Wood stoves are one of the best home appliances that can be added to a home to reduce your monthly expenses and provide a comfortable type of heat to a home or cabin. Wood stoves come in many shapes and sizes so there is one that will fit your home no matter how big or small your place is.
Every wood stove should have at least one thermometer to monitor the temperature. Monitoring the temperature is a critical element when burning wood. I have been heating with wood for almost 40 years and have tried many different thermometers. Here is a list of the best thermometers for wood stoves from my research.
1. Tempsure.net – $235.00
The number one wood stove thermometer is the Tempsure.net thermometer. It is the thermometer that every wood stove owner has wanted for years but did not exist. This thermometer has all the functions you need for your stove to operate safely and more efficiently.
First, it has a digital display that accurately reads to one tenth of a degree. Accuracy is important but really important when you want to know if the temperature is increasing or decreasing at the moment. Critical when you have just had a creosote burn in the fire box. You need to know if the burn out is over and if the temperature is decreasing or still increasing.
Second, the Tempsure display sends a signal to a WiFi network and then talks to your smartphone through an app to provide a real time temperature of your stove. This is revolutionary for a stove thermometer but normal with todays’ technology.
Third, the app will sound an alarm if a pre-set high or low temperature threshold is reached to let you know if the stove temperature is too high or too low. This is the feature that makes this thermometer worth the price. It will bring you safety and security that you have never realized while burning wood in your home.
2. Condar FlueGard – $34.95
This thermometer goes above most of the other products on the market. It will take a little work to install compared to the other products. The probe must be installed into the flue pipe (or chimney pipe). A hole needs to be drilled into the pipe and the hole sealed to insure no smoke leaks back into the home. This gives a more accurate reading of the temperature as it reads the inside of the flue or chimney pipe.
The accuracy is still +/- 20 degrees as the display is analog and relies on the heat acting on the spring actuated display. The temperature is going to react faster than most thermometers which must transfer the temperature through the metal flue or stove wall. This transfer of the temperature slows the response to the display.
This thermometer is very helpful on the new catalytic stoves which require a vent to be closed when the stove reaches a required temperature. This allows the catalytic converter in the stove to operate at the correct temperature. At this point all the gasses from the stove pass through the catalytic converter and excess gasses will be burnt up in the converter and not exit the stove into the atmosphere.
3. GALAFIRE Magnetic $9.99
For a basic magnetic surface thermometer at a low price, the Galafire is the thermometer for you. This works as a primary or even as a secondary thermometer on the surface of the stove or chimney. Just place the magnetic thermometer of the surface and view the result. Again the display is purely analog and will read +/- 20 degrees accuracy. The delay in reading is also one to two minutes as the heat must be transferred through the metal surface of the flue pipe or the stove surface.
The simple color scheme of the thermometer with a black background and an orange “Best” area will allow this device to blend in with most stoves. If you are looking for a no frills stove thermometer, this simple metal temperature gauge is recommended third on my list.
4. Etekcity Lasergrip 1080 Non-Contact Digital Laser Infrared Thermometer – $29.99
This manual operated digital temperature gauge will give accurate readings of your wood stove or anything else you want to check the temperature of. This device will provide an accurate temperature reading from 1’ to up to 10’ away. The drawback of this device is that it does not continuously read or display the temperature. It could be used to spot check the temperature but some other device should be used to continually monitor a wood stove.
This type of infrared digital non-contact thermometer has become commonplace in many toolboxes and homes today. There are a multitude of uses from checking the heat of wheel axles or cooking oil to verifying the cold in a freezer. The accuracy and speed of the device make it a tool that should be in every home or shop.
5. IMPERIAL 100 Fahrenheit to 850 Fahrenheit – $13.98
This stove only thermometer is another basic magnetic stick on device. One difference is, It is available at Lowes for immediate pick up. The black background is divided by the white for low temperature, yellow area for optimum burn (300 degrees – 500 degrees) and red area for high temperature (above 500 degrees).
