Best Wood stoves for Yurts in Canada – Reviews & Recommendations

You’ve chosen your yurt, you’ve planned your platform, and now it’s time to select the final, most important piece of your four-season Canadian sanctuary: the wood stove. This is the heart of your round home, the component that will keep you safe and cozy through a deep winter freeze.

But the market for wood stoves is vast and can be confusing. The most common mistake I see is people thinking "bigger is better." In reality, the best wood stove isn't the biggest one; it's the right-sized one.

This guide is designed to be your trusted consultant. We're going to walk you through the crucial rule of sizing and then review some of the best and most popular stoves available in Canada, matching them to the specific needs of different yurt sizes.

The Golden Rule of Sizing: Don't Oversize Your Stove

It sounds counterintuitive, but a wood stove that is too powerful for your space is more dangerous than one that's slightly underpowered.

When a stove is too big, it heats the yurt too quickly. This forces you to constantly shut down the air intake, causing the fire to smolder at a low temperature. This inefficient, low-temperature burn is inefficient and, more importantly, it doesn't consume all the gases from the wood. These unburnt gases condense on the inside of your chimney as a thick, tar-like substance called creosote. A heavy buildup of creosote is the number one cause of dangerous chimney fires.

The goal is to choose a stove that you can run at a steady, medium-to-high burn, which is its cleanest, safest, and most efficient operating range.

A Note for Our Canadian Readers: The Importance of WETT

In Canada, you will frequently hear the term WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer). WETT is a non-profit organization that trains and certifies professionals who install and inspect wood-burning appliances. For insurance purposes, and for your own peace of mind, it is absolutely critical that your installation is done or at least inspected by a WETT-certified professional. This is non-negotiable for a safe and insurable yurt.

Recommendations by Yurt Size

We've structured our recommendations based on the yurt sizes we know best. All the stoves listed here are high-quality, EPA/CSA-certified appliances that are widely available from distributors in Canada.

Best Stoves for Small Yurts (Up to 350 sq ft - like our TOF20)

A cozy space requires a stove that is small but mighty, perfect for a crisp autumn night in cottage country or a snowy day in the Rockies.

1. Cubic Mini Wood Stoves - The "Grizzly" (CB-1210)

• This is a cult favorite in the Canadian tiny home and van life scene for a reason. It's incredibly compact, well-built, and produces a surprising amount of heat for its size.
• Pros: Very small footprint, large viewing window for its size, high-quality Canadian-friendly construction.
• Cons: Small firebox requires more frequent loading with smaller pieces of wood.

The Verdict: An excellent choice for a 20ft yurt, especially if interior space is at a premium. It’s a beautiful and efficient little stove, widely available in Canada.

2. The Dwarf 3kW Lite

• Dwarf Stoves are renowned for their quality and thoughtful design, and they ship directly to Canada. The 3kW Lite model is a fantastic, no-frills powerhouse that is perfectly sized for a smaller yurt.
• Pros: Extremely durable plate steel construction, very efficient burn, simple and reliable operation.
• Cons: More of a traditional, functional aesthetic than a modern design piece.

The Verdict: If you prioritize raw heating performance and durability in a compact package for a 20ft yurt, the Dwarf 3kW is one of the best choices you can get.

Best Stoves for Medium Yurts (350-500 sq ft - like our TOF24)

This is the "gold standard" size for a luxury glamping yurt, requiring a versatile stove that can handle a damp coastal winter in BC or a deep freeze in Quebec.

1. The Dwarf 4kW

• The next step up in the Dwarf line, the 4kW model, is arguably the perfect all-around yurt stove. It has a larger firebox than the 3kW for longer burn times and produces enough heat to keep a 24ft yurt comfortable in serious Canadian winter conditions.
• Pros: Excellent balance of size and power, longer burn times, available with a tall body for a better viewing height.
• Cons: It's a significant investment, but one that pays off in performance.

The Verdict: For a 24ft yurt intended for true four-season use from coast to coast, the Dwarf 4kW is a top-tier investment in comfort and reliability.

2. Woodstock Soapstone Company - The "Progress Hybrid"

• This is a different kind of stove. Soapstone absorbs heat and radiates it out slowly for hours, long after the fire has died down—perfect for maintaining heat overnight during a cold snap.
• Pros: Provides a consistent, gentle, and very long-lasting heat. Beautiful craftsmanship.
• Cons: Very heavy and among the most expensive options for its size.

The Verdict: If your priority is a steady, continuous heat with fewer temperature swings, a soapstone stove is a luxury worth considering for your Canadian yurt.

Best Stoves for Large Yurts (500-800+ sq ft - like our TOF32)

A large, open-plan space like a 32ft yurt requires a serious heating plant that can handle the volume of a small cottage.

1. The Dwarf 5kW

• The largest stove in the Dwarf lineup, the 5kW, is a powerful heater designed for larger tiny homes, making it a perfect fit for a 32ft yurt. It has a large firebox for overnight burns and the BTU output to handle a deep Canadian winter.
• Pros: Powerful heat output, capable of long burn times, retains the quality construction of the smaller models.
• Cons: Requires a larger hearth and more space than smaller models.

The Verdict: For heating a large yurt without moving to a full-sized residential stove, the Dwarf 5kW is one of the best and most popular options available for shipping to Canada.

2. Jøtul F 602

• Jøtul is a legendary Norwegian company, and their stoves are extremely popular in Canada for a reason—they are built for the cold. The F 602 is one of the best-selling wood stoves of all time. It's a beautiful, incredibly durable, and powerful little beast.
• Pros: Timeless cast iron design, exceptional durability, known for very long burn times for its size. Can be used as a cooktop.
• Cons: It's a basic, non-secondary burn stove, so it's not as "clean-burning" as the most modern designs.

The Verdict: If you want a proven, bulletproof, and iconic stove with enough power to heat a 32ft yurt through a prairie winter, the Jøtul F 602 is a classic that will likely outlast the yurt itself.

Key Features to Look For in a Quality Yurt Stove

When you're comparing models, here are a few terms you should know:

• Secondary Combustion: An "afterburner" that ignites and burns off smoke for a cleaner, more efficient fire.
• Air Wash System: A feature that directs hot air down the inside of the glass window to keep it clean.
• Cast Iron vs. Plate Steel: Cast iron holds and radiates heat for longer. Plate steel heats up and cools down faster. Both are excellent when built by a quality manufacturer.

Conclusion

Choosing the right wood stove is a long-term investment in the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of your Canadian yurt. By prioritizing the correct size and selecting a high-quality, certified appliance, you are building the reliable, beating heart of your round home. At The Out Factory, we believe in empowering our clients with the knowledge to make smart decisions for their entire yurt system, ensuring a successful and rewarding experience for years to come.

FAQs

1. Can I cook on these wood stoves?

Yes! The flat top surface of most wood stoves is perfect for simmering a kettle or a pot of soup—a classic part of the Canadian cottage experience.

2. Can I use a pellet stove in a yurt?

Yes, but they require electricity to run, making them unsuitable for a truly off-grid yurt. Given Canada's reliable power grid in most areas, they can be a convenient option.

3. What is a realistic budget for a good yurt stove and installation in Canada?

For a high-quality, certified stove, chimney kit, and flashing kit, you should budget between $3,000 and $7,000 CAD for the materials alone. A professional, WETT-certified installation can add another $1,500 - $3,000 to the cost.

4. Do I really need a WETT-certified installation?

In our expert opinion, yes. For your safety and for your ability to get home insurance in Canada, it is essential. Most insurance companies will require a WETT inspection report before they will insure a property with a wood-burning appliance.