Pellet stoves are the cleanest solid fuel, residential heating appliance. (US Department of Energy)
Pellet stoves are becoming increasingly more popular in recent years. In fact, it’s not hard to see why so many homeowners are deciding to install a pellet stove in their living room.
The best pellet stoves are a perfect marriage between the old and the new:
- Old-school crackling wood stoves. They create a homely and comfy home.
- New environmentally-friendly heating. Pellets introduce high energy efficiency, low emissions to the equation. On top of that, pellets are considered carbon-neutral and thus pretty much the most eco-friendly fuel you can feed into a stove.
According to the DOE, “Pellet stoves are more convenient to operate than ordinary wood stoves or fireplaces, and some have much higher combustion and heating efficiencies.” Another consequence of high-efficiency pellet burning is the extremely low emissions levels (compared to wood stoves, for example).
It’s incredible to see how fiercely people love their pellet stoves. If you ask a friend who has one, they won’t be able to stop talking about ‘our homely pellet stove’.
For everybody to have the ability to use eco-friendly pellets to heat their home, we have prepared a list of the best pellet stoves you can buy in 2023 here.
Before you check them out, it makes sense to educate yourself a bit about the benchmark specifications and basic metrics to look for when choosing the best pellet stove for your house.
The following specs are in accordance with the DOE recommendations for pellet stoves.
How To Choose The Right Pellet Stove (3 Point Buying Guide)
Not everybody among us knows the ins and outs of pellet stoves. That’s why we have created a quick pellet stove buying guide.
We quickly cover the 3 primary specifications. These are:
- Pellet stove heating capacity (in BTU). This determines how big a pellet stove you need for your home (500-3,000 sq ft).
- Energy efficiency. It only makes sense to get a pellet stove with the highest energy-efficiency.
- Hopper size. Hopper is basically a basket where to put pellets that are going to be feed into the stove. Hopper size – 20 to 60 lbs – determines how often you’ll have to restock (with pellets) the stove.
How Big Should A Pellet Stove Be? (Capacity, Measured In BTU)
BTU or British Thermal Unit is a unit we use for measuring useful heat any HVAC device can create. In short, the bigger stoves produce more BTUs and vice versa.
Pellet stoves have a capacity from 10,000 BTU (smallest pellet stoves) to 90,000 BTU (largest pellet stoves). In practice, most pellet stoves have 40,000-60,000 BTU capacity.
The first thing to figure out when buying a pellet stove is how big it should be. The capacity of the stove is directly proportional to the square footage.
For example, for properly heating a 2,000 sq ft home, you would need a 60,000 BTU pellet stove.
We have calculated how large a pellet stove you need for some of the most common square footages of modern homes:
| Square Footage | Pellet Stove Capacity |
|---|---|
| 600 sq ft | 18,000 BTU |
| 800 sq ft | 24,000 BTU |
| 1,000 sq ft | 30,000 BTU |
| 1,200 sq ft | 36,000 BTU |
| 1,400 sq ft | 42,000 BTU |
| 1,600 sq ft | 48,000 BTU |
| 1,800 sq ft | 54,000 BTU |
| 2,000 sq ft | 60,000 BTU |
| 2,200 sq ft | 66,000 BTU |
| 2,400 sq ft | 72,000 BTU |
Here is some insight for when you’re picking a pellet stove: Stove manufacturers tend to list the maximum square footage a pellet stove can heat. This is not the same as the most recommended square footage according to the DOE directives.
Example: You’ll find a 48,000 BTU stove. According to the DOE directive, such a device is appropriate for heating 1,600 sq ft. You’ll find in the pellet stove listing or on the specification sheet that such a pellet stove can ‘heat spaces to 2,500 sq ft’. Theoretically, you can heat spaces to 2,500 sq ft under perfect conditions. Practically, however, you should buy a 48,000 BTU stove for 1,600 sq ft.
Secondary heating: Some people use pellet stoves as a secondary heating system. In such a case, your primary heating system (a furnace, for example) should produce the majority of the heating energy, and you can disregard the square footage to BTU calculations.
