Kozy Heat Gas Stoves: The Oakport 18 & Lakefield XL Reviewed
Freestanding Gas Fireplace Stoves for Sacramento-Area Homes Custom Fireside | May 2026
The Appeal of a Freestanding Gas Stove
Not every Sacramento home was built with a fireplace. And for those that were, not every room with a fireplace is the one you actually spend the most time in. This is exactly where a freestanding gas stove shines. Unlike a built-in fireplace that anchors you to a fixed wall and requires an existing chimney or chase, a direct-vent gas stove can be placed nearly anywhere in the home — bedroom, den, bonus room, sunroom — as long as there is access to an exterior wall for venting. No chimney. No existing fireplace. No major structural work.
Sacramento Advantage: Like all Kozy Heat gas appliances, these stoves use sealed direct-vent combustion — outside air in, fumes out. Zero indoor air quality impact and complete exemption from SMAQMD Spare the Air wood-burning restrictions. Enjoy your stove on any day of the year.
Key Benefits of a Gas Stove vs. a Built-In Fireplace
No existing chimney or fireplace is required — a gas stove can be installed in virtually any room near an exterior wall. It offers 360-degree visual presence, visible and attractive from all angles, unlike a recessed built-in. It gives you zone heating capability, so you can heat the room you're actually in and reduce whole-house HVAC costs. It's exempt from Spare the Air restrictions, so you can burn freely any day of the year in Sacramento. And efficiency is high — the Oakport 18 achieves up to 77.95% steady-state efficiency.
The Oakport 18 — Compact, Efficient, Surprisingly Powerful
The Oakport 18 is Kozy Heat's smaller gas stove and, in many ways, the more surprising of the two. Despite its modest footprint, it delivers impressive performance numbers: at 24,500 BTU/hr and up to 77.95% steady-state efficiency on natural gas, the Oakport 18 is one of the most efficient units in Kozy Heat's entire catalog. For a bedroom, study, home office, or cozy reading room in a Sacramento home, the Oakport 18 is close to ideal.
Its viewing area is 10-15/16" x 16-3/8". BTU input is 24,500 BTU/hr on natural gas (IPI & MV), or 24,000 BTU/hr on LP (IPI) / 24,500 BTU/hr (MV). AFUE efficiency runs 75.95% NG / 77.73% LP (IPI), with steady-state efficiency of 77.95% NG / 80.27% LP. It uses electronic IPI or Millivolt (MV) ignition, and comes standard with traditional legs, a screen front, ceramic glass, and a patented burner and log design. Control options include a touch screen, portable thermostat, wireless wall switch, or mounted thermostat. Optional extras include black glass refractory, Prairie Design overlay, Arched Prairie overlay, and a fan kit. It's certified to ANSI Z21.88 Vented Gas Heater standards, and best suited to bedrooms, studies, offices, and smaller living spaces.
The Lakefield XL — Big Heat, Big Presence
The Lakefield XL is Kozy Heat's flagship gas stove and it makes a bold statement in any room. At 40,000 BTU/hr on natural gas — a full 63% more output than the Oakport 18 — the Lakefield XL is built for larger living rooms, open-plan spaces, and homes in the cooler Sacramento foothills where heating demands are more serious. The 16" x 22" viewing area is significantly larger than the Oakport, making the flame display a genuine focal point rather than an accent.
Its viewing area is 16" x 22". BTU input is 40,000 BTU/hr on natural gas or 39,000 BTU/hr on LP. AFUE efficiency runs 70.10% NG / 70.33% LP (IPI), with steady-state efficiency of 72.17% NG / 72.82% LP. It uses electronic IPI or Millivolt (MV) ignition, and comes standard with traditional legs, a screen front, ceramic glass, a patented burner and log design, a fan kit (IPI), and a limited lifetime warranty. Optional extras include traditional brick refractory, black glass panels, and a fan kit for the MV model. It's certified to ANSI Z21.88 Vented Gas Heater standards, and best suited to large living rooms, open-plan spaces, and primary heating in high-use rooms.
Oakport 18 vs. Lakefield XL — Which Is Right for You?
On BTU output, the Oakport 18 puts out 24,500 NG while the Lakefield XL puts out 40,000 NG. On AFUE efficiency, the Oakport 18 is higher at 75.95% NG compared to the Lakefield XL's 70.10% NG. On steady-state efficiency, the Oakport 18 leads at 77.95% NG / 80.27% LP versus the Lakefield XL's 72.17% NG / 72.82% LP.
The Oakport 18 has a compact 10-15/16" x 16-3/8" viewing area, while the Lakefield XL has a large 16" x 22" viewing area. The fan kit is an optional add-on for the Oakport 18 but comes standard (IPI) on the Lakefield XL. The Oakport 18 carries a standard warranty; the Lakefield XL carries a limited lifetime warranty. Overlay options differ too: Prairie and Arched Prairie designs for the Oakport 18, versus traditional brick and black glass for the Lakefield XL.
Control options on the Oakport 18 include a touch screen, thermostat, or wireless switch; the Lakefield XL uses a remote/thermostat (IPI). The Oakport 18 is best for bedrooms, offices, and smaller rooms, while the Lakefield XL is best for living rooms and open-plan spaces. Both are off-grid capable in their MV models.
The Bottom Line
Choose the Oakport 18 if: you want the most efficient unit, you're heating a smaller or medium-sized room, you value a wide range of control options and overlay styles, or you're working with a tighter budget.
Choose the Lakefield XL if: you need serious heat output for a large room, you want the largest flame display, you prefer a unit with a lifetime warranty and standard blower included, or you're using the stove as a primary heat source in a high-traffic living space.
Custom Fireside is an authorized Kozy Heat dealer serving Sacramento and surrounding communities. Visit our showroom to see the Oakport 18 and Lakefield XL in person.
Custom Fireside — Sacramento, CA — Authorized Kozy Heat Dealer Visit our showroom — no appointment necessary. | customfireside.com
