing knowledge. Getting burner spacing and refractory lining right is harder than it sounds—too close together and they interfere, too far apart and you waste fuel trying to heat the space between them. If you mess it up, you've wasted time and money fixing it. Also, a badly built two-burner forge can be less efficient than a good commercial single-burner.
Who it suits: People with forge-building experience or genuine mechanical confidence, and those willing to learn from failure if it goes wrong. If you've already built one forge successfully, a two-burner build becomes much more realistic.
When It's Actually Worth It
Two burners make sense if any of these apply:
- You're regularly forging stock longer than 10 inches
- You're making production work where speed genuinely affects your hours and income
- You want to run annealing and forging simultaneously
- You've hit the limits of single-burner heat distribution and it's slowing you down
If you're making the odd Damascus knife or decorative piece a few times a month, a good single-burner forge will do the job. The extra fuel cost and equipment investment don't pay back.
Running Costs and Efficiency
A two-burner forge uses roughly twice the propane of a single burner at full heat, though you can run them lower. In the UK, propane currently costs around 50–70p per litre. Heavy forging sessions use a visible amount. Efficient burners help, but there's no way around it: two burners cost more to run. Factor in ongoing refractory maintenance and eventual rebuilds, and the total cost of ownership is meaningful.
Final Word
A two-burner forge is a step up. It solves real problems—speed, even heating, longer work—but only if you have those problems. The Devil Forge DFSW2 is the established choice for reliability. Majestic offers good value and UK availability. Custom builds work if you've got the skills.
Don't buy two burners for hypothetical future projects. Buy them because your current work demands it.
More options
- Devil Forge Propane Gas Forge (Single & Double Burner) (Amazon UK)
- Blacksmithing Anvil (Cast Steel, 55–110 lb) (Amazon UK)
- Ceramic Fibre Blanket Refractory Wool (Kaowool 2600) (Amazon UK)
- Blacksmithing Tongs and Hammer Starter Set (Amazon UK)
- Leather Blacksmith Apron and Welding Gloves PPE Bundle (Amazon UK)