The 6+ Best Wood Burning Stoves: 2022 Buying Guide

There are many reasons to love the winter season, but here are a few of my own.

It is beautiful.

I love getting cozy at home.

I love spending time hibernating with my family.

This holiday season I am thankful for the little things in life. I am thankful to have an amazing wood burning stove which keeps my family so warm this winter so its not just about traveling far away this holiday, I hope you too feel the same!

As much as winters can be brutal and tough times, there are always good things that keep us afloat, that keep us excited!

Wood-burning stoves come in all shapes and sizes. They can be classic, modern, or even rustic. I love the design of mine because it has that old-world charm that I find very appealing.

I also like the fact that it is a wood-burning stove, so I don’t have to worry about how much gas or propane will cost me.

Plus, I get to enjoy the benefits of natural wood smoke- the crackling of freshly chopped logs is an irreplaceable experience: I love my wood-burning stove because it is an easy way for me to stay warm during the winter.

It feels good to know that I am using an old-fashioned way of keeping myself warm, rather than relying on electricity or gas.

They’re very romantic and make the room feel cozy and comfortable. I love how it gives me a sense of nostalgia when I sit in front of it. It reminds me of my childhood when the only source of heat was a wood-burning fireplace.

I also love how it warms up the room immediately, making it more inviting for guests to come over and visit with me.

Should You Get One?

A wood-burning stove is a self-containing heat appliance that helps your house get warmer. These usually square foot wide stoves help contain indoor heating in a chick and elegant way. There are many wood stove models since there are so many different types of wood available.

If you want a heat source in your house, there are many types of stoves for your house. The price range for these stoves varies greatly; you can spend thousands of dollars or find a cheaper wood stove.

Here is everything you need to know about wood-burning stoves and some excellent choices for your heater that will provide a pleasant aesthetic appeal to your home.

Things To Look For When Buying A Wood Stove

A wood-burning stove can make a huge difference in your house; you should still be cautious before buying one. It is important to know the type of stove you will need beforehand depending on your house, like a mobile home, two-story home, or larger home will require more planning.

So along with different sized homes, here are other features to keep in mind when buying a heater for your entire house!

Burn Time

The whole point of traditional or modern wood stoves is to burn. A good wood stove manufacturer knows this, so the burning time for the log of wood should be longer.

Of course, this doesn’t only depend on your wood stove and has other factors affecting it, such as the log quality and how closely packed together it is in the stove.

However, when buying a stove, make sure that the burn time is more than 5 hours; ideally, there should be a 6-hour burn time, at least.

Moreover, when collecting wood for burning, make sure it’s dry wood, as wet wood burns more slowly- you’ll get more firewood pops and crackles in high moisture wood.

Emission rates

Emission rating is another important aspect of wood-burning. A high emission rating will have a negative environmental impact which is already a problem. If you can say about the environment, the emission rate of your stove should be low; even if you don’t, there is an emission limit that each wood-burning stove has to follow.

The limit is below or equal to 4.5 grams of smoke per hour. A stove that produces more heat than this is illegal as it negatively harms the environment. The type of wood may affect this, so be careful when purchasing a wood stove! Remember, the lower the emission rate of smoke per hour, the better.

BTU Output

In simpler terms, this is selecting the appropriate woodstove size. BTU stands for British Thermal Units, a measure used to see how much heat a stove produces. Technically, the larger the stove, the more wood it can fit, thus has more BTU output.

It takes around 3,000 BTUs to heat 100 square feet in a house, and a 4 cubic foot firebox has a maximum of 100,000 when it is burning. Therefore, it can heat around 3333 square feet of the house while burning.

If you have a smaller house, you might not need this much BTU, so that you can opt for a smaller firebox size in a fireplace. If you need a fireplace as your only heat source and burn it all night, it is essential to know the BTU output.

Check out these double barrel options if you want true efficiency!

Efficiency Of A Wood Stove

Traditional wood stoves did not care about efficiency rating, but newer ones did. A modern wood stove has energy-efficient features. Things like vents, specialized flues, and baffles all contribute to making an efficient stove.

An energy-efficient wood stove will burn a wood log for a longer time than one that does not care about efficient burns.

