The Five Best Wood Stoves for Heating Your Home
Heating a home with propane costs about $57 per month for a 1500 square foot home, with natural gas costing even more propane!
When you are actively trying to minimize your global footprint, make the switch to a wood stove for sustainability and money savings!
Commit to your off-the-grid and self-sufficient home with the integration of a wood stove into your space. Here are the top picks.
Speaking of savings, you can also cut back on some of your electricity bills with these efficient wind turbines or with energy-efficient solar lights.
Wood Stoves Versus Propane Heaters
For tiny house lovers and RV owners, a propane heater might be the other option you are considering for your area. There are advantages and disadvantages to either, so much of this is a personal decision.
- Fuel Type: In general, the cost of wood is expected to stay steady and relatively low. For some users that own land, wood is free to consume. Propane costs fluctuate more than wood. Many users prefer wood as their fuel type.
- Environmental Considerations: Propane is a cleaner burning fuel than wood. If you buy an EPA-certified stove, you get less smoke and more efficiency which puts wood next to propane. All of the stoves on our list of best products are EPA certified products.
- Appearance: Wood stoves have an elegant, classic look that stands out against a propane heater. A wood stove is reminiscent of the past but there are modern styles that match every interior design style.
Wood Stove Buying Guide: How to choose
How does your stove match up in features to your personal preferences? What are some of the features to consider in the purchase of a wood stove while compared to your preferences?
Finding the right heater isn’t difficult when you think of the BTU output of the furnace, efficiency, and the installation process. Use this wood stove buying guide in the selection of your home’s next wood stove.
BTU Output of the Stove
When it comes to BTUs, which is the traditional unit of heat, the higher your number, the more area it can heat. Select a stove with enough BTUs to heat the square footage of your space.
A typical baseline number is a capacity of 18,000 BTUs per hour for every 800 to 1,000 square feet. The heat output of your wood stove does not calculate the distribution of the warm air.
The best wood stoves come with blowers to push air into different rooms.
Rating Efficiency Based on EPA Certification
Did you know with wood stoves efficiency also describes stoves that release less smoke into the air?
Efficiency not only benefits the environment but when it comes to wood stoves, it makes your home more livable since your breathing air is actually improved with efficiency.
The most valuable side effect of purchasing an EPA certified is how a certified stove reduces the smoke in your home.
Today’s best EPA-certified models meet or don’t toe the line of emission limits. Emitting fewer grams of smoke per hour means a house gets less smoke, minimal ash, and the stove needs less firewood.
The Environmental Protection Agency keeps a list of wood stoves that are EPA-certified. You also might get a tax credit if your stove is on this list.
Consider the Installation costs too
A wood stove needs proper installation, or you are introducing a fire risk.
In your purchase, consider the difficulty of fitting for your specific home. You’d be surprised at how complicated some wood stoves might get!
This adds to your overall costs and should be a factor in selecting this type of stove. For example, is the room with the wood stove a complicated placement? Are you in a place with required inspections?
It’s best to hire a professional for wood stove installation.
Wood: A Renewable Resource?
Wood is a renewable form of energy in the sense that trees grow again, but it is not always a sustainable energy source. Because wood is unlimited, be sure to use wood harvested with the use of sustainable wood harvesting.
Using an EPA-certified stove reduces your consumption of heating fuels like gas or propane. Make sure your family is taking part in sustainable practices like knowing the source of your wood, not buying processed firewood, and always using an efficient appliance.
To go along with this practice, perhaps it’s also time to change your regular lanterns and trade it for a solar lantern! It minimizes the risk of fire and keeps the planet green. Or if your going camping why not try swapping old fashioned batteries for a re-usable solar power bank? A much more efficient and sustainable source of energy on the go.
Interested in sustainable living? Why not check our articles on homemade febreze and mosquito repellent – To continue on that path of environmental inspiration!
The 5 Best Wood Stoves
The best wood stoves on the market are available for a cost of up to $2,500.
Beyond that, the installation costs including materials and labor could run in the thousands. This upfront cost helps you enjoy your home more.
1. Vogelzang TR007 Ponderosa with Blower
Enjoy the look of an authentic wood fire in your home’s stove with the benefit of a warm home without smoke or ash in the air.
The Vogelzang Ponderosa comes with a blower that distributes heat throughout your home without any inefficiency.
