Achieving comfort in a tiny home can be hard to come by, especially during the winter season where the cold often calls for us to bundle up in a warm blanket, light the fireplace, and snuggle up on the couch.
Unfortunately, the confined space in a tiny home doesn’t lend itself well to a fireplace. Fortunately, there is an alternative. A small wood stove not only gives you that comfort, but it also provides an economical way to heat your home.
Today’s review covers the top 4 best wood stoves for tiny homes and off-grid living. It also includes a buying guide to help you compare different stoves and find the best one for your needs.
Best Small Wood Stoves 2024
For those who want a quick overview, below is our comparison table:
- Our #1 Rated Tiny House Wood Stove: The Cubic Mini (Best For Tiny Homes Under 200 Sq. Feet)
- Our #2 Rated Tiny House Wood Stove: Cubic Grizzly Mini Wood Stove (Best For Tiny Homes 200-400 Sq. Feet)
- Our #3 Rated Tiny House Wood Stove: Dickinson Newport (Smallest Stove On Our List)
- Our #4 Rated Tiny House Wood Stove: The Dwarf 3KW (4th Overall Best Option)
Our #1 Rated Tiny House Wood Stove: The Cubic Mini (Best For Tiny Homes Under 200 Sq. Feet)
- 11″ x 12″ x 10.5″ and 25.6 pounds
- Extremely tiny and lightweight
- Rated at 6,000-14,000 BTUs
- The perfect option for tiny homes under 200 Sq. feet (For homes greater than 200 Sq. feet, see option 2 – the Cubic Grizzly)
- Beautiful design
Cubic Wood Stoves is a Canada-based company and when it comes to producing, quality wood stoves, they are second to none.
I can’t say enough good things about one of their award-winning stoves, the Cubic Cub Tiny Home Wood Stove.
From its beautiful, slick design that provides an aesthetically-pleasing addition to any tiny home to its heat-generating abilities, it does everything you could possibly want a wood-burning stove to do.
If your home is in the 100-200 sq. feet range, it is an excellent choice, even if you live in a cold climate.
If your tiny home is in the 200-400 square foot range, check out the Cubic Grizzly at our #3 option (which is literally a slightly larger version of the Cubic Cub).
Because it’s as small at is, expect to have to stoke the fire every 1-2 hours to keep it going.
I’m still amazed that it can produce the heat it does at that size.
Well done, Cubic.
The Cubic Cub has a ton of other great features worth mentioning as well.
One of these great features is the damper (the damper is just a fancy way to say vents), which comes with 2 options.
The first damper allows for precision oxygen feed, allowing you to maximize burn time for each fire.
This allows you to control the heat: open up the damper and the fire will emit more heat, or close the damper, and it will give off less heat.
The secondary control at the bottom allows you to re-burn the gases that tend to linger, which is why the Cubic Mini is so damn efficient.
And because of the precision of the damper controls, it burns super clean and emits very little smoke.
Our lungs are happy about that one.
This video below provides a fantastic overview of the Cubic Cub.
I was a little confused by the fact that pricing at first as it is in Canadian dollars, but don’t be. It should show around $529 CAD total, plus or minus a few bucks depending on the cost of shipping.
When I purchased the Cubic Cub for myself, when I calculated the conversion rate, it came out to $397USD ($337 + $60 shipping). Read our complete review of the Cubic Cub Mini Wood Stove.
Pros
- Excellent option for heating a tiny home 100-200 sq. feet
- Very affordable
- 2 damper controls allow for an efficient fire burning
- Minimal smoke emission
- Can be used as a hot plate for smaller teacups
- High-quality solid steel construction that will last for years
- Great aesthetic design and large display window (so you can watch the fire)
- Great customer support from Cubic Mini Wood Stoves; they will help with any issues that may come up
- One of the most popular wood burning stoves, and for good reason
Cons
- Stove piping sold separately (can be bought separately here)
- Not ideal if you’re tiny home is above 200 sq. feet (if this is the case, see our other great options below)
Our #2 Rated Tiny House Wood Stove: Cubic Grizzly Mini Wood Stove (Best For Tiny Homes 200-400 Sq. Feet)
- 13″ x 15″ x 12″ and 34 pounds
- Produces 8,000 to 18,000 BTUs
- Very tiny (slightly bigger than the Cubic Cub) and light (only 34 pounds)
- Excellent choice for tiny homes 200-600 sq. ft
- Beautifully crafted
The Cubic Grizzly Mini Wood Stove is the Cub’s slightly bigger brother.
It’s made from the same company using the same materials, just larger in size.
Specifically, it’s 2 inches wider, 3 inches higher, and 1 ½ inches deeper. It will also take 6 ½ inch logs, which is about an inch longer than the Cub.
