Researching wood and pellet stoves can be difficult, and there is little independent research or reviews available. Consumer Reports reviewed pellet stoves (but not wood stoves) in their October 2009 issue, and though we feel there were some flaws in their analysis, the ratings are still useful. Luckily, third party wood stoves are required by the EPA to be tested for emissions and at least that vital information should always be available to the consumer.Several websites have been created to provide potential buyers with an insider view of how well various models really perform by allowing current owners to write reviews of their wood or pellet stove. The sites generally use a worksheet format to ensure that the same type of information is available for each model reviewed, then organize the reviews for users to compare. Unfortunately, some of these sites are difficult ot navigate and they don’t compile ratings, so you have to pore through individual ones. Below is a “Review of the Reviewers” to point out positives and warn of the problems present in each of the major reviewing sites currently available.