Firewood combustion is the main renewable heating source for households in Europe and is responsible for a certain share of harmful emissions such as particle matter. Common wood combustion appliances in households are firewood stoves. Forced by stringent limits of European emission control legislations, the stove industry developed a wide variety of new pollution control technologies which can be integrated into firewood stoves. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of three emission control systems to be applied in firewood stoves which were a foam ceramic element, a catalytic active coated foam ceramic element, and a honeycomb catalyst. Combustion tests with these devices and dummies under real life operation conditions were conducted which included starting phases and stove operation in nominal and partial load. Particulate and gaseous emissions were measured, and emission conversion rates were calculated. Results showed no significant emission reduction rates for the foam ceramic element. The catalytic active coated foam ceramic element reduced the emissions considerably in nominal and partial load operation up to 32% for carbon monoxide, 61% for organic gaseous carbon, and up to 41% for particulate matter. However, emission reduction rates were rather low in the starting phase. The honeycomb catalyst showed the highest emission reduction potential of all systems in the study. The reduction rates were significant in all combustion phases and were up to 73% for carbon monoxide, 58% for organic gaseous carbon, and up to 33% for particulate matter.