5 Best Wood Burning Stove Fans of 2024

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The Best Wood Burning Stove Fans

best wood burning stove fans

The Valiant Premium 4 Heat Powered Stove Fan tops my list as the best wood burning stove fan. In my testing it was the most effective model at pushing warm air across the room. It also operates very quietly at only 40 decibels, an important feature for most people. It felt well-made and solid in my hands, something I’d expect from a trusted brand like Valiant. Although it costs more than the other models I tested, it’s worth it in my opinion because of it’s superior performance in heating a cold room.

  1. Best High-End Stove Fan - Valiant Premium 4 Heat Powered Stove Fan

  2. Best quiet stove fan - AhmyLion 6 Blade Wood Stove Fan

  3. Best Newcomer - Forest Master SuperFast Semi-Heated Four Blade Stove Fan

  4. Best for small spaces - Signstek 4 Blade Heat Powered Stove Fan

  5. Best budget stove fan - Tomersun Heat Powered 4 Blade Stove Fan

Wood Burning Stove Fan Reviews

Editors Choice

1. Valiant Premium 4 Heat Powered Stove Fan

Best High-End Stove Fan

best wood burning stove fan Valiant Premium 4 Heat Powered Stove Fan
  • A noticeable draught that pushes lovely warm air around the room
  • Excellent design with a build quality that feels like it will last for a long time
  • The fan kicks in at a relatively low temperature of 50° Celsius, so you start to get the benefit of circulating air earlier on in the burn
  • Spare parts are readily available via the Valiant website

  • No carry handle, although this does improve the look of the fan
  • More expensive compared to the competition
Dimensions
10 x 18 x 20 cm
Blades
4
Decibels
40 dB
Overall Score 4.8
Design
5
Heat Output
5
Noise
5
Ease of Setup
5
Value for Money
4

One of the most trusted names in stove top fans, Valiant, are based in the Hertfordshire countryside, and know a thing or two about making the best log burner fans. The Premium 4 is a solidly built and effective stove fan.

The first thing to notice about this stove fan is that it’s made from heavy duty, thick cast aluminium. It’s a good looking thing that has been well designed with aesthetics in mind. With four blades and the usual bimetal safety strip tucked into the base, the only thing it doesn’t have is a handle.

Measuring 20 cm high, 15 cm across, and 10 cm deep, it’s probably too tall for log burners in a fireplace alcove, but for free standing burners it’s a brilliant addition. The shape of the blades are aerodynamically designed as well, to get the most out of the small thermoelectric generator that powers it.

What makes this one of the best stove fans that I’ve had a chance to test out is that it really pushes the air in front of it. It creates an obvious draught, even from a couple of metres away, which results in a noticeable improvement of comfort on the opposite side of the room.

As for noise, even when the fan is spinning at top speed, it registered less than 40 dB. There’s a tiny hum from the motor, but it’s barely noticeable. Overall, this stove fan deserves its premium label, it’s seriously powerful yet somehow quieter than the other fans I’ve tried out.

Valiant Premium 4 Heat Powered Stove Fan

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Budget Pick

2. AhmyLion 6 Blade Wood Stove Fan

Best quiet stove fan

best wood burning stove fan AhmyLion 6 Blade Wood Stove Fan
  • The six blades are efficient and make the most of the motor’s power
  • It comes with an excellent stove thermometer as well
  • It’s one of the quietest stove fans I’ve tested out

  • It’s too tall for small fireplace alcoves
  • You can only get this stove fan in jet black colour
Dimensions
21.5 x 19 x 12 cm
Blades
6
Decibels
25 dB
Overall Score 4.8
Design
5
Heat Output
5
Noise
5
Ease of Setup
5
Value for Money
4

The stove accessory experts at AhmyLion have managed to come up with a wood burner stove fan that combines an effective fan with an eye pleasing design. Their heat powered stove fan is a no-battery solution for wood burners that heat up one side of the room while the other stays a bit chilly.

Designed with cooling fins that look a bit like licking flames, this cast aluminium device has some nice features that show attention to detail. The rear side of the fan has a cover to hide the internal motor from view, with a star pattern cut out of it.

