Pellet Stoves With a Thermostat or Wi-Fi: How Each Control Works and Which to Buy
Most modern pellet stoves can hold a set temperature, but not in the same way. Some read the temperature at the stove or the remote, some take a wall or wireless thermostat, and a few connect to your phone over Wi-Fi. Which one you have decides whether the stove keeps the house comfortable on its own or needs you to keep turning it up and down.
Below is how each type of control works, what the manuals say, which stoves and add-ons support it, and where to put a thermostat so it works properly. Every stove we sell ships with No Sales Tax in any state and free shipping.
The three ways a pellet stove holds a temperature
| Control | How it works | What you need | Our stoves that do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in temperature mode | You set a temperature on the stove or remote and the stove raises or lowers its heat to hold it | Nothing extra | All 10 ComfortBilt models, including the Alpines |
| Wall or wireless thermostat | A thermostat in the room calls the stove on and off, like a furnace | A thermostat wired to the stove's thermostat input | ComfortBilt and Alpine stoves; Drolet ECO-55 and ECO-65R |
| Wi-Fi app control | Change the temperature, mode and schedule from your phone, from anywhere | A Wi-Fi module and a home network | All 10 ComfortBilt and Alpine models, with the BC Innovate Wi-Fi module |
Built-in temperature mode
This is the control most people use day to day. The ComfortBilt HP stoves run in Manual, Temp, Weekly or Thermostat mode, according to their manuals. In Temp mode you pick a temperature and the stove adjusts its burn to hold it; Weekly mode adds a 7-day schedule, so it can turn down overnight and warm up before you get out of bed. The HP22N adds ECO auto-cycling to Temp mode.
The Alpine stoves (HP40, HP41 and HP42) have five power settings, temperature control and weekly scheduling, with a remote included. They start at $1,099, which makes them the least expensive stoves we sell that hold a temperature on their own.
The limit of built-in temperature mode is where the temperature is measured. A sensor at the stove reads the warmest spot in the room, so the far end of the house can run cooler than the setting. For an even temperature across a room or a floor, add a thermostat.
Wall or wireless thermostats
A thermostat lets the stove respond to the temperature where you actually sit. The stove has a thermostat input, and in thermostat mode it heats when the thermostat calls and steps down when it's satisfied.
- ComfortBilt and Alpine: the manuals say thermostat mode "requires wired thermostat." The ComfortBilt CB3002 wireless remote thermostat ($199.99) makes that wireless in practice: a handheld unit reads the temperature where you are, and a receiver mounted within about 20 feet of the stove connects to the thermostat input. It switches between manual, thermostat and timer modes, and fits all ten ComfortBilt and Alpine models.
- Drolet ECO-55 and ECO-65R: the manuals call for a low-voltage (24 volt) thermostat, either fixed to the wall or handheld, and wireless models work. They also have a pilot mode that keeps a small flame going between calls for heat instead of shutting the fire off.
- Englander 25-CBPAH: the manual describes manual heat-range and blower controls only. See our Englander pellet stove review.
Where to put the thermostat
- Away from the stove. Drolet's manual says to place it at least 15 to 20 feet from the stove if it's in the same room. Too close and it shuts the stove off before the rest of the room warms up.
- On an inside wall, out of direct sun and away from doors, windows and drafts.
- Where you spend time. The handheld CB3002 can simply sit on a side table in the room you use most.
Cut down the restarts
In thermostat mode many pellet stoves shut down when the room is warm and relight when it cools. Every relight runs the igniter, which draws the most power the stove uses (4.3 amps on the ComfortBilt HP22) and is the part that wears out first. If the stove is cycling on and off often, use a low or pilot setting between calls for heat, set a slightly wider temperature range, or let Temp mode modulate the heat instead. Our pellet stove troubleshooting guide covers igniter problems, and our ComfortBilt problems and fixes guide covers the ComfortBilt alarms and settings menu.
Wi-Fi and app control
Wi-Fi turns the stove on or up from wherever you are: before you leave work, from bed, or from the house while you're at a cabin or shop. The BC Innovate Wi-Fi module ($129.99) plugs into the communication port on the back of the control panel and puts the stove on your home network. From the app you can change the temperature, switch modes, use the thermostat and on/off timer, and check on more than one stove. It also has a local web page for control on the same network.
It fits all ten ComfortBilt and Alpine stoves: the HP21, HP22, HP22N, HP22i insert, HP50S, HP61, HP75C and the three Alpines. It needs the newer control panel with a 4-pin communication port on the back; older ribbon-style control screens may not be compatible, so check before you order if you're adding it to a stove you already own.
Built-in Wi-Fi vs an add-on module. Some big-box brands build Wi-Fi in, including King's "-W" models, Grand Teton and Cleveland Iron Works. That's convenient, but it's one feature, and those brands publish far less complete efficiency and output data. We compare them model by model in King vs ComfortBilt, Grand Teton vs ComfortBilt and Cleveland Iron Works vs ComfortBilt. With a ComfortBilt, Wi-Fi is a $129.99 add-on you can buy with the stove or later.
Which stove has which controls
| Stove | Price | Temperature mode | Weekly schedule | Thermostat | Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine HP40 | $1,099 | Yes | Yes | CB3002 | Module |
| Alpine HP41 | $1,299 | Yes | Yes | CB3002 | Module |
| Alpine HP42 | $1,499 | Yes | Yes | Wall thermostat or CB3002 | Module |
| ComfortBilt HP50S | $1,899 | Yes | Yes | Wired or CB3002 | Module |
| ComfortBilt HP22 | $2,399 | Yes | Yes | Wired or CB3002 | Module |
| ComfortBilt HP22N | $2,599 | Yes, with ECO cycling | Yes | Wired or CB3002 | Module |
| Drolet ECO-55 | $2,799 | No | No | 24 V wall or handheld | No |
| Drolet ECO-65R | $4,129 | No | No | 24 V wall or handheld | No |
| Englander 25-CBPAH | $2,199 | No | No | Not in manual | No |
From each stove's owner's manual and ComfortBilt's published specs. "Module" means the $129.99 BC Innovate Wi-Fi module; "CB3002" means the $199.99 ComfortBilt wireless remote thermostat.
Our picks
- Lowest price with temperature control and a schedule: the Alpine HP41 ($1,299), or the HP40 ($1,099) for one room.
- Phone control on a budget: the Alpine HP42 plus the Wi-Fi module, about $1,630 for a 120 lb hopper stove you can run from your phone.
- Whole-house heat that responds to the room you're in: the HP22 or HP22N with the CB3002 wireless thermostat.
- A wall thermostat on a premium stove: the Drolet ECO-65R, with up to 105 hours per fill and pilot mode between calls for heat.
Related guides
- Best ComfortBilt pellet stoves: all 10 models compared
- Best pellet stoves of 2026
- Cheap pellet stoves under $1,500
- Pellet stove for a garage or shop
- Pellet stove maintenance
We're an authorized ComfortBilt and Drolet dealer: No Sales Tax in any state, free shipping and a price match guarantee. Browse the pellet stove lineup or call 1-888-914-0022 and we'll help you pick the stove and controls together.