Buying A Wood Cookstove

If you are considering a wood cookstove in your future, maybe I can give you some insight on what to look for. I have been cooking on one for over seven years. Food does taste much better cooked on one, and in my opinion, it is much easier to cook a large meal on. It is also a myth, that it heats up your kitchen too much. My propane cooking range heats up my kitchen more. So I use my wood cookstove even in the hot summer.
One of the the things to consider before you even think of buying one, is that you will need a constant supply of fire wood. It needs to be split down to the size of your firebox. Some are larger than others. My firebox will take up to about 12 inch wood. Another thing is that you have to deal with ashes and dust in your kitchen. Some people can't live with that. I can, and think it's worth the trouble. I feel that I could never live without a wood cookstove after having had one! There are some stoves that use wood and coal, wood and gas or even, wood and electric. My own, uses wood and coal, though I have never tried coal in it yet.
Cooking on one takes lots of patience! You have to wait for your fire to heat up the oven. It is a must, that you learn to start a proper fire. Nothing is worse than not being able to start the fire with hungry people standing around looking at you! You will learn how to cook on your particular stove. Different types and sizes of wood are used for different cooking temperatures. For a hot fire, like for French fries, I always use pine. If I want to just simmer something all day on top of the stove, for recipes that you would use a crock pot for, I like to use a harder wood, such as maple, beech or oak. You could bank (shut the damper on the side of the stove) the stove back for the day and let it simmer.
When you look for one to buy, check it over real good for cracks. Mine is an antique, a Jewel, made by The Detroit