Using a wood stove is a great experience. The warmth, the ambiance, the sound of a crackling fire — it’s not surprising that homes around the world still use these reliable, time-tested appliances every heating season.
As good as the stoves themselves are, though, it’s the accessories that can take your wood burning experience to the next level.
Whether it’s a stovepipe heat reclaimer to improve your stove’s efficiency or a firewood rack to keep some extra wood handy, investing in a few extras can elevate a great wood burning experience to an amazing one.
One such accessory is the classic kettle steamer. At HY-C, we manufacture cast iron kettle steamers for wood stoves under our Liberty Foundry Co. brand. And in this guide, we’re going to tell you all about them.
We’ll cover what wood stove kettles are, how they work, what they’re made of, and how they can improve your wood burning experience. By the time you’re finished here, you’ll know whether or not a kettle steamer is right for you.
Discover Liberty Foundry Co. Kettle Steamers
How Do Wood Stoves Affect Humidity?
Before we jump into the problem that kettle steamers help to solve, we should first outline the problem itself.
While modern heaters rely on power sources like electricity and natural gas, wood stoves (obviously) burn wood fuel. And unlike these other fuel sources, wood heating sucks a lot of moisture out of the air.
The typical humidity level in a home is between 40% and 60%. But if you’re running a wood stove in your house, it can drop the humidity level down to 20% or lower.
Why Do You Need a Wood Stove Kettle Steamer?
High-humidity weather is miserable. It’s hot, it’s sticky, you sweat easily, and the air feels much heavier. It can be stifling.
Low-humidity weather isn’t much better. Air without enough moisture can cause dry, irritable skin and respiratory discomfort. Plus, static builds up easily, resulting in annoying shocks and clingy, frizzy hair.
A wood stove kettle steamer is an essential accessory that adds much-needed humidity back into the room as wood fuel burns in a stove. It increases humidity levels back into the desired 40% to 60% range, helping you avoid dehydration, a sore throat, and any other low-humidity health issues.
How Do Wood Stove Kettle Steamers Work?
Kettle steamers are clever appliances. All you have to do is fill them with water and set them down. The rest of the work is done by simple thermodynamics.
As wood burns in the stove’s firebox, the frame of the stove itself heats up. Wood stoves get quite hot; their exteriors can heat up anywhere between 400 F and 800 F. And it’s these hot surface temperatures that allow a kettle steamer to work its magic.
After the kettle is placed on top of the stove, the stove heats the kettle, which in turn heats the water in the kettle. The water then boils off and evaporates as steam, rising from the kettle and out into the room. That steam mixes with the air in the room, raising the overall humidity level.
What Are Wood Stove Kettle Steamers Made Of?
While you may find some stainless steel models out there, the vast majority of wood stove kettle steamers are made of cast iron — the same material that comprises many of the stoves these kettles adorn.
Manufacturers prefer to use cast iron for kettle steamers for a variety of reasons. For one, it’s an ultra-durable material, able to withstand the constant cycle of heating and cooling while maintaining its structural integrity.
At the same time, cast iron retains heat very well. This allows the kettle steamer to boil off water more quickly and efficiently, adding a constant and consistent amount of moisture back into the room.
How Do You Maintain a Wood Stove Kettle Steamer?
Kettle steamers should be cleaned about once a week, especially if the water you use has a high mineral content. Just rinse the interior with room-temperature water and some soap.
The thing you’ll need to do to your kettle steamer most often, though, is refill it.
The frequency at which you’ll need to add more water depends on a number of factors like the size of the room your stove is in, the temperature of the room, the temperature of your stove, the atmospheric pressure in the room, and more.
In general, though:
- A 5-quart kettle needs refilling about every two hours
- A 2.5-quart kettle needs refilling about once an hour
Using a hygrometer to track the humidity level in your home can make it easier to track how often you need to fill your kettle steamer. Once you’ve reached the desired humidity level, you can remove the kettle for a while until you need to add more moisture into the room.
Wood Stove Kettle Steamer Safety Tips
Kettle steamers are not without risks. If you’re going to use one, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure you operate yours safely.
First, the placement of the kettle on the stovetop is important. These kettles get very hot, so you want to ensure you don’t accidentally knock them over. With that in mind, be sure to place your kettle steamer securely on top of your stove at least a couple inches from the edge.
When handling or refilling your kettle steamer, it’s vital to wear gloves. Again, these kettles get very hot, so either wear protection or ensure the cast iron surface of the kettle is safe to touch.
Also, be sure to keep a close eye on the water level. Running the steamer dry can cause it to overheat, leading to damage and a potential fire hazard.
Finally, it should be noted that wood stove kettle steamers are not food safe. They should never be used for consumption or food or drink preparation of any kind.
Should You Get a Wood Stove Kettle Steamer?
This has been a deep dive on the ins and outs of kettle steamers. And if you’re still wondering whether or not you should get one, here are some things to consider.
Wood stoves undoubtedly lower the humidity level in your home. The way this affects everyone is different, though. Some may not be bothered by the low humidity, while others may find themselves very uncomfortable very quickly.
If you own a wood stove and want to avoid a low-humidity environment, you’ll need something to keep moisture levels up.
From there, you have a choice between a modern humidifier or a kettle steamer. Our Liberty Foundry Co. kettle steamers cost between $70 and $110 (depending on which size you get), while a store-bought humidifier can run anywhere between $15 to $180.
Kettle steamers may need to be refilled more often than a modern humidifier, too, and refilling them can be a little tough because of how hot they get.
But what kettle steamers provide is an aesthetic ambiance — a rustic flair that most wood stove owners love. Their cast iron construction and classic look can make the price and the maintenance worthwhile to those who appreciate wood heating.
You can save a little money and a bit of convenience, or you can moderate your room’s humidity level with a centuries-old, tried-and-true appliance with no frills and plenty of character.
And that’s a choice only you can make.
