How to Choose a Wood Burning Stove

With energy prices continuing to rise and UK homeowners having no control over spiralling heating costs, more people than ever are choosing the comfort and cosiness of wood burning stoves in 2026.

For all the benefits and energy independence they bring, choosing the right stove can feel confusing and overwhelming – particularly if you’ve never needed to choose a wood burning stove before.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the entire process, with step-by-step, UK-specific advice on how to choose the right wood burning stove for your home.

Key Considerations for Choosing a Wood Burning Stove

When choosing a wood burning stove, there are a few important factors that will help to guide you towards selecting the best stove. These include:

• Heat output - the amount of heat you need your stove to generate
• Space - how much room you have available for your stove
• Fuel type - what you want to burn on your stove
• Regulations - any legal requirements or restrictions that will impact your choice of stove
• Ventilation - the type and amount of air supply to your stove

Let’s explore all of those key considerations of choosing a wood burning stove in more detail.

Heat Output (kW) and Stove Sizing

The heat output of a wood burning stove is the amount of heat it generates. It is measured in kilowatts (kW). When you see a kW rating given to a stove, this is how many kilowatts of heat it will create in an hour. So, a 6kW stove should generate around 6kW of heat every hour.

Choosing a wood burning stove with the right heat output is important to make sure that it heats your home effectively. If the heat output is too low, the stove will struggle to heat your space. If it’s too high, the heat could become stifling. 

As a simple rule of thumb, you need approximately 1kW of heat output for every 14m3 of room volume. A heat output of around 5kW is appropriate for a typical UK living room.

Top Tip: Use our stove size calculator to quickly work out the right wood burning stove heat output for your room.

Your choice of wood burning stove will also be impacted by the space you have available in your home. If you have an existing fireplace, it probably makes most sense to install your stove there. You could even choose an inset stove that slots straight into the fireplace opening.

If you’re installing a freestanding stove or pedestal stove in a room with no chimney, you might need to place the stove close to the external wall where you will want the flue pipe to be. For larger, open-plan spaces, you’ll need to decide whether you want the stove to be in the centre of the room as a focal point or placed in a convenient location close to an exterior wall.

Wherever you’re positioning your stove, some practical considerations will remain. This includes the amount of space you need to leave around the stove. Stove manufacturers typically advise a minimum clearance of 400mm to combustible materials (find out more in our article on how much space to leave around a wood burning stove).

You will also need space for a hearth for your stove to sit on. This must extend at least 150mm either side of the stove and 225mm in front of it.

Top Tip: If you’re working in tight spaces, a heat shield can be used to enable you to place a wood burning stove closer to a combustible material.

Fuel Types for Wood Burning Stoves

The type of fuel you want to burn will also be a key factor in choosing your wood burning stove. Only logs with less than 20% moisture content should be burned on a stove. This means well seasoned or kiln-dried logs. Burning low-moisture logs improves a stove’s efficiency, reduces the amount of smoke and emissions created, and helps to protect your stove. 

If you would prefer more flexibility over fuel, you might prefer to get a multi fuel stove. You’ll still be able to burn kiln-dried or seasoned wood, but also have the option of burning smokeless fuels, such as anthracite.

Top Tip: Wood burning stoves tend to be more efficient than multi fuel stoves when burning logs, but multi fuel stoves are highly efficient when burning smokeless fuels.

UK Stove Regulations and Requirements

Your decision when choosing a wood-burning stove will also be guided by rules and regulations in the UK. One of the key legal requirements covers people living in smoke control areas.

Many urban areas in the UK are smokeless zones, which means wood and solid fuels can’t be burnt. The exceptions are if you:

• Choose a wood-burning stove that is approved by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for use in smoke control areas
• Burn fuel that is approved by DEFRA for use in smoke control areas
  

The latest wood burning stoves must also be made to comply with Ecodesign standards. Modern Ecodesign stoves are high-efficiency, low-emissions appliances, which makes them a great option for your bank balance and the environment. 

Top Tip: If you live in a smoke control area, think about what fuel you want to burn to choose your stove. If you want to burn logs, you will need to choose from DEFRA-exempt stoves. If you only want to burn smokeless coal, you could choose any appliance as long as you burn DEFRA-approved fuels.

Air Supply and Ventilation Considerations 

All wood-burning stoves need a consistent air supply to deliver an efficient and safe burn. If you live in a new-build or well-insulated property, your home might not currently have a strong enough air supply to pull oxygen through the stove to feed the flames and draw smoke up the flue.

This flow of air is an important factor for both performance and safety. If your home isn’t well ventilated, you may need to install an airbrick with your stove to increase the air flow. Alternatively, you could choose an direct air supply stove, which creates a supply of air from outside directly to your stove. This provides the air needed without making your home draughty.

