Pellet burning stoves were introduced to the market in the early 1990s but didn’t gain much market share until the mid-2000s. This was when a supply of pellets were more available to the general public.
Pellet stoves are an excellent innovation for anyone that wants to have an alternative heat source that uses a truly “renewable“ fuel, wood. I have been burning wood as my primary source of heat for the past 40 years and wanted to understand more about pellet stoves and which models provided the best value and heat output by size. Here is the result of that research.
Can I heat my entire home with a pellet stove? Pellet stoves are an excellent primary heat source for a home with an abundant supply of renewable fuel available to anyone. This article looks at how they work and how they compare to other alternate heat sources. I also have a list of my picks as the best pellet stoves available by size and function.
How Pellet Stoves Work
Pellet stoves use compressed wood pellets as a fuel. These pellets are produced from the wood products that, in the past, were waste products in the lumber industry. When forests are clear cut, some trees are cut down that are too small to be used for lumber. Some of that product may be used as material for plywood, chipboard, or even paper products. The surplus of those products is what is typically used in the production of pellets.
In addition, the waste sawdust and cut off’s from lumber mills, furniture factories, and pallet factories are ground into sawdust and used to manufacture the pellets. After the wood byproducts are ground up, the material is dried to a reliable moisture content. This ensures a standard product that burns consistently. Then the ground-up wood product is compressed to the pellet size and shape to be bagged and ready for burning.
The consistent moisture content of the pellets is the strength of a pellet burning system. They are able to operate in the 65-80% efficiency range. This high efficiency allows pellet stoves to have a cooler exhaust similar to gas (natural or LP) furnace with a 70-80% efficiency rating. This type of chimney supports an exhaust of up to 400 degrees F. With the efficiency rating of the pellet burner at 70+ percent; the typical exhaust temperature is around 170 degrees F.
To ignite the fire and monitor the temperature, an electronic igniter is employed in the very small firebox of the pellet stove. The firebox does not need to be as large as a wood stove because the pellets are fed from the hopper as requires. A wood burner, on the other hand, requires a large firebox that is filled to capacity for the longest burn time possible.
The bulk of the size of the stove is taken up by the hopper. The hopper has storage for pellets. Stoves are capable of storing one to three days of pellets typically, and some stoves have hoppers that can hold up to 7 days of pellets. Pellets are then fed into the firebox by an auger which is also operated by an electric motor.
Having an alternate heat source that is connected to electricity has pros and cons. The pro is that the stove will operate without supervision for as long as the hopper is filled with pellets. The con is if the electricity fails, the stove will not operate unless an alternate source of electricity is available.
In addition, if pellets are not readily available, most pellet stoves can burn corn. Of course, the corn must be dry to the same moisture content as pellets (5-10% moisture), but corn is a viable fuel, and if you have a source, it is an excellent option to burn for heat. If you intend to burn corn, verify that the stove you have or want is capable of burning corn.
How Pellet Stoves Heat
The heat from a pellet stove is a consistent heat. Pellets are fed, as required,from the hopper into the firebox. The temperature is maintained by a thermostat or similar device that assigns and keeps the fire burning to produce a regulated heat.
Typically the firebox is fed outside air for combustion. The exhaust is vented back outside through the chimney system. This creates a closed system for the firebox, making it an extremely efficient system as no inside air is used for the combustion process. Most pellet stoves have a small fan that forces the outside air into the firebox producing more heat from a small amount of pellets.
The firebox has a system of pipes or chambers around it to draw air from the room, heat the air around the firebox, and return the air to the room using a blower. This is the fourth device within the stove that requires electricity. It is easy to see why a pellet stove would not be a reliable source of heat in a prolonged power outage.
Cleaning Up
Removing the spent ashes from the stove is a relatively simple procedure in most pellet stoves. Since the pellets are consistently very dry (5-10% moisture content) and generally do not have fillers added, they burn very clean. Pellet stoves leave very little ash (compared to a typical wood burning system), so the ashes only need to be removed about one-half to one-third less often as a typical wood stove system.
The process is made easier with a simple slide-out ashtray that pulls out from below the firebox. Most stoves can be cleaned in a few minutes and returned to duty and heating again in minutes.
The chimney will not require cleaning like a wood burning system either. The creosote that collects in a typical wood burning system is virtually non-existent in a pellet burner. This is due to the dry fuel that the pellet burner uses. Also the high temperature in the small firebox enhanced by the combustion blower system, burns most of the particles up. In a wood burning system, these particles are carried by the excess moisture up to the chimney, and then they cling to the chimney wall forming the creosote. Purchasing good, dry pellets is the key to a hot fire and a clean-burning pellet stove.
An annual chimney inspection is still recommended. There should be no buildup or deposits in the chimney if the system is operating properly and the pellets used are of high quality and low moisture content.
How Much?
A typical pellet stove will cost between $1500 and $3500 with high-end furnaces running near $6000. This range accounts for the size of the system required (small house small stove and visa Versa). There are also high-end units that have whistles and bells just like a car. Do you want a Kia or a Mercedes as your pellet stove burner?
Some of the extras include options to connect the pellet burner to the home duct system. This is a great option if you want to use the stove to heat the entire home. There are temperature sensors, thermostats, and easy cleaning features all available in the higher-end models.
How does a Pellet Stove Stack up to a Wood Stove?
As in every comparison, there are pros and cons on each side but looking at a similar size pellet stove versus a wood burning stove here are the major differences. Price-wise they are similarly priced for same BTU/hr output models.
Pellet Stove Pros over a Wood Burner
The pellets are easy to obtain. They can be picked up (in bags) from the local big box home improvement store (in season) and stored wherever you have 25 sq/ft of space in a tall stack.
