Lopi Freedom VS Napoleon 1401 performance review

[john26]

A few weeks ago I installed a Lopi freedom in my family room 26' chimney and a Napoleon 1401 in my Kitchen 16' and started using them last Monday. I placed the Lopi in the family room because it is a lager unit, can be be set back int the fireplace further for hearth clearance and overall I liked the way the unit was built better. In fact I searched for another used Freedom up until the day I installed them. Once I started burning I was very surprised The Napoleon is much easier to start a fire in, maintain and restart from coals. It also seems to heat up much faster, longer burn times, more capable of over night burns. The window stays very clean even when dampened down for overnight burns. Only problem so far was a little back draft on a cold start, my fault cold chimney and I didn't pre heat. The Lopi on the other hand takes much longer to get a fire started and to get heat out of if it. I have to sit and baby sit it for a good while. The chimney seems to have a great draft better than the Napoleon. It takes a long time for the blower to start on the Lopi twice as long as the other. On over night burns it completely soots up the window unless I burn with the inlet damper wide open even then it still get some on it but then I usually don't have much coals left. I have found when starting on the Lopi if I place small splits or bio logs north and south with news paper and and kindling between them with a few small splits east and west stacked on top it starts a little faster. Both have fully insulated chimneys and block off plates, I am using red oak 10% to 15% moisture continent. In all the Napoleon is much simpler to operate and seems to burn hotter and longer. I will be placing stove top thermometers on them in the next few days. I wish I had 2 Napoleons the only draw back on them is they take up more hearth room.

 

[trguitar]

I had a Freedom for a few years. When you start it, do you have the bypass open, and the primary air open fully as well? I never had a problem starting mine as long as I had dry wood.

Mine liked to run very hot (like 700+). It was adequate, but I found the burn times to be quite short. On a cold day, usable heat was only about 6 hours.

 

[john26]

Yes I start with the bypass open and primary air wide open until I get good flames, I then close the bypass leaving the air control wide open the fire will sometimes wont to die out and I will have to open the bypass back up or crack the door a little to revive it. 6 hours seems about max on it where the napoleon has hot coals fan still running for 8 to 10 hours after the last reload.