The Dwarf Wood Stove, produced by the Idaho-based company Tiny Wood Stove, is designed for compact living spaces such as RVs, tiny homes, vans, yurts, and cabins.
The stoves are named after their kilowatt (kW) heat output, with models available in 3kW, 4kW, and 5kW. This allows customers to choose a stove that best suits their needs based on the size of their living area.
These mini wood stoves are well-built, durable, and they look great. They have been tested and tried by thousands of people, and the reviews are very good!
What makes the Dwarf Stove special?
This stove has many features that set it apart from alternative stoves.
For example, it’s quite different (and we think, better) from the Canadian-made Cubic Mini Wood Stove and other mini wood stoves readily available in the USA and Canada.
Some of the Dwarf’s standout features include:
Multi-Fuel: Dwarf stoves are designed to burn wood, coal, and compressed logs, providing flexibility depending on fuel availability and user preference.
Top or Rear Flue Exit: This feature provides flexibility in installation based on the layout of your living space. A rear exit makes for a larger cooking space on top.
Thick Steel: The Dwarf Stoves are made of thicker steel than most other alternatives. Compared to the Cubic Mini Stoves, they’re said to have twice the steel thickness.
Direct Air Intake: Channels external air into the stove for combustion, conserving the room’s warm air by reducing its escape through the chimney. In highly airtight spaces, this feature may be crucial to guarantee adequate fresh air supply for the stove’s operation.
Airwash: The stoves have a glass window on the door, allowing users to enjoy the view of the fire. Preheated air “washes down over the surface of the glass keeping the glass clean” and helps the fire to burn better.
Air Controls: Separate primary and secondary air controls for precise adjustment of your fire. The primary air blows directly on the hot coals while the secondary air enters the firebox at the bottom of the rear air plate.
Riddling Grate and Ash Pan: These features make cleaning out the ashes from your stove a simple task. The riddling grate shakes ash down into the pan for removal.
Upgradable: The stoves can be customized with different types of doors, legs, storage stands, and heat shields. Some models even offer optional add-ons like a baking oven or a water heating system.
Dwarf Stove burn time
Dwarf Stoves are said to have up to a 5 – 10 hour burn time.
Under ideal conditions, using well-seasoned hardwood and the Upside Down Fire method, it’s possible to get these long burns, but for everyday practical usage, you can expect 2 – 3 hour burn times with the larger Dwarf stoves.
Answering the burn time question in a YouTube comment, Tiny Wood Stove said:
That depends on the type of wood you’re using. High BTU compressed logs (available at your local hardware store) will get you through the night.
If you build an upside down fire you’ll get even longer burn times. White fir for example is a low BTU firewood and won’t burn as hot and long.
The Mini Me Tiny Stove is a US-made alternative if you are serious about long burn times.
This tiny wood stove can burn up to 12 hours, but there’s a catch. It only achieves those burn times when fueled by compressed logs. But it’s worth considering.
Stove versions
The different standard models of Dwarf stoves vary mainly in their size, weight, and heat output, but are otherwise the same.
They all have identical features and appearances (other than the Lite) and just differ in their dimensions and output.
The three main Dwarf stoves are:
- The 5 kW – 17,060 BTU/hr for heating 500 sq. ft. and under
- The 4 kW – 13,648 BTU/hr for heating 500 sq. ft. and under
- The 3 kW – 10,236 BTU/hr for heating 300 sq. ft. and under
There is also a 3 kW Lite version, which is 20 lbs lighter than the Standard 3 kW and comes without the “bells and whistles”.
Also, there was once a 5 kW Cookstove Combo version (the 5 kW Dwarf with the Baking Oven), but this has not been available in the store for some time and may have been discontinued.
The 3 kW Lite does NOT have:
- A back venting option – allows for a larger cook space
- A cast-iron firebox – it’s slightly less durable
- Riddling grate – helps with airflow in the embers
- Separate primary and secondary air control – it’s a single combined control
You save over $150 on the Lite version, but you are missing out on some helpful features. The Lite is best for light use rather than everyday use, and is not ideal for a primary place of residence unless you’re in a very warm climate.
It’s always important to remember the other costs associated with installing a tiny wood stove, including chimney pipes, exit kits, and so on. Tiny Wood Stove has an excellent calculator to help you determine exactly what you need and how much it will cost.
In their manual, Tiny Wood Stove states:
Our Dwarf stoves are designed specifically for small recreational and temporary spaces less than 500 square feet like tents, yurts, RVs, buses, vans, boats, and tiny homes on wheels.
The Dwarf stove is not certified (UL/CSA) or approved (EPA) for residential or commercial heating and is intended for recreational, portable, or temporary use only.
The phrase “recreational, portable, or temporary use only” can put some people off, and while it is worth considering, most users successfully use their Dwarf Stoves daily.
Brian, for example, has the 4kW Dwarf and said, “It is very well made, simple, and effective for everyday use.”
