"HerHusband" wrote in message

2. Smallest size to heat the available space. A larger stove may take
longer to heat up before it starts heating the space, and will take up
more
space in the room. It will also be easy to overheat the available space
with a larger stove, though the tradeoff is longer burn times. It doesn't
make much sense to produce more heat if you have to open a window to keep
the house from getting too hot...

Other factors come in here also. It is better to burn a smaller stove hot
compared to a large stove very cool. You get much less creosote that way
making it safer and less cleaning.