Love the smell of wood burning. Always wanted a huge fireplace like at Cracker Barrel. The large stone mass would keep warm for a long time.
This is a good wood stove that uses the stone idea.
Woodstock Soapstone Company Inc
The soapstone holds the heat and radiates it back very steadily and evenly while the catalyst promotes very efficient burning of the wood by burning the smoke and gases the wood puts out once it’s up to temperature.
We have one that came with the house and LOVE it. The small amount of ash we get from a good burn is impressive.
They are expensive, but IMO, worth it.
They are based and built in NH. American made.