Im new to burning wood just started last year, I have a Dutch West wood insert DW2500 it has a small 1.3 cubic ft fire box. I have a Rutland magnetic thermostat on the cast iron door (left top) and I can get that gage uto 650 degrees. I just had a fire and the gauge was at 500 degrees so I used my infrared laser thermometer. First I took the door temp it read 406 degrees, next I took the stove top temp 230 degrees, next i took the temp of the acual fire 718 degrees, finally i took the temp of the steel liner about a foot above the stove 249 degrees. My question is am I burning too hot or am I not pushing this stove enough? Where is the best place to get a temp reading? I have made the baffle red hot but i think that was more due to how I was controlling the air. Please help I want to get the most out of this stove and not burn the house down Thanks fellow wood burners.