Which is best: Cubic Mini Wood Stoves or Dwarf Tiny Wood Stoves?
They are both very good wood stoves for heating spaces of 500 square feet or less, but they are different in important ways.
In this short post, we’ll compare the two stoves to better understand the differences.
Price and certification
 | GRIZZLY Mini Wood Stove |
| Certified StoveNon-certified Stove |
 | CUB Mini Wood Stove |
| Certified StoveNon-certified Stove |
 | Dwarf Tiny Wood Stoves |
| 5kw Dwarf Stove PriceAll Dwarf Stoves Price |
Check the links above for the latest prices.
Both companies sometimes run sales (Cubic Mini sales are more regular).
Here are the US non-sale prices as of mid-2024:
- Cubic CUB non-certified – $442.00
- Cubic CUB certified – $729.00
- Cubic GRIZZLY non-certified – $589.00
- Cubic GRIZZLY certified – $921.00
- Dwarf 3kw Lite – $625.00
- Dwarf 3kw – $795.00
- Dwarf 4kw – $895.00
- Dwarf 5kw – $1095.00
In 2024, Cubic Mini announced their stoves are “now fully certified to meet UL 1482-2022 (U.S.) and ULC S627-2023 (Canada) standards.”
UL 1482-2022 (U.S.) and ULC S627-2023 (Canada) certifications signify that wood stoves have undergone extensive testing to meet stringent fire safety and performance standards.
UL 1482-2022 ensures U.S. stoves comply with regulations covering structural integrity, fire containment, heat radiation, and safe venting of combustion by-products, often required for building codes and insurance.
Similarly, ULC S627-2023, the Canadian equivalent, mandates rigorous tests for fire safety and structural integrity, ensuring compliance with Canadian building codes and insurance requirements.
Both certifications provide assurance of high safety standards, essential for regulatory and insurance purposes.
The Dwarf Stove is not certified, making it unsuitable for some structures, depending on the state, province, or country. They have more information about this on their website here.
Other differences
Besides price and certification, what are the differences between these two stove brands?
One is that the Cubic Mini Stoves have only half the steel thickness of the Dwarfs. This means the Dwarf is more durable and may last longer.
This also means Cubic Mini Stoves are much lighter. For example, the Dwarf 3kw stove weighs 75 lbs, while the comparable CUB weighs only 25 lbs.
If weight is an important factor for you (perhaps because you’re installing it in a van), Cubic Mini might be the better choice. However, the Dwarf stoves are more robust and are better suited for cold climates.
Other differences include:
| Dwarf | Cubic Mini | |
| Output (BTUs) | 7,500 – 20,000 | 6,000 – 18,000 |
| Weight | 55 – 150 lbs | 25 – 39 lbs |
| Fuel | Wood and coal | Wood |
| Air Wash | Yes | No |
| Riddling Grate | Yes | No |
| Rear Vent | Yes | No |
| Ash Pan | Yes | No |
| UL Certified | No | Optional |
| Made In | China | Canada |
Another important mini wood stove feature is the cooktop.
A benefit of the Dwarf stoves is that they have the option to vent out the rear rather than through the top. Venting out the back will take up more space, but it will give you a much larger cooking area—the entire top of the stove.
The CUB and GRIZZLY can only be vented out the top, leaving a limited amount of cooking space. Also, flue elbows should not be used when venting these stoves, whereas doing so is OK with the Dwarf Stoves.
Another helpful feature of the Dwarf is the riddling grate. This allows coal or wood ash to fall through into the ash pan for emptying, resulting in a cleaner, more efficient fire.
Here are individual reviews of each of these stoves, where we cover all their specs and features:
Summary
Here’s a comparison summary of what we’ve looked at today.
Size and Heat Output:
- Cubic Mini-Cub—This is the smaller of the two Cubic stoves. It’s suitable for spaces between 100 and 200 sq. ft. and produces around 6,000 BTUs.
- Cubic Mini Grizzly—Larger than the Cub, this grizzly is intended for spaces between 200 and 400 sq. ft. It produces up to 8,000 to 18,000 BTUs.
- Dwarf Stoves—These stoves come in various sizes. The lineup includes 3kW, 4kW, and 5kW models, catering to different space sizes. The heat output varies accordingly.
Installation:
- Cubic Mini Stoves—They offer wall and floor mounts, making installing them easier in unique spaces like vans or boats.
- Dwarf Stoves—They can be installed with standard stovepipe configurations and offer options for both rear and top flue exits.
Features:
- Cubic Mini Stoves—Choose black or brass accents. Optional water heater attachment.
- Dwarf Stoves—Depending on the model, dwarf stoves may come with features like a direct air intake, secondary burn technology for cleaner burns, and even optional oven attachments.
Price:
The Cubic Mini stoves are generally more affordable than the Dwarf stoves. However, prices can change, and there might be different factors that affect the total cost, such as shipping, accessories, and installation components.
Remember, when choosing a stove, it’s important to consider the specific needs of your space, safety requirements, and local regulations. Both brands are reputable, but the best choice will be contingent on your specific requirements and preferences.
Tiny wood stoves
In our opinion, the Dwarf Stoves are the best option if you want a robust, hard-wearing model.
You can use it year-round in cold climates, and it has a few extra features that make it more attractive. The larger cooktop is a big plus.
Cubic Mini Stoves are also great, especially for those wanting a cheaper and lighter burner. Also, if you need a UL-certified stove, there’s no contest.
To confuse things even more, consider the US-made Caboose Tiny Wood Stove or any of these other top-rated small wood stoves.
Let us know if you have any comments down below.
For questions, support, and community, join our Cubic Mini Wood Stove Users FB Group or Dwarf Tiny Wood Stove FB Group.
Helpful comparison thank you. I was leaning towards the Grizzly Cubic Mini because it’s cheaper, but am now impressed by the extra features on the Dwarf wood stove. Will see if I can stretch my budget for one of those models!
Thank you for the helpful information. I could go with either the cubic mini or the dwarf, but am stalling over the riddling grate/ashtray that the dwarf has. For people who regularly use the stove in winter, all other factors being equal, would you consider the riddling grate to be worth the extra cost? Does it really make clean up that much simpler?
Hi Laura, I posted your question in our Cubic Mini Wood Stove Users and Dwarf Tiny Wood Stove Users groups on FB to hear if people miss not have the riddling grate. I think those others differences, like the thicker steel or ability to vent out the back for a larger stovetop, are more important benefits of the Dwarf. I’ll share any good answers we get here in case you don’t have FB.
I have the grizzly and it’s the build up of ash that ruins the continuos fire. Then I have to open it which lets out a bit of smoke. But all in all I believe buying Canadian is a better choice as everything is made in China here thanks to Trudeau . My grizzly is cast iron made in Germany but sold from Canada. Let’s get the info straight. It’s hot and light to carry.
I don’t think they even touched on that the dwarf 5k has the riddle grate and a airtight primary and secondary air flow control.