Other Uses for Your Stove

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.

Caw

Minister of Fire
May 26, 2020
2,552
Massachusetts
I just got back from the market and saw the wife was using the stove as a butter softener for baking a cake. Sounds good to me!

What are some other interesting uses you've found for your wood stove?

20210219_155501.jpg
 
One of the trivet wings on the T6 stays open all the time because the stove heats our coffee and tea water. My wife uses the trivet swung away from the stove for rising dough weekly. And several times a winter we use a dutch oven on the trivet top to slow cook meals, including our Thanksgiving turkey breast the last couple years.
 
Since my stove is going most of the time, it serves as a general purpose item warmer - rising dough, drying mittens/boots, softening butter, etc. I also sometimes put a pan of water on top to raise the humidity a few %.
 
Yep; works great for proofing dough during the winter months.
View attachment 274950

What stove is that? Looks like the same surround as my Osburn 1600. Nice hearth! I wish mine was raised like that to save my knees.

We also use the stove as a winter clothes and boots warmer of course. Nothing like toast yboots when going outside on a cold day.
 
Wifey made some seafood chowder from scratch today. We also warm up water for tea, proof dough, dry kitchen towels, gloves, Dutch oven meals etc. The wife has been using the woodstove more for cooking and reheating food in attempts to leave the electric range off.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    128.1 KB · Views: 174
I've used it to cook on, cook in, smoke in, and melt snow to pour in toilet when electric is out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zombie and NickW
You guys talk? That is so grown up...I wonder if we'll ever get to do that again ;lol. The kids basically dominate everything these days lol.

I get up at.. 4.30 to 5am. plenty of time to relax enjoy something warm.. talk.. she doesn't get up that early.. but early enough to have us time...
 
If I'm in a hurry I use the warming drawer on my cookstove for proofing bread/baked goods. I almost always have a steamer/kettle on if a stove is hot. We do have an electric dryer, but I often dry my clothes on racks in front of our stoves.
 
mine dries out wet snowy clothes on the hearth and will put frozen meat for the dogs to thaw on a plate on the hearth as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpaceBus
As I write this my ski boots are 18" from the front of the stove. Switching front to back for an 1/2 an hour there good to go. When the grand kids are here there's every piece of ski equipment in front of the stove. We all sit on the hearth as close as you can. Nothing better.

Problem is, the stove is so good I can't leave the couch. Ok I going!!!
 
Dries towels 2 to 3 times faster than my dryer. Also fully body dryer (at night with lights out). Boot dryer obviously, and split pretreatment. Fire starters dryer.(more to come on that). And anything that can hang off the 1/2” copper pipe above.
87432A14-C295-4040-9F5C-1C3507B440A9.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zombie
Up until the dog passed away, the main use was as a dog warmer.
Sorry to hear- may the memories warm your heart more than any stove can.
 
Up until the dog passed away, the main use was as a dog warmer.
Sorry for your loss. Pet warming is the primary purpose here too.
biscuit-in-front-of-stove.jpg
 
My daughter using it as a frozen water balloon melter tonight...crazy kids!

20210220_195220.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I cook on the top of my stove (occasionally in it) a lot. But tonight is going to be quite cold, so I heated a brick for the kids to use as a bed warmer. I got the bricks up to about 300 F and wrapped them in a towel. Kids love them.
 
I cook on the top of my stove (occasionally in it) a lot. But tonight is going to be quite cold, so I heated a brick for the kids to use as a bed warmer. I got the bricks up to about 300 F and wrapped them in a towel. Kids love them.

My mom grew up in Vermont and used to heat soapstone on the stove for us to use as footwarmers in bed. We brought the custom to Texas. Each child has a rock from our backyard (which is landscaped with river rock) that he or she can warm up in front of the ash lip and take to bed.

DB5FC201-E0C1-44FA-9BFC-B47426008E5C.jpeg

This was this past Tuesday, I believe. Snowsuits, coats, gloves, boots all drying, and bread dough rising in the bucket on the mantel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Prof
Looks great! I tried this but found I either under or overcooked the pizza. Plus, it I did taste like ash a bit.
What you can’t see is the Dutch oven lid I put on the coals. Wait till it hits about 450. If it hits 800 and is still climbing crust will burn before the top side is cooked. I really like the pizza screen wood stove or oven.
 
I cook on the top of my stove (occasionally in it) a lot. But tonight is going to be quite cold, so I heated a brick for the kids to use as a bed warmer. I got the bricks up to about 300 F and wrapped them in a towel. Kids love them.
I gathered some nice rounded stones from our property, mostly looks like Jasper type stone, and heated them for my wife last winter after her surgery. Very popular around here as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Prof