The characteristics of heat transfer in catalytic heat-recirculating micro-combustors were studied numerically to provide an effective thermal management method for small-scale combustion systems. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding the role of wall thermal properties in determining the stability of combustion in small-scale catalytic heat-recirculating systems. A computational fluid dynamics model was developed to solve thermal management problems involving combustion for such systems. Numerical simulations were performed to provide in-depth understanding of heat transfer characteristics and to evaluate the benefits associated with the heat-recirculating design. The optimal conditions were determined for stable and safe operation. Recommendations for the design of small-scale heat-recirculating systems were presented to satisfy the requirements of combustion and materials in terms of stability. The results indicated that the wall thermal properties of a heat-recirculating system play a significant role in its thermal uniformity and combustion stability. The choice of design for the system depends on its wall thermal conductivity. Moderate wall thermal conductivities are preferable for improving thermal uniformity and combustion stability while eliminating hot spots. Excellent thermal uniformity can be achieved by using highly conductive materials at the expense of the stability of combustion. Highly insulating materials present significant challenges in the stability of both combustion and materials. Engineering maps were finally constructed for the system in terms of both efficiency and safety.