Catalytic Combustors - Ceramic vs Metal
Understanding the differences to help you choose the right catalyst for your wood-burning stove
Ceramic combustors make up the largest share of catalysts in the wood-burning stove market. However, metal substrate combustors are growing in popularity — and for good reason. Below is a breakdown of how the two materials compare.
Ceramic Substrate
Long the industry standard, ceramic combustors are widely available and well-understood. Their primary limitation is susceptibility to crumbling under repeated thermal stress from temperature fluctuations.
The design of a metal substrate allows for significantly thinner cell walls than ceramic, which means more surface area per inch. Greater surface area translates directly to more efficient conversion of smoke into less harmful emissions — and more usable heat returned to your home.
Key Advantages of Metal Substrate Combustors
- Reaches operating temperature faster, so your stove is working efficiently sooner
- Greater surface area produces less emissions and extracts more heat from your firewood
- Will not crumble from thermal stress or temperature fluctuations the way ceramics can
- Overall service life is comparable to ceramic combustors
While a metal combustor will not crumble, it is still possible to damage one. Direct flame impingement can destroy the active catalyst plating, and over-firing your stove can warp the substrate or frame. Always operate your stove within its rated temperature range.