Anyone have Drolet Escape 1800i ???

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.

DStydo

New Member
Sep 27, 2017
20
Reidsville NC
Just curious if anyone here is running a Drolet Escape 1800i? If so, can you please share your opinion/experience? Pictures are always great!

I tried searching forums and didn't come up with much. Seems to have good reviews though.

thanks,

Drew
 
There are a lot of threads on this topic. In the search box, enter drolet 1800i and search titles only in this forum. You will get many pages of threads on this insert. It's pretty popular.
Screen Shot 2017-09-29 at 11.17.03 AM.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: brenndatomu
Got a 1400i here...but that's not what you asked about now was it?! I wished for the 1800i but alas, there was not room for it. Heck, it took some customizing to make the 1400 fit.
 
We were bouncing back and forth between 1400, 1800 and nci13. Made a cardboard cutout based on 1800 dimensions and have enough clearance. Where were you short? Happy to hear your thoughts on 1400i

Thanks,

Drew
 
We were bouncing back and forth between 1400, 1800 and nci13. Made a cardboard cutout based on 1800 dimensions and have enough clearance. Where were you short? Happy to hear your thoughts on 1400i

Thanks,

Drew
The back of the FP tapered in too quickly...hit in the corners, mainly at the top...just barely.
I like the 1400, I just wish for a larger firebox. Ideally I'd like something that a person could load north and south in...the 1400 can take 17" splits east and west...but you have to be careful stacking them in there so they don't roll out on you before closing the door...and you never know when one will roll onto the glass mid burn...usually leaving a black spot on the glass (temporarily). But with my fireplace, there is no stove that will fit in it that can take a 16-17" split north and south.
The only real gripe I have with it is the way the blower clips onto the front of it. If you spill ash out onto top of the blower housing (which is also the ember catcher plate (correct term?) there is nothing to keep the ash from creeping down the crack between the blower housing and the front of the stove...not a lot of ash...bit it doesn't take much! Now this very well may have been changed already on the newer ones or on the 1800i...
 
I hear good things about the nc13i too...seems like you can't go wrong here really
 
Thanks for sharing, brother. Now you have me worried about my fireplace dimensions and fitment!! Would you mind sharing your FP dimensions? So did you buy the 1800i and have to return it?

My fireplace is 35" wide front and 28.5" wide back @ hearth level. The lintel is 27.25" tall. At lintel height front is still 35" wide and back is 30". Not only does the back taper but the sides too. Sort of odd. Will post pic shortly.

thanks,

Drew
 
Last edited:
No, I almost bought the 1800 but decided to wait and see if my old stove would sell first...then missed the amazing sale price on the 1800 when it didn't sell in time. But a guy called and wanted it so bad he could taste it the very next day though! ;hm
Anyways, found a deal on a used 1400 that I couldn't pass up and decided it was good enough since it was almost 50% larger than the old stove...guess things worked out because even the 1400 was a tight squeeze! I think I could have made the 1800 work, but I would have had to extend my hearth and order an elbow for the liner hookup...at the very least. I don't recall the FP dimensions now...just study the dimensions that Drolet gives, and check, then double check your FP measurements.
 
Last edited:
Here it is installed. I made stand for it to sit on to make it look like a free standing stove...the extra height it what screwed with my fitment since the FP tapers in at the top.
105448-b799969804c0d3d32317619ea539d49a.jpg
 
I just installed my neighbors, have a thread on the install. Hes loving it, easy to use and pretty good size firebox i think. It will fit in your fireplace, i think our fireplace is lower then yours.
 
brenndatomu - thanks for posting that pic. My fireplace dimensions are in previous post.

cableman - I will check out your thread. Thanks for letting me know.

Drew
 
brenndatomu - thanks for posting that pic. My fireplace dimensions are in previous post.

cableman - I will check out your thread. Thanks for letting me know.

Drew
Ah yes, there they are...missed that somehow
 
My fireplace is 35" wide front and 28.5" wide back @ hearth level. The lintel is 27.25" tall. At lintel height front is still 35" wide and back is 30". Not only does the back taper but the sides too. Sort of odd. Will post pic shortly.
Sounds like a pretty standard fireplace really.
Mine is also 35" wide at the front. It is 29" high at the peak, but as you can see the stone is arched so I actually only have 22" at the sides before it starts to arch, behind the stone front it opens up into a square like yours. About 23" front to back at the bottom. Hard to give any measurements at the back with the stove installed. As far as how much it tapers in, I suspect it is very similar to yours. As I said before, if I were sitting the stove right on the fireplace floor (like normal) I would have had a little more room due to how the back wall tapers forward as it goes up...they did that to try to reflect some of the radiant heat back to the house...I think this was an idea that gets credited to a Mr. Rumsford...many (most?) people have heard of a Rumsford fireplace I believe.
 
Here's a good story for you guys.

I placed my order for the stove below in late October from Lowe's.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Drolet-2100-sq-ft-Wood-Burning-Stove-Insert/50298201

The stove was supposed to be here last Tuesday. Called up Lowes and the supplier bumped the arrival date to the 22nd with no reason??? Called again today to confirm and learned that Drolet/SBI cancelled my order!? The Lowes manager was told that Drolet escape 1800i model number had changed and I would have to place another order to get the newer version which would be about a month out. WTF?!
 
Here's a good story for you guys.

I placed my order for the stove below in late October from Lowe's.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Drolet-2100-sq-ft-Wood-Burning-Stove-Insert/50298201

The stove was supposed to be here last Tuesday. Called up Lowes and the supplier bumped the arrival date to the 22nd with no reason??? Called again today to confirm and learned that Drolet/SBI cancelled my order!? The Lowes manager was told that Drolet escape 1800i model number had changed and I would have to place another order to get the newer version which would be about a month out. WTF?!
Not coming to Northern Ohio for Thanksgiving, are you? Used one on CL local here for $800...
 
Here's a good story for you guys.

I placed my order for the stove below in late October from Lowe's.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Drolet-2100-sq-ft-Wood-Burning-Stove-Insert/50298201

The stove was supposed to be here last Tuesday. Called up Lowes and the supplier bumped the arrival date to the 22nd with no reason??? Called again today to confirm and learned that Drolet/SBI cancelled my order!? The Lowes manager was told that Drolet escape 1800i model number had changed and I would have to place another order to get the newer version which would be about a month out. WTF?!
Check out myfireplaceproducts.com. It's where I got mine, delivered right to my door. I I believe it to be SBI's retail website. Then won't have to deal with Lowe's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: brenndatomu
Thats cheap i didnt look at link!
Is that with the surround also?
They list needs faceplate to complete, 116 for a cutable one.
Just about 1300 shipped to my area so yeah 200 cheaper not bad
 
Last edited:
Thats cheap i didnt look at link!
Is that with the surround also?
They list needs faceplate to complete, 116 for a cutable one.
Just about 1300 shipped to my area so yeah 200 cheaper not bad

I bought the faceplate because I thought it was necessary, but it's not, and I don't want it. Sitting in the box it came in in the attic.

The Century version comes with it, as yooper said.