Convection heaters are designed with air cavities around the outside of the firebox and then a decorative outer casing. These outer casings may be tiled, heat proof glass or painted or enamelled metal sides. The air rises between the two surfaces and expands, drawing more air from below and forcing the heated air out through the top of the cavity. A new high technology clean burning wood heater can produce over 3 cubic metres of heated air per minute. This is why convection heaters are suited to conventional Australian homes with hallways and separate rooms. Safety is an important aspect of convection heaters to families with children as the double walled outer casings keep the external panels cooler.

Fan forced heaters are usually a convection style heater with a 2 or 3 speed blower fitted to increase the speed of the normal convection process and are ideal for larger homes where air movement is a priority.

Radiant heaters are those where all sides of the firebox are exposed and are ideal for large open areas where heat can travel in a straight line, such as large family rooms, showrooms or pool rooms. They provide the least expensive form of wood heaters.