Home / Wood vs. pellet stoves
Wood stove or pellet stove: which should you get?
EPA test data checked
Short answer
Get a pellet stove if you want set-it-and-forget-it heat on a thermostat. Get a wood stove if you want heat without electricity, or you have access to firewood.
By the numbers
| What we compared | Wood stoves | Pellet stoves |
|---|---|---|
| Models certified for sale | 156 | 109 |
| Typical heat from each load (efficiency) middle value of all certified models | 74% | 77% |
| Typical top heat output middle value | 30,798.5 BTU/hr | 31,491 BTU/hr |
| Typical smoke grams per hour in the EPA test | 1.5 g/hr | 1.1 g/hr |
From the EPA Certified Wood Heater Database, all models certified for sale, checked Nov 1, 2026.
Pellet stove: good fit if…
- You want steady heat on a thermostat
- You'd rather pour in a bag than split and stack wood
- You have reliable power, or a backup
Wood stove: good fit if…
- You want heat when the power's out
- You can get firewood cheaply
- You like a real wood fire
Questions people ask
Is a pellet stove or a wood stove better?
It depends on what you want. Pellet stoves feed themselves from a hopper and run on a thermostat, but need electricity and bagged pellets. Wood stoves run without power and burn cordwood you can cut or buy locally, but you load them by hand.
Do pellet stoves work in a power outage?
Most don't: pellet stoves use electric motors to feed pellets and blow air. A wood stove needs no electricity.
Are both affected by burn bans?
Often, yes. Many no-burn rules cover all solid-fuel devices, which can include pellet stoves, though some areas exempt certified or pellet stoves. Check your area.