Wood for a wood burner must be found, cut, split, stacked, dried, and stored — quite a bit of work.
Pellet stoves require less cleaning, less often for ashes and soot (or creosote).
Firing the stove is easy. Load the hopper once a day (or every 3 days) and turn it on. The electronics do the rest.
Wood Burner Pros over Pellet Stove
The biggest advantage of a wood burner is the price of the wood. Especially if you have an available wood supply that is free. The saving here over time can be significant.
Saving on the fuel is great if you are willing and able to do the work.
Electric power is required for a pellet burner to operate. If you do not have an alternate source of power (generator), the pellet burner will not keep you warm during a winter storm with a power outage.
Here are some of the best pellet stoves that I found rating them by size (heating area) and type. They range from basic small area stoves to large stoves that could be a centerpiece in a living area.
American Energy Systems Inc.
Little Rascal
This stove has an emissions rating of 1.1 Grams per hour of particulate matter. This is well below the new regulations set by the EPA that would lower the limit to 2.0 in the year 2020. This stove also has a published BTU output of 10,247-24,028 which would heat a small home or shop area comfortably. The manufacturer also lists the efficiency rating as 71 percent.
Base MSRP for this stove is $2852.00
Austroflamm Industries Inc.
Integra C1121
The Integra C does meet the current emissions rating but will not pass the next version of the EPA standard. The standard lowers to 2.0 Grams per hour, and this stove emits 2.7 G/ph. It does have a maximum output of 31,100 BTU’s per hour and a low end of 9300. I included this stove in the list because of its value. If you are looking for a low-cost pellet stove, this may be the one.
Base MSRP $1699.00
Breckwell
Big EII
This stove has a big output boasting a 48,000 BTU per hour output. It also has a large hopper that can store up to 140 lbs. of pellets. The look of this stove is modern, and most of the size is in the hopper. I could find no data on the emissions output other than the manual states that this stove does comply with the 2105 EPA standard. That would suggest that it is between 2.1 and 3.9 grams per hour of output.
The lowest base MSRP I found was $2645.00
Fireplace Products International Ltd.
Quadrafire Classic Bay 1200
This stove has a modern look combined with a classic wood burner style. It’s low emissions standard of .9 grams per hour is a benchmark and testament to the companies technological expertise. A small stove by size and hopper capacity of only 80 lbs., this stove will heat up to 51,600 BTU’s per hour. Also boasting a 78% efficiency rating, this pellet burner has the second-highest rating in the stoves on my review. It is also the second-highest price model in the reviews.
Base MSRP $2896.00
High Sierra Stoves, Ltd.
Easy Fire EF3801
Tied for second place, this stove also has a 78% efficiency rating. It’s ultra-modern look set it apart from the others. It stands taller than it is wide giving it a “Euro” look with a glass door to view the fire. The 1.9 grams per hour emissions rating meets even the 2020 regulations. The one negative of this stove is the small, 50lb. hopper for pellet storage. This stove requires more frequent loading of the pellets unless you are using it to heat a small space. Its maximum output is 38,600 BTU’s per hour, so a smaller space is where it would typically be used.
Base MSRP $2519.00
Lennox Hearth Products
Bella
Another small-sized stove with a maximum output of 25,900 BTU per hour. This pellet stove is set in classic cast iron frame with the look of an old-style wood stove. With the years of heating experience of the furnace manufacturer behind this product, the electronics are rock solid. Sporting a mid-sized, 75lb. hopper, filling this stove with pellets should not be a constant chore.
Base MSRP $2519.00
Stove Builders International, Inc.
Caddy
This pellet stove is not a model you would place in your family room. It is designed as a furnace replacement. I included it because it is a pellet burner but would only be placed in the utility room or basement of a home. It does boast some impressive numbers. It can also handle air like, well, an air handler, which is what a furnace does.
The emissions rating is .44 grams per hour, and the BTU output is 22,537-64,737 per hour. The hopper capacity is 240 lbs, which could last in cool weather up to 8 days. In typical winter weather in a cold climate, that amount of pellets would last 2-3 days. The price also reflects a furnace price but could pay for itself over time when compared to LPG prices in most areas of North America.
Base MSRP $5799.00
United States Stove Company
5520
A simple model number for a simple pellet stove. This stove has a basic look and a reasonable price. Able to heat a medium-size area at 34,000 BTU’s per hour, this is an excellent stove to find out if you really want to burn pellets for heat. The .94 emissions rating will pass in 2020, and this stove should be on the market for years, especially at the price.
Base MSRP $1399.00
Conclusion
If you want an alternate heat source but have no interest in finding wood, cutting it, splitting it, hauling it, and stacking it, then a pellet burner may be for you. They are available in models that look great in any room from a cabin family area to an ultra-modern living room.
Stoves are also designed and built to heat spaces from a “tiny home” (not Matt Damon “Downsizing” tiny) to a 2500 sq. ft. house. The electronics and systems in the new pellet stoves make them intelligent enough to operate without manually adjusting input air or output dampers like the old wood stoves of the past.
You must be aware that you will be filling the stove with pellets (in bags) every other day or so. You will also have to clean out the ash pan once every week or two.
The last wrinkle to be aware of is the need for alternate power to run the stove should the power fail. A generator would be necessary to have heat should you lose power in a storm or for other unforeseen reasons.
Most pellet burners also have a glass door, so you can watch the fire burn, what is better on a cold winter evening than sitting in front of the fire sipping a hot chocolate before a long winter’s sleep. Sounds like the start of a story!