Keep a fire burning on 14 hours of one fueling. The Ponderosa accepts logs up to 22 inches in length and has an efficiency rating of 82 percent.
This product holds an EPA certification. Be sure to check the clearances required from the wall for your wood stove. This steel product heats 3200 square feet.
A defining feature of this wood stove is the way it looks. It has a cast iron feed door that features a large ceramic glass window.
PROS
- Stylish pedestal base is reminiscent of authentic wood stoves
- A blower comes with the stove to distribute heat evenly
- EPA-certified as airtight
- Stays lit for up to 14 hours with one fill of firewood
CONS
- Too large for some homes
- Installation is difficult
2. Pleasant Hearth Small Stove
Consumers purchase this wood burning stove because it is made in the USA. Also, it comes with a limited warranty depending on your heating situation.
Purchase this EPA-certified wood stove which is approved for mobile home use with the purchase of an air intake kit.
This wood stove was selected for its small size because it’s perfect for off-the-grid living.
PROS
- Weighs less than 300 pounds which doesn’t require special delivery
- Quiet heat distribution doesn’t pollute your home with noise
- Heat shields come attached to the unit for your protection
- Simple to connect to an existing chimney
CONS
- Doesn’t burn as many hours without a refill as other stoves
- Small stove ashtray needs emptied regularly
3. Castle Pellet Serenity Wood Stove with Smart Controller
Castle Pellet Serenity Wood Stove with Smart Controller
With nearly 70% thermal efficiency, this wood pellet stove operates with a capacity of up to 1500 square feet! You just might be able to install this stove on your own. Most owners are able to complete a do-it-yourself installation process.
Check your state and local regulations to make sure this stove is approved, although it is EPA certified which complies with most standards.
Wood pellets run this wood burning stove. Pellets decrease ash buildup, lower carbon dioxide emissions, and are 80% efficient.
The digital panel on the furnace allows you to set an on/off cycle for the stove’s built-in thermostat. You can also control burn levels! Digital features with a smart controller makes this stove feel technologically-advanced.
PROS
- Five heating levels for burning of pellets with different efficiencies
- Digital control heats your home according to a schedule
- Small size suits homes with a small footprint
CONS
- Modern design doesn’t appeal to all users
- The stove cannot be hand stoked without electricity
4. HiFlame Enamel Brown HF517U Wood-Burning Stove
HiFlame Enamel Brown HF517U Wood-Burning Stove
Heat up to 1,200 square feet with this EPA-certified wood burning stove. It provides indoor heating for different zones of your home.
While the look of the HiFlame Enamel Brown HF517U Wood Burning Stove is the classic, the brown color is unique compared to other wood stoves. Stare at the fire with the ceramic glass viewing area on your stove’s door.
The enamel of the brown paint is rustproof and also resistant to burning.
Purchase this 73% efficient wood stove that weighs just under 307 pounds for your house.
Instead of traditional colors, this enamel brown adds dimension to your room’s design.
PROS
- Burn time is up to eight hours maximum which heats your space overnight
- Cast iron stove is fashionable for all interior design preferences
- Large viewing door allows you to see the fire burn in your wood stove
CONS
- Maximum log length is only 16 inches
5. US Stove Wood Burning Stove with Blower 2500 Sq. Feet
Get a wood stove in the traditional shape, but that is made from a more modern material with this product by US Stove. The exterior of the furnace is smooth and made of steel plates.
The manufacturer offers a warranty up to three years for the firebox.
Just like the other products on our list, the US Stove Wood Burning Stove with Blower is EPA certified.
The blower that comes with this stove distributes heat throughout a home, so every room is equally as warm.
With a space as large as 2500 square feet, you need a blower with your wood stove purchase.
Heat up to 2500 square feet for just $1000. This is a lower cost per square foot than most products.
PROS
- Heats 2500 square feet for people with larger spaces.
- More extensive warranty than with other wood stoves
- The blower is included with purchase which saves you money on another part
- Steel plates look modern without being the focal point of a room
CONS
- Shorter log length than other products
- Some sellers make installations materials an additional cost
The Bottom Line
Change up your home’s heating system with one of the best, most reliable options on the market.
Heating your home with a wood stove adds to the authentic look of your home, can be a more sustainable solution than other heating options, and makes your home more comfortable.
Invest in a new wood stove for your home with this convenient buying guide or our vetted recommendations.
