Century FW2900 vs Drolet Escape 1800: The Best Alternative (2026)
Heads up: Century Heating has discontinued the FW2900 (model CB00026). The closest current equivalent is the Drolet Escape 1800, built by the same parent company (SBI) in the same Quebec factories.
Same size, same output — but current, cleaner, and better backed
The Century FW2900 and the Drolet Escape 1800 are corporate siblings: both are steel, non-catalytic wood stoves from Stove Builder International (SBI). They share the same 2.4 ft³ firebox class, the same 75,000 BTU/h maximum output, the same 20" log capacity, and the same 8-hour burn time. The differences are where it counts:
| Spec | Century FW2900 | Drolet Escape 1800 |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Discontinued | Current model |
| Firebox volume | 2.4 ft³ | 2.4 ft³ |
| Max heat output | 75,000 BTU/h | 75,000 BTU/h |
| Heating area | 1,700–2,900 ft² | 500–2,100 ft² |
| Efficiency (HHV) | 72% | 77% |
| Emissions | 2.3 g/h | 1.54 g/h |
| Max log length | 20" | 20" |
| Max burn time | 8 h | 8 h |
| Mobile home / alcove | Approved | Approved |
| Warranty | Limited 5 years | Limited Lifetime |
| Flue size | 6" | 6" |
| Price today | No longer sold by Century | $1,549 — free shipping, no sales tax |
Our recommendation
Buy the Drolet Escape 1800. It matches the FW2900 on every core heating spec, burns cleaner, runs more efficiently, and carries SBI's Limited Lifetime warranty instead of Century's 5-year coverage. Because the FW2900 is discontinued, buying remaining old stock also means a shrinking parts and support runway — the Escape 1800 is the same firebox class from the same manufacturer, fully current.
Reusing your existing setup?
Both stoves use a 6" flue, so if you're replacing an FW2900 (or planning a Century-spec install), your chimney diameter carries over. We stock everything for the swap: 6" single-wall stove pipe, double-wall connector pipe, and hearth pads. Always verify clearances against the Escape 1800's installation manual before reusing existing pipe runs.
Specifications sourced from SBI's published data for each model. Century Heating and Drolet are trademarks of Stove Builder International Inc. StoveSource is an authorized dealer of Drolet products.