Im torn, Buck 74 or Napoleon 1400PL

[weezer4117]

i have narrowed my search down to two stoves Buck 74 and Napoleon 1400OPL. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO! it seems like the Buck is built heavier but the Napoleon is more in my price range. Decisions decisions......... advice??????

 

[BrowningBAR]

i have narrowed my search down to two stoves Buck 74 and Napoleon 1400OPL. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO! it seems like the Buck is built heavier but the Napoleon is more in my price range. Decisions decisions......... advice??????

The Buck 74 is a much larger stove. 2.6 cu ft vs. 1.7 cu ft fire box.

I would go with the stove that has over a 2 cu ft fire box. Longer burn times, easier overnight burns.

Unless you have a small home, the larger stove is a better idea.

 

[weezer4117]

i have narrowed my search down to two stoves Buck 74 and Napoleon 1400OPL. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO! it seems like the Buck is built heavier but the Napoleon is more in my price range. Decisions decisions......... advice??????

The Buck 74 is a much larger stove. 2.6 cu ft vs. 1.7 cu ft fire box.

I would go with the stove that has over a 2 cu ft fire box. Longer burn times, easier overnight burns.

Unless you have a small home, the larger stove is a better idea.

BrowningBar- the napoleon's firebox is 2.25 cu. ft. (broken link removed to http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com/Stoves/stoves_wood/Specs_1100PL_1400PL.html)

 

[fortydegnorth]

The Buck seems to be about 10% more efficient, bigger fire box, same size flue. I'd buy what you can afford and like the looks of best. Can't do any good to have a stove that was out of your budget.

 

[BrowningBAR]

i have narrowed my search down to two stoves Buck 74 and Napoleon 1400OPL. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO! it seems like the Buck is built heavier but the Napoleon is more in my price range. Decisions decisions......... advice??????

The Buck 74 is a much larger stove. 2.6 cu ft vs. 1.7 cu ft fire box.

I would go with the stove that has over a 2 cu ft fire box. Longer burn times, easier overnight burns.

Unless you have a small home, the larger stove is a better idea.

BrowningBar- the napoleon's firebox is 2.25 cu. ft. (broken link removed to http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com/Stoves/stoves_wood/Specs_1100PL_1400PL.html)

Ah, when you first click on the page in brings up the specs for the 1000PL. Either way, the Buck is a larger stove. Also, the buck has more mass and will retain heat longer. If you can afford it, the buck seems like the better stove. If you can not afford the additional cast, the Napoleon would still be a capable heater. I am always a fan of over sizing, though.

Additionally, you have made no mention of the size of your home, the layout, and the insulation of the home. These are all important factors.

 

[WhitePine]

I noticed that the Buck stove has an EPA rating of 40,900 BTU. Napoleon does not seem to provide the EPA ratings, preferring instead to provide their own "realistic" ratings. However, they seem to be required to label the stove according to the EPA method. The EPA tag that came with our 1400 rated the heat output as 11,500 to 33,600 BTU/HR. I was more than a little ticked when I realized that Napoleon had deliberately left this detail out of their promotional literature, which says the stove puts out 70,000 BTU.

I imagine the Buck 40,900 EPA BTU rating is the top number of a similar EPA range.

I prefer the look of our Napoleon to that of the Buck, which we looked at locally. I don't remember if the Buck was steel or cast iron. If it is cast iron, that would probably tip it in Buck's favor in my view, knowing what I now know about steel stoves.

I suggest trying to get a hold of a manual for the Buck stove. You might be able to find one on line. I find reading a manual can be instructive and often helps with decision making.

 

[cityhick]

I have the buck 74.....I dont know anything about the napolean.......I do really like our Buck and have had no issues with it. Not trying to steer you towards the Buck just thought you would like to hear from someone that has one.

 

[weezer4117]

I have the buck 74.....I dont know anything about the napolean.......I do really like our Buck and have had no issues with it. Not trying to steer you towards the Buck just thought you would like to hear from someone that has one.

how many sq ft are you using it to heat?

 

[cityhick]

We use it to heat a little under a 1000 sf it could do more easily if our house had a different layout. We have it as an insert in a fireplace that is at the very back of the house that is an addition along with an upstairs with two bedrooms. It gets very toasty in this area of the house where we spend most of our time. There is three turns and a hallway to get to the front part of the house.and getting the heat there is not something i am very worried about. The heat runs in the section of the house with the stove are closed both upstairs and down and half the time a window is cracked. Im surrounded by women(wife two little girls 2 and 4 a sister in law and a mother in law next door) none of them ever complain about being cold. That might be the only thing they dont complain about. This area of our house gets pretty crowded in the winter......have a couple of dogs too. I saw that you had/have a fisher insert as I also did too. The Buck stove uses half the wood I used in my fisher and puts out just as much if not more heat. I still have my fisher and love it, but I think the Buck with the secondary burn tubes and the blower and the glass door is pretty slick too. Once again im not trying to steer you towards the buck I just wanted to let you know I have nothing but positive to sayabout it. Hope this helps......Mike

 

[buckstove]

First year with my Buck and I'm really pleased it does everything we need it to do nobody complains about being cold right around 1900 sf house.

 

[JeffT]

I have a friend that has the same stove(buck 74).If I remember correct it will take an 18'' split n/s without a problem.In my book that's a plus.

 

[weezer4117]

Welllll after reading hours of reviews and shopping for a stove, I am going with a Buck 74. A few things that helped make my decision: The Buck when compared to Napoleon is better/heavier built. The entire firebox on the Buck is 1/4", the Napoleon is 1/4" on the top and bottom. I read several reviews on how hard it was to deal with Napoleon, hard to get responses. To me that is important to have reps to help with questions and so on. And one of the bigger influences is that Buck is manufactured rite here in the US! I should get the stove next week, pics and my review will follow.