Specs comparison
| Dwarf 3kw | Dwarf 4kw | Dwarf 5kw | |
| Dimen. | 17H x 10W x 9″D | 20H x 12W x 9”D | 22H x 11D x 14”W |
| Fuel | Wood and coal | Wood and coal | Wood and coal |
| Output | 7500-11500 BTU | 11000-15000 BTU | 14500-20000 BTU |
| Heat | Less than 300 sq ft | Less than 500 sq ft | Less than 500 sq ft |
| Weight | 75lbs | 100lbs | 150lbs |
| Material | Cast iron & steel | Cast iron & steel | Cast iron & steel |
| Ideal for | Vans, RVs, Campers | RVs, travel trailers, skoolies, yurts, tents, tiny homes | RVs, travel trailers, skoolies, yurts, tents, tiny homes |
Compare the differences between the three Dwarf wood stoves in this table. The BTU output of the 5 kW is significantly higher than the 3 kW or 4 kW.
The best model for you will depend on the size of your space and your climate.
Another big factor in determining the right size mini wood stove is the level of insulation in your space. Some very well-insulated homes could get away with a 4 kW stove, while a poorly insulated space of the same size might need a 5 kW.
You may need to think about the height of your home if you have a loft or two, but generally speaking, the heat is going to rise up there anyway.
If anything, you’ll need a fan up top to help send the heat back towards the floor!
Talk to the team at tinywoodstoves.com about your specific situation. They can help you settle on the most suitable tiny wood stove for your yurt, bus, Skoolie, cabin, tiny house, RV, or camper.
Dwarf Tiny Wood Stove Features
The Dwarf stoves have been specially designed for small spaces, including tiny homes, school bus conversions, and travel trailers.
If you have a larger cabin, you might want to consider these small wood stoves instead of a mini. However, the 5kw Dwarf may be sufficient.
Check out the video above for a good rundown and visual of all the features of the Dwarf wood stoves.
The features mentioned in the video:
- These wood fires provide dry heat and ambiance
- Tri-burn technology makes them more eco-friendly
- Ceramic fire bricks for increased radiant heat for longer
- Glass cleaning feature so you can watch your fire
- Outside air inlet to allow for better burning
- Choose to vent from the top or the back
- Ashpan for easy cleaning
- Riddling grate for sifting ash
You can also install soapstone or other heat shield on the sides of your stove to reduce the required clearance and save space in your small home.
Where are Dwarf Stoves made?
People often ask, ‘Where is the Dwarf Tiny Wood Stove made?’
That question isn’t answered on tinywoodstove.com and specific information about where Dwarf Stoves are manufactured is not readily available.
Tiny Wood Stove, the company behind Dwarf Stoves, is based in Idaho in the United States, but the stoves are mostly made in China.
In a 2021 YouTube video someone asked this question and Tiny Wood Stove responded:
We’re based in Hayden, Idaho, where we have a warehouse and a workshop for product development and fabrication. We contract the majority of the Dwarf stove production to a custom fabricator in China. The design of the stove and the specifications of the components are ours, but we don’t yet have the resources to complete all of our manufacturing in-house.
We fabricate a few of our accessories in-house like our hand-forged fire pokers, and we contract manufacture of a few other things locally like t-shirts and (soon) heat shields. We’re working to launch more locally manufactured products like the Throne Composting Toilet, and to bring more manufacturing home as we grow. But since we’re such a small company, importing parts is the only way we’re able to be in business and provide opportunities for the employees we have.
So there you have it—designed in America, made in China. However, Tiny Wood Stove obviously has a solid quality control system in place. Out of the hundreds of Dwarf Stove reviews we’ve read, not one has mentioned problems with production or manufacturing.
Dwarf Tiny Wood Stove reviews
The Dwarf Wood Stove is an excellent heating appliance for tiny homes, RVs, cabins, and buses, but those statements are best when they come from users.
The folk at Gas Creek Glamping Tents. Rich and Shannon own a boutique vacation rental company and have installed Dwarf stoves into two of their canvas-walled tents in Montana.
They use the fires in Spring and Fall when the weather is cold and say “It adds the perfect cozy vibe to our tents!’ I’m guessing it’s far too cold in the winter to stay in canvas tents, even with a small wood-burning stove.
The couple also shared on TinyWoodStove.com:
We love the product! It’s very well made, looks fantastic, puts out some good heat and we thought the customer service was great!
We were very impressed with how heavy and well-made the stoves are! Job well done!
It’s impressive how many different types of homes or “shelters” these mini wood-burning stoves can be used in. From tents, yurts, and cabins to RVs, buses, and tiny houses, people are using these appliances to heat their homes or spaces.
The Dwarf Stove is a high-quality product built to perform well. It is a great source of heat for small spaces and often much more affordable than electric heating. Plus, it can be used for multiple purposes—heating and cooking.
