Pre EPA stove theory. (AKA thinking too much)

Several of us knowledgeable wood burners know how well the good pre EPA stove work and how clean they can burn when used correctly. Now here's the question, are the bigger stoves (pre EPA) more apt to be clean burning do to the large surface area which leads to more complete combustion?

 

Hmm, not sure.
I do know that I could burn my old stove cleanly (just clear heat waves from the cap) when conditions were just right, but that didn't happen all the time. Still doesn't happen all the time, even with the 30, but the 30 burns much more cleanly much more often.
Pretty similar sized stoves....both pretty large.

 

I would think that a bigger fire would burn hotter. So yes they could burn cleaner.

 

This matches my experience.

And this too

 

Was not talking a bigger fire was just talking about more surface area for the secondary burn to take place compared to a smaller stove.