Napoleon OUT- Buck Stove IN

I tried to buy a model 74 from one dealer and was quoted $2200 plus cost of shipping for them to get it from the manufacturer. Another dealer quoted $1550 installed (fan included) plus $30 per foot for the liner. I went back the next week and was told the price had went up. The new estimate was around $2000 installed (liner included), but they needed to come out to check the chimney to determine the final price. It took them a week before they could inspect the chimney. They came out and found no problems and called it an easy install. My chimney is about 15'. Then I got the final price, $2900 for the stove installed. I was mad, but I asked the price for the stove and I would install it. That price was $2500 with liner included. I did NOT buy from them and will never visit their store again. I finally found a used Buck model 54 with fan installed in like new condition at a good price. I just received my install kit and hope to get it installed tomorrow.

I understand a store needs to make a fair profit, but this is crazy. At least the chimney inspection was free.

I got my 74 for $1699 from my local dealer. That included the trim kit and blower. I bought mine in July. He showed me a letter that said price increase were coming in the fall.

Hi, does anyone out there have a buck stove 81, what did you pay , and how do you like it. we are wanting to buy one but wantd to get your input first thanks!

Local dealer asked me $2900 installed for either a model 74 or 81. My chimney is 15' tall. Or $2500 for either, liner included, if I did the install. I didn't buy from this dealer.

I will ask my dealer if you would like his price, or I can give you their number and you can call.. The model 81 is what they use as a demo in the store, and it REALLY puts out some heat.. I can only guess from the quality of mine that the 81 is well made as well.. I think thats the largest 6" flue stove that they have.. Very nice stove..

Jason

Hi Smoky Beaver. I have a Buck 81 (insert version). Bought stove new in 2005. Paid $1529 for stove. Got a discount from the dealer as I also purchased a gas stove for my rental house at the same time. Dealer did not install- my chimney sweep and I did the installation. I have been very pleased with the stove- is a very attractive stove that burns clean and puts out a lot of heat. Only complaint I have is the blower on the fan is somewhat loud. Hope this is helpful.

Smokey Beaver: I have a Buck 81 also and we just love it. Very good quality. I posted to another thread earlier today about it and you can click on my link and read what I had to say about it so I can avoid typing pretty much the same thing all over again. lol
Click here ---> https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/28159/

Oh and I almost forgot to say that I noticed you were also in Ohio somewhere. We searched around a lot before we bought ours and found the best buy down in the Hockinghills area in the town of Logan at Kings Lumber. If you want to message me privately I will be happy to give you a name and some info that might help you out a bit.

We also just bought a Buck 74 and have been very pleased so far...it is a really well built stove with a stout top plate. My only complaint about the 74 is the firebox...the website and info has it with a 2.6 cu.ft. box, but the secondary tubes are angled and thus there seems to be a lot less than 2.6 cu.ft. The Model 81, which is advertised as having the same firebox size...appears to hold a lot more wood...This is only my observation.

Overall, the 74 burns hot and clean and looks great. We have been very pleased...I am sure I will figure out a way to get afew more splits inside for those overnighters.

My 21 is a bit smaller than your 74 (1.6ft box) and I have no troubles with overnight burns so far.. From 9pm until 7am I am still getting heat from the stove.. I can easily start a fire after 12 hours with no matches, however I am getting little to no heat from the stove.. BTW I also use an Echo 4400 saw, really well built saw..

Jason

I have found that my top plate takes a lot longer to get to temp than I would expect...but then holds the heat for a while once there. I think it is probably becuase it is significantly thicker than some of the other stoves that I looked at. So far, I have had good luck and have actually found hot red embers 18+ hours (enough for a restart) after a long burn. Keep in mind that the radiant heat from the stove was long gone by this time though...Echo CS 440 is a great saw at a very reasonable price... I love mine!

Hi EH,

We had our Buck 74 installed today, but it seems the blower is not working, unless you can't hear it at all. We have a pre-fab and we had the 74 inserted in that. When going to bed at night do you lower the air levels? Sorry for being ignorant, but I'm originally from Florida, soooo have 0 to very little fireplace experience. Any tips you can give me about starting the fire, etc.etc. I would so appreciate it. Anyone out there please chime in!

Thanks,

Renee :gulp:

Welcome, I think if you search around on this site you will find more than enough info to get you started. There are a ton of threads about firewood, fire starts, efficient burning, stove temps, etc. Do some research, this website is awesome! As far as the buck stove goes...I do not have a blower installed on my unit so I don't know what they sound like or how much air it should send. Here are some tips to get you started...use newspaper, scrap lumber and/or dry kindling to get fire going. Add larger splits and keep air wide open until your stove gets to 400-500 degrees (make sure you have a stove thermometer). Once to temp, back the air intake out. I will leave mine almost all the way out, but you will have to play with yours. If the fire dies down too much, give it more air. When you add wood, open the air some until the wood is good and charred before backing it out again. Truthfully, getting to know your stove takes some time because each set-up is different...have fun! Also....very important...make sure you are burning good, dry, and seasoned wood.

Thank You, fallsfire36

"We had ordered a Napoleon wood insert, but the manufacturer kept pushing the delivery date out farther and farther. "
OMG I had the same issue with the vendor that sold Napolean insert. They promised a date and then it slips it was back and forth. I order the stove the end of May and did not see it until September. But back in May oil and gas prices where very high and everyone like myself jumped on the band wagon and bought a stove.

I love my Napolean. My wife thinks I'm a nut because every morning when I get into work I ask hows the kids and her and she say where all fine. That when I ask is my other girl keeping everyone nice and warm. Must think of a nick name

fallsfire36 said:

We also just bought a Buck 74 and have been very pleased so far...

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Fallsfire36 I see you're in Northeastern Ohio. Who did you buy your Buck from? I live in a eastern suburb of Cleveland and I'm looking at inserts. Thanks in advance.

Keep in mind that the great price online is a double edged sword. For the 80 -90 percent crowd, it works great.
But for the other 10 -20% crowd, if you have a problem, who ya gonna call?

I was one of the smaller crowd. I would have LOVED to have someone to yell at for a while.

In the end it more or less worked out, but for a couple hundred, it would be worth it to buy local.
The funny thing is, I walked into the store where they would ONLY sell at list price when it is easily ordered for 15 percent, sometimes 20 -25 less. I offered middle ground and still got nowhere, and bought online.
You would think in these harder times people would work with ya, eh?

Just bought my 74 locally for 1360+ tax including the blower and surround (1100 stove, 125 blower, 135 surround). This was after I saw one on clearance but an extra hour away on Craiglist, it happened to be from a certified Buck dealer too. My local dealer matched the price and honored the previous price quote I had from a month earlier on the install. I had planned on buying in April, but this sale made me change my mind. PM me for info if you're in SW PA and would like to know the dealer.

For that price, I'd buy one to put in my other fireplace.

Who is selling Buck's online? I haven't seen any yet. It seems you can buy Napoleon almost anywhere.

Who is selling Bucks online? I haven't seen any yet. It seems you can buy Napoleon almost anywhere.

I don't know if Buck Stoves are sold online. Have you checked the dealer listing on their web site?