A pellet stove can be an effective means of heating a room or, depending on the layout of your home, even the entire space. Sizing a pellet stove properly is the key to efficiency.

Though the physical size of a stove may be a consideration if you have limited space in which to put it, the primary issue is the heat output. If a pellet stove’s heat output is too little, it won’t warm a space sufficiently. If its output is too high, it can make a space uncomfortably warm and waste fuel.

Pellet stoves are sized according to the range of their heat output, measured by BTUs (British Thermal Units) per hour (see What Is a BTU?), Pellet stoves may output as little as 8,000 BTUs per hour up to 90,000 BTUs per hour or even more. Clearly, with this large range, finding the appropriate size for your home is important.

When comparing BTU output among various stoves, be sure you’re clear about each unit’s overall efficiency; that is, how much heat it delivers to the room (not including the heat that goes out the chimney).

Why we like it: • 3-Sided bay window, wood-fire-like flame • One load of pellets heats up to 45 hours • Thermostat control

Most of the time, it’s best to get the help of a knowledgeable dealer when sizing a pellet stove because many variables come into play. These include the stove’s location, how open your home’s rooms are to one another, whether a blower or other form of heated air distribution is available, how well your home is insulated, whether the stove will be providing primary or supplementary heat, and so forth. When meeting with a dealer, be prepared to discuss these issues.

A helpful rule-of-thumb: A stove rated at 60,000 British Thermal Units (BTUs) can heat an open-plan, 2,000-square-foot home. A stove rated at 42,000 BTUs can heat an open-plan, 1,300-square-foot space.

The location of the stove has a great deal to do with how effectively it will heat a space. If you are trying to heat an entire house, a central location is ideal. (For more about this, see Where to Place a Freestanding Pellet Stove.)