Ask anyone who has a pellet stove and they are likely to compare the benefits and convenience of modern pellet stoves to wood stoves. It’s hard to argue the value of heat efficiency and lower heating bills that come with owning a pellet stove.

So, in speaking of wood stoves vs pellet stoves, what is the difference?

Fuel Source: Wood stoves burn chopped wood, whereas pellet stoves burn small wood pellets. Some pellet stoves, like many in the MagnuM brand line of stoves burn more than wood pellets (shelled corn, wheat, paper pellets, cherry pits). Wood pellets can be manufactured from wood pieces that don’t work for cord wood, turning potential waste into a valuable resource.

Clean & Green: Pellet stoves are the cleanest solid fuel burning appliance on the market, and MagnuM brand products exceed recent EPA clean burning standards. When burning wood in a wood stove, it may not burn as efficiently or completely as possible, whereas, pellet stoves offer the most complete burn of pellet fuel. Pellet stoves are designed to extract the majority of heat produced and funnel it sans smoke into the home.

Heat Control: A pellet stove is controlled by a specially designed thermostat to ensure that the temperature doesn’t fluctuate and you can enjoy the warm, consistent heat that you set it to. A wood stove  maintains heat by adding wood which can fluctuate and create more work to even out the highs and lows of heat output. Conversely, pellet stove owners enjoy a controlled and efficient burn, as well as the convenience of loading fuel at more opportune times and letting the stove’s technology automatically and evenly distribute/add fuel according to your heat settings.

Venting: Instead of a chimney or elaborate venting system, pellet stoves use simple, direct venting.  Pellet stoves have a simple exhaust vent that travels through the wall and outside, heightening safety and making installation a breeze. Unlike a more traditional wood stove or fireplace, a pellet stove doesn’t emit any smoke or ash into the home.

As you begin to analyze the differences of wood stoves vs pellet stoves, you’ll see that it comes down to your choice of lifestyle. Both will provide your family with warmth during the cold months, and both allow you to cozy around a warm fire, but only a pellet stove will offer unique conveniences and additional heat savings. If you have  questions about adding a pellet stove or fireplace to your home or shop, we’re here to help. Give us a call 1-800-495-3196 or use our live chat on our main website.