Nothing beats a roaring wood fire on a chilly evening—think of S’mores, toasty toes and falling asleep in an enormous fog of heat generated by crackling logs.
The problem is, you need an abundance of logs to get a wood stove to work correctly. Even then, you can’t be sure the heat won’t get trapped in one area of the room.
What if you could get the same warmth, better circulated, but using less fuel? If you locate and obtain the best wood stove fan, you can.
The best wood stove fan overall is the Ecofan AirMax Wood Stove Fan. It’s non-electric and excellent for larger rooms with powerful circulation.
Our Picks for Best Wood Burning Stove Fans
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Last update on 2024-04-26 at 15:32
Best Heat Powered Wood Stove Fan Reviews
1. Ecofan AirMax Wood Stove Fan—Best Overall
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Last update on 2024-04-26 at 15:32
If you have a large room in need of heating, the Ecofan AirMax has the power to heat even the most spacious of living quarters. It features a pair of large blades, giving it the power to heat even roomy spots with ease and speed—38 percent faster than the largest model of Ecofan.
Speaking of percentages, the faster and more even heat distribution will supposedly save you 18 percent on fuel. The manufacturers are the ones who tested and stated this, so it may be biased—but if there weren’t some truth to it, this wouldn’t be our best overall pick.
One of the ways it can save on fuel is that it can operate at 230–650 degrees Fahrenheit. So even as the fire dies down, you still get the heat from it. You only need to refuel when the fan stops twirling.
All in all, this is an excellent time and cash saver, that keeps you evenly toasty for longer than you’d be without it.
Pros
- Has the power to heat even the largest of rooms.
- Made of lightweight yet sturdy aluminum.
- Comes with a two-year warranty.
- Has been rigorously tested in harsh Canadian winters.
- Uses the heat from your stove as electricity.
Cons
- It requires a boost to begin working—manual spinning.
2. Ecofan UltrAir—Best Wood Stove Fan for Mid-Sized Rooms
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Last update on 2024-04-26 at 15:32
If you don’t have the space for something so large, perhaps this model will suit your capacity and requirements better. It’s meant to heat things up 31 percent faster than the stove alone, granted the room is small to medium in size.
Like most fantastic stove top fans, all you have to do is place it in front of the stove, and it is heat powered. As the “eco” in the name would suggest, it’s fantastic for the environment. And with the fact that you’ll burn less fuel when using it, it’s even more eco-friendly.
As well as that, you save on the power bill.
If you find the fan’s promising properties are waning early, you’re also backed by a two-year warranty.
Pros
- Long warranty compared to many convection fan for wood stove models.
- Great for the environment.
- Small enough to not take up too much space.
Cons
- Users found it’s not very forceful.
3. Voda Stove Eco Fan—Safest Wood Stove Fan
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Last update on 2024-04-26 at 15:32
The best practice when using a stove fan involves using a thermometer. Voda’s wood stove fan comes equipped with its own magnetic thermometer for extra safety.
As well as that, it features inbuilt overheat protection, which will extend its lifespan. Preventing overheating makes sure it never gets damaged and keeps innocent hands safe from burns, too.
The safety features thankfully don’t take away from the efficiency. It still manages to circulate air through 230 cubic feet per minute. It’ll have a large room heated in no time and starts working at only 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
In short, it’s a speedy and ultra-safe fan for rooms of all sizes. You can use it on some gas fireplaces as well.
Pros
- It spreads warmth highly efficiently.
- Very quiet operation.
- Wonderful safety features.
Cons
- Doesn’t work well with fireplace inserts.
- Some buyers reported that the noise increases with time.
4. Tomersun Stove Fan—Best Budget Wood Stove Fan
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Last update on 2024-04-26 at 15:32
If you have a lack of room space and too much wallet space, perhaps a small budget fan for stove top will suffice. In this case, this little Tomersun may be your perfect match.
Possessing three blades on a lower-sized aluminum frame, this is an efficient circulator despite its stature.
You may not even realize you need to refuel your fire, because the room will still be warm. The only hint will be that the triple-blade action has slowed somewhat. But, be sure to give the fan a glance every now and then—it’s whisper-quiet, so there’ll be no audible giveaway.
So, with this fan, you’re getting a long-warm room for very little space taken up, and no distracting sound. On top of that, regardless of how searing your flames are, the heat-powered fan is equipped with features that stop it overheating. This adds to the lifespan of the durable little unit.
Pros
- Compact.
- Affordable.
- Highly efficient at its job.
Cons
- Some customers state that the frame is less durable than they’d like.
5. Galafire Silent Wood Stove Fan—Wood Stove Fan With Most Blades
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Last update on 2024-04-26 at 15:32
This is a fan that targets medium rooms while staying compact. The four blades make sure that despite its smaller size, the heat stays circulating with power.
It’s automatically powered by heat and shuts off before it overheats. It does all of this silently, despite the large blades. And, in spite of the size of the blades, it fits neatly on narrow surfaces.