A simple and plain thermometer that will work on any steel surface and provide a constant temperature reading on a stove or chimney.
6. REOTEMP S1-F73 Magnetic Analog Surface Thermometer – $21.00
This magnetic thermometer brings a new level of analog accuracy to stove thermometers. The dial is enclosed in a non-yellowing glass cover. The 50 degree to 750 degree output covers the operating temperature of most woodburning stoves. Only the occasional chimney fire would cause the temperature to be exceeded.
Reotemp is a global company that manufacturers temperature and pressure gauges. They build industrial grade instruments. This simple thermometer will provide an accurate temperature reading. The background is plain white with black easy to read numbers in fahrenheit only.
6. VODA Magnetic Log Burner & Stove Pipe Thermometer – $5.19
This is the bare bones magnetic thermometer. A mass produced basic wood stove thermometer that will give a +/- 30 degrees temperature. This thermometer will only read up to 500 degrees fahrenheit. This should work during normal stove operation but may be a problem when the stove or stove pipe becomes extra hot during a wind event or creosote burn off.
The thermometer is critical during these events. You need to know when the temperature is dropping and need this feedback quickly. You need to be certain the creosote burn or adjustment to the air flow has worked and the temperature is on it’s way down.
If this is something you have to deal with or your stove burns above 500 degrees fahrenheit, you may not want to purchase this stove thermometer.
7. Cooper-Atkins Pizza Oven Thermometer – $14.99
If you do not mind a stainless and glass device permanently mounted on your stove or chimney, this may be the thermometer you are looking for. You will have to drill a hole in the surface of your stove or chimney, seal it up, and I would recommend stainless mounting screws to hold it in place (more holes to drill and tap).
The range of temperature is well within the range needed for most stove owners. This thermometer operates from 200 degrees fahrenheit to 1000 degrees F. A glass lense covers the indicator area and white background with black numbers for fahrenheit and red numbers for centigrade.
Having a probe in the fire box area or in the chimney flue will provide a faster temperature response and a more accurate temperature reading if that is necessary for your stove.
Note: This thermometer is not specifically designed for wood stoves, but the specifications for it should allow it to work as a wood stove thermometer. The temperature range is sufficient and the material that it is constructed of should make it a viable product in this market.
8. Drolet Probe Thermometer – $26.95
This unit is specifically designed to be inserted in a double wall chimney to provide the in flue temperature. A simple, round, open face thermometer that can be used to monitor the temperature of the inside of a flue. To get an accurate reading this can only be used on a double wall chimney pipe.
Again a hole will be required in the chimney and sealant should be applied to the hole to prevent smoke from returning in a back draft situation. In a normal burn situation, the draw up the chimney will force all the smoke to be pulled up the chimney and out the top. When burning the stove at a low temp if the witn picks up, occasionally smoke can be pushed back down the chimney and will be forced out any holes or cracks in the material.
9. Midwest Hearth Wood Stove Thermometer – $21.95
A basic spring operated magnetic stove top thermometer. No frills with a black background and fahrenheit scale on the face. Just place this thermometer on the stove top and it gives a consistent temperature reading that is visible from across the room.
10. Kizen LaserPro LP300 Infrared Thermometer – $22.05
Number 10 is a non-contact infrared thermometer that will give you an accurate reading of the surface of a stove or chimney pipe. A basic non-contact, point and read thermometer is an excellent tool for wood stove operation. You can find hot and cool spots on the stove quickly and easily.
Without breaking the bank, this infrared thermometer is an excellent addition to your stove toolkit. Being able to spot check your stovepipe if you have a creosote burn in your stove or pipe is critical. You should check the pipe at the base of the stove and where the pipe exits the room or house to verify that the pipe is cooling once you shut down the stove.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WOOD STOVE THERMOMETERS
Rather than list 30 similar thermometers all within $10 of each other, I have just chosen the top 10 and left it at that. These are the best and most popular wood stove thermometers on the market today.