Pellet Stove Energy Efficiency (Between 70% and 84%)
Compared to wood stoves, every pellet stove is extremely energy efficient. Pellets can produce twice as much energy as normal wood. Most pellet stoves (all of the stoves on the list below) are EPA certified, which guarantees high energy efficiency.
However, there is still an interval of energy efficiency when it comes to pellet stoves. The most commonly quoted one is 70% – 84% energy efficiency. Obviously, the most energy-efficient pellet stoves have energy efficiency closer or equal to 84%.
High energy-efficiency stoves don’t only mean you’ll have to use fewer pellets to get more energy. The other part of the equation are the gas emission rates.
Pellet stoves have notoriously low gas emission rates. This is a direct consequence of the high energy efficiency of pellet burning. A simple way to reduce emission rates further is to invest in stoves with 84% energy yield.
In such a way, only 16% (instead of 30%) would be the mass out of which gas emission can be expelled.
Hopper Size (Between 20 And 60 LBS)
Hopper is a vital part of a pellet stove. It’s where all the pellets that are going to be feed in the pellet stove are located. At this point, it would make sense to read the article about ‘How Does A Pellet Stove Work’ and return here.
In short, you have to restock the hopper with pellets from time to time. How often you have to put pellets into the hopper depends on:
- Size of the hopper.
- Speed of burning.
How quickly pellets burn is set and monitored via a thermostat. The one thing about which you can make a smart decision is buying a pellet stove with a bigger hopper.
The bigger the hopper, the longer the stock of pellets in it will last. In turn, you’ll have more time to enjoy the warmth coming from the stove.
List Of The Best Pellet Stoves
Based on the 3 key metrics explained above, we have prepared a list of the best pellet stoves you can buy in 2023. You’ll find specifications on the right and reviews of each pellet stove below the table:
| Pellet Stove: | Photo: | Important Metrics: | Rating And Price: |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Comfortbilt Pellet Stove HP22 (Best Pellet Stove In 2023) |  | Capacity: 50,000 BTU Square Footage: 500 - 1,700 sq ft Hoper Size: 55 lbs Energy Efficiency: 84% EPA Certified? Yes Weight: 295 lbs | $$$$ Check on Amazon |
| #2 Breckwell SP24I (Best Pellet Stove Insert) |  | Capacity: 50,000 BTU Square Footage: 1,000 - 2,200 sq ft Hoper Size: 60 lbs Energy Efficiency: N/A EPA Certified? No Weight: 210 lbs | $$$$ Check on Amazon |
| #3 Osburn 2500 Freestanding Pellet Stove (Best Osburn Model) |  | Capacity: 39,260 BTU Square Footage: 700 - 2,000 sq ft Hoper Size: 60 lbs Energy Efficiency: 78.4% EPA Certified? Yes Weight: 275 lbs | $$$$ Check on HVACDirect |
| #4 US Stove Company US GW1949 Wiseway Non-Electric Pellet Stove (Best Small Pellet Stove) |  | Capacity: 40,000 BTU Square Footage: 500 - 1,500 sq ft Hoper Size: 60 lbs Energy Efficiency: N/A EPA Certified? Yes Weight: 141 lbs | $$$$ Check on Amazon |
| #5 US Stove 5500M King Pellet Burner (Old-School Pellet Stove) |  | Capacity: 48,000 BTU Square Footage: 600 - 1,600 sq ft Hoper Size: 25 lbs Energy Efficiency: NaN EPA Certified? Yes Weight: 250 lbs | $$$$ Check on Amazon |
#1 Comfortbilt Pellet Stove HP22 (Best Pellet Stove In 2023)
| Heating capacity: | 50,000 BTU |
| Recommended square footage: | 1,700 sq ft |
| Energy efficiency: | 84% |
| Hopper size: | 55 lbs |
| Dimensions (WxDxH in inches): | 24 x 25 x 32.5 inches |
| Weight: | 295 lbs |
Comfortbilt Pellet Stove HP22 is the quintessential pellet stove. It combines the convenience and environmental-friendliness of pellet stoves with the aesthetic design.