The six blades do a good job at shifting air and are nicely shaped to grab as much as they can on each revolution. There’s the expected carry handle, and bimetal safety strip on the base. Measuring just over 19 cm tall, 15 cm wide, and 11 cm deep, it’s more suited to free standing wood burners rather than ones tucked into old fireplaces.

During testing, the fan kicked in quickly, and once it got up to full speed there was a noticeable draught, thanks to all those blades whirring around. The draught was evident up to a couple of metres away and helped the room temperature to increase comfortably. When running at full speed, it puts out just 25 dB, so it’s nice and quiet too.

Not only do you get an effective stove fan, but it also comes with a useful gadget- a stove thermometer. It’s a simple but effective device that shows the temperature of your wood burner in Celsius as well as Fahrenheit. Handily, it also shows if your temperature is too low, and building dangerous creosote, or if it’s overheating. There’s a hook on the top and a magnet on the back to keep it in place.

AhmyLion 6 Blade Wood Stove Fan

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Also Good
  • Made from heavy gauge cast aluminium, the base is stable enough that you don’t need to worry when the fan is at full speed
  • Wood burning stoves come in a range of colours, so it’s great to see stove fans that aren’t just jet black
  • The fan runs at just over 40 dB, which is nice and quiet, and won’t disturb even a quiet room

  • Standing at just over 20 cm tall, this fan will struggle to fit underneath an existing fireplace
Dimensions
‎8.4 x 18.8 x 20 cm
Blades
4
Decibels
45 dB
Overall Score 4.6
Design
4
Heat Output
5
Noise
5
Ease of Setup
5
Value for Money
4

The clever minds at Forest Master have developed a huge range of capable equipment designed to help you keep your house toasty warm and tidy with their clever kit. If you need a heavy-duty hydraulic log splitting machine, a sturdy saw horse, or one of the best stove top fans you can get, they’re the people to talk to.

Their newest log burner accessory is the SuperFast semi-heated stove fan – it’s a well-designed and rather handsome stove fan that will suit a range of traditional and modern wood burning stoves. Available in three colours– black, steel grey, and brushed bronze, the cast aluminium fans complement most room decorations.

The fan kicks in at around 50° Celsius, so it gets to work at pushing the air around quicker than some of the other fans I tested out. The axial blade shape is well suited to the job, and rather pleasing to look at as well.

The good looks even extend to the carry handle on top. On most stove fans, the wire handle is left as bright steel, but Forest Master have used a much less obvious black coated version. It’s a nice little feature that shows real attention to detail.

Standing at just over 20 cm tall, 13 cm wide, and 8 cm deep, it’s ideal for free-standing log burners, and it puts out plenty of draught as well. There’s a self-regulating bimetal strip embedded in the base that will stop the fan from overheating. Once it hits the maximum temperature of around 250° Celsius it bends, tilting the fan away from the heat source.

During testing, the blades started to spin almost immediately once it was placed on top of the heat source. Once up to temperature and full speed, the noise level hung at around 45 dB, which isn’t much at all. The noise of the fan blades cutting through the air was louder than the tiny motor inside, so it’s fine to use in a quiet room.

The draught that the fan kicks out is noticeable, even from a couple of metres away. That means the fan is doing its job of pushing the warm air away from the stove and creating wonderful convective heat all the way across the room. It really seemed to do its job well, and made the room feel cosier, even on a cold day.

Forest Master SuperFast Semi-Heated Four Blade Stove Fan

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  • Small enough to fit on stoves inside converted fireplaces
  • Solid aluminium construction with durable black finish
  • Ideal for small spaces

  • It’s a relatively weak fan in comparison to the Valiant Premium 4
  • It struggles to make a difference to temperature at the back of a large room
Dimensions
10 x 9 x 20 cm
Blades
4
Decibels
45 dB
Overall Score 3.8
Design
4
Heat Output
3
Noise
3
Ease of Setup
5
Value for Money
4

Developed by the home improvement experts at Signstek, the ST-145 Plus heat powered stove fan is a low cost way to improve the heat distribution of your log burner.

Made from cast aluminium and featuring four blades, the narrow profile makes it a rather unobtrusive piece of kit that still pumps out a reasonable amount of air when it’s turning. The thermoelectric motor kicks in at around 60° Celsius and puts out up to 128 CFM of air flow.

