We’ve been using our wood stove heat fan for over three years and couldn’t be without it.
We were a bit skeptical about it at first, but after using one for two winters now, it seems to help heat the parts of the home that are far from our wood-burning stove.
Our stove fan has five blades and is about 8 inches tall. It’s not a premium model like the EcoFan, just one of the cheaper ones, but it has been fine.
Best stove top heat fans
 | VODA 4 Blade Wood Burning Stove Fan |
| View On AmazonView On Home Depot |
 | JossaColar 12 Blade Heat Powered Fan |
| View On AmazonView On Lehmans |
 | Ecofan Airmax Fan For Wood Stoves |
| View On AmazonView On Tractor Supply |
Woodstove heat fans are used to help with air circulation in the home.
They are almost silent and do not require batteries or other electrical input—the heat from the wood stove powers them.
Some wood-burning stoves come with installed blowers, so a fan is not usually necessary for these models. Heat fans are particularly good for radiant wood-burning stoves.
Because our wood-burning stove has no blower, some parts of the house don’t heat up as well as others, so we decided to buy this heat fan.
These heat fans come ready to use, and no setup is required.
At the end of this article, you can check out our unboxing and first-use video.
Specs and features to look for
Most wood stove fans for sale have a similar design. They look very similar and have many of the same features and specs.
The main difference between them all is the number of blades. Some listings say more blades are better, but this isn’t true. The Ecofan, for example, is one of the most expensive and effective products, but it only has two blades.
The overall construction is superior, and the two blades are large (depending on which size you get). This likely makes it better than an 8-blade wood stove fan.
The Cocoon Fan is another popular and pricey model with 4-blades, but it would rival my 5-blade model.
Coupled with the overall build and component quality, the size of the blades that is more important than the number of blades.
The specs of our fan:
- Made of aluminum alloy
- Weighs 1.4 lbs
- 5-blades
- 35 dB sound
- Works up to 660F or 350C
- Handle for moving even when hot
The speed of the fan varies depending on the temperature of the fire, but it starts operating soon after lighting lighting the log burner.
It has a built-in system to prevent overheating, a “satin anodized efficient blade design,” and virtually silent operation. This feature is common to most models.
Wood fans are powered by transforming heat into energy, without using any battery or electricity.
Heat fans can be damaged if the wood stove gets too hot, but they are resilient to hot fires. If you have a fire roaring for an extended time, it is best to remove it.
You can also buy a wood stove thermometer to help monitor your stove’s temperature and keep it within its ideal operating range.
Wood Stove Heat Fan Review
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As I said in the intro, we’ve used this wood-burning stove heat fan for over three years.
The fan has made a noticeable difference in the time it takes to warm the house, and it also warms certain areas to an extent they were never heated before.
The heat fan is quiet—you can’t hear any noise unless you’re up close and paying attention. It doesn’t require any maintenance other than dusting it every couple of months.
We like how it powers itself, works away hour after hour, and hasn’t given up yet!
Pros:
- Very quiet or even silent operation
- No set-up or maintenance required
- Pushes warm air through the house
- Solid, durable construction that lasts for years
- Something everyone notices and comments on
Cons:
- Perhaps a larger fan would make even more of a difference
- Some versions are pricey, but there are budget-friendly models as well
- Some people don’t notice a difference and find them to be gimmicky
Alternative Heat Powered Fans
Cheap heat stove fans like the one we bought are the most popular. You can pick them up for between $20 – $50.
Some examples:
- Five blades
- most similar to ours
- comes with a free magnetic thermometer
- Four blades
- best seller on Amazon
- available in black, gold, or silver
JossaColar Wood Stove Heat Fan
- Twelve blades (2 x 6)
- double fans
- comes with a magnetic thermometer
There are also thermoelectric fans in the $50 – $150 range. These brands and models are typically built from higher-quality components and have large blades.
Examples include:
GALAFIRE Heat Powered Wood Stove Fan
- Four blades
- anodized aluminum blades
- inbuilt overheat protection
Ecofan AirMax Classic Styled Fan
- Two blades
- made of premium materials
- special patented design
- Two blades
- only 6.5 inches tall
- suitable for mini wood-burning stoves
Ecofan heat fans are certainly the leaders in these heat-powered devices, but they can cost between 2 and 5 times the price of the cheaper versions.
The Ecofans tend to last even longer, are made from higher-quality materials, and are worth the investment. However, that will all depend on how much you want to spend.
In our experience, there’s nothing wrong with the $20 – $30 fans.
Thermo-Electric Fan FAQs
Are wood stove fans dangerous?
They can be if misused.
Use them within the temperature parameters they are designed for. Do not position them in front of or near the chimney.
Can you move a heat fan once it’s running?
Our instruction manual says not to move it once it’s operating.
However, it does have a handle that does not get hot, so we can move it if necessary. We do move it from time to time, like when we’re boiling bone broth on the stovetop.
Also, it’s OK to move it to face in another direction. Sometimes, when ours faces towards the bedrooms, it gets too hot, so we turn it around to face the living areas.
Do wood stove fans really work?
Yes, ours does!
As stated above, we were initially skeptical, but it has made a noticeable difference. The other side of the house is much warmer now.
Where is the best place to put a fan on a log burner?
Put the fan on top of the stove away from the chimney.
Every woodstove is different, but this usually means placing it at the front left or right.
Are 2 stove fans better than one?
Yes, 2 stove fans are better than one.
You can put one on each of the front corners of your burner and point them out in different directions. This common method is heating the entire house with a wood stove.
How many blades should a stove fan have?
The number of blades doesn’t matter too much.
It’s the size of the blade that counts. Four small blades will likely be less effective than two large blades.
There are very good heat fans with 2 blades and very good heat fans with 8 blades. It’s about the overall quality of the product.
How do you use a wood-burning stove fan?
Place the heat fan on the top of the woodstove away from the chimney.
Once the fire has started to warm up, the fan will start operating automatically.
There are no switches to turn it on or off, nor does it require any batteries.
Heat Powered Wood Stove Fans
Wood burner heat fans are great little devices. You don’t have to spend a lot to make a difference.
Plus, if you’re into wood stoves, you’ve got to try out all the different accessories, right?
It would be rude not to.
Whether you have a regular stove, a mini wood-burning stove, a wood cookstove, or even an antique stove, one of these fans can likely help you heat your home better.
Let us know if you have any questions below, and feel free to share your experiences with wood stove fans—we’d love to hear them.
These fans have tiny motors, one or two watts. A mains powered fan will be 50 to 200 watts. How can you expect these stove fans to make any difference? I find them to be totally ineffective. If you place your hand three feet from them you can’t feel any airflow at all!