History

• Original stoves were wood fired, meaning that only wood could be used to produce heat. Today, stoves can be fueled by many sources of energy.
  
  

Types

• Two common types of stoves used today are those that burn coal or pellets. Pellets are a relatively new form of environmentally friendly energy, while coal is a more traditional choice.
  
  

Cost

• Coal stoves are a little more affordable, as they run anywhere from $500 to $1,000. A good pellet stove will start around $1,500 and go up to $3,000, making the purchase of a coal stove more cost efficient.
  
  

Considerations

• Although the coal stove itself may be cheaper, the coal itself most likely will not be cheaper than pellets, because many locations cannot provide coal locally. Pellets, on the other hand, are sold almost everywhere it is easy to store large quantities of them.
  
  

Benefits

• Pellet stoves provide many different forms of environmentally friendly energy, and can even be made of waste from other materials. Additionally, their fires burn more efficiently and are easy to maintain and clean.