This is definitely the fan to go for if you value power in a smaller unit. The large blades make it perfect for medium-sized rooms, but it may even be suitable for areas more spacious, too.
Pros
- Technical support throughout the fan’s entire lifetime should anything go wrong.
- Incredibly efficient thanks to the four large blades.
- Compact yet powerful.
Cons
- Some users found it’s not as forceful as they’d like.
- Several buyers had issues with it not working as well after the first few uses.
6. Sonyabecca Stove Fan With Magnetic Thermometer—Longest Spinning Wood Stove Fan
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Last update on 2024-04-26 at 15:32
Many non-electric wood stove fans start spinning once they detect the heat of 300-ish degrees Fahrenheit. This one begins spinning almost instantly and won’t stop until it hits 122 degrees. So, you have the air circulating even for a while after the fire goes out.
With its four ample blades, the Sonyabecca can spin efficiently and fill medium-sized rooms with plentiful warmth. The blades spin quite quickly, even at the lower temperatures. And at the higher ones, it’s rapid and very quiet.
It’s also suited to withstanding those higher temperatures, thanks to its anodized aluminum construction. This material is highly heat-resistant, as well as being impossible to rust or corrode. So, the fan will last you a long time.
Pros
- Long lifetime.
- Immensely durable.
- Large blades for excellent air circulation.
Cons
- Unsuitable for large rooms.
Things to Consider When Buying a Fan for Wood Stove
When purchasing a wood stove fan, there’s not too much that goes into the decision. However, it’s still important to keep the following aspects in mind:
Automatic vs. Manual
Most wood stove fans are powered by heat, so they’re great for the environment and your power bill. It also means you can leave them well enough alone, as they’ll get to work once they detect a temperature that triggers their action.
However, there are a few that need a couple of helping-spins first, and you can easily forget to do this. So if you have too much else to think about than your fan, try and go for one that’ll do the job all by itself.
Sometimes the ones that need a manual push are worth it, though. So you may want to consider whether your fan of choice is worth that extra effort.
Noise
Since they lack a motor, wood stove fans tend to be quiet. But, if you’re sensitive to noise or your walls create an echo chamber, look into one of the quieter models.
While many are hushed as a whisper, others are almost silent, like the Voda Stove Eco Fan.
Material
Your fan will always be around heat, so make sure the material is durable enough to withstand it. All of these are made of tough metals that can handle their heat.
However, there are cheap fans out there made of thermoplastic, and those will eventually melt—avoid them and stick to ones like we have listed.
Blades
Although many fans with two blades circulate heat efficiently, three or four blades will do a better job. If that’s your primary concern, go with a fan with more blades.
Fit
You don’t want to have to make too many adjustments to your stove area. So before you buy, check the dimensions and see if you have the space.
If you’re lacking the room, consider getting a more compact fan. Smaller fans may have more blades to make up for the lack of size-induced power of larger ones, so you’re not missing out.
Room Size
Although it seems productive to get a large fan even for a small room, it may not be the best idea.
First of all, even a quiet fan will seem loud if it’s large and stuffed into a small area.
Second of all, it may work too well for your space. Instead of spinning enough to spread lots of hot air around a spacious area, there may not be enough space to spread it around. As a result, it could start to feel like a normal stove top fan—making you cold, which is the opposite of what you want.
Be careful to match the size of the fan with the size of the space carefully—big for big, medium or compact for small and medium rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Wood Stove Fans Effective?
If you purchase the right one, wood stove fans are effective.
Fans circulate air, hot or cold, so a fan placed in front of a hot stove is going to effectively circulate the heat. And because they spin quite rapidly, they’re more effective than stoves without a fan.
Where Does the Wood Stove Fan Go?
For the fan to work at its best, it should be on a flat surface, directly on top of the stove. You should aim to keep it away from the flue pipe, and try to avoid placing it front and center too.
Aim for somewhere towards the back, but as much in the middle as you can get it. For larger stoves, you could place it in the front—halfway between the flue pipe and the front edge of the stove.
How Loud Are Wood Stove Fans?
Most of the time, the product you get reflects the price you paid. So if you opt for a cheap, basic stove fan, it probably won’t be optimized to operate quietly.
However, even when you go for cheap or inexpensive wood stove fans, it’s unlikely they’ll be so loud that they’ll become an annoyance.
Should I Maintain My Fan?
In most cases, there’s not much you need to do for your wood stove fan. The highest-quality fans will need next to none.
To keep your fan in top condition, move it away from the area when you clean your stove. During this time, give it a wipe down in case it’s been gathering dust.
The Burning Question
The best wood stove fan is the Ecofan AirMax. It’s large and powerful, and helps you save more on fuel while it heats up the room faster than most of the other fans.
However, if you lack the large room this one requires, the Ecofan UltrAir is a smaller, almost as powerful solution.
With 18 percent fuel-use reduction with both, they’ll heat the space and lower your expenses in the long run.
( Featured image by Clint Budd and we changed the image size )