So what does that mean as far as performance?
Well, performance, like the Cub, is fantastic, and like the Cub, you can easily control how much heat is given off thanks to the damper controls.
But while the Cub is capable of heating a home under 200 sq. feet for 1-2 hours at at time in the winter, the Grizzly can easily double that.
Cubic Mini Wood Stoves state on their site that the Grizzly is only able to heat tiny homes between 200 and 400 square feet.
However, these numbers are quite conservative and should be taken with a grain of salt.
I have a few friends with tiny homes in moderate climates that exceed 400 sq. feet (in the 400-600 foot range), that use the Grizzly to heat their tiny homes and they absolutely love it.
They say they are able to heat their tiny homes no problem and would never use a different stove.
They mentioned that for their homes, they easily get 3-4 hours of burn time, so they only have to get up 1-2 times throughout the night to re-stoke the fire.
If you live in a really cold climate, however, like the Midwest, 400 sq. feet would be the max size I would use this for.
Additionally, the Grizzly can fit a 2-liter coffee pot on the top plate, whereas the Cub can only fit about one coffee cup on the top plate (if left as is with the stock brass railing).
Contemplating between the Cub and the Grizzly? Watch the video below to see a side-by-side comparison of the two.
Like the Cubic Cub, pricing will be in CAD (when writing this article, the exchange rate is favorable at $1 CAD to $.75 USD)
Pros
- Cubic is a highly trusted brand and has fantastic customer service
- Solid steel construction that is built to last
- Perfect for a tiny home 200-400 sq feet (and some say it’s more than enough for their 600 sq. foot home)
- Wood burns completely so little ash in the morning
- Rated at 8,000-18,000 BTUS, which is perfect for tiny homes
- Very compact, so won’t take up much space
- Can handle larger wood than the Cubic Cub, which means you will need to stoke the fire less often
- 2 dynamic damper controls which allows for very efficient and clean wood burning
- Large front display window
Cons
- Stove piping sold separately (can be bought here)
Our #3 Rated Tiny House Wood Stove: Dickinson Newport (Smallest Stove On Our List)
- 10″ x 7.9″ x 15.6″ and 15 pounds
- Incredibly small
- Perfect for tiny homes up to 400 sq. feet
- Can be wall mounted or placed on the floor
- Can run on wood, coal, charcoal or smokeless pressed fuel
- Very affordable
Getting our #3 spot is the Dickinson Newport.
It is one of the smallest and most efficient wood stoves available and of all the stoves. I’ve owned this stove for years, and it’s one of my favorites.
I personally used the Dickinson when I was living in my 153 sq. foot tiny home in South Dakota.
It was nothing short of a lifesaver for those below-zero winter nights where I wanted nothing more than to snuggle up in a blanket and watch the fire crackle and roar for hours on end as it soothed my mind.
I absolutely love how small it is since I was pressed for space in my home; you literally won’t find a wood burning stove smaller.
It weighs just 15 pounds and can be mounted right on the wall of tiny homes or sailboats.
When you first see the Dickinson Newport, you can be forgiven for thinking they just sent you a chimney and forgot the stove.
It measures a measly 7.88” wide and only 10” deep. That gives you about the smallest footprint of any wood stove.
It’s designed to run off just about any kind of fuel you can think of and produces between 3,000 and 8,000 BTUs, which makes it ideal for a tiny home.
In warmer climates, it can easily heat homes up to 300 sq. feet and in colder climates, it’s solid up to 200 sq. feet.
The Dickinson Newport is made from durable stainless steel and has both a removable ash box and an easy-to-use damper control. It requires just a 3” diameter flue and only needs 4’ of chimney for proper airflow.
Pros
- Best options hands down
- Incredibly small, just 7.88″ wide x 14.7” high x 10″ Deep
- Can be wall mounted or placed on the floor
- Weighs just 15 lbs
- Can run on wood, coal, charcoal or smokeless pressed fuel
- Easy to clean and control
- Provides 3,000-8,000 BTUs
- Very affordable
Cons
- Doesn’t allow you to see the fire burning
Our #4 Rated Tiny House Wood Stove: The Dwarf 3KW (4th Overall Best Option)
- Provides excellent heat output for its size
- 17” high x 10.25” wide x 8.5” deep
- Weighs only 75 lbs
- Burns multiple fuels
- Made from durable steel and cast iron
The Dwarf 3kw is a highly compact multi-fuel wood stove designed specifically for RV and tiny house use. It’s just 10.25” wide x 8.5” deep and is made from cast iron. This gives it a very small footprint and, at just 75 lbs, a surprisingly low weight.
The 3kw provides 3 kilowatts of heat output or just over 10,000 BTUs. This is perfect for small spaces around 100-300 square feet.
