A furnace for solid fuels is especially for pellets. This furnace includes a combustion chamber, a holder pan for the combustion material positioned in the combustion chamber, and a combustion material transport device located between the holder pan and a fuel container for combustion material. The combustion chamber is surrounded by a convection space, which is closed off towards the outside by a convection mantle, with a blower arranged between the ambient air and the convection space, if necessary. A flue gas blower is arranged between the combustion chamber and a flue gas line. A flue gas channel is arranged in front of at least one rear wall of the combustion chamber on the side facing away from the combustion chamber. This channel extends over at least part of a width and a height of the combustion chamber. At the upper end region of the flue gas channel, which region faces a cover plate, the combustion chamber is connected with at least one opening connecting this channel with the combustion chamber, and in the opposite end region, which region faces a base plate, it is connected with a flue gas outlet, preferably with the involvement of a flue gas blower, via at least one suction opening. A heat exchanger is arranged in the flue gas channel, with fresh air flowing through it in a manner which is countercurrent to the flow direction of a flue gas.