The Canadian-made Drolet Bistro is a compact wood-burning stove with an oven. It heats your home and can cook your meals in one unit. It is EPA-certified for up to 2,100 ft² of heating area, making it a solid choice for a small to medium home or cabin.
The stove is rated to run up to 8 hours on one load of wood. The firebox is fairly large (about 2.4 cubic feet) and takes logs up to 20″ long, so you don’t have to chop tiny pieces. Drolet lists the efficiency at around 76% (HHV), which is high for a wood stove and helps it use fuel cleanly.
In short, it’s built as an efficient solid-fuel heater that just happens to cook and bake as well, making it perfect for those wanting to be prepared for power outages. User reviews are positive!
Bistro wood-burning cookstove
The cooktop and oven make it feel like a wood-fired range. On top is a large cast-iron surface. You can fry, boil or sear foods on the hot spots of the steel top. For example, reviewers note it’s “pretty smart with the stainless oven and cook top”.
Below the firebox is a stainless-steel baking oven (about 1.26 ft³) with two shelf levels. The oven sits at a convenient height (around kitchen-counter level) and even has a built-in thermometer (150–750°F) so you can bake or roast with some precision. The oven door has a glass window, letting you check food without opening it. Everything is straightforward: no electricity, no fancy controls, just a damper lever to adjust heat.
For those looking for a small-to-medium wood cook stove, it’s the perfect choice, as Andrea at nuttby_nutters shared:
This stove is a Drolet Bistro, made in Quebec. I wanted a massive Pioneer Princess or Enterprise style of wood cook stove with a water jacket and warming oven, Marcus wanted another little Jotul stove, so this was the perfect compromise. I can bake in it, and cook on top of it, and set up the hammock and nap in front of it like a cat. I can’t wait.
Pros:
- Dual-purpose design: Heats your home and cooks at once. Every stick of wood does double duty.
- EPA-certified and efficient: Burns cleaner with lower emissions than old cookstoves. It uses fuel well (about 76% efficiency) and comes with a lifetime warranty.
- Cast-iron cooktop: Sturdy and durable. It gets very hot in spots for searing and has cooler areas for simmering. Users say it “heats very well” for cooking and heating.
- Reasonable size and value: Smaller footprint than a big farmhouse range, so it fits cozier kitchens. At roughly $2–3K new, it’s considered a good mid-range value compared to expensive imported cook ranges. People note Drolet stoves are “well built” and good value.
- Off-grid reliability: Simple steel-and-cast construction means fewer parts to break. No electrics or pumps. It works even in a power outage, making it great for backup heat or remote cabins.
Cons:
- Smaller firebox: Because it’s compact, burn time isn’t unlimited. You can get 6–8 hours at a time, but cold nights may need refueling more often than a big wood furnace. Some owners point out the short reload cycle in very cold weather or drafty homes.
- Not for very large homes: It’s best as a primary heater in a modestly-sized, open layout. In a big multi-story house, it won’t heat everything by itself. Many users use it as a supplemental heat or single-level source. The Drolet Chic-Choc is the campany’s larger cookstove.
- Learning curve for cooking: There are no dials for exact temps. You learn oven control by managing the fire under it. It can take practice to bake perfectly. Oven temperatures requires practice to master (this is so for all wood cookstoves).
- Space and installation needs: It must meet clearance rules like any wood stove. Plan on room around it (it needs a hearth pad and wall shields if near combustibles). At about 590 lb, the stove is very heavy. You’ll likely need help moving and installing it.
- Wood-burning chores: Like all stoves, you’ll be dealing with wood and ash. That means hauling, splitting, storing firewood; emptying the ash pan; and yearly chimney sweeping. It is a trade-off of using wood heat.
A good mid-sized cookstove
In real-world use, owners report enjoying the Bistro’s reliability. One user wrote that his Drolet “heats very well and is fairly small.” Another praised the clever combo of oven and cooktop. People like that the wood-fired oven can bake bread or roast, adding to its charm. That said, potential buyers should consider their space and needs. If you want a backup kitchen heat source and have a cozy footprint (or don’t mind topping up on wood), the Bistro can be a solid choice. If you need nonstop heat for a large house or want precise cooking like a gas range, you might look at a bigger wood stove or a separate cooktop.
Bottom line: The Drolet Bistro is a solid, dual-use stove that does both heat and cooking well for its size. It’s ideal for cottage kitchens, off-grid homes, or anyone who wants peace of mind cooking during power outages. People praise its sturdy build and no-frills performance. On the downside, it’s heavy and takes practice to use. In other words, if you’re looking for a wood cooker-heater, the Bistro is worth exploring further – just make sure its capacity and style fit your home and cooking goals.