Top tip: If a 5kW stove or smaller is suitable for your home, you won’t need an airbrick with your stove installation.

Steps for Choosing a Wood Burning Stove

Although the sheer amount of choice available might make choosing a wood burning stove seem overwhelming, it’s actually easy to break down the process into a few simple steps. These steps will become a checklist for choosing the right wood burner for your home.

1. Measure your space

The first step is to measure the dimensions of the room that your new wood burning stove needs to heat. Once you know the length, width and height of the space, you’ll be able to calculate the right heat output for your home.

2. Calculate the kW needed

Using our stove size calculator and the measurements you’ve taken, work out how many kW you need to heat your room. The calculator will guide you towards a suitable heat output for your space. This will help to ensure that your stove creates enough heat without making the room too hot.

3. Choose your favourite stove style

There is plenty of choice when it comes to stove design. It’s just about choosing the right style of stove for your home and your taste. Would you like a traditional stove or contemporary stove? An inset stove or a freestanding stove? Perhaps you want a pedestal stove or a stove with its own log store. It’s all down to personal preference.

4. Decide what you want to burn

Do you want a wood-burning stove or a multi-fuel stove? The decision comes down to whether you want to burn only logs or whether you'd like the option of burning smokeless fuels, too.

5. Arrange a professional installer

Find a professional stove installer from a competent person scheme to install your logburner. This is the easiest way of ensuring your stove is installed correctly, safely and in accordance with building regulations. Installers who are part of a competent person scheme can also self-certify their stove installations without needing to involve your local building control office.

Best Wood Burning Stoves in 2026 

To help narrow down your search, here are some recommendations of the best wood burning stoves on the market right now.

Mazona Warwick 8 kW Multifuel Stove

Heat Output (kW): 8kW
Fuel Type: Wood or smokeless fuel 
Style: Traditional freestanding stove
Best For: Larger living rooms with a timeless feel

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Mazona Clovelly 550 6kW

Heat Output (kW): 6kW
Fuel Type: Wood or smokeless fuel 
Style: Inset cassette stove
Best For: Ultra-modern looks with great wood-burning stove performance

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Mazona Kingsmere 8kW Multifuel

Heat Output (kW): 8kW
Fuel Type: Wood or smokeless fuel 
Style: Freestanding stove
Best For: Classic woodburner looks with a modern twist

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Arada Hamlet Solution Inset (S4)

Heat Output (kW): 7kW
Fuel Type: Wood or smokeless fuel 
Style: Inset stove
Best For: Instant upgrade of an open fireplace

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ACR Neo 3F

Heat Output (kW): 5kW
Fuel Type: Wood
Style: Modern freestanding stove
Best For: Contemporary feature stove

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Arada Holborn Widescreen 5

Heat Output (kW): 5kW
Fuel Type: Wood or smokeless fuel 
Style: Freestanding stove
Best For: Stylish logburner looks for regular-sized rooms

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Mazona Ripley 4kW

Heat Output (kW): 4kW
Fuel Type: Wood or smokeless fuel 
Style: Freestanding stove
Best For: Snug spaces wanting great design

Take a closer look

Wood Burner FAQs

How does a wood burning stove work?

A wood burning stove works by burning fuel inside an enclosed, metal firebox to generate intense heat. This heat is then spread around the room to create a warm and cosy atmosphere. It does this through a combination of convection and radiation.

What are the different types of wood burners?

There are various different types of wood burners. The two main types are wood-burning stoves and multi-fuel stoves. Within both of those categories, there are many other different types of wood burners, including freestanding stoves, pedestal stoves, inset stoves and cassette stoves.

What are the best wood burning stove brands?

The best wood burning stove brands include Mazona Stoves, Arada and ACR. Some wood burning stove brands offer great value for money, while others offer high-specification design. The best wood burning stove brands for you will depend on your budget and design preferences.

Do I need planning permission for a wood burning stove?

You don't need planning permission for a wood burning stove in the overwhelming majority of cases. Most households can install a wood burning stove without planning permission. Some notable exceptions are listed buildings and homes in conservation areas.

Are log burners being banned in the UK?

No, log burners are not being banned in the UK. There has been some tightening of the restrictions as to which fuels can be used and to tighten the sale of log burners to only highly efficient modern stoves. But there are no plans to ban log burners or restrict their use.

Why Choose Gr8fires for Wood Burning Stoves?

Since we've been selling heating appliances for decades and online since 2009, we're the top UK online retailer for stoves and fireplaces. Just like we've done in this article, we are always ready to share our wood burning stove knowledge with others. If you have any questions about any of the wood burning stoves in our store, our customer service will be happy to answer them for you.

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