Sardine Wood Stove Review: A Tiny Stove For Boats And Other Marine Vessels

The Sardine Wood Stove is one of three wood-burning stoves created by Marine Stove.

The other two models that they made are called the Little Cod and the Halibut. The Sardine, which we’re looking at here, is the smallest of the three.

It’s made with boats in mind, but it’s perfectly fine for use in other small spaces like RVs, campers, tiny houses, and cabins – providing it’s going to put out the required heat.

Here’s what you need to know about the Navigator Sardine Stove.

Navigator Sardine Wood Stove

This is the Sardine Wood Stove.

Its design reminds me of the Cubic Mini Grizzly Wood Stove a bit, though that could just be due to the rail around the top.

It doesn’t always come in red, as above, but can be bought in a range of colors or coatings. 

The red stove above is finished with high-temperature paint, but you can also choose:

• Plain iron with traditional stove polish
• Other high-temp paint colors
• Porcelain enamel upgrade in green, black, blue, etc.

There are different prices for the different finishes.

Sardine Stove Specs And Features

	Sardine	Little Cod	Halibut
Measurements	12 x 12 x 11 inches	13 x 18 x 14 inches	21 x 16 x 15.5 inches
Fuel	Wood	Wood	Wood and coal
Output	7,500 – 18,000 BTU	10,000 – 28,000 BTU	25,000 – 35,000 BTU
Weight	35 lbs	55 lbs	175 lbs
Material	Cast iron	Cast iron	Heavy cast iron
Ideal for	Boats, cabins, yurts	Boats, cabins, tiny homes	Boats, ships, cabins
Price	$1470+	$1855+	$4650+

This specs comparison of the Sardine, Little Cod, and Halibut shows the differences between the three Navigator Stove Works stoves.

They are all made in the USA which does seem to push the price up quite a bit.

You’re paying for something that’s ‘artisan-made,’ but there are comparable mini wood stoves that cost a lot less, or at least have more impressive features.

Sardine Stove features include:

• Non-catalytic clean burning
• 11 x 8″ cooktop
• Choose right or left opening door
• Brass rail (optional)
• Glass window (optional)

And alongside this, it’s said to be 86% efficient.

The Sardine Stove requires a 4″ stove pipe which can be purchased along with the stove. 

Sardine Marine Stove Review

Those who have bought, installed, and used the Sardine Stove have been very happy.

As long as you don’t put it in too large a space, it will be most useful for heating and cooking. You are limited, of course, on what you can cook on top of it, as it is a small area.

The main downside of the Sardine is price and fulfillment delays after ordering.

It’s expensive, but that’s because it’s constructed of heavy-duty cast iron and manufactured in the USA. You are getting a quality appliance that should last over a decade of consistent use.

As far as time to fulfillment, it could take anywhere from 6 – 12 months for you to receive your wood stove. It’s a small operation and these are hand-made stoves – they take time.

The stove itself is very good and comes highly recommended.

Pros:

• Heavy-duty, durable stove
• Quality components
• Effective for heating and cooking

Cons:

• Expensive
• Shipping delays

Sardine Stove Alternatives

Those are our favorite alternatives to the Sardine Stove, besides the Litte Cod and Halibut, of course.

Not all of those options are the best solution for a boat, but they’re suitable for heating tiny houses and other small areas like sheds, and could be adapted for use on the high seas.

Our favorite alternatives would be the Dwarf Tiny Stoves – they’re also a very heavy-duty stove that has an excellent range of features.

Sardine Stove For Sale

You can find the Sardine Stove for sale on the Marine Stove website.

The big downside, as already mentioned, is that more often than not there is a 6 month plus wait period after ordering. If you were wanting a wood stove this winter, you had better go with one of the alternatives.

You can usually find the Cubic Mini CUB wood stove readily available. It’s about the same size but it’s significantly cheaper, and there isn’t the same wait time.

Alternatively, if you are in the UK, check out our Pipsqueak Wood Stove review – that model is also usually available year-round with little delay.