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Spartherm L 800 ZC: is it worth buying?

Wood stove insert by Spartherm. Also sold as L 800 Module, L 800 Insert.

A middle-of-the-road wood stove: no standout strengths in the EPA tests.

The catch: less heat than most.

How it compares

Against all 156 new wood stoves, from the EPA's lab tests. Longer bar = better.

HeatBetter than 8%
up to 20,406 BTU an hour
Clean burningBetter than 53%
1.3 grams of smoke an hour (legal limit 2)
Heat from each logBetter than 28%
71% efficient
Burn time (firebox size)Better than 33%
1.56 cubic feet

Source: EPA certification record 5164, checked Nov 1, 2026. Smoke compared as a share of each stove's legal limit, since stoves tested on real cordwood get a higher limit.

Better-matched picks with similar heat

If one of these matters more to you, start here.

Want less smoke? Vermont Castings Intrepid FlexBurn 2115-CAT Cleaner than 99% of new wood stoves, with similar heat.
Want to burn less wood? Hearthstone Lincoln 8060 Gets more heat from each log than 82% of new wood stoves.
Want longer burns? Heat & Glo Pioneer-III-ARC Bigger firebox than 96% of new wood stoves.

Other questions

What size chimney liner does it need?

Match the liner to the flue collar size in the Spartherm L 800 ZC owner's manual, and have a certified installer confirm it fits your chimney.

It's non-catalytic. What does that mean?

There's no catalytic combustor, so no combustor part to replace down the road.

What do these numbers mean?

The EPA tests every new stove before it can be sold. "Heat" is the most heat it put out in the test. "Clean burning" is smoke per hour. "Heat from each log" is the share of the wood's energy that reaches your room. Firebox size tells you how much wood it holds, which drives how long it burns.

Check today's price: Spartherm L 800 ZC