A good wood stove...

...allows you to use less fuel for equal heat.
...is far quicker to set up than a regular fire.
...keeps your fire contained, and thus help prevent wild fires.
...can be set practically anywhere (with common sense).
...help you leave no trace.
...allows more even heat than a regular fire.
...can be used as a pot stand and/or hot plate.
...will not be a thing to gather around for chatting and guitar playing.
...will rub soot on all your gear unless you clean it, and I mean, really clean it after every use.
...will make your gear smell like smoke, despite how well you cleaned the stove.
...will get sticky spots if you use resinous fuel like pine cones or pine wood.

A bad wood stove will do more of the bottom bits and less from the top of the list.

And besides, most of the wood burning stoves are ridiculously expensive for what they are. Metal containers with holes in them. Some with battery powered fans (provides more heat faster, but requires batteries and pretty much adds the possibility for wood stoves to malfunction).

I agree with Canoedogs that a properly made fire is far superior to any gizmo you have, no matter how shiny or feature-laden.


-jh