There are two types of wood stoves commercially available, those fabricated from steel and those made from cast iron. The heating performance is the same regardless of the way they are constructed; the choice is between the way they look and the price. If you are looking for a wood stove that is pleasing to look at, you might opt for cast iron. Although you will pay more for a cast iron stove they don’t need a great deal of service and the joints between the panels do not need to be resealed. If you opt for a fabricated steel stove it does not have the character of cast iron but the price is lower.
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Durability: There is not much difference in the durability of either stove. In the past, cast iron had a slight edge over steel because wood stove parts were available to replace parts that failed. This is no longer the case; high end steel stove manufacturers have followed suit, wood stove parts are available for all the high stress internal components. This is an important consideration, there are cheap steel stoves available but if there are no parts available for them or they are not designed to be repaired, they can eventually cost more as they will need to be replaced.
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Stove efficiency: Like most things, modern wood stoves are considerably more efficient than their old predecessors. Old style pot belly stoves were only about half as efficient as stoves available today. What that means is simple; you only have to buy half as much wood.
As you can see, there is little in it other than appearance when it comes to choosing your wood stove. As wood stove parts are now commonly available for both the choice is often based on looks and your budget. Visit Buck Stove, Pool & Spa.
