How to Buy a Wood Stove

The Best Clean Stoves

We consider the best wood stoves to:

• Burn cleanly without any visible smoke coming out of your stack,
• Use wood efficiently to create heat, and
• Operate for years or decades without repairs.

Some of the biggest and best-known manufacturers make some great stoves. But in the woodstove industry, high quality stoves aren’t always easy to spot. As our section “Consumer Reviews” lays out, there are not independent third-party reviews such as Consumer Reports to rely on. Like with most items, price is one important indicator. The cheaper stoves found in the big box stores are indeed cheaper quality stoves. They will likely produce more smoke, use more wood and need more tending.

The most obvious thing to check for is that it's EPA certified (however pellet stoves are cleaner and do not require to be certified). Older stoves, or the really cheap ones, like those currently sold by Vogelzang, are usually not worth getting and will pollute your neighborhood, if you live in one, and use up lots of wood without making lots of heat. And check for emissions ratings that are listed on the tag of every wood stove. Emissions under 3 or 4 grams of particular per hour are cleaner, more efficient and have been engineered to higher standards. Pellet stoves are often under 2 or 3 grams an hour. Many stoves that emit more than 5 grams per hour are being discontinued and are likely to have been designed years ago.

Wood and pellet stoves are also not part of the energy star program, so it’s not as easy to know what are the most efficient stoves. However, as of this year, stoves that are 75% efficient or more will be designated as such in order to show that they are eligible for the federal 30% (max $1,500 tax credit) available in 2009 and 2010. These stoves will use less wood, saving you both money, and many trips to the woodpile.

Scandinavian stoves do have an eco-label called Nordic Swan label, which show that they the product has met stringent environmental, health and quality standards and minimizes CO2 emissions. Wood-burning stoves displaying the Nordic Swan label have a low solid-particle pollution (5g per kg wood), a level that is twice as strict as that required by current Danish legislation and stricter than the EPA standards.

To summarize:

1. Buy an EPA certified stove (EPA label will be affixed to back of stove)
2. Look for lower emission stove (under 3 or 4 grams per hour)
3. Make sure its at least 75% efficient to be eligible for the 30% tax credit.
4. If it’s a European stove, check to see if it carries the Nordic Swan label.
5. If it’s new and costs under $900 for a wood stove or $1,300 for a pellet stove, you are likely buying a cheaply made stove.
6. Click here for a list of questions to ask yourself before buying a stove.
7. Click here for Ten green reasons to heat with wood.