Can I cook on the top of my wood stove?

It is definitely possible to cook on the top of your stove. This can be very useful in case of power failure. A stove fully loaded with wood will easily reach 500 to 700 °F on top. This is sufficient to cook. The use of a pan or other cookware may scratch the paint. An option is to use a cast iron cooking grid or simply lay a piece of stainless steel on top of the stove.