This report represents the view of the authors, based on testing conducted by the Alliance for Green Heat. Except where noted, it does not represent any of the pellet stove manufacturers’ opinions or statements. Statements in this report are solely intended to inform the public of the results of our testing and are not intended to provide legal advice.

This report does not constitute an endorsement of any of the stoves evaluated, but is merely a report of our evaluation of the stoves under the five characteristics measured. The rankings in this report are based on our own judgment, as informed by the data obtained through our testing.

This rating of pellet stoves was conducted to be fair and impartial. However, certain things should be kept in mind that could have impacted the performance of any of the stoves.

1. We tested only one model of each stove and it is possible that characteristics we documented in the stove do not appear in other stoves of the same model.

2. We tested only with a single brand of pellet to ensure that we could compare results between the stoves as best as possible. Lower or higher quality pellets may produce different results.

3. The rating criteria we chose impacted which stoves received higher scores. If we had cleaned the stoves every day or two, for example, the ratings may be different. These ratings are specifically based on infrequent cleaning. Other criteria influenced the outcomes in various ways.

4. We tested all the stoves on their manual modes instead of using the thermostat functions that most of the stoves have. Thus, the stoves ran continuously at the settings we selected and did not cycle on and off, depending on the heat desired in the room.

5. We installed vent pipes that had vertical runs for about 7 feet before a 90 degree elbow that exited out the side of the structure. Test labs use far longer venting systems, and homeowners use a myriad of installation configurations, all of which could impact combustion performance.

6. During the first week of our testing, in early September, the ambient temperature outdoors was in the low 90s and the temperature around the stoves during testing was as high as 120. Throughout the month, the stoves were operated close to each other, but temperature in the testing area was typically in the upper 70s to the low 90s. Providing hotter intake air and hotter air surrounding the stove could impact performance (although it may be more likely to improve performance).