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What is a Pellet Stove | All You Need To Know
A pellet stove is a stove that burns small pellets of compressed wood, fed automatically from a built-in hopper. You fill it up, set the temperature or timer, and it lights and runs itself, a bit like central heating with a real flame. This guide covers how they work, what they need and whether one would suit your home.
What is a pellet stove?
A pellet stove is a room heater that burns wood pellets instead of logs or coal. The pellets are made from compressed sawdust and wood shavings, about 6mm across, and sold in bags. Because the fuel is so uniform, the stove can burn it at a steady, controlled rate. For best results, use A1 grade pellets with a certification mark such as ENplus A1 on the bag.
Our pellet stoves range includes freestanding models and inserts from Henley and Stanley, from compact 4kW models up to 11kW for larger open plan spaces.
How does a pellet stove work?
A pellet stove feeds pellets from a hopper into a small burn pot, where an electric igniter lights them and a fan keeps the fire burning cleanly. A thermostat adjusts the feed rate to hold the temperature you set. In practice:
- You pour a bag of pellets into the hopper.
- An auger, a slow-turning screw, moves pellets into the burn pot.
- An igniter lights them, with no kindling or firelighters.
- A fan draws in air for the fire, and on most models pushes warm air into the room.
- You set the temperature and on and off times on the control panel.
The Stanley Solis K50, for example, holds 11kg of pellets and can run for up to 10 hours on a single fill, with up to six on and off times a day.
Pellet stove vs wood burning stove: what is the difference?
The main difference is control. A pellet stove lights itself, holds a set temperature and runs on a timer, while a wood burning stove is lit and managed by hand and gives you the classic crackling log fire.
| Pellet stove | Wood burning stove | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | Bagged wood pellets | Seasoned or kiln-dried logs |
| Lighting | Automatic, at the press of a button | By hand, with kindling |
| Heat control | Thermostat and timer | Air controls, adjusted by hand |
| Needs electricity | Yes | No |
| Flue size | Smaller, such as 80mm | Larger, commonly 125mm or 150mm |
| Flame | Smaller, steady flame | Traditional log fire |
If a real log fire matters most to you, have a look at our wood burning stoves or multi fuel stoves instead.
What do you need to install a pellet stove?
To install a pellet stove, you need a suitable flue, an electrical socket nearby and somewhere dry to store the pellets, such as a shed, garage or utility room. Damp pellets swell and crumble, so keep them off the ground.
Do pellet stoves need a chimney?
Not always. A pellet stove can connect to an existing chimney using a flexible liner, or use a small twin wall flue, which in many cases can run out through an external wall and up the outside of the house. Your installer will confirm what building regulations allow for your home. We stock chimney flues to suit either route, and our recommended fitters can survey the job.
Do pellet stoves need electricity?
Yes. The igniter, auger, fan and controls all run on electricity, so the stove will stop running during a power cut.
How much does a pellet stove cost?
The pellet stoves in our range start at around €1,400 and go up to just over €4,000 for larger, higher output models, before installation. Running costs depend on how often you use the stove and the price of pellets.
For an independent view, SEAI publishes a quarterly domestic fuel cost comparison showing the cost per kWh of bagged wood pellets against oil, gas and electricity.
What size pellet stove do I need?
As a rough guide, you need about 1kW of heat for every 14 cubic metres of room space. Multiply the length, width and height of the room in metres, then divide by 14. A 5m by 4m room with a 2.4m ceiling works out at around 3.4kW, so a 4kW or 5kW model would suit. Our heat output calculator does the maths for you.
Is a pellet stove right for your home?
A pellet stove suits you if you want the warmth of a real flame without the work of lighting and tending a fire. It is a good fit for busy households and anyone who wants the house warm when they get home.
It is less suited to you if you want a crackling log fire, lose power often or mind a gentle fan hum. And if a flue is not an option in your home, our electric fires give you the look of a fire with no flue needed.
Pellet stove FAQs
How long does a bag of pellets last?
It depends on the stove and how hard it is working. Pellets usually come in 15kg bags, and the Stanley Solis K50 burns between 0.68kg and 1.36kg an hour, so one bag lasts roughly 11 to 22 hours of burning on that model.
How often does a pellet stove need cleaning?
Most pellet stoves need the burn pot and ash cleared every day or two in regular use, which takes a few minutes with a brush or ash vacuum. The stove and flue should also be serviced and swept once a year. Always check the manual for your model.
See a pellet stove in action
A pellet stove gives you a real flame with the convenience of a timer, as long as you have a socket, a flue route and somewhere dry for the pellets. The best way to decide is to see one running. Call in to our Drogheda showroom and our friendly team will show you how they work and help you pick the right size.