Is this possible or a bad idea? Wood cook stove and wood stove.

Would it work to have a wood cook stove like a Kitchen Queen 480 in the near center of two open floor plan rooms (kitchen & living room); and a regular wood stove behind it facing the living room? Probably like one to two feet clearance between the two. Do you think it would get too hot (fire potential to the home) between the two heat sources?

The original plan was to have a fireplace in the living room and a wood cook stove in the kitchen semi back to back (chimney most likely between the two). Fireplace not really for heat but nostalgia for the family to relax and watch. The only reason I'm thinking of a wood stove instead of the fireplace is because of extra heat source availability but it is probably overkill. I have read on this forum that the Kitchen Queen easily heats a 3,000 sq ft home (no doubt well insulated). My home will be about 2,000 sq ft or 2,200 sq ft depending. Would both those just be severe overkill?

branchburner said:

Welcome to the forums!

A fireplace can actually drain heat from the house, so you are correct about the stove being a much better heat source. Some stoves (like mine) come with a screen option, so if on occasion you feel like removing the front door -- to get that feeling you get from an open hearth fire -- you are in effect left with a fireplace (but one easily converted back to a highly efficient whole-house heater).

If you like the looks of both stoves, then even if having two is sometimes overkill you will have two attractive pieces of furniture (that make nice tables during the summer). Another possibility, if it's a new construction and you have the budget, is to center the home around a masonry heater, which would still allow for a separate cook stove flue.

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Wow, I didn't know anything about masonry heaters. They look very much like my family pictures for their nostalgia so this would be a very good option for heat practicality which I want and what they want as well. Now just need to research if I can find someone to build one and if I can afford it when I am ready. Yes I do have the advantage of building new so I could fit stuff like this in as long as its within budget. Or make the space and put in later. Thank you for the info.

begreen said:

Have you considered a kitchen stove with a larger firebox and fire view like the Esse Ironheart? It will heat the home.

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I did look at the Ironheart but the Kitchen Queen 480 has a larger oven and I like the tops of the KQ. Other than that they are about the same although the firebox with the kit on the Ironheart might be a little bigger though I'm not certain. I'm thinking with my square footage, the wood stove should be enough heat. With a heat source in the living room to there should be no problem especially if I can work out a masonry heater as mentioned by another poster. I can always fall back on a wood stove there though. Thank you for the suggestion. I will keep it in mind if the KQ doesn't work out or if our needs change there. I have heard good things about the Ironheart.

Thank you everyone for your opinions and suggestions. I was thinking it was workable but I figured why not ask the people who have done it for years? Thank you also for the suggestions, it gives me more options to choose from that I have not considered.

I'm pretty sold on the Kitchen Queen 480 (in the kitchen) at this point for its large oven, large firebox, windowed doors (both oven and firebox), warmer box (though not a deal breaker), and home heating capabilities. Also, everyone I know that has one loves it. I haven't heard any negative reviews on them yet. Unfortunately, with any wood cook stove, I won't really know how much of my home it heats until I get it installed. (course the home isn't built yet either but I plan to insulate very well). There will be daily cooking going on so the wood cook stove is a must. I have never owned any myself but I have cooked on a few of them and I just love them. I will have another source of heat in the home so if the cook stove and whatever fireplace/masonry heater/wood stove is there (in living room) doesn't do the job, I have something to fall back on that will (central heating/air). I'm hoping to not need or use it much though (primarily just when out of town or away from the home in very cold weather. Don't want pipes to freeze nor my cats and dogs to die). I want to function off grid-like as much as possible so I don't have large utility bills nor dependency on them.