No type of electrical or gas heating appliance can replace the good, old-fashioned wood stove and its joyful flames. Not only do these products create a warm and cozy ambiance, but they also have a solid heating power that can warm a whole house.
Gone are the days when wooden stoves emitted pollution and burned a lot of wood. With the new EPA criteria, wood-burning appliances are more efficient, eco-friendly, and more powerful than other heating devices.
That said, we ran some research and found the best wood stoves you can buy on the market. In this article, we’re going to present them and enlist their most significant features.
Best Wood Stoves
- Ashley Hearth – Insert Wood Stove
- Guide Gear – Wood-Burning Stove
- Ashley Hearth – Pedestal Wood-Burning Stove
- US Stove Store – Log Wood Stove
- Duraflame – 3D Infrared Electric Fireplace
Ashley Hearth – Insert Wood Stove
This model from Ashley Hearth has a compact size with an item dimension of 22.2” long x 27.2” wide x 22.4” high. Because of its size, the stove it’s compatible with any room. However, this model can be a small fireball. It has 69,000-BTU output and the capability to heat up to 1,800 square feet.
The stove is made from 5 ml-thick plate steel with a firebrick lining interior. Besides the heating capacity, the stove is an excellent addition to an existing hearth thanks to its 16.5” x 9’ door. The door is made from cast iron and has a ceramic glass window.
Furthermore, the stove has an integrated blower that can circulate warm air. This is an excellent aid when you want to raise the temperature in your room. Moreover, the blower has two speeds.
Ashley Hearth’s insert wood stove meets the EPA 2020 Certification Guidelines standards. This means that the item releases no more than 5.1 g of particles per kg of wood burned into the air, and thus, it’s considered environment-friendly.
Highlights
- Compact stove from heavy plate steel
- 69,000-BTU output
- Covers up to 1,800 square feet
- Excellent design with ceramic glass window
- Two-speed blower
Guide Gear – Wood-Burning Stove
This stove is an excellent choice for outdoor events. It’s portable, thanks to its compact size of 20” long x 11” wide x 13” high and its detachable legs. Even the 6.5’ chimney has five interlocking pipes. All of the elements can fit into the firebox for easier transportation.
You can cook on it while camping, hiking, fishing, backpacking, or place it in your backyard as a cozy hearth for your family and friends. The item has a large flat top that you can use for cooking and a tall smokestack that takes the smoke away from the food.
The stove is made from galvanized steel and a cast-iron hinged door to the firebox. The door has vent holes on the front so that you can control the temperature. When it comes to heat, this stove has a 47,000-BTU output. Since it’s intended for outdoor use, the square feet coverage depends on multiple conditions.
Highlights
- Portable stove with detachable legs and interlocking pipes
- Compact size with item dimensions of 20’’ x 11’’ x 13’’
- Durable construction made from galvanized steel and cast iron
- Suitable for cooking with a large flat surface
- It has a tall smokestack that keeps the smoke away
Ashley Hearth – Pedestal Wood-Burning Stove
This product is another superb creation of Ashley Hearth. The stove is suitable for medium-size homes of approximately 1,200 square feet, thanks to its 68,000 BTU heat power.
This wooden stove will not take a lot of your space. Even though it has the capacity to heat an average-sized home, its dimensions are ideal to fit even in smaller rooms. If you place this item in your home, it will take 21” deep x 22.5” wide x 31.37” high of your space. However, this stove still can handle logs up to 18” long, regardless of its compact size.
The stove has a solid construction made from plated steel. Furthermore, the door is made from cast iron and has a large glass window which adds much to the entire elegant design of the product. In addition, the stove has polished-nickel handles and two ash pans placed on the pedestal.
Furthermore, Ashley’s pedestal wood stove meets the strict EPA standards of “Step 2” 2020 CG. The product comes with a warranty on all parts.
Highlights
- Excellent design for cozy and elegant ambient
- 68,000 BTU for 1,200 sq. ft.
- Robust plated steel construction
- Compact dimensions suitable even for smaller rooms
- Polished-nickel door handles
US Stove Store – Log Wood Stove
US Store’s wood stove is a slightly smaller model suitable for homes of around 900 square feet. The product has a 54,000 BTU output and weighs around 130lbs. This item will take 33” x 18.5” x 23” of your space. Despite the fact that it has small dimensions, this wood stove can fit logs up to 19” in length.
This product has a rustic exterior, ideal for people with a particular taste. However, besides the old-fashioned look, the stove has EPA certification, meaning it provides clean heating. Moreover, the stove is tested and certificated by Warnock Hersey International, a company that checks products’ safety and performance.