I did want to spend some time on the benefits of having and using a GOOD stove thermometer.
WHY A DIGITAL THERMOMETER IS CRITICAL
Having access to an instant and accurate temperature on a wood stove may not appear to be an important piece of information. Here is why it is!
TOO HOT
Under normal operation a stove will vary 15 to 20 degrees F. over an hour under normal conditions. Over the course of a typical winter day a stove may vary 100 to 150 degrees F. throughout an 8 hour day after stoking and burning down. With this normal heat up and cool down a simple analog dial thermometer will keep a stove owner informed as needed.
It is the not so normal day when a digital thermometer will provide the information needed to help you protect your home and possessions. The day when the wind is calm while stoking the stove, but picks up to 20 to 30 mph, an hour or two later is different. Any stove owner knows how the wind affects the temperature and burn cycle of a stove.
The advantage a digital thermometer placed on the stove gives is instant feedback of the change in stove temperature. When the temperature is displayed in tenths of a degree, the rise and fall of the temperature is quickly evident. Normally the temperature would change by a degree or two over the course of 10 to 15 minutes.
With a change in the wind speed, the temperature variation could be 10 to 20 degrees in just a few minutes. This change can be detected by the minute changes noticed on a digital display allowing an owner to close the airflow and reduce the chance of a chimney fire or just a waste of wood burnt up as wasted heat up the chimney.
Having an alarm on the stove is also a critical piece of equipment for a wood stove owner. It will work well for the wind picking up situation described above. It also will help for those who have dealt with leaving the doors of a wood stove open or the vents open while stoking the stove after a cool down.
If you have ever left the doors or vent open to find your stove roaring and smoke billowing out of your chimney, your first first thought (after picturing the fire department dousing you home in water) is “I will never do that again”! I think I said that 7 or 8 times before I came up with the Tempsure Thermometer!
A thermometer with a high temperature alarm will alleviate this mistake and warn you before the stove hits a critical heat! You can then close the doors or vent and watch as the temperature rise slows and turns around to cooling instead of overheating. The feedback is instant and very satisfying to watch. This feature has saved me multiple chimney fires by helping me quickly know the doors were left open and then being able to watch the stove cool in minutes and know the direction of the temperature.
TOO COLD
An alarm is also extremely helpful for a wood stove that has burnt the supply of wood in the firebox. A low temperature alarm can be set to notify the owner when the wood stove drops below a pre-set level. This will alert the owner that the supply of wood has been depleted and the fire is low enough to set off the alarm. The temperature can be set to a level that is typically below the first fill up in the morning temperature so the alarm is not an annoyance every day. It will also alert you if the stove has burnt the wood supply up too fast due to high winds, extra dry wood or a forgetful wood stoker.
Whatever the reason, if the temperature is too low in the firebox, the stove needs wood and this will alert you to the need for more wood on the fire, and more heat in the stove.
CONSISTENT TEMPERATURE
Keeping your stove at a consistent temperature is also a more efficient method for heating a home. As the temperature of the stove increases, the home temperature increases with it. To reduce the home temperature the stove temperature needs to be reduced below the normal or average burning temperature to allow the home temperature to cool or reduce.
The more consistent the temperature of the stove, the more consistent the temperature of the home. The ability to view the accurate temperature and monitor that temperature is critical when you are the primary means of supplying fuel to your source of heat. Information is power and a good digital thermometer is the best source of information on a wood stove.
CONCLUSION
Heating a home with a wood burning stove can be an excellent way to cut your expenses in the winter months. That being said, safety should still be a priority. A quality wood stove thermometer should be a part of your wood stove equipment. Attaching a digital thermometer to the stove will provide you with an accurate temperature reading at the stove or even on your smart phone if you prefer.
Knowing the accurate temperature will give you an advantage to keep your stove at a consistent temperature or let you know when the stove is above or below the desired range. This will give you a better heating experience throughout the long winter months.