Wood stoves with logs or wood briquettes
See other types of wood stoves
These are the type of individual heating devices: fireplaces (open fires), inserts (sealed burners), wood stoves and mass stoves.
They can burn logs but also briquettes of compressed wood. Read the article on types of firewood to learn more about briquettes. These heaters can also burn paper, cardboard, green waste (if very dry ..) ... The quality of the fuel is essential (well dry) to ensure good heating, reduced maintenance (sweeping) and a performance of always optimum combustion.
The heat of wood combustion is transmitted to the room by radiation and / or by convection of the surrounding air (except in the case of fireplaces and open fires). There is always some of these two types of heat transmission but some models strongly favor one or the other.
Their performance ranges from 15% (open fire) to 85% (mass stove). The average yield of the wood stove on the market currently is to 75%.
When choosing a "green flame" model, the combustion, and therefore the pollution, and the efficiency are improved.

logo "Green Flame" label granted to timber vessels that provide a good combustion quality
- an insert is a combustion hearth very similar to those of the "stoves" which is inserted (hence its name) in a chimney to improve its mediocre efficiency of origin. The efficiency of a fireplace fitted with a properly installed insert can be multiplied by more than 3 (from minus 20 to over 60%). Especially if the insert has a heat recovery system on the smoke outlet. Price not set: between 500 and 3000 € depending on the materials and performance of the insert.
- A wood stove is a closed fireplace that heats the walls and the air around it. In the current market, the shapes and performances are very varied. There are “1st price” sheet steel stoves (around 200 €), “mid-range” radiant cast iron models (1000-2000 €) and very designer high-end models (like a “Pyramid” model. with smoke evacuation under the floor… costing around 10 € without installation). The best quality / price compromise is found in cast iron stoves between 000 and 1 €, the mass of which is still between 2000 and 150 kg.
- A masonry heater is an "improved" wood stove, it is a "big" wood stove. Its mass is much greater (between 500 and 2000 kg) and its load capacity much greater. Its materials gradually accumulate heat during the combustion of wood to then return it to the room mainly by radiation. A mass stove is custom-made and cannot be moved. It is generally the main heating of a house. We usually say that a house is built "around" its mass stove.
Illustrations and examples

Deville fireplace insert from the Regain range, Galbe model. Integrated ventilation (mechanical optional) and modern design. > 70% efficiency, 9kW and around 1100 €.

A good small wood stove while melting Supra 8kW Vosges. 72% yield, green flame for about € 600.
A GODIN Mihot 12kW “luxury” Design wood stove at € 5500.
Read more (examples of links, if not do a search):
- Choose a stove or insert?
- Comparison to choose a quality wood machine
- Forum wood heating