What matters most to us are the specs. And it’s safe to say that Comfortbilt Pellet Stove HP22 specifications are spectacular. It’s everything a heating expert could wish for in a pellet stove, including:
- Highest possible energy efficiency for a pellet stove (84%) + EPA certification.
- Solid 50,000 BTU heating power.
- Big hopper size (55 lbs).
All these specs work together to make Comfortbilt Pellet Stove HP22 the best pellet stove in 2023. The cornerstone is the 50,000 BTU heating output.
To limit the restocking of the hopper, you need a big hopper (which it has) and high energy efficiency (you can’t get higher than 84% with pellets). The best energy efficiency, heating, and hopper size specs guarantee that you will get the most out of your pellets with the least amount of maintenance.
Another aspect of very high burning efficiency is the very low emission rates. Out of all the pellet stoves, the Comfortbilt HP22 with 84% energy efficiency has the lowest emissions levels.
The aesthetics might be a subjective topic but most homeowners love the Bay design of the Comfortbilt Pellet Stove HP22 in carbon black. Here are the pros and cons of the best pellet stove in 2023:
#2 Breckwell SP24I (Best Pellet Stove Insert)
| Heating capacity: | 50,000 BTU |
| Recommended square footage: | 1,000-2,200 sq ft |
| Energy efficiency: | N/A |
| Hopper size: | 60 lbs |
| Dimensions (WxDxH in inches): | 26.5 x 38.5 x 21 inches |
| Weight: | 210 lbs |
Pellet stove inserts are gold. They can be inserted into a wall recess and save quite a lot of space. The drawback is that there are not that many pellet stove inserts and the prices are higher than regular stand-alone pellet stoves. Breckwell SP24I is one of the very few high-quality pellet stove inserts that can warm your home.
Despite being an insert pellet stove, it can deliver 50,000 BTU of heat output every hour. If you put the auger speed into the highest setting, the Breckwell SP24I can warm up spaces up to 2,200 sq ft. Of course, lower auger speeds will deliver less heating output. For example, you can easily put it in a 1,000 sq ft house, and use a low-burn. It will deliver enough heating output and it will be even more efficient at a low-burn setting.
The beauty of big 60 lbs hopper and low-burn operation is that you won’t have to load the pellet stove insert very frequently. It’s an easy-going and warming stove with low maintenance.
You also save quite a lot of space, given that it’s an insert type of a pellet stove. The drawback is the $3,000+ price. Here’s how that’s a smart investment: a stand-alone stove can eat away about 5 sq ft of space. The price of sq ft can vary quite a bit; an average would be around $200 per sq ft. Saving 5 sq ft results in saving about $1,000. That’s should be considered when considering all pellet stove inserts.
In short, the Breckwell SP24I is the best pellet stove insert currently on the market. It has high heating output, 60 lbs hopper size, and can save you about 5 sq ft of space:
#3 Osburn 2500 Freestanding Pellet Stove (Best Osburn Model)
| Heating capacity: | 39,260 BTU |
| Recommended square footage: | 500-2,000 sq ft |
| Energy efficiency: | 78.4 % |
| Hopper size: | 60 lbs |
| Dimensions (WxDxH in inches): | 26.25 x 24.25 x 30.5 inches |
| Weight: | 275 lbs |
Historically, Osburn is one of the most recognizable pellet stove brands. They are a US-based company that makes everything from pellet to wood stoves and furnaces. The best Osburn pellet stove is the Osburn 2500 freestanding pellet stove.
The 2500 model has a big 60 lbs hopper that deliver pellets to the burn pot via a cleverly devised auger. The pellets give away 78.4% of their total energy. The 83% energy-efficiency can be achieved by optimizing the pellet-burning process by proper ventilating, oxygen delivery, and optimal pellet feed system via the auger (its speed is indirectly controlled with the thermostat).
For the Osburn 2500 model to be as energy-efficient as possible, you have several different heating settings. You can adjust the settings to get comfy and homely.
What is more, you can a 120 CFM blower that can actively deliver the heated air from the pellet stove into the room and distribute it evenly. That means your whole house will be warmer, not just the living room where the Osburn 2500 is installed.
