“In the event of a power outage, it has a shelf that you can place pots on for cooking. We keep a cast iron dutch oven on it full of water to act as a humidifier. The water will quickly come to a boil.”
That must come in handy, and you could even put a can of soup to heat on the shelf.
Actually, there's enough space on it to place several pots and pans simultaneously.
We here on FR tend to be averse to government regulations but I believe the EPA mandates on wood burning inserts/stoves were a good thing.
Here is a list of EPA certified wood stoves/inserts along with regional contact info for the manufacturers. Notice the efficiencies! 2009 list of EPA certified woodburning inserts/stoves
Be sure and check to see what government energy efficiency assistance programs may apply in your area. Also, make sure the insert is properly sized for the fireplace and that air can't flow around the insert and up the chimney. As part of this project, you may want to go ahead and instal an insulated stainless steel chimney flue.