Things to look for in a wood stove

Being a scrounger, I get wood of all lengths. It's nice to have a big, deep firebox that can hold 20-22 in splits easily. I can even put some 27 in splits in corner to corner and some big uglies.

 

-Bigger than you think you need.
-Surface to cook on.
-Nice looking.
-Well built.
-Easy overnight burns.
-Radiant design with no fans. Although this is pretty house specific. My radiant stove actually works much better than my previous convective stove with fan at keeping consistent temps in my wide open home with loft. Plus, I HATE the constant sound of the fan.
-Good dealer and/or manufacturer support.
-Offer a decent range of heat output for a given load of wood.

 

This one makes its own electricity now if only it was bigger much much bigger...
http://www.biolitestove.com/campstove/camp-overview/features/

 

I was fascinated with the camp stoves outside I talked to those two guys for quite a while.

 

The Gasifiers, including camp stoves, produce electricity. Check out youtube. The Kimberly also does the same. Not sure if you guys talked to the creator, I forget his name, but on the Unforgettable Fire website they either sell the packs or provide a link. Can't remember.

 

If you are shopping for a wood stove here are the specs to disreguard... Sq. ft, BTU, burn times (almost useless specs). Because 1) These are not monitored by any testing lab and it is up to the 'creative' minds in MFG marketing dept to come up with some interesting results indeed. 2) what is the definition of burn times? Sq ft? (cubic air or actual real estate Sq ft- remember it's a zone heater.), BTU (burning what? bio bricks doused in naphthalene? seasoned hardwood on high fire?).

However, these have been around for years and consumers demands it so the MFG's have to provide it. The more honest ones try to provide reasonable specs. Without naming names *cough, cough Vogelzang, USSC cough, cough* I have seen BTU ratings that are ridiculous for the size of the firebox. The only way you could achieve those BTU is by removing all the bricks, burn tubes, baffles then cram it full with the aforementioned bio bricks and watch the stove melt.

Firebox cu ft size is the most reliable benchmark as it will provide you with a rule of thumb of how much wood you can put in there. Again, look for a reputable company. Most of those have not sold their soul to China.

 

How about:

1. Would you like or need a cooktop? Some stoves can be cooked on, not all.
2. How close to the stove will you normally be? Some stoves will blast you if your too close, some are softer heat when close.
3. Size and SHAPE of stove matters. I don't mean firebox size, but physical size and shape of the outside of the stove. Is it long and thin, or fat and wide.... will it fit your space properly.
4. Chimney size requirement: 6" or 8"? What do you have, what can you make it, and what does stove require.
5. Astetics: Do you need a nice looking stove to match decore, or is it a black dragon heater in the basement.
6. If the stove your interested in has a blower OR you want a blower (I don't know why you would want to hear a blower!), do you have POWER where the stove will be?