Pellet Wood Stoves

Wood pellet stoves are interesting devices. Rather than burn logs of firewood as most wood burning stoves do, they simply burn little tiny shreds of wood called pellets.

Now, wood pellet stoves are definitely not for everyone. You might tire of refilling your supply of pellets every few days. Also, when you have a pellet stove you don not have the same control over the heat as you do with a traditional furnace, where all you have to do is set the thermostat to whatever temperature you desire. And some pellet stoves are simply space heaters; they may warm whatever room their located in, but they aren't too efficient when it comes to heating other rooms in the house, especially rooms on other floors. And these kinds of stoves will not necessarily save you as much money as you might expect, if they even save you any money at all. A new pellet stove can cost a couple thousand dollars or more, although you can get used pellet stoves at a significantly reduced cost. And the cost of the pellets can add up over time. A forty pound bag of pellets can cost three or four dollars (buy them in bulk to save money) and you will probably need a few tons of pellets during the course of a season. In addition, whenever you have to actually build and maintain a fire, and clean the ashes out afterward, you'll have a lot of extra work to do.

Let's look on the bright side, however. Wood pellet stoves are often very attractive. Some you can fit right into your fireplace, and many of them have very decorative exteriors that can make the fireplace, and in turn the entire room, look much nicer. And some pellet stoves are freestanding, so that you not only have a heater but a very beautiful piece of furniture when you buy one. And pellet stoves can also be great for the environment. Since the pellets that you burn were probably going to be disposed of anyway, you're recycling when you use a pellet stove. And some pellets are what are known as "premium pellets"; premium pellets don't create as many inorganic ashes as do the regular kind of pellets (although they tend to be a little more expensive).

Definitely try to see a pellet stove in action before you decide to buy one. You might find that it's the perfect heating solution for your home.

Alexander Sutton applies his direct experience and knowledge of the industry to help people enjoy the best values possible. For more information, please visit Pellet Wood Stoves.