This can indirectly increase the burn time as well as the BTU output. Needless to say, a stove should be 70%+ efficient for a good burning experience. This will significantly reduce the cost and burn time of the catalytic stoves.

Make sure you understand fireproofing requirements- and what to put behind a wood burning stove.

Material

Along with factors like heating capacity, the material of the stove is important too. Each sized stove has different material, and each material has different advantages. However, in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. Here are some materials you can find, from the largest wood stoves to medium stoves.

• Sheet iron: This is a modern material that is being used in stoves. This is because it is easy to use to make beautiful designs, and it is also much more efficient than traditional materials.
• Cast iron: Of course, you must have seen a cast iron stove, as this is the most common material used. A cast-iron wood-burning stove is so famous for being sturdy and long-lasting.
• Soapstone: Another material for radiant heat production. This natural product grabs heat and releases it over time, making it very efficient and energy-preserving for all different size stoves.
• Limestone: If you want a sleek wood-burning stove, then this unique material is best for you. It has all the properties of a good stove, but people usually like it for its looks.

Add-ons

There are many add-ons that you can use for your traditional fireplace or a pellet stove. These add-ons not only make your fireplace unique but can also be very useful. Here are some add-ons for you.

• Firewood racks
• Log racks
• Ash vacuum
• Bellows
• Firestarters
• Creosote remover
• Child safety screens
• Various wood stove tools

Types of Wood Stoves

Here are all the different types of wood stoves that you can find and a little about them. For a pleasant hearth, a little research is necessary!

• Non-catalytic woodstoves: As the name suggests, they provide non-catalytic combustion. These are quicker and have firebox insulation along with other features to make them work. Some parts of this type of wood stove do need replacing after a while.
• Catalytic wood stoves: The catalytic stove has coated ceramic honeycomb inside the stove that “catalysis” the reaction, making the fire last longer and be more even. However, the catalytic honeycomb does need replacing after a while as well, although not for at least 6 years.
• Pedestal: These are smaller wood-burning stoves that can usually be fitted anywhere that you like as they are so small. You can find different colors and materials for this type of heat output as well.
• Freestanding: They are complete inside a room and need floor protection to stand. Great heating capacity so perfect for providing heat in all directions in a room. The stove owners can place them anywhere as well since they are small in size.
• Inserts: An insert stove is a separate fireplace insert or unit that is installed into an already existing fireplace. This is more of an add-on. People can buy efficient wood stove insert to replace the old ones.

Best wood stoves

Here are some wood stove options that we have selected for being a great source of heat. They all have various price points and heating power, so you can find great wood stoves at an affordable price!

Best Pedestal Fireplace

SaleBestseller No. 1

US Stove CB36 Circulator Blower

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The Ashley Hearth AW2520E-P 2,500 Sq. Ft. EPA Certified Pedestal Wood Burning Stove: This fireplace looks great and works great as well. A personal choice for people who love a sleek design!

Pros:

Cons:

Video overview

Best Freestanding Cast Iron

SaleBestseller No. 1

US Stove US1269E 900 Sq. Ft. Log Wood Cast Iron Stove

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The US Stove US1269E 900 Sq. Ft. Log Wood Cast Iron Stove: The stove is made up of cast iron. This can not be used in a home that is mobile, but it is a small and affordable wood burner. It can also be fit in small to medium spaces, so perfect for small houses.

Pros:

Cons:

Video overview

Best Non-catalytic wood stove

Bestseller No. 1

Wood Stove Fan, 7-Blade Heat Powered Fireplace Fan, 180° Head Rotation, Quiet Operation Circulating Warm Air Non Electric Eco Fan For Wood/Log Burner/Fireplace, Upgrade Design

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The Drolet Myriad III with Blower Extra Large 2020 EPA Certified Wood Stove: This stove is made up of alloy steel and can provide great wood heat to the residents. Moreover, it is good for the environment as well.

Pros:

Cons:

Video overview

Best wood stove for camping

Bestseller No. 1

Winnerwell Nomad Medium Tent Stove | Tiny Portable Wood Burning Stove for Tents, Shelters, and Camping | 800 Cubic Inch Firebox | Precision Stainless Steel Construction | Includes Chimney Pipe

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The WINNERWELL Nomad Medium Tent Stove: Why is this wood stove perfect for camping? Well, it is portable and tiny, which makes it ideal for tents and shelter. The product is made up of stainless steel, so it is sturdy and perfect for winter trips.

