A wood-burning stove is a variant of a fireplace that is made of metal to burn wood and other similar biomass products. The history of wood-burning stoves dates back to 1642 at a foundry in Lynn, Massachusetts. The first stove consisted of cast iron plates. In 1744, a revolutionary Kaminöfen patriot named Benjamin Franklin took up the original idea of developing his own cast-iron stove. His stove exuded the efficiency of earlier inventions and is still a widely used stove today. Over the next two centuries, the concept of a closed firebox with adjustable air intake was the most common design. During this period, pot-bellied stoves with an intricate Alsatian cylinder pattern emerged.

Rumford fireplace

Constructed circa 1796, the Rumford chimney was the pioneer stove, angling the hearth of the chimney with bricks and also controlling the choke of the chimney to draw the smoke up faster. Reducing the width of the chimney increased the updraft, eliminating the sense of smoke floating in and around the chimney and causing air pollution. In 1900, an American-British spy named Benjamin Thompson invented the first metal wood-burning stove suitable for use in castle kitchens.

The 1970 oil crisis led to wood-burning stoves being adapted for use in the kitchen and stoves being further developed to meet new standards of efficiency. In 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued regulations that prompted innovative designs with long burn times and low air pollution. Modern versions of these stoves are characterized by an airtight construction made of aluminum, cast iron and steel parts. The furnaces are also lined with chamotte bricks to prevent heat loss and catalytic converters to burn exhaust gases. Modern ovens are mostly rectangular boxes or chambers with a thick door. They contain adjustable grates that can prevent or allow airflow for a controlled burn. These stoves have a chimney at the top. The part of the chimney that connects it to the base is wider than its neck to prevent clogging. This design makes the stoves very efficient and environmentally friendly.

3 types of modern ovens

There are 3 types of modern stoves that use wood or wood biomass products as fuel, including airtight stoves, pellet stoves and metal box wood stoves. Box wood stoves contain the fire in a metal box and have a loose door construction. They are the cheapest ovens and not as airtight as the other types. The second type is the airtight wood stove. These are an improvement over the box ovens and have a fully enclosed firebox and door made from materials that make them completely airtight. These kilns have an automatic or manual method of increasing or decreasing the airflow to the kiln to regulate the heat output of the fire.

pellet stove

The third type is the pellet stove. These stoves burn compressed wood or biomass pellets to provide heat for residential or industrial spaces. Fuel is channeled from a storage tank into a brazier area to create a constant flame that requires minimal or no manual adjustments. The fuel is controlled by an electronic timer and sensor. The first miniaturized pellet stove came from Washington State in the 1980s. These stoves can either be stand-alone units or chimney attachments vented into an existing chimney. They are made from large pieces of conductive steel or cast iron with stainless steel to enclose circuitry and exhaust areas. In most states, pellet fuels are exempt from sales tax. Wood stoves are highly efficient and have very low pollution levels.

The purchase price of most wood stoves or pellet Werkbänke stoves allows the buyer to claim a tax credit on their US income tax return.

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