Pellet stoves are one of the types of stoves that provide more caloric energy at a lower cost while being one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly options.
For this reason they have become one of the first options when it comes to getting a heating system both for home and for companies or even animal farms.
Content
- 1 Cheap pellet stoves
- 2 The best pellet stoves of 2023
- 3 First of all, what is the pellet?
- 4 What is a pellet stove?
- 5 How does a pellet stove work?
- 6 Types of pellet stoves
- 7 How do pellet stoves work without electricity?
- 8 Where to place a pellet stove?
- 9 How to light a pellet stove?
- 10 How to light a pellet stove?
- 11 Maintenance and cleaning of a pellet stove.
- 12 Pellet stoves without smoke outlet
- 13 How to choose a pellet stove
- 14 Can’t you make up your mind?
Cheap pellet stoves
Here you can find both cheap pellet stoves, accessible to any pocket, and more expensive stoves, perhaps designed for more intensive use in large spaces or in industrial environments.
Thanks to the filters and the comparison tool we will help you find the stove that best suits your needs without spending an extra euro.
The best pellet stoves of 2023
Below these lines you can see a selection of the best pellet stoves that we have found to make your search easier.
If you need help before buying to know what aspects you should look at when choosing the most suitable pellet stove for your needs take a look at our buying guide:
First of all, what is the pellet?
Pellets are small cylindrical pieces with a shiny appearance, which are around 6mm in diameter and do not usually exceed 30mm in length, which are obtained from drying and then pressing the shavings or sawdust obtained from sawmills and workshops that work with wood.
Despite its compact appearance no type of glue or additive is used being the result, only, of the pressing process of the wood chips.
These resulting cylinders, having been subjected to a drying process, usually contain a very low degree of humidity so they are a great source of heat.
This type of fuel is also considered a source of renewable energy by proceeding from controlled felling of trees promoting proper forest management.
In addition, it is said that the pellet produces green energy because the low CO₂ emission is canceled out by the CO₂ that said wood absorbed from the atmosphere in its tree phase.
What is a pellet stove?
Pellet stoves, also called biomass stoves, are basically stoves that work using pellets as fuel, which are remains and shavings of dried and pressed wood.
These types of stoves consist of a tank where the pellets are placed, which will be automatically supplied to the combustion chamber.
Said chamber is fed with forced air to improve combustion and thus increase the temperature, carrying out a complete burning of the pellets, resulting in a minimum ash that is usually white.
The heat generated in the combustion chamber is directed to the heat exchanger that would be like an internal radiator through which the cold air extracted from the room is passed to be expelled again once heated.
These stoves have the latest technology to obtain maximum fuel efficiency, with electricity consumption well below other types of boilers or heaters, achieving be one of the most efficient and ecological stoves on the market.
For this reason, pellet or biomass stoves have become one of the best and most popular options on the market to heat a home, workplace or animal farms.
How does a pellet stove work?
After starting the combustion of the stove, it continues burning until it reaches the temperature that we have set, stopping the combustion until it drops back to the ignition threshold to reach the desired temperature again.
In this way, a constant comfort temperature is achieved in the room.
As we have commented previously, the heat generated in the combustion chamber passes to the heat exchanger that heats the room through the hot air that is forced to circulate through it.
Not only is it possible to heat the room by means of the air that is circulated through the heat exchanger, but heat is also obtained by radiation, from the glass of the combustion chamber that is in direct contact with the air in the room.
In turn the polluted air resulting from combustion is expelled to the outside through an outlet tube.
Types of pellet stoves
There are basically 3 main types of pellet stoves grouped according to the technology or way they provide heat:
forced air stoves: These are generic pellet or biomass stoves, which, as we have mentioned in the previous section, work by heating the room by means of air that is circulated from forced form, by means of a fan, by the heat exchanger. This type of stove can use pellets, almond shells or olive pits as fuel. We must see what type of fuel the stove we buy accepts, since not all are prepared to use any of these fuels.
ductable stoves: these are stoves that in addition to heating the room itself, can heat adjoining rooms by circulating hot air through air ducts.
Thermo-stoves or water-repellent stoves: these stoves work like a small heating boiler by circulating water through the radiators of the house. Although they work as a regular heating boiler, their energy consumption is much lower than other types of boilers, being an excellent option when deciding on a type of boiler or heating system, being capable of heating homes of up to 250 m².
In addition, within these groups we can find different types of stoves depending on our needs, such as:
Low-depth stoves: they are stoves with shallow depth so that they lean against the wall take up little space and are ideal to place in passageways such as corridors.