Dwarf Pros:
- An effective appliance for heating spaces up to 500 square feet
- With some experimenting and practice, it can achieve decent burn times
- For the price, you’re getting a well-built, feature-rich small wood stove
- Installation is said to be straightforward and can be DIYd or done by a pro
- A range of customization options and accessories
- User reviews and testimonies are overwhelmingly positive
- It stands out next to alternative tiny wood stoves
Dwarf Cons:
- Difficult to achieve complete overnight burns
- There can be short delays before your wood stove ships
- They don’t output heat like a large wood stove (if that’s what you’re expecting)
And some will say that the price is another drawback, but we think it’s a fairly priced mini wood stove.
This is a robust stove with a greater steel thickness and more features than the likes of the Cubic Mini Wood Burning Stoves, or the Pipsqueak wood stove.
Customizations and accessories
The Dwarf stoves from Tiny Wood Stove can also be customized or upgraded in several different ways:
- Different colored enamel doors
- Wood storage stands
- Cast iron legs
- A top baking oven
- Different types of heat shields
Check out the full range of stove upgrades here.
Also, Tiny Wood Stove sells accessories:
- Heat-powered stove fans
- Chimney cleaning systems
- Infrared heat guns
- Dustpan and brush
- Fire poker tools
- Hoodies and t-shirts
Check out all the Dwarf stove accessories here.
Lastly, they sell replacement parts for their stoves like doors, door kits, gasket kits, handles, fire bricks, heat shield kits, and so on. If you need it, they’ve likely got it.
Flue parts selector
The flue parts calculator is a helpful tool for determining exactly what you need to vent your tiny home. However, as you’ll see, some of the kinks are still being worked out, so you need to double-check that the results are accurate.
Here’s how it works:
- Choose your stove
- Answer whether you want it to exit the top or rear
- State your structure – tiny house, cabin, RV, etc
- Decide if you want the flue to exit the wall or roof
Lastly, provide the dimensions of your structure. For example, you’ll need to know the distance from the top (or back) of your stove to the wall, the distance between the ceiling and roof, and the distance from the exit point to the highest point of your structure.
Once you’ve done all that, you’ll get a result similar to the following.
It tells us everything we need to order alongside the wood stove, including chimney pipes, exit kits, pipe clamps, etc. The installation kit contains a lot of parts, such as a telescoping stove pipe, stove pipe elbows, pipe adapters, and roof vents.
All of these parts do add up, and can cost as much or more than the stoves themselves. You’ll also need to consider what you’re doing for a hearth, heat shields, and fireplace utensils.
It’s a real investment, but it does make you more self-sufficient and less dependent on electric fireplaces or other types of heating. If everything else goes dark, you can still cook and stay warm!
Tiny wood stoves
As far as small and mini wood-burning stoves go, the Dwarf range is very good.
It receives extremely positive feedback overall, and most of the negative reviews are about fulfillment delays that occurred during the COVID era when Tiny Wood Stoves received an influx of orders.
You can’t compare a mini wood stove with a regular-sized wood stove in terms of burn times and heat output, so some people can be disappointed when they do compare the two. However, compared to other small wood stoves, the Dwarf comes out at the top.
It’s well-built, durable, feature-rich, and worth the price, and most users agree on these points.
There are cheaper tiny house wood stoves out there, but they’re also built cheaper and don’t have the same options, which improve the usability of the Dwarf wood stoves.
Ultimately, if the Dwarfs meet your size and price budget requirements, they come highly recommended and are bound to be an invaluable asset in your tiny home.
Contact Tiny Wood Stoves with questions regarding shipping times, installation, or final pricing, or drop us a question in the comment section below and we’ll find out the answer for you.
I love my dwarf stove. I’ve had it a year in my caravan and it’s been great. The only problem is that even with the 3kw stove I still get too hot most of the time. It’s a good problem to have!
Good to hear. Yes, especially if it’s not all that cold outside these stoves can really put out the heat!
Are there many fires caused by wood stoves in vans and rvs? I want to get one but part of me feels it’s unsafe.
As long as it is installed properly, I don’t believe it would be more or less safe than a home wood burning stove. As long as you have the appropriate clearance and ensure nothing can fall on it while in use, they are as safe as any other fire. However, if you have children living in an RV or camper, it may be less safe due to the more confined space. Easier for them to accidentally touch it or throw something on top of it. When in doubt, go see a wood stove pro for advice.
I really like the look of this brand it seems better quality than others out there. More robust if you know what i mean. Just better.
Yes, we go into this a bit more in our Tiny Wood Stove vs Cubic Mini Stove article, but it holds true when comparing this mini wood stove with many (or all) other alternatives. It is constructed of much thicker steel, and is a lot heavier/stronger.
For your 3kw stove, can a cook top and oven be ordered o made?
Hey Rob, contact TinyWoodStove.com here. They do have a tiny wood stove oven – check it out here – but it’s out of stock at the moment. You can already cook on top of all of the dwarf mini wood stoves and you can choose to vent at the rear in order to get more space on top.