At just over 16 cm tall, it’s an ideal choice if your wood burner is tucked into an existing fireplace. It’s only 15 cm wide and 10 cm deep as well, which makes it one of the smallest stove fans I’ve come across so far. The small footprint means it can fit on small stovetops.

It features a sliding carry handle on top and a bimetal strip within the base that will tilt the whole fan backwards should it overheat. This safety device should avoid damage to the motor assembly and wiring.

During operation, the motor makes a quiet whirring noise that measures at around 45 dB. It’s not loud but noticeable in an otherwise quiet room. Due to the small fan diameter of 15 cm, the fan doesn’t feel particularly powerful and it’s not suitable for large rooms.

Signstek 4 Blade Heat Powered Stove Fan

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  • • It’s an inexpensive stove fan that improves air flow somewhat
  • • Ideal for smaller rooms, it heats up and starts spinning quickly
  • • Eco-friendly all-carboard packaging rather than polystyrene or plastic inside the box

  • The aluminium casting is thin and there are some sharp, unrounded edges and corners
  • The carry handle can get stuck in the top of the fan, making it hard to pick up when hot
  • It would be a lot more efficient if the fan blades were better shaped
Dimensions
16 x 10.5 x 19 cm
Blades
4
Decibels
50 dB

Wood burner accessory manufacturer Tomersun have managed to create a handy stove fan that won’t break the bank. Their log burner fan is an eco-friendly and battery-free way to push a bit of warm air around in your living room.

Made from rather thin cast aluminium, it comes with a four blade fan. The overall build quality is fine, but there’s an exposed red wire coming from the thermoelectric generator that spoils the otherwise jet black styling.

The shape of the blades isn’t the most efficient. Each one is flat, with a simple bend in them that scoops air, but it’s not a conventional axial fan blade shape.

Measuring 20 cm high, 15 cm across, and 7 cm deep, it’s not the tallest fan I’ve tested, but it will struggle to fit into the space above a log burner in a converted fireplace. There’s a small carry handle on top, and the expected bimetal strip fitted to the base that will tilt it back in case of overheating.

During testing and when fully up to speed, the thermoelectric motor made a light whining noise that settled at just under 50 dB. It’s not loud, but noticeable in a quiet room. The 16 cm diameter blade pushed some, but it wasn’t noticeable from the other side of the room.

Tomersun Heat Powered 4 Blade Stove Fan

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Product Tester

Garden Maintenance Expert

Harry's Smart Buying Tips

  1. When it comes to choosing the best stove fan, the most important things to look out for are: the number of blades, the CFM (cubic feet per minute) flow and any safety features.
  2. Look for a heat powered stove fan with 3 or 4 blades. These are best suited to small and medium domestic rooms. Alternatively, a dual fan, or multiple small fans, may be the best option for larger spaces – these provide the power of a larger model but within a compact size. A fan with a base of around 15 cm will fit on most stoves, distributing warmth without getting too close to the flue pipe.
  3. A CFM rating is a good indication of how much warm air the fan can circulate, although not all stovetop fans will state this. Generally speaking, 130 – 180 CFM is sufficient for most standard, domestic rooms.
  4. When it comes to safety features, the best stove fans are fitted with a bimetallic strip or spring on the base. This will lift the fan away from the stove if temperatures get too hot.
  5. Finally, I recommend checking the stove fan’s operating temperature. You want the stove fan to start turning automatically when the air temperature above the stove reaches 50 – 60°C; this sensitivity is sufficient for most homes.

Compare Product Features

Use the dropdown to sort the table by the feature you want to see.

