Midwest Hearth Wood Stove Thermometer - Magnetic Chimney Pipe Meter

Managing a wood stove well is mostly about temperature. Run it too cool and you court creosote; too hot and you risk shortening the life of your stove and chimney. A simple, reliable way to keep things in check is a flue thermometer. I spent the last heating season with the Midwest Hearth chimney pipe thermometer on a single-wall connector pipe, and it quickly became part of my daily burn routine.

Setup and placement

This is a magnetic thermometer designed specifically for single-wall stovepipe. Installation takes seconds: find a clean section of pipe and stick it on. For best results, I’ve had the most consistent readings 12–18 inches above the stove collar, away from seams or elbows where airflow is turbulent. If your pipe has a light film of soot or surface oil from a recent install, wipe it down first—clean steel helps the magnet bite and improves heat transfer.

A quick but important caveat: this isn’t meant for double-wall pipe. Even if the magnet finds something to grab, the outside of double-wall won’t reflect flue gas temperatures reliably, and you’ll chase numbers that don’t mean much. If you have double-wall, use a probe-style thermometer. If you want to monitor a cooktop, get the stove-top version instead. This one belongs on the single-wall connector.

The flip-up handle is more useful than it looks. On startup burns I sometimes move the thermometer a few inches to compare spot temperatures, and being able to lift it with a gloved hand without prying tools is a small but appreciated detail.

Build and design

The unit is compact with an all-metal body and a porcelain enamel dial face. The zones are clearly labeled for creosote-forming temperatures, the efficient range, and overheating. I can read it from across the room without squinting, which matters more than I expected—if you have to walk over to check it constantly, you won’t use it as often.

The finish has held up to repeated hot/cool cycles. No blistering, no flaking, and no fading after months of fires. The magnet is rated to hold up to 800°F; in practice, I never want my single-wall connector running that hot, but on occasional hard reloads when the dial crept toward the upper end, the magnet stayed put.

One practical note: magnets and heat are a tricky pair. Any magnet can feel a touch “softer” when very hot. On mirror-smooth pipe, that’s not an issue. On an older, slightly pitted surface, I can nudge the thermometer if I bump it while adding wood. It’s never slipped on its own, but I don’t place it right above the door where I’m more likely to graze it.

Accuracy in the real world

This is a bimetal coil thermometer. Expect ranges and trends more than lab-grade precision. To sanity-check, I compared readings with an infrared thermometer aimed at the same spot on the pipe during different parts of the burn cycle. Accounting for emissivity quirks on painted steel, the dial consistently tracked within about 20°F of the IR reading on steady burns, sometimes reading a hair higher at midrange temperatures. On quick temperature ramps—like opening the air after a reload—the dial lagged by a minute or so, which is typical of coil-based designs.

For a wood stove, that’s exactly the level of fidelity I want. The zones—creosote risk on the low end, an efficient “best” window through the middle, and an overfire warning up high—are more actionable than the absolute number. If the needle dips into the low zone and stays there, I know I need more draft or drier wood. If it’s hovering near the top of the efficient range after a good coal bed, I can start cutting air back to stretch the load.

Daily use

Here’s how it changed my routine:

• Startup: I leave the air control more open until the needle climbs out of the creosote zone and into the efficient range. That’s my cue to begin trimming airflow and engage any bypass as designed by the stove manufacturer.
• Steady-state: Through the middle of a burn, the dial becomes a quiet confirmation that things are where they should be. It’s helpful on windy days when draft is stronger than usual; I’ll catch a rising trend and adjust before the stove takes off.
• Reloads: After adding splits, I watch for the temporary dip and then the rise. If the rise is aggressive, I can respond sooner rather than waiting for a stove-top thermometer to catch up.

The thermometer has a way of smoothing out guesswork. Instead of peeking at the firebox and trying to judge by eye, I’ve got a consistent reference tied to flue conditions, which is what matters for creosote and longevity.

Durability and maintenance

After a full season, the dial face still looks crisp and the numbers legible. The porcelain enamel seems to resist the micro-abrasion that turns cheaper printed faces dingy. The magnet hasn’t demagnetized or warped. Maintenance is minimal: I wipe the back with a dry rag a couple of times during the season to remove any fine soot so it sits flush on the pipe.

In the offseason, I pull it off and store it inside to avoid humidity cycles in an unconditioned space. That’s optional, but it’s a small step that should extend its life.

Limitations to keep in mind

• Single-wall only: On double-wall or insulated pipe, the reading is meaningless. Use a probe thermometer for those setups.
• Magnet dependence: If your pipe is greasy, dusty, or dimpled, adhesion can feel less positive until you clean a spot. On very hot burns near the upper limit, any magnet may feel slightly easier to slide if you bump it.
• Not a lab instrument: It’s accurate enough for safe, efficient operation, but don’t expect it to settle instantaneously or match a calibrated probe to the degree.

None of these are deal breakers for what this tool is intended to do, but it’s worth aligning expectations before you buy.

Who will benefit most

• Wood stove owners with a single-wall connector who want a simple, visual guardrail against smoldering and overfiring.
• New stove users learning the rhythm of their appliance. The zones make it easier to build good habits quickly.
• Experienced burners who want a flue reference to complement a stove-top thermometer for a more complete picture.

If you run a catalytic stove with a double-wall connector, or you’re looking to log exact flue gas temperatures, a probe kit is a better match. And if your priority is cooktop temperatures, get a dedicated stove-top unit.

Value and alternatives

There are cheaper dial thermometers out there, and a few far more expensive electronic options. This one sits in a pragmatic middle: sturdy construction, a finish that doesn’t give up after a handful of hot fires, and a magnet that holds as advertised. Paying a bit more than for a generic model makes sense to me if it means I’m not replacing a warped or flaking dial after one season. On the other end, electronics add complexity and power needs that feel out of place on a simple wood burner.

The bottom line

The Midwest Hearth chimney pipe thermometer does the straightforward job you want it to do: it sticks securely to a clean single-wall pipe, it reads consistently within the tolerance that matters for safe wood-burning, and it presents the information in a way that’s easy to act on. The clear zones encourage efficient operation and help head off creosote buildup, and the flip-up handle is a thoughtful touch for repositioning when the pipe is hot.

Recommendation: I recommend this thermometer for anyone running a wood stove with a single-wall connector who wants a durable, readable, and dependable guide to flue conditions. It won’t replace best practices like burning dry wood and keeping up with chimney maintenance, but it makes both easier by giving you a steady reference point. If you have double-wall pipe, skip it and choose a probe instead; otherwise, this is a smart, long-lived addition to a stove setup.