Forge & Flame Millennium 3100

The Millennium 3100 heats about 1,300–2,550 sq ft, which suits an average-size home's main floor. It has a 1.89 cu ft firebox, a peak output of 51,000 BTU per hour, and EPA-certified emissions of 1.9 grams per hour.

Expect about 7–10 hours per load, long enough to carry an evening fire into the early morning. The firebox takes logs up to 16 inches, and seasoned cordwood at about 20% moisture gives the best results.

It handles startup for you. Push back and pull forward on the activation knob, and a timer feeds extra air to the fire for about 20 minutes before closing on its own; you can boost it again anytime the fire needs more. A separate burn rate control then sets your heat level.

Pick the 4300 if you want longer logs and longer burns: it takes 18-inch logs and has a 12-hour maximum burn, against 16 inches and 10 hours for the 3100. The 3100 is the midsize choice, with a 1.9 cu ft firebox compared with the 4300's 2.3 cu ft.

You can add a 160 CFM fan kit with rheostat speed control and an automatic or manual setting, a satin nickel door upgrade with hinge pins, spring handle, and air control handle, or an outside air kit. The stove itself stands on a pedestal with a cast iron arched door and 165 sq in of viewing glass.

Yes, as long as it isn't in a sleeping room. The OAK-ACC outside air kit must be installed, the stove must be grounded to the frame and bolted down through the hearth pad, and you'll need listed double wall connector pipe with a spark arrestor cap.

In the US, the noncombustible floor protector must reach at least 16 inches in front of the glass and 8 inches past both sides of the door; Canada requires 18 inches in front. The brochure lists a 31-5/8 by 39 inch minimum, and alcove installs are allowed up to 48 inches deep using double wall pipe.

Check that the baffle and ceramic blanket are in place monthly, have the chimney inspected every two months in burn season, and inspect the firebrick and door gasket weekly. Remove ashes when they're within 1-3/4 inches of the firebox lip, and keep the stove top below 650°F to avoid damage.