  • Valiant Premium 4 Heat Powered Stove Fan
    best wood burning stove fan Valiant Premium 4 Heat Powered Stove Fan
    • 4.8
    • 10 x 18 x 20 cm
    • 4
    • 40 dB
  • AhmyLion 6 Blade Wood Stove Fan
    best wood burning stove fan AhmyLion 6 Blade Wood Stove Fan
    • 4.8
    • 21.5 x 19 x 12 cm
    • 6
    • 25 dB
  • Forest Master SuperFast Semi-Heated Four Blade Stove Fan
    best wood burning stove fan Forest Master SuperFast Semi Heated Four Blade Stove Fan
    • 4.6
    • ‎8.4 x 18.8 x 20 cm
    • 4
    • 45 dB
  • Signstek 4 Blade Heat Powered Stove Fan
    best wood burning stove fan Signstek 4 Blade Heat Powered Stove Fan
    • 3.8
    • 10 x 9 x 20 cm
    • 4
    • 45 dB
  • Tomersun Heat Powered 4 Blade Stove Fan
    best wood burning stove fan Tomersun Heat Powered 4 Blade Stove Fan
    • 4.7
    • 16 x 10.5 x 19 cm
    • 4
    • 50 dB

How to Choose The Best Wood Burning Stove Fan

Whilst a wood burning stove can certainly add a bit of warmth to a room, the heat tends to congregate around the fire itself. This can lead to the corners of the space feeling cold, no matter how much fuel you throw on the fire. A stove fan placed on top of the unit can help maximise the heat output from the fire, stopping valuable heat from escaping up a chimney or rising to the ceiling where it’s no good to anyone.

One other benefit of stove fans is that they can also help with distributing heat in small rooms where it may get too hot. They can work to create a more even temperature throughout the whole space.

When it comes to buying a stove fan, there can be some variation in design, as well as price.

Take a look at this guide to learn what to look out for, and what to avoid, when buying a stove fan.

How Stove Fans Work

Stove fans don’t require any power supply or batteries. They start turning when the wood burner reaches a certain temperature. The heat from the stove activates the stove fan’s Peltier device which causes the blades to turn. The stove fan needs to be positioned with cold air behind it in order to work effectively. For this reason, fans should be placed quite near the back of wood burning stoves. If a stove fan is positioned too far forward, it will fail to work properly.

Because these heat-powered fans don’t require mains power or batteries, they cost nothing to run and are very convenient to use. There are are no batteries or wires to worry about and yet the stove fan can still dramatically help with heat distribution in rooms heated by log burners.

The aim of a stove fan is to stop hot air from collecting around the wood stove, or from rising to the ceiling without benefitting the rest of the room. A stove fan will catch the heat before it has a chance to rise, and push it further out into the room. It will also improve circulation, better cycling warm air and cooler air throughout the space.

Without a stove fan, there is a risk that all of the warmed air will stay close the the wood stove and won’t be felt in other parts of the room.

READ NEXT: The Best Fan Heater

Size and Design

The size and design of the stove fan that you choose requires careful consideration.

Firstly, it’s important to think about how much clearance you have above your stove to accommodate a fan. Many log burning stoves are tucked into alcoves or fireplaces in our homes. When wood burning stoves are positioned in alcoves, there’s all the more reason to get a stove fan because hot air can become trapped in the enclosed space; however, the size of the alcove or fireplace may limit which fan you can buy.

As well as considering the height of the fan for clearance, you’ll also need to consider the stove surface. The base size of stove fans can vary, and some models may not suit your stove, particularly if the stove surface is small or raised.

Some stoves will have a larger surface area on top, which will accommodate a larger fan base. Others may not have much room at all. For this reason it’s important to consider the size of fan you can feasibly buy – not all stove fans will be compatible with all stoves.

Then there’s the fact that you don’t want to ruin the look of an attractive a log burning stove with a bulky, unattractive stove fan.

So, here are the things you need to consider when gauging what size stove fan to buy:

  • When placing the stove fan on top of your wood stove, it needs to be as far away from the flue pipe as possible and on a level surface. Already, this may limit the amount of space you have available for a stove fan, even before taking headroom into account.
  • If the stove fan is too close to the flue pipe, the likelihood of it getting too hot increases.
  • Stove fans should not be placed at the front of the wood stove, but along the side or at the back (so that they work effectively). For these reasons, it’s important to take the size of the stove fan’s base into consideration.

If there is only a small gap between the wood stove and the wall above it, you’ll need to buy a stove fan that’s sufficiently compact. Even a stove fan that is just 15 cm tall can make a difference to the distribution of warm air in a room. However, you are unlikely to find a fan that is much smaller than this, whilst still being functional and worthwhile.

