Wood fuelled stoves are often used simply to emit heat into that room and as such, many stoves tend to be operated partly for their 'amenity value' and are lit only when the room is occupied. In these circumstances the stove should be "burnt hard" when more heat is required and allowed to die down without damping when less heat is required. This technique provides the best heating effect for the lowest fuel consumption, resulting in less stoking and less smoke, soot and tar.

As their name implies, wood fuelled stoves are primarily designed to burn wood and may be constructed from steel or cast iron. However, the wood may be in the form of logs or pellets (compacted sawdust).

Wood fuel stoves now come in a range of designs, from traditional cast iron free-standing models and modern ceramic stoves to a variety of continental style inset fireplaces, usually with glass screens.

Well designed stoves, operated correctly, can achieve relatively high efficiencies, sometimes better than 80%, and from as little as a few kilowatts of heat to more than 15kW (a one bar electric fire produces 1kW of heat).

Typically, such stoves are used to provide background heating whilst adding amenity and aesthetic value, since they are designed to be located in the living area of the house itself. In the case of ceramic stoves in particular, the casing acts as a heat store, releasing radiant heat into the room long after the fire has gone out.

Although many wood burning stoves act as space heaters only, the higher output versions may be fitted with an internal back boiler to provide domestic hot water and if required, central heating via radiators. For more information on this technology see Wood Fuel Boilers.