Pros:

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Video overview

Best wood stove for tents

SaleBestseller No. 1

Fltom Camp Tent Stove, Portable Wood Burning Stove - High Efficiency Secondary Burn Stove for Tent, Shelter, Camping Heating and Cooking, Double-Wall Hot Tent Stove Include Stainless Chimney Pipes

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The Fltom Camp Tent Stove: Although the previous stove can also be used in tents, this one is another cheap option for you to choose from. It is made up of carbon steel and has many different properties along with burning seasoned wood.

Pros:

Cons:

Video overview

Best wood stove insert

SaleBestseller No. 1

Ashley Hearth AW1820E 1,200 Sq. Ft. Wood Stove Insert , Black

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The Ashley Hearth AW1820E 1,800 Sq. Ft. Wood Stove Insert: Another stove from the Ashley Hearth brand is a stove insert. The material for this is ceramic and has the power of 69,000 BTUs, which heats up 1,800 square feet in a place.

Pros:

Cons:

Video overview

FAQs

Here are some questions that you might have before purchasing a log burner, also known as a wood stove.

Where Is The Best Place To Install A Wood Burning Stove?

Although you can install it almost anywhere that is considered safe, you should be careful and decide where to install it.

The perfect place for a stove is near the center of the house, so it evenly heats all parts of the room. Make sure not to locate it near an exterior wall as more heat will be lost to the outside, decreasing the stove’s heating capacity. Keep these things in mind before purchasing a wood-burning stove!

What Wood Stove Burns The Longest?

A lot of wood-burning stoves will claim to have long burning hours, but usually, they all burn wood for 2 to 6 hours maximum.

This means you should look for a company that has good reviews instead of one that claims that the wood burns very long in their stove.

A long wood-burning stove will help heat up the entire house and keep it warm overnight. Drolet is a company that has stoves that burn for a maximum of 6 hours.

Learn about secondary burn and wood stoves– it’s a great way to improve efficiency!

How Long Do Wood Stoves Last For?

This depends a lot on the quality of your stove and how well you maintain it. Even a stove that might seem cheap can last for years with proper care.

However, what is the average life expectancy of wood stoves? It is anywhere between 10 to 20 years. There is so much variation in the time because it depends a lot on how well you maintain it and whether or not you notice the warning signs and fix them early on, as that can greatly extend life expectancy.

Are They Able To Heat The Whole House?

Okay, so a lot of companies claim that a wood-burning stove will heat up your whole house, but is it really true?

The thing is, a wood heating stove is made for heating one room in your house and not typically the whole house. However, a small house might be able to get heated entirely by a stove as well.

Moreover, installing it in the right place and purchasing things to help distribute the heat better can actually help the whole house get warmer, regardless of the size. Just be sure you understand wood stove over firing issues!

Do You Require Permission To Install A Wood-Burning Stove?

This must be the most burning question you have. Even if you plan on buying a stove, it can put your whole plan on hold if permission is required!

Luckily, you do not technically need any permission to install a wood-burning stove in your house. However, you have to legally let your local authority building control department know about it. This requirement is not only for the wood-burning stoves but for installing any heating appliances in your house.

Can You Get Carbon Monoxide Poisoning From A Wood Burning Stove?

Another question that you might have. Since technically burning fuel does produce carbon monoxide, yes?

Well, you are right because you can get carbon monoxide poisoning from your stove. However, this poisoning is possible with any fuel like gas and oil if they are badly maintained. A piece of faulty equipment can put you in danger of such things. So it is recommended to have good quality burning fuel as well as carbon monoxide alarms to stay safe from such harmful incidences.

If you want to burn coal in your wood stove, check out this guide before you do!

In conclusion, wood-burning stoves are beautiful as well as useful. They will give your house a unique look while providing heat in cold winters. It is ideal for people who love reading books in front of a romantic setting and get cold easily. Just make sure to do proper research before buying one as they are usually expensive!

Eugene Duke

Hi, my name’s Eugene Duke and I love sitting by my fireplace reading a book and sipping on an adult beverage. Do you have a fireplace in your house? I’ll help you figure out the best type and style of fireplace for your home.