If you only have space for a small stove fan, but want the power of a larger model, it’s possible to use more than one fan at a time (as long as there is sufficient surface area on top of your stove). You can either use several smaller fans, or buy a unit that uses dual fans supported on one base.

In terms of design, try to choose a stove fan in a colour that complements your existing stove. A lot of stove fans are black, which helps them blend in with wood burners. You can also find designs that feature copper or metallic elements, which may look good aesthetically alongside a stove with similar attributes.

READ NEXT: The Best Halogen Heater

Number of Blades

The fight rages on about how many blades make for the most effective stove fan. You can easily find models with two blades, or six blades, and everything in between. So how do you decide which is the best stove fan?

Whilst a lot of people consider fans with more blades to be most effective, it depends on more than just numbers. The shape and size of the blades also plays a part. Because there is so much differentiation between models, one of the best things to do is read customer reviews to get a better feel for how the stove fan works in the real world. 

The most commonly found designs seem to have either three or four blades and work effectively.

Stove Fan Style

Aside from the number of blades, stove fans can also come in a couple of styles. These styles can essentially be broken down into three categories:

  • Single-fan stovetop units
  • Double-fan stovetop units
  • Stovepipe fans

Whilst all of these fans are effective, there may be some instances where certain styles make more sense than others.

For example, if you don’t have a very big stove, you are unlikely to have enough space for a double fan. A double fan is a single unit that supports two fans. However, if you do have sufficient room on top of your stove, you may be able to fit a dual fan.

Stovepipe fans are the best option when you don’t have a lot of space on your stovetop or have a ‘canopy’ stovetop that isn’t flat. If you don’t have a flat surface on top of your stove, you won’t be able to use a standing wood stove fan so a stovepipe fan is a good option. Stovepipe fans are also an excellent auxiliary option if you already have a stovetop fan but want to fit another fan on as well. A stovepipe fan wraps around the flue pipe itself. It does not have a stand.

READ NEXT: The Best Plinth Heater

Heat Sensitivity

Starting Temperature

Stove fans don’t start running as soon as the wood stove is lit, they usually jump into life when the stove heats up and a certain temperature is reached.

Many stove fans have a starting temperature of 60°C although there are models which have a higher sensitivity. As long as the stove fan advertises that it will start turning at temperatures between 50 – 85°C it should be sufficiently sensitive to get going quickly.

Safety

A lot of stove fans have some form of safety mechanism to protect them from the heat of the wood stove. This comes in the form of a bi-metallic safety device: either a spring or metallic strip.

When the bi-metallic strip senses that the stove is too hot, it expands and lifts the base of the fan away from the top of the stove. As a result, the body of the stove fan is somewhat protected from the heat of the stove. This usually happens at temperatures over 300°C , and it’s a good idea to use a stove thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature of the stove – too hot a fire can damage the stove itself, as well as a fan on top.

Most stove thermometers will attach directly to the flue pipe via magnets. These are the easiest thermometers to use and read. They make it easy to check the temperature of your stove at a glance, and ensure it is not reaching a zone that is too hot. If your wood stove does not have a magnetic flue pipe, you will need to consider a different type of stove thermometer.

Wood Burning Stove Fan FAQs

While not comparable to switching on a radiator, stovetop fans have been shown to increase the temperature in the room and maximise the efficiency of your log burning stove. A heat powered fan works by pushing hot air around the room, reducing the heat intensity directly in front of the stove and allowing it to reach the far corners of the space. Seeing as they stop warm air from clustering at the front of the stove, they help to distribute heat more evenly around the room.

Whilst it’s not compulsory to use a stove fan, many people choose to have one in order to maximise their stove’s efficiency. There is a possibility that using a stove fan will allow less logs to be used on the fire, because the heat will be felt better in more parts of the room. Whilst this isn’t guaranteed, the effects of using a fan do generally seem beneficial and improve the stove’s heating efficiency. 

Stove fans should ideally be placed towards the rear of your stove, and you should ensure that the top of your stove is completely level. A stove fan should be positioned as far away from the flue pipe as possible, and there should be a small gap between the fan and the wall at the back to allow cooler air to pass behind it. 

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