It can be hooked up with either a top or rear flue and has a useful cooking surface on top. It uses a three-part air control system that gives it excellent efficiency.
The internal firebox has a riddling grate with a removable ash pan for easy cleanup. The ceramic glass viewport gives you an excellent view of the crackling wood and uses air flow to prevent smoke from building up.
Pros
- Provides excellent heat output for its size
- Just 17” high x 10.25” wide x 8.5” deep
- Weighs only 75 lbs
- Burns multiple fuels
- Made from durable steel and cast iron
- Provides 3 air supply dampers
Cons
- Only burns wood up to about 8” long
Add-ons For Your Wood Burning Stove
1. Midwest Hearth Wood Stove Thermometer
This is a great add-on that I’ve gotten a ton of great use out of.
It is a thermometer with a magnet so it can be attached to the side of your stove.
This will allow you to ensure your wood-burning stove is at an optimal burning temperature at all times.
2. Galafire Heat-Powered Wood Stove Fan
Want to maximize your wood-burning stove’s efficiency?
Having a stove fan is great for blowing the hot air around so you can feel warm throughout your tiny home.
I use this fan from Galafire for my stove and it’s been excellent.
Why a Wood Burning Stove
For many tiny dwellers, getting back in touch with older ways of living is a major goal.
Wood burning stoves are one of the best and least expensive ways to heat your tiny home, since they use a renewable source of fuel that’s widely available.
Plus, they provide a delightful visual and auditory effect while heating your home.
Comparing Wood Stoves for Tiny Homes and Off Grid Living
Wood stoves come in a huge range of sizes and styles. You can get everything from old school pot-bellied, prospector style stoves to state-of-the-art sailing stoves designed to run off multiple fuel sources.
Heat Output
When you’re shopping for a wood stove, you need to know the square footage of your home and approximately where it will be located. This lets you figure out how many BTUs you’ll need to heat your home.
Most tiny homes top out at 400-500 square feet, including loft space. Generally, they use highly efficient insulation and don’t have many places for inside air to come into contact with outside air.
Unless you’re in a very cold climate, you’re unlikely to need more than about 20,000 BTUs.
Most people will be very comfortable with half of that or less.
Word to the wise, many stove manufacturers will list their product’s heat output in kilowatts. One kilowatt provides about 3,400 BTUs of heat for easy conversion.
Size, Weight and Ease of Installation
Anything going into a tiny home needs to be as space efficient as possible. This is one of the reasons sailboat stoves have been so popular among tiny dwellers.
They’re, well, tiny.
Make sure you budget in the clearance space and fireproof footprint of any stove you’re considering. Most stoves require a minimum distance between them and any other material for safety.
If you’re building a THOW, consider how you’ll secure the stove. You definitely don’t want a metal stove rolling around inside your house.
Single or Multi-Fuel Stoves
When hearing “wood stove,” most people naturally assume they’re going to be burning firewood. While most modern stoves are more than capable of burning wood, many also give you other fuel options.
These are referred to as multi-fuel stoves and can burn wood, peat, turf, coal, and smokeless fuels. Those last ones are mainly pressed briquettes made using waste wood from furniture production. They’re very common in the EU and commonly marketed in the US as Presto Logs or similar products.
The biggest difference between pure wood stoves and multi-fuel stoves is the presence of a grate. Traditional wood stoves are designed to allow wood to burn on a bed of ash. Other fuels need the additional airflow provided by a grate. It gives an inch or so of clearance under the fuel and allows high-temperature combustion.
For the vast majority of people, a single fuel wood stove will be adequate. If you live in an area with smoke or other environmental restrictions, or a limited supply of wood, a multi-fuel is a great option.
EPA Certification and Stove Efficiency
In the past, wood stoves were basically just standalone fireplaces. Modern stoves are far, far more advanced than this and produce significantly more heat for noticeably less smoke.
The EPA maintains a registry of wood stoves that meet their emissions standards, currently 4.5 grams of smoke released per hour. For a tiny home application, there are great EPA-certified stoves or smaller recreational style stoves that may work for you.
Stove efficiency is often discussed by manufacturers, but matters less than you might expect. Any EPA certification is going to have an efficiency of at least 70%. In order to get the proper breakdown of materials and exhaust to meet their stringent requirements, any lower efficiency just won’t cut it.
Find the Best Stove for Your Needs
Picking a wood stove for your tiny home really comes down to how much heat you need and what features you’re looking for.
What stove did you decide to go with? Let us know in the comments section below!
If you are looking for a wood-burning stove in your cabin, make sure to check out our post on the best cabin wood stoves. Many of the options are similar, but we include some stoves with higher BTUs in case your cabin is larger than a tiny home.