Furthermore, this product has a robust construction made from heavy-duty cast iron and has a 2-piece safety handle that remains cool. Moreover, the stove has an integrated 6.25” surface suitable for cooking.
Highlights
- Rustic design in classic style
- Excellent stove for smaller areas
- 54,000 BTU output
- Compact size
- Robust cast iron construction
- Integrated cooking surface
Duraflame – 3D Infrared Electric Fireplace
We decided to include a slightly different stove at the end of our review section. This fireplace from Duraflame is an excellent source for supplemental heat with an authentic look. The stove comes with a remote control that you can use to adjust the temperature and the brightness of the 3D flames.
The fireplace has a solid metal construction and takes 24” x 12.9” x 23.4” of space. It can heat up to 1,000 square feet with a 5,200 BTU output.
Furthermore, the product comes with a safety-plug technology. This is an innovative solution that prevents overheating. If the temperature is too high, the stove has an inbuilt thermostat that shuts off when necessary.
The stove is easy to assemble. You should install the legs, plug in the fireplace, and it’s ready for use. Moreover, the product is entirely safe and secure. Even the stove glass remains cool so that children and pets are protected.
Highlights
- Authentic design with 3D logs and flames
- Smart heating solution
- Compact dimensions
- Suitable for standard-size homes
- Remote controller with multi-functional purpose
- Safe technology
Factors to Consider While Looking for a Wood Stove
After we reviewed the best wood stoves, we would like to share with you some of the most critical factors you should consider when you research yourself. We followed the same standards when we created this article.
Of course, these criteria aren’t rules that we invented. During our research, we learned which are the industry standards when it comes to quality, durable, and safe wood stoves.
Materials
Usually, wood stoves are made from cast iron, plate steel, or soapstone. Products made from cast iron and plate steel are durable and heat up quickly. Moreover, they retain warmth longer compared to other materials.
Furthermore, you should pay attention to the door and the window if the stove has one. Since you’ll move the door several times a day, it should be made from solid material and have a strong connection to the main construction.
Additionally, if you decide to buy a stove with a window, you should choose ceramic glass. Other materials are weaker, and they can crack because of the heat.
That said, we recommend you purchase a product made from plate steel and a cast-iron door with a ceramic glass window.
Capacity
Before you make an order, you should calculate and see whether that particular stove can heat your home or not. Usually, companies make standard-capacity products that cover spaces from 1,200 up to 2,200 square feet.
However, those heating devices won’t be enough if you have a bigger home. On the other hand, if you need to warm a small room, you won’t need a high-power stove.
Furthermore, the heat strength is measured in British Thermal Units (BTU) with an approximate range from 50,000 to 80,000 BTUs. If the product has more BTU output, it will heat and cover more space.
Dimensions
Finally, let’s not forget the measure! The size of the stove perhaps is the most important thing to consider. If the product doesn’t fit your space, it won’t matter if it has the best quality.
We recommend you buy portable and smaller stoves because they’re easier to use, clean, and transport. Moreover, they have smaller dimensions so they won’t take up a lot of your space.
However, you should remember that those stoves are suitable for smaller logs. Therefore, if you decide to buy a portable stove, you’ll have to cut down your wood logs into smaller pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which wood type should I use for a wood stove?
Well, you should use hardwoods because they burn hotter and longer. Moreover, they contain less pitch and sap inside compared to the softwoods, like pine. Hardwoods are oak, maple, ash, and birch.
Can I leave a wood stove on during the night?
Yes, you can, but you should be cautious. There are a few steps that can help you keep the wood stove on overnight and stay safe at the same time.
- If you want to leave your stove on overnight, you should sweep your chimney at least twice every year.
- You should use hardwoods and place them carefully in the firebox. You should avoid leaving any air gaps to keep the fire longer.
- If the flames are intense and hot, you should wait for a while before leaving your stove on overnight. If you can’t wait much, you can dampen down the fire with ash.
- You should also leave the air vents as close as possible. Thus, you’ll prevent too much air from entering the stove and burning more wood.
Conclusion
The appliances we reviewed today in our article on the best wood stoves have excellent features and are suitable for average-sized homes. We enlisted various types of stoves to cover multiple functionalities of these products.
Thus, we included portable stoves, two-in-one stoves suitable for heating and cooking, indoor and outdoor stoves, insert stoves and infrared electric stoves. These products meet all industry standards, and also are reasonably priced.
