Small Wood Stoves for Cabins, Cottages & Small Homes

How small is too small?

The instinct with a small space is to buy the smallest stove available, and it is usually the wrong instinct. An oversized stove in a small room gets run damped down to avoid cooking you out, and a damped-down stove smoulders — blackened glass, creosote in the flue, and less usable heat than a smaller stove burning properly. The 1,200 sq ft rating on these is a mild-climate maximum, so a well-insulated 800 sq ft cabin is comfortably inside it while a drafty one in a cold zone is closer to the limit than the number suggests. Our stove sizing calculator turns square footage, climate zone, insulation and ceiling height into a BTU target in about a minute.

Mobile homes, alcoves and tight clearances

The Drolet compacts here are certified for mobile home and alcove installation, which is the reason this size class exists — many larger stoves are not, and no amount of clearance hardware makes an uncertified stove legal in a mobile home. A mobile home install also requires an outside air connection: the 5" fresh air intake kit handles that on most pedestal models. Single-wall connector pipe is prohibited outright in a mobile home, so budget for double-wall pipe from the start. The specifics for your model are in its manual on the product page.

What a small stove still needs

Compact does not mean the install shrinks. You still need floor protection sized to the stove unless it sits on a non-combustible floor such as a slab — see hearth pads — a full venting run, and a chimney tall enough to draft, which Drolet specifies as a minimum of 12 feet from stove to cap. Short chimneys are the single most common reason a small-cabin stove will not draw. Our installation cost breakdown prices the whole job line by line.

Small wood stove FAQs

What size wood stove do I need for a cabin?

For most cabins under about 1,200 sq ft, a compact stove in this range is the right class. Size up if your winters are severe, ceilings are high, or the building is poorly insulated — and run the numbers rather than guessing, since oversizing causes more problems than undersizing in a small space.

Are small wood stoves EPA certified?

Every stove here is EPA 2020 certified and non-catalytic. Certification matters for legality in many regions and for how cleanly the stove burns, and it is not something to trade away for a lower price on an uncertified imported stove.

Can I put a small wood stove in a mobile home?

Only a stove specifically certified for mobile home installation, which the Drolet compacts here are. The install also requires an outside air kit and double-wall connector pipe. Check the manual for your specific model and confirm requirements with your local building department.

What is the cheapest EPA certified wood stove?

The Drolet Spark II and Drolet Fox at $999 are the least expensive certified stoves we carry. The Fox has a decorative cast iron door with no glass; the Spark II has a glass door if you want to see the fire.

Do you charge sales tax on wood stoves?

No. StoveSource charges no sales tax in any state, with no exceptions, and every stove ships free.

Related

Comparing compact models across brands? Our best small wood stoves guide covers the whole bracket. For a stove in a corner, see corner wood stoves; for current markdowns, the clearance section; and for tents, sheds and truly tiny spaces, camp stoves. If you need more than that, step up to the full wood stove range.