Watertight stoves: These take the combustion air directly from the outside of the stove without the need for an inlet outside air channel. This air is also used to keep the glass in the combustion chamber clean.
How do pellet stoves work without electricity?
These types of stoves are totally manual, and heat exchange is done by convection being specially designed so that the air flow occurs in a totally natural way without use of any fans.
The supply of pellets to the combustion chamber is produced by the force of gravity, entering the new pellets once the previous ones have been burned, pushing the resulting ash.
By not using electricity, its ignition will also be done manually needing a tablet or liquid to ignite the pellets.
Advantages and disadvantages of pellet stoves without electricity
One of the main advantages for this type of stoves is estimated that the accumulated savings, during their useful life, can be up to 2000 euros. This saving would be the sum of the electrical savings, of technicians for its first start-up, repair of possible incidents of the electronics that it does not have and change of components due to wear, since these stoves are much simpler than those that use electricity.
Another advantage of not having any electronic element or fan for its operation is that its noise level is practically zero, giving an even greater feeling of comfort.
The most notable disadvantages are that since it does not have any electronic device, its ignition must be manually, this operation being somewhat more uncomfortable.
Another thing that we cannot do is program the stove or operate it by remote control or from a mobile phone.
Performance vs. pellet stoves with electricity
The performance difference between a pellet or biomass stove connected to the current and another that does not use electricity is zero, since both are designed to be the most efficient possible from the technology they have.
Its main difference is in the ignition system and the possibility of programming or not the stove.
While one diffuses heat to a greater extent by convection, the other does so by radiation, obtaining similar values when heating the room.
Regarding the consumption of pellets will depend on the amount that enters the combustion chamber and the time we keep the stove on.
Where to place a pellet stove?
Pellet stoves differ from traditional wood stoves by needing an air flow both for the correct burning of the pellets and for heating the room.
Taking this into account we must choose spacious and well ventilated spaces to install the pellet stove.
Likewise we will avoid placing elements less than 1 or 2 meters away from the stove that could hinder the flow of air both inlet and outlet.
The ideal places where a pellet stove can be installed will be living rooms, spacious bedrooms, corridors (in this case we will choose a stove with a reduced depth, since it takes away less space).
We will avoid installing a stove of this type in rooms or small bedrooms, bathrooms or any other place that is not well ventilated.
We will have to take into account that where we are going to install the stove an evacuation tube can be placed towards the chimney to expel the smoke resulting from combustion.
If the stove is to be installed on a wooden or parquet floor we must place it on a steel plate or tempered glass to prevent it from being damaged.
How to light a pellet stove?
Before lighting the stove, we will check that both the combustion chamber and the ashtray are empty and clean and if they are not so we will proceed to emptying and cleaning it.
If remains of pellets from previous uses are found, after some time of not using the stove, we will remove them, since these could have gotten wet and therefore may not burn properly.
Once the pellet tank is filled again and before starting the stove, we will check that both the combustion chamber door and the ashtray are properly closed to avoid leakage of fumes. Likewise, we will verify that the glass of the combustion chamber door, if there is one, is not cracked.
If there is any damage to said glass, we must call the technical service to repair it, since smoke leaks could occur contaminating the room.
Unless it is a stove that works without electricity, we will not use any pellets or accelerator liquid to ignite the pellets, since this will be produced automatically.
If it is the first ignition we will avoid reaching high temperatures immediately, making a progressive temperature rise so that all the materials settle.
We will avoid the proximity of flammable elements or that are sensitive to heat to avoid problems.
If we want the stove to function as efficiently as possible, obtaining the maximum caloric energy from the pellets and for them to emit the least amount of pollutants we must buy quality pellets such as certified with EN-PLUS-A1 guaranteeing their origin of wood remains from well-managed forests and having been subjected to the correct process for their manufacture with the correct drying process and subsequent pressing without the use of additives or glues.
If the pellets we use are of quality, we will also extend the useful life of the stove.
It is also important to note that we should not use the stove to burn anything other than pellets. We must not introduce paper or other remains to be burned.
To turn off the stove again, do not close any air inlet or the smoke outlet. We will let the stove turn itself off after programming its shutdown.
How to light a pellet stove?
Before lighting the stove, we will check that both the combustion chamber and the ashtray are empty and clean and if they are not so we will proceed to emptying and cleaning it.
If remains of pellets from previous uses are found, after some time of not using the stove, we will remove them, since these could have gotten wet and therefore may not burn properly.
Once the pellet tank is filled again and before starting the stove, we will check that both the combustion chamber door and the ashtray are properly closed to avoid leakage of fumes. Likewise, we will verify that the glass of the combustion chamber door, if there is one, is not cracked.
