Forge & Flame Defiant

Plan on 1,400–2,800 sq ft, which suits a large home in a cold climate. The Defiant has a peak output of 56,000 BTU per hour and tests at 84.1% efficiency (LHV), or 77.9% (HHV), so it turns a lot of each load into heat.

Expect about 10–14 hours per load, with logs up to 20 inches in the 3.25 cubic foot firebox. You load from the top through the lifting griddle, which keeps smoke inside, and the swing-out ash pan typically needs emptying every one to three days.

The ceramic honeycomb catalyst burns smoke and particles that get past secondary combustion, starting at 500–600°F, which raises efficiency and cuts emissions to an EPA-certified 1.3 g/hr. You open the bypass damper to start or reload a fire and close it once the fire is going, and a probe shows when the catalyst is working.

You set the primary air lever by hand, and a bi-metallic thermostat then holds the heat output steady for a more even burn. Slide the lever toward the front for the most heat and the shortest burn, or toward the rear for a longer, lower fire. It needs no electricity to burn.

No. The Defiant's listing label states that it's not approved for use in mobile homes in the US or Canada. If you're heating a manufactured home with wood, you'll need a different stove that carries a mobile home approval.

It works with either 6-inch or 8-inch venting, venting from the top or the rear. Its 8-inch oval flue collar converts to round with an oval-to-round adapter, which is required and sold separately. You'll also need at least 67 inches from the top of the stove to the ceiling.

Against an unprotected wall with a top-exit, single-wall pipe, the manual lists 21 inches at the sides and 15 inches at the rear, and rear venting cuts the rear clearance to 10 inches. The floor protector must reach 16 inches in front and 6 inches at the sides and rear in the US, or 18 and 8 inches in Canada, with no R-value required.

The bottom and flue heat shields are included. The oval-to-round adapter, the variable-speed heat-activated fan kit, warming shelves, the enamel transition door kit, an outside air adapter, and the connector pipe heat shield are all separate, and the fan won't start until the stove reaches about 109°F.