If you're trying to decide between traditional firewood and wood briquettes (also called wood pucks, fire logs, or hot logs) for your NZ home this winter, this page covers the actual differences in plain English — from heat output to storage, mess, cost, and which one suits your home.
The quick verdict
For most modern NZ households, wood briquettes are the better choice. They light first try, burn three times hotter than firewood, take a third of the storage space, and produce less mess. The main case for traditional firewood: lower upfront cost per cubic metre if you have the space and don't mind the prep work.
The side-by-side comparison
Heat output
Firewood: Around 9–12 GJ per tonne, depending on species and dryness.
Briquettes: Around 17–18 GJ per tonne — roughly three times the heat per kilo of typical firewood.
Moisture content
Firewood: Varies wildly. "Seasoned" firewood is often above 25%. Kiln-dried firewood drops to around 15–20%.
Briquettes: Consistently under 10%. Pressed dry, every time.
Storage
Firewood: Bulky. A winter's supply takes a covered woodshed or significant garage space.
Briquettes: Uniform blocks stack tight. A winter's supply fits in roughly 1/3 the space.
Lighting
Firewood: Depends on moisture and stacking. Damp logs are a nightmare. Even good firewood usually needs kindling.
Briquettes: First-try ignition. Stack 3–5, add a firelighter, strike a match.
Mess
Firewood: Bark splinters, dust, the occasional spider, more ash.
Briquettes: Uniform, clean to handle, minimal ash, no bark, no critters.
Chemicals and additives
Firewood: Just wood. Risk: treated timber or sap-heavy pine if you don't trust your source.
Briquettes: Just compressed pine — ours have no glues, binders, or chemicals.
Effort
Firewood: Stacking, drying, shelter, sometimes chopping. Real work.
Briquettes: Arrive ready to burn. No chopping, no stacking, no shelter.
When firewood still wins
Traditional firewood makes sense if you:
- Burn through large volumes and want the lowest per-cubic-metre cost
- Have a woodshed already set up
- Don't mind the chopping/stacking
- Prefer the look and smell of real logs
When briquettes are the right call
Wood briquettes are the better fit if you:
- Live in a town home or apartment with limited storage
- Want a fire that lights first try, every time
- Don't want to deal with chopping, stacking, or shelter
- Use a pizza oven, smoker, or BBQ alongside your wood burner
- Want a subscription that takes the thinking out of winter
What we sell at NGE
We make both. The pine comes from our own Ōtorohanga sawmill, so whether you pick traditional firewood or briquettes, you're buying from the same Waikato family business.
Bulk kiln-dried firewood — 5m³ and 8m³ loads, free delivery across the Waikato. Order bulk firewood →
Wood Fire Pucks (our briquettes) — weekly subscription, plans start at $36/week. Try the subscription →
Common questions
Can I mix firewood and briquettes in the same fire?
Yes — plenty of people do. A common pattern is to use a few briquettes to get the fire going fast, then add traditional firewood for the long burn.
Are briquettes more expensive than firewood?
Per kilo, briquettes are more expensive. Per fire, they're competitive because you use less. Per evening of warmth, they're often cheaper because the heat output is much higher.
Do briquettes burn longer than firewood?
Per kilo, yes. A typical briquette burns slow and steady for around an hour. Single firewood logs burn through faster but you can stack more.
Pick your fuel
Start a puck subscription → · Order bulk firewood →
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