If there is any damage to said glass, we must call the technical service to repair it, since smoke leaks could occur contaminating the room.
Unless it is a stove that works without electricity, we will not use any pellets or accelerator liquid to ignite the pellets, since this will be produced automatically.
If it is the first ignition we will avoid reaching high temperatures immediately, making a progressive temperature rise so that all the materials settle.
We will avoid the proximity of flammable elements or that are sensitive to heat to avoid problems.
If we want the stove to function as efficiently as possible, obtaining the maximum caloric energy from the pellets and for them to emit the least amount of pollutants we must buy quality pellets such as certified with EN-PLUS-A1 guaranteeing their origin of wood remains from well-managed forests and having been subjected to the correct process for their manufacture with the correct drying process and subsequent pressing without the use of additives or glues.
If the pellets we use are of quality, we will also extend the useful life of the stove.
It is also important to note that we should not use the stove to burn anything other than pellets. We must not introduce paper or other remains to be burned.
To turn off the stove again, do not close any air inlet or the smoke outlet. We will let the stove turn itself off after programming its shutdown.
Maintenance and cleaning of a pellet stove.
Pellet stoves require minimal maintenance, since they do not usually leave too much ash residue because both their fuel and the stove itself have been manufactured for a complete and efficient burning.
Even so, we must clean the ash remains every 2 or 3 days, both from the combustion chamber and from the compartment intended to house the ash resulting from the combustion.
We must also recharge the pellet tank every 2 or 3 days. The frequency with which we will have to do it will depend on both the hours of use of the stove, the temperature at which we make it work, and the size of the tank.
Once a year a technician should check the stove to verify its correct operation and repair or change damaged or wearing parts. We must also clean the soot from the ducts.
Pellet stoves without smoke outlet
Unfortunately, as these are stoves that use wood residues as fuel we will not find pellets stoves without smoke outlet.
There are those who wrongly group, with the name of pellet stoves, all kinds of stoves considered ecological that do not have to use pellets as fuel.
How to choose a pellet stove
If you are at the point of choosing a pellet stove, it means that you have already made the previous decision to opt for this type of stove, which is one of the most efficient and economical heating systems that exist while respecting the environment. environment by using a renewable fuel.
Once here we must know which pellet stove is best for us depending on the use that we are going to give it and the characteristics of the place where we are going to use it. < td> Size or shape
| Type of stove | There are three large groups as we have mentioned above: air heating, ductwork or hydro stoves (it works as a heating boiler) |
| With use of electricity or not | Depending on the comfort of use that we expect or the place where we are going to install the stove, we may be forced to choose a certain type. Imagine that we want a stove to heat a cabin that does not have electricity, or we live in an area where power outages are frequent and we do not want to be left without heating. In that case, we might be interested in a stove that can work without electricity. |
| Thermal power | Depending on the size of the space to be heated and its level of thermal insulation, we will need a stove of a certain power. It should be taken into account that for a house with standard insulation 10 m² they need a caloric power of 1kW, while a house with good thermal insulation would only require 0.6 kW for the same area. |
| Size or shape | Depending on the place where we are going to place the stove, we will choose a stove with certain characteristics that are better suited. If we want to place the stove in a corridor, we will look for it with a reduced depth so that it takes up little space and does not obstruct the passage. |
| Deposit size | Depending on the availability that we have to load the tank more or less frequently, we will look for a stove with a greater or lesser capacity. If we are going to use the stove on a farm or a place where we will only go from time to time then we will look for a stove with a greater storage capacity than if we have access to the stove at all times. |
| Remote control | If the stove has a remote control, it will be easier for us to handle its functions, such as setting the temperature, turning it on or off, while sitting comfortably on the sofa. |
| WiFi connection | If you have a Wi-Fi connection, we can easily manage the stove from your mobile, being able to check the status, turn the stove on or off even when you are away from home. |
At this point you have everything to choose the pellet stove that best suits your needs.
Have a nice shopping ?
Can’t you make up your mind?
If you are still not clear on the choice, you can review other types of heaters and see if they better suit your needs or on the contrary, you end up convincing yourself that a pellet stove is the best option for you.
If you are looking to heat up quickly you need an air heater.
Wall heating panels to save space without sacrificing comfort.
Oil radiators to keep the environment warm for longer.
Gas stoves for both indoor and outdoor.
Infrared heaters for small spaces.
Electric radiators to heat any space in your house.
Wall heaters for the bathroom.
Wall heaters for installation in bathrooms and terraces.
Electric fireplaces to give a touch of warmth to your home.
Wood stoves for a warm and cozy atmosphere.