The Osburn 2500 comes with a pedestal. Just lifting it off the ground makes the stove one of the best pellet stoves currently on the market. Add the easy handling of the stove, and you can see why the Osburn 2500, being in the business for decades, has such excellent renown.
#4 US Stove Company US GW1949 Wiseway (Best Free Standing Small Pellet Stove)
| Heating capacity: | 40,000 BTU |
| Recommended square footage: | 500-1500 sq ft |
| Energy efficiency: | N/A |
| Hopper size: | 60 lbs |
| Dimensions (WxDxH in inches): | 15 x 24 x 52 inches |
| Weight: | 141 lbs |
Most pellet stoves you can buy have 45,000+ BTU capacity and can weigh up to 300 lbs. Those pellet stoves are best for 1,500+ sq ft homes. What about a smaller, light pellet stove?
If you have a smaller home or a cottage in Minnesota, having a small pellet stove is a perfect heating option for the winter. The best small pellet stove is the US Stove GW1949 Wiseway. It has about 40,000 BTU heating capacity, appropriate for homes up to 1,500 sq ft.
What is more, because this is one of the smallest pellet stoves, it weighs less than 141 lbs. This makes stove installation much easier. In fact, the US Stove GW1949 Wiseway is a free-standing pellet stove. That means you don’t need a chimney for gas exhausted to be expelled from your home. Instead of installing a pellet stove insert into an existing chimney-cleared home, you can drill a small hole in the wall for US Stove GW1949 Wiseway installation.
Despite being a smaller pellet stove, the US Stove GW1949 Wiseway has a big 60 lbs hopper. If you look at BTU per BTU, a 60 lbs hopper for a 40,000 BTU pellet stove is, relatively speaking, bigger than 55 lbs hopper for a 50,000 BTU pellet heating device. In short, the pellets will last longer, and you will have to refill the hopper less frequently.
On top of the small pellet stove size, you can see that the US Stove GW1949 Wiseway is quite tall (52 inches). However, it’s base is only 15 x 24 inches, taking the least amount of square footage possible.
The best thing about this small device is its price. US Stove GW1949 Wiseway is the cheapest pellet stove on this 2023 list. It costs way less than $2,000 (the price of some of the other stoves).
#5 US Stove 5500M King (Old-School Pellet Stove)
| Heating capacity: | 48,000 BTU |
| Recommended square footage: | 1,600 sq ft |
| Energy efficiency: | NaN |
| Hopper size: | 25 lbs |
| Dimensions (WxDxH in inches): | 25 x 34 x 26 inches |
| Weight: | 250 lbs |
US Stove was one of the first companies to develop pellet stoves. Their classic model – the one which now has that ‘old-school pellet stove’ – status is the 5500M King. In essence, the US Stove 5500M King has all the basic specs you would expect of a pellet stove with the old-school design to boot. However, truth be told, specs-wise, the 5500M King model is already lagging behind the most modern models.
Here’s how old-school this stove is: It’s not called a ‘pellet stove’, it’s called ‘pellet burner with igniter’. This is how the early pellet stoves were called.
It can pump out a solid 48,000 BTU of heating power every hour. You have 5 different settings to optimize the pellet-burning with (for comparison, the best pellet stoves by US Stove have 6).
How energy efficient is the pellet-burning process? We actually don’t know. US Stove doesn’t include that number in the specification sheets because when the US Stove 5500M King was developed, the EPA didn’t require them to measure energy efficiency.
The major problem this stove has is the 25 lbs hopper. Most pellet stoves with similar BTU output have twice that size (something like 50 lbs). Obviously, 25 lbs hopper was quite good in the 2000s. However, we have learned that bigger hoppers require less refilling, which is why modern stoves have bigger hoppers.
The true appeal of the US Stove 5500M King is the old-school homely design. It looks like an old-school stove and has the benefit of being an eco-friendly pellet stove. The old design with the new renewable energy source is why so many people go for the 5500M King model, regardless of less-than-perfect specs.
