When looking for a wood burning stove the top two options are cast iron and steel bodied. If you are looking at high quality iron and steel stoves, and use the stove the way that the manufacturers recommend, it doesn’t really matter which one that you choose.
Cast iron stoves that are poor quality are known for cracking. Poor quality steel wood burning stoves are known for warping.
The main difference between iron wood-burning stoves and steel wood burning stoves is that a steel wood stove will heat up faster and then deliver heat throughout the room quicker. Cast iron wood burning stoves, because they are heavier tend to take longer to build up heat to distribute throughout the room.
The benefit of cast iron stoves is that the body acts like a storage radiator that will dispense heat to the room long after the fire goes out. Steel bodied stoves retain heat as well, but not for as long.
When it comes down to it, the choice between choosing a steel wood-burning stove or iron wood burning stove,
It is simply a lifestyle choice.