To disseminate rice husk in rice-growing environments in Africa through the production of renewable thermal energy with less smoke for cooking, a water boiling test protocol was used to compare four fan assisted rice husk gasifier cookstoves [Rua (RRHS), Viet (VRHS), Paul Olivier 150 (PO150) and Paul Olivier 250 (PO250)] in comparison with a natural draft gasifier [(Mayon (MYN)]. Workplace emissions were compared for different cookstoves and burner types (pore and vent). Furthermore, the effect of mixing different proportions of rice husk and palm kernel shell on burning time and flame temperature was investigated. The feasibility of disseminating these cookstoves was evaluated by end-users using the controlled cooking test protocol. Fan-assisted cookstoves with vent-type burners were safer to use as they produced both lower concentrations of flue gases and particulate matter. The fan-assisted cook stoves also recorded better thermal indices. Rice husk mixed with palm kernel shell at varying proportions burned for a longer time than rice husk only, but this mixing had no effect on flame temperature. End-users preferred fan-assisted (RRHS, VRHS, PO150/PO250) gasifiers to the Mayon natural draft gasifier cookstove. Gasifier cookstove acceptability was positively correlated with five stove descriptors making them important in future fine-tuning and design. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.