Do You Have Any Questions About Pellet Stoves?
Pellet stoves can seem complex. We completely understand that many people will have questions about the most appropriate size and how pellet stoves work in general.
If you would prefer to use wood instead of pellets, you can check the best wood-burning stoves here. Another option that doesn’t involve pellets or wood are the electrical wall fireplaces. Those are, however, less cost-effective due to the high prices of electricity compares to wood or pellets.
You are welcome to ask all the questions in the comments below, and we’ll try to address them as best as possible. Thank you.
I am looking t the Comfortbilt HP21 and would like to know how it rated??
Hello Jeanne, the HP21 is quite a decent pellet stove with 44,000 BTU output. In general Comfortbilt stoves have a very good reputation; you really can’t go wrong with them.
I own both the HP22 and HP50 pellet stove from ComfortBilt and can not be happier. These stove are workhorses. And, the customer service is awesome.
Hello Bryan, thanks for sharing your opinion.
i am interested in wood pellet stove can you tell me if they have a boiler for heating radiators
Hello Teresa, wood pellet stoves usually don’t have a boiler attached for heating water. They themselves serve as a heating element, not radiators. Hope this answers your question.
YES THERE IS A PELET BOILER, WITH A 10 DAY HOPPER
We bought a Englander 1,500 sq pellet stove. We have been trying to use it for three weeks. Multiple calls to the manufacturer and still get use the stove. It continues to exhaust fumes into our home. Will be returning the stove and so disappointed. We need a small foot print stove, what would you recommend. Need heat!
Hello Susan, Englander pellet stoves do have, shall we say, mixed reviews at best. It’s almost impossible to find a small footprint stove; most stoves are 30” width x 35” depth. The best pick you can get is the always popular Osborn 2500 stove. It’s a bit smaller than standard pellet stoves, has high 78% efficiency but can still produce a fairly good amount of heat (almost 40,000 BTU/hour). Hope this helps.
We have our own business and are looking for Pellet Stove for our office which is 250 sq.ft do you have anything ?
Hello Jo Ann, most pellet stoves are designed to heat up 500+ sq. ft. places. Sadly, there are no small/tiny pellet stoves. However, you can get a standard one and set the burn at 30-40% capacity.
My local retailer carries Quadra Fire stoves. What is your opinion on these?
Hello Dan, just looking at the Quadra specs, they are actually quite good. The EPA-approved Classic Bay 1200 should be a good choice; do talk with your local retailer about the coverage area and BTU output, to get the most appropriate pellet stove for your specific situation.
I have one, supposed to heat 2000 sq.ft. you would lucky if it heats 900 sq.ft. Easy to clean and start. Pretty stove just way over rated. I have a blow dryer that puts out more heat than the 3 speed fan. Need serious upgrade on that. I have had this for a year.
Just curious…What stove are you speaking of?
In Ohio and building a 500sf 4 season room with probably a 14 foot peak in the Spring. May have the opportunity to get a ComfortBilt HP61 for under $1k through an overstock auction. Would it be overkill for an outdoor room like that? Thanks!
Hello Eric, not at all. You can always run it on a lower auger speed and thereby optimize the heat output. Nice deal!
Who makes a 18,000 BTU pellet stove?
Hello Pete, pellet stoves are generally bigger (40,000 BTU+). Of the few small pellet stoves, the best one – generating up to 22,226 BTU – is Castle Pellet Stove Serenity 12327. It’s a small 186 lbs EPA certified stove, hope this helps.
Hi, was looking through your list and reviews. I need a small stove to heat a 600sqft garage and sunroom( total area) converted into a family room. I live in Massachusetts and a couple local dealers stock Harman brand. Specifically the p43. How would you rate this stove in terms of longevity and price. Thanks
Hi Steven, Harman is a reputable brand. Their P Series pellet stoves with PelletPro tech for high efficiency is quite amazing; they even have an EPA certification. Longevity-wise, they do last for 10+ years – auger motor is the first one to go, for example. They do have above-average prices for average pellet stoves.
