Drolet Bistro Wood Burning Cookstove vs Drolet Outback Chef Wood Cookstove

The Bistro is the better all-rounder: it heats up to 2,100 sq ft, takes 20-inch logs and holds a fire up to 8 hours, so it works as a real heater as well as a cooker. The Outback Chef is a dedicated cooking stove with a larger oven, four access doors and a cast-iron top, but its own maker says it gives radiant heat only, not slow-combustion heat. Owners rate the Bistro well at 4.6 out of 5; the Outback Chef has a smaller firebox and a 16-inch log limit. Buy the Bistro for a cabin that needs warmth and cooking; buy the Outback Chef if cooking is the main job.

• Choose the Drolet Bistro if you want one stove that heats a large space and cooks, with longer burns and bigger logs.
• Choose the Drolet Outback Chef if cooking comes first and you want a bigger oven, a cast-iron cooktop and four separate doors.