Droplet escape 1800 I vs Buck 74 insert

[gmanksu]

Looking for feedback on these two inserts. We have quotes from dealer on the Buck for $3500 installed and purchasing the drolet from menards with certified installer installing would be approx. $3000 total. Looking for pros and cons for each stove. Menaced so doesnt stock the stove but did see the Buck at the dealer. Is there $500-700 differences in them? Our house is 1600 sq. ft with finished basement, we are replacing standard open masonry heatilator firebox. We have a lot of locust and hedge wood in our area and while not burning those solely I know dealer uses the Buck in their own home. I am not familiar with Drolet but price point of $1200 for it with Menards rebate is attractive, I know we had a old Earth stove and my Uncle had a buck growing up and they both ran as hot as the bowels of hell and didn't melt. I did see our Earth Stove glow a few times though

 

[Attaboy]

Drolet have been in existence since 1875, today they are part of SBI group - Stove Builder International Inc. which also manufacture Osburn and Enerzone wood stoves as well as several other lines of prefab fireplaces, wood furnaces etc. etc. they sell stoves all over the planet. Drolet, Osburn and Enerzone have several models basically all configured around the same fire boxes. Drolet manufacture excellent stoves, one of the great pluses dealing with Drolet is you can order replacement parts directly from them, additionally they have real customer service and reps that you can actually talk to. Drolet are not exactly new to the wood stove industry and business.


http://www.sbi-international.com/en/

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[brenndatomu]

I have the baby brother to the 1800i, the 1400i. I like it, good heater. I also have a Drolet Tundra wood furnace too.
To me Drolet VS Osburn is kinda like Chevy VS Cadillac, both GM, both good vehicles, just a matter of how fancy you want. As stated, Drolet has good customer service, there have been issues on some of the earlier Tundra furnaces, but they have taken good care of everybody with problems as far as I've heard...even though some of them had improper installs.
Our local Menards has the 1800i for $1039 after rebate (at least for another ~ two hours anyways), they sometimes put 'em on sale plus rebate, gets ya closer to $900. I seen 'em for $700 once a couple years ago, was gonna buy one, but didn't, and have never seen that price since. Oh well, got a great deal on my 1400i used.
I have no experience with Buck at all.

 

[Woody Stover]

My experience is with the Buck 91, a cat stove. I would expect the 74 to have the same heavy-duty, quality construction...1/4" plate-steel box, nice latch assembly etc. The 91 had a usable ash drop...big enough at 3.5 x 5.5", with hinged lid. It was off to one side so I could skim the coals to the other side with the edge of the shovel, then sweep the ash down the hole and close the lid. Don't know if the 74 is similar?
Drolet is a "value" line, but they look alright from what I've seen at Menards. I would want to see the 1800, but maybe you can at least look at their other models to get an idea. I see they have 3/16" steel in the sides like other stoves in that class.....380# vs. 460# on the Buck. For that price, I think I would opt for the Buck, but I have no idea how either stove runs. Were the liners comparable from the two different installers? What is the layout you're heating, and how many sq.ft.? Stove in the center of the house? The Buck 91 blower was a little loud, but not too bad on low. Customer service was helpful the couple of times I talked to them.
You can use the search feature when you hover on "forums" above. Put in the stoves' names and search "title only" in this forum, and start reading!

 

[gmanksu]

Layout is typical of a 1967 built rancher large family room with fireplace which this is to replace hallway to bedrooms of family room and single door to kitchen. 1650 sq. ft upstairs and 1300 finished downstairs. Have an old Nickerson in basement

 

[Woody Stover]

Layout is typical of a 1967 built rancher large family room with fireplace which this is to replace hallway to bedrooms of family room and single door to kitchen. 1650 sq. ft upstairs and 1300 finished downstairs. Have an old Nickerson in basement

So the new stove is going upstairs?

 

[gmanksu]

Yes going in upstairs