ComfortBilt Alpine HP42
#1 in Pellet stovesFull review
A high efficiency, big hopper pellet stove for heating a whole house for days between fills, at a mid-range price.
Amazon $1,299$1,299
Every new wood or pellet stove sold for a home in the US has to pass an EPA test before it can be sold. The test burns the stove at several settings in a lab and measures how much of the fuel’s energy reaches the room (efficiency), how much smoke it puts out (grams of particles per hour) and how much heat it gives at its lowest and highest settings. Those numbers are published for every certified model, and they’re the backbone of these rankings: they come from the same test for every stove, unlike the “heats up to 2,000 sq ft” and “85,000 BTU” claims on the box.
There are three kinds. A wood stove burns split cord wood, needs no power, and keeps heating through an outage. A pellet stove feeds compressed wood pellets from a hopper into a small fire, so it holds a thermostat setting and runs for a day or more between fills, but it needs a 120 V outlet for its auger and fans. An insert is a wood or pellet stove built to slide into an existing fireplace, which on its own sends most of its heat up the chimney.
A stove is only as safe as its installation. Have it installed to the maker’s manual and your local code, use a carbon monoxide alarm and a smoke alarm, and have the chimney swept regularly.
Top Picks
Englander Blue Ridge 100 N
#1 in Wood stovesFull review
A small, clean burning pedestal stove for a cabin, room or small house, with a tested 74% HHV efficiency. The short 5 hour maximum burn means more reloads overnight.
Englander $1,099$1,099
Shop by Type
Wood stoves
15 rankedFreestanding stoves that burn cord wood: heat with no power needed, for homes, cabins, garages and shops.
Top rated: Englander Blue Ridge 100 N $1,099
Pellet stoves
25 rankedFreestanding stoves that feed wood pellets from a hopper: thermostat control and hours of heat between fills, on a 120 V outlet.
Top rated: ComfortBilt Alpine HP42 $1,299
Inserts
5 rankedWood and pellet stoves built to slide into an existing fireplace and turn it into a real heater.
Top rated: Englander Blue Ridge 500-I $2,219
Narrow It Down
By budget
Prices were last checked October 31, 2026 and are subject to change; the price and availability shown by the retailer at the time of purchase apply.
Best Wood Stoves
- Englander Blue Ridge 100 N#1 of 15Full review
A small, clean burning pedestal stove for a cabin, room or small house, with a tested 74% HHV efficiency. The short 5 hour maximum burn means more reloads overnight.
Englander $1,099$1,09974%71,262 BTU1.7 g/h - Cleveland Iron Works Huron H110#2 of 15Full review
A large, clean burning stove that heats a whole small house for under $900. A strong value if you can find it in stock.
Blain's Farm & Fleet $899.99$899.9970%49,138 BTU1 g/h - US Stove TH-100#3 of 15Full review
A tiny, efficient wood stove for a cabin, tiny house or single room. Have it installed to the manual and local code, and plan on cutting short logs.
Amazon $678.99$678.9975%26,028 BTU1.7 g/h - Ashley Hearth AW3200-P#4 of 15Full review
A large pedestal stove with a big firebox for long burns in a bigger home or shop. Have it installed to the manual and local code.
Amazon $1,199.99$1,199.9972%31,671 BTU1.7 g/h - Ashley Hearth AW2020-P#5 of 15Full review
A mid size pedestal wood stove for heating a small to medium house with long firewood. Check the maker’s store price before buying on Amazon.
Amazon $1,249.99 US Stove Company $1,099.99$1,099.9970%34,150 BTU1.6 g/h
Best Pellet Stoves
- ComfortBilt Alpine HP42#1 of 25Full review
A high efficiency, big hopper pellet stove for heating a whole house for days between fills, at a mid-range price.
Amazon $1,299$1,29986%42,370 BTU1.1 g/h - Cleveland Iron Works PS20W#2 of 25Full review
A low cost, efficient small pellet stove with app control for a cabin, garage apartment or a few rooms.
Amazon $999$99985%28,423 BTU1.2 g/h - PelPro PP150 Pellet Stove#3 of 25Full review
A clean burning, high output pellet stove with a huge hopper for heating a whole house for days with simple dial control.
Amazon $1,889.99$1,889.9982%40,637 BTU0.5 g/h - PelPro PP70 Pellet Stove#4 of 25Full review
A clean burning, efficient pellet stove from a major hearth maker, for buyers who want simple dial control rather than an app.
Amazon $1,751.31$1,751.3183%35,278 BTU0.5 g/h - Canyon Lodge C20W Small#5 of 25Full review
An efficient small pellet stove with app control for a cabin, mobile home or a few rooms.
Amazon $1,128.05$1,128.0585%28,423 BTU1.2 g/h
Best Wood and Pellet Stove Inserts
- Englander Blue Ridge 500-I#1 of 5Full review
A large wood insert for heating a bigger home from a big fireplace, with up to 10 hours on a load and the blower included. Check that your fireplace opening is large enough before buying.
Englander $2,219$2,21971%57,800 BTU1.6 g/h - ComfortBilt HP22i Pellet Insert#2 of 5Full review
A strong, efficient pellet insert for anyone who wants real heat from an existing fireplace. Have it installed to the manual and local code.
Amazon $2,499$2,49981%40,689 BTU1 g/h - Englander Blue Ridge 300-I#3 of 5Full review
A mid size wood insert for heating a medium house from an existing fireplace, with a blower included and up to 8 hours on a load.
Englander $1,799$1,79972%44,500 BTU2.3 g/h - Englander Blue Ridge 150-I#4 of 5Full review
A small, efficient wood insert that turns an open fireplace into a real heater for a room or small house. The 90 CFM blower is included.
Englander $1,589$1,58975%31,700 BTU1.5 g/h - Comfort Glow CGWI1800 Insert#5 of 5Full review
A good value way to turn an open fireplace into a working heater for up to about 1,200 sq ft, with the blower and faceplate included. Have it installed to the manual and local code.
Amazon $1,299$1,29973%28,445 BTU1.8 g/h
How We Rank
Each stove is ranked against others of the same type, and scored on its EPA tested efficiency, its price per 1,000 BTU of EPA tested heat output, its EPA emission rate, its warranty and its convenience.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | EPA tested share of the fuel's energy that reaches the room | 30% |
| Value | price per 1,000 BTU of EPA tested heat output | 30% |
| Emissions | EPA certified smoke particle emissions | 15% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 10% |
| Convenience | log length and blower for wood; hopper burn time and controls for pellets | 15% |
How we rank explains each factor in full.