Napolean vs FireplaceXtrordinair fireplaces?

[Machria]

These two fireplaces look very similar in looks and design. A shop near my office carries the FireplaceXtrordinar products, and they look really nice and seem to be built real well.

If they are not built by the same company, which is better, OR, is one better than the other in general? How are they as companies to deal with (warranty, support, parts, dealers...)....?

 

[ScotO]

I love my Napoleon NZ3000, I can't speak for the other model. One thing I will say though is Napoleon's customer service is NON-EXISTENT. Make sure, whatever brand of stove/fireplace you buy, has a good local shop with a friendly and courteous sales team. My local Napoleon dealer is a total ASS. I ended up buying mine from a place in Colorado, and that guy takes good care of me......

Some companies will deal with you straight from the factory, not Napoleon. They won't even talk to you on the damm phone!
But the fireplace is a beautiful unit. Best advice I can give is to shop around, and get lots of info on anything you may be looking at. This is a great place to do just that!

 

[Machria]

Thanks scotty. Your install is where I made the similarity check mate. I'd swear they are the same stove??? Anyway, I'm not looking, just interested in learning them, never know someday.

And I'll tell ya, companies (any and all companies, not just in the stove industry!) that make that decision to not deal with customers directly (as you stated about Napolean) is lossing tons of bussiness because of it. When I was shopping, there was a stove I was pretty set on buying, and it was in stock at an shop right down the road. I contacted the company direct with a few technical questions before I bought (nothing complicated, simple things like real life burn times...) and when I recieved the responce no sooner than 1 week later: "Sorry, we do not deal with consumers, please contact a dealer", I walked and said no thanks! That was one of the reasons I went with Woodstock, all the great feedback for support here.

I can understand them not talking prices with you, there are different markets, area's, dealers, sales that they can not control. But there is aboslutely NO REASON a company can't answer technical questions about ther products. Relying on clueless sales people in a "dealership" doing nothing but trying to sell boxes is rediculous. I am still amazed at some of the really dumb-ass stuff sales folks told me matter as factly, when I was shopping around.

 

[webby3650]

The FPX is a great unit! It has a very good EPA effieciency rating. It uses a positive pressure system to distribute heat to your home. (meaning that it pulls all it's air from outside, even the air that comes from the blower)
As I recall, the comparable Napoleon model is EPA exempt, for what ever reason. They are both stunning fireplaces. We run one on display and it is incredible.

 

[Machria]

I saw/herd that today ("postiive pressure"). I looked at it at lunch time today. Pretty cool idea, pressureize the house, so air is leaking OUT instead of in!

 

[Heatsource]

One thing I will say though is Napoleon's customer service is NON-EXISTENT. Make sure, whatever brand of stove/fireplace you buy, has a good local shop with a friendly and courteous sales team. My local Napoleon dealer is a total ASS. I ended up buying mine from a place in Colorado, and that guy takes good care of me......

Some companies will deal with you straight from the factory, not Napoleon. They won't even talk to you on the damm phone!
But the fireplace is a beautiful unit. Best advice I can give is to shop around, and get lots of info on anything you may be looking at. This is a great place to do just that!

pretty much the same w/travis ind. they dont want to talk to consumers.
a good dealer is the best bet for either unit.

 

[webby3650]

Relying on clueless sales people in a "dealership" doing nothing but trying to sell boxes is rediculous. I am still amazed at some of the really dumb-ass stuff sales folks told me matter as factly, when I was shopping around

A Hearth store shouldn't be this way! It still amazes me that more sales people don't know the product. How could they not WANT to know what they are selling?

 

[webby3650]

pretty much the same w/travis ind. they dont want to talk to consumers.
a good dealer is the best bet for either unit.

X2, you shouldn't need to talk to the manufacturer. The dealer should take care of it.

 

[Hearth Mistress]

I don't have any issues with Napoleon, or their service. I bought my Napoleon, used from a friend and while a local dealer did my install, I've called Napoleon several times and not only talked to a customer service rep but got call backs from design engineers and their installers looking for advice prior to my local guys putting it in (non standard install in old barn, my pipe runs thru the house in shrouds) their installers even consulted with my local guys to brain storm on the best way to install in my weird set up. All of which could have been avoided if I knew YOU guys where out here all along

Granted they are in Canada without a toll free number but the few times I called, they were very helpful. They won't sell you parts direct but can answer questions and make suggestions.