Trying to figure out what size of stove I need for my house. The unit will be going in my 2,000sq ft basement. Not looking for a primary heat source, just figured if I could warm the basement up a little bit it would help keep the floors on the main level a bit warmer and make the basement a little more cozy too.
Hi Kale, DOE gives a good rule of thumb for sizing pellet stoves, “60,000 British Thermal Units (Btu) can heat a 2,000-square-foot home”. However, that’s the right calculation if you use a stove as the primary heating source. In your case, the pellet stove would serve as a supplemental heating source; so 60,000 BTU for 2,000 sq ft is overkill.
With every pellet stove, you have different auger speeds. You can buy a smaller stove and run it on a lower auger speed, or even buy a 50,000 BTU stove and run it on a lower auger speed (for 10,000 BTU output, for example). Hope this helps.
I have an HP22 Pellets do not slide down in the hopper after it gets about half empty. A slight smell of smoke when it starts up in the morning.
My Harman P61 is having the same problem. The pellets don’t slide into the hopper feed hole.
I push them over by hand every few hours.
If someone can give us both a solution I will be the happiest person around today!
Wipe inside of the hopper with silicone spray to make it slippery.
What about power outages when it’s needed most?
Hello Ron, all pellet stoves need electricity to run. A generator might help during the power outage.
Except for the Wiseman gravity fed … no power needed.
Looking for a pellet stove. Total sqf is 2,800 but it’s a two story home. So my a few questions. Am I right on thinking it won’t heat both floors if placed on the first floor? I read takes about 5 sqf which is fine but what do I need for the stove ( as in any special flooring or for the walls)?
Last question I have a fireplace but a insert wouldn’t work my situation but would I still need to run it through the chimney or could I run it through my firewood box that as a door on the inside to the box outside? ( sorry for all the questions I don’t know a lot about all this but looking for a better heating situation)
Thanks!
Hello Jason, an interesting question. If you put it on the 1st floor, it will heat the 2nd floor as well. According to thermodynamics, the hot air rises; it will go from the 1st to the 2nd floor with ease (1st Law of Thermodynamics dictates that, we all have experience about upper parts of the house being warmer).
For the second part, the only thing that is necessary is for the pellet stove to be properly vented. You can use the chimney or the firewood box; there are small differences in burning efficiency with respect to different venting choices, but it’s not all that significant.
We do welcome questions. If you have any more, you’re welcome to ask them, and we can answer them together.
What do you think of the Comfortbilt HP61?
Hello there, Comfortbilt HP61 is a good option as well. It has the same 50,000 BTU heating output as Comfortbilt Pellet Stove HP22, a slightly lower hopper capacity, and a similar price. The thing is that HP22 has been on the market for longer and we know that it’s very reliable. HP22 is a newer option and we’re not completely sure about the reliability.
After reading this article, I wondered one thing…..
I have been around pellet stoves for over 40 years, I have been trained by Harmon, now H.H.T., on servicing. All the efficiency that a pellet stove can provide, it will lose all of that as it gets dirty. Ease of cleaning needs to be a factor in the decision of buying. I have seen stoves that are very hard to clean, so you may have to have a professional come in to clean it and keep in mind, the front end of the stove needs cleaned according to the manufacturer recommends.
Hello John, that’s a brilliant insight. You’re completely right; ease of cleaning should be a ranking factor. However, it’s difficult to quantify how easy it is to clean a certain pellet stove. That’s not included in the specification sheets. We’ll try our best to do some research into which pellet stoves are the easiest to clean. Thank you.
Hi there, are there any options that would tie into existing duct work in place of an electric furnace? I know Caddy used to make one but they are very hard to find. 2,000 sq ft bungalow with a pellet stove in the basement and wood insert upstairs. The issue is the basement stove has to be so hot to heat anything on the upper level that it’s uncomfortable to be down there.
Thanks!
Hello Marc, the classic unbearably hot downstairs and cold upstairs case; it’s quite a problem. With most pellet stoves, you can’t tie a stove into the ductwork. What you are looking for are ductable pellet stoves. There is a limited selection here; an Italian company Cadel makes them but there are very hard to come by in the USA.