 

[jdp1152]

If I was building a home, I'd definitely go the positive pressure route with a remote located blower. I can't speak to Napolean, but the recent FPX insert I bought had a faulty blower control and they had a tech out three days later to replace (I contacted through my shop as the insert was only a day old). I like the folks I dealt with at this shop compared to my previous purchase, so I'll likely just go through them in the future.

 

[webby3650]

No offense, but a stove is totally different than a Zero Clearance fireplace. Very few things change with a stove, lots of things change with a fireplace. They have lots of things going on behind the scenes. Most installers should have the hang of it except for some for the clearances on the stove itself. That's what the manual is for.

 

[jdp1152]

No offense, but a stove is totally different than a Zero Clearance fireplace. Very few things change with a stove, lots of things change with a fireplace. They have lots of things going on behind the scenes. Most installers should have the hang of it except for some for the clearances on the stove itself. That's what the manual is for.

who are you addressing with this post? Seems that most people here are only addressing the customer service received.

 

[webby3650]

I don't have any issues with Napoleon, or their service. I bought my Napoleon, used from a friend and while a local dealer did my install, I've called Napoleon several times and not only talked to a customer service rep but got call backs from design engineers and their installers looking for advice prior to my local guys putting it in (non standard install in old barn, my pipe runs thru the house in shrouds) their installers even consulted with my local guys to brain storm on the best way to install in my weird set up. All of which could have been avoided if I knew YOU guys where out here all along

Granted they are in Canada without a toll free number but the few times I called, they were very helpful. They won't sell you parts direct but can answer questions and make suggestions.

 

[webby3650]

Seems that most people here are only addressing the customer service received.

Customer service wasn't the OP's original concern.

 

[Hearth Mistress]

Uh, yes it was or that's how I read the post....

.....How are they as companies to deal with (warranty, support, parts, dealers...)....?

 

[jdp1152]

likewise.

 

[FPX Dude]

JDP, history of FPX ZC's are nothing you like describe. As stated, please keep your isolated hybrid-fyre issues separate from what the original comparisons of what this thread is actually about, that being ZC's. Let's not compare a Ford Focus to a Ford F-150 just because it sez Ford...thanks!

 

[jdp1152]

My response was related to Travis Industries service response to an issue I had with one of their products. When solicited, I'll provide that information as I did regardless of what you think since to date, my dealings with one of their only distributors here has been very positive. I had an issue with a recent purchase and felt the response was quite adequate and certainly reasonable to provide said information given the original posts inquiry as to people's dealings with said company. Not even remotely sure what your issue is with anything I've stated.

 

[FPX Dude]

Don't be a hater, just stick with the issue, thanks!

 

[ddddddden]

My response was related to Travis Industries service response to an issue I had with one of their products. When solicited, I'll provide that information as I did regardless of what you think since to date, my dealings with one of their only distributors here has been very positive. I had an issue with a recent purchase and felt the response was quite adequate and certainly reasonable to provide said information given the original posts inquiry as to people's dealings with said company. Not even remotely sure what your issue is with anything I've stated.

+1
Good feedback re Travis, AFAICS.

 

[Stax]

I can't comment on the comparison between a Napoleon product and an FPX product but I can on Travis Indust. customer service. Whenever I have an issue/question regarding my unit I either call them directly over the phone or e-mail them. They usually get back to me with an appropriate response within a day. When I e-mail them, they get right back to me.

For instance...Q: When & what causes the blower on my unit to turn on?
A: 2 minutes later via e-mail...when the snap disk (located beneath firebox in lower right hand corner) reaches 120 degrees.

 

[webby3650]

who are you addressing with this post? Seems that most people here are only addressing the customer service received.

I was stressing the fact that we are talking about a very detailed install here. Just because someone has a Nap. stove that they love, doesn't really reflect a whole lot about the company. Very few things can go wrong with a stove install. These large fireplaces have a lot of working parts behind the scenes that can be a disaster if installed wrong, or if they are poorly engineered.

Others are mainly addressing customer service. You're right. But, that was only part of the question, so I decided to answer the main part of the question. It doesn't matter if a manufacturers rep comes to your house and builds a fire for you, if the fireplace is a piece of junk, you won't be happy. No matter how good the service is.

 

[Machria]

I am interested in how these companies treat there customers, AND fit, finish, quality of the build/materials, as well as quality of the design of each stove (aka how well it will perform). So it's all good!