Compare US2000 vs Escape 1500
US Stove 2000 vs Drolet Escape 1500 Two budget non-cats on the EPA numbers
Both are non-catalytic steel stoves in the budget bracket. The US2000 is sold as an 89,000 BTU stove and tests at 11,565 to 34,130 BTU/hr; the Escape 1500 is sold at 65,000 BTU/h and tests at 9,800 to 52,200 BTU/hr on cordwood.
Where to buy: no retailer links on this page yet. Prices below are the makers' own figures on the date shown.
Short answer: Pick the Escape 1500 if you want the clearer spec sheet and more tested output from a similar firebox. Pick the US2000 for its low published price ($1,099.99) as a supplemental heater, and size it on 34,130 BTU/hr.
EPA Certification Side by Side
| US2000 | Escape 1500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Non-catalytic wood stove | Non-catalytic wood stove |
| Tested output (BTU/hr) | 11,565–34,130 EPAchecked 2026-10-21 | 9,800–52,200 EPAchecked 2026-10-21 |
| Efficiency (HHV) | 70% | 68% |
| Particulate | 1.6 g/hr | 2.4 g/hr |
| Carbon monoxide | 1.9 g/min | 1.7 g/min |
| Firebox | 1.63 cu ft | 1.86 cu ft |
| Test fuel | Crib Wood | Cord Wood |
Maker Claims Side by Side
| US2000 | Escape 1500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Advertised heat output | Up to 89,000 BTUs sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | 65,000 BTU/h maximum on dry cordwood sourcechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Heating area | Up to 2,000 sq ft sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | 500–1,800 sq ft sourcechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Efficiency | 70% (manual) sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | 68% HHV average; 73% LHV average; 76% optimum sourcechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Burn time | not yet verified | Up to 7 hours sourcechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Log length | 21 in sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | 18 in sourcechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Flue | not yet verified | 6 in sourcechecked 2026-10-21 |
| List price | $1,099.99 sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | not yet verified |
| Advertised ÷ tested max | 2.61× | 1.25× |
| Tested BTU/hr per advertised sq ft | 17.1 | 29.0 |
Where They Differ
The test fuel. This is the key to reading the pair. The Escape 1500 belongs to SBI’s 1.7R series, which was certified on cordwood, the split logs you actually burn. The US2000 was certified on crib wood, a stack of dimensional lumber. The rule sets a higher emissions limit for the cordwood option (2.5 g/hr against 2.0), and the two loads burn differently, so the Escape’s 52,200 BTU/hr ceiling and its 2.4 g/hr aren’t a strict like-for-like match with the US2000’s figures.
Advertised vs tested. The US2000’s 89,000 BTU headline is 2.61 times its tested maximum, the biggest gap in our database. The Escape’s 65,000 BTU/h is 1.25 times its tested maximum, the smallest gap among stoves advertised on a cordwood figure. Drolet’s FAQ explains the difference between its advertised and tested numbers plainly.
Efficiency. Close: 70% HHV for the US2000 and 68% for the Escape, both near the bottom of the non-catalytic range (median 71% across 93 listings). Drolet also prints 73% LHV and a 76% optimum figure; only the 68% is comparable with EPA listings.
Area claims. US Stove says up to 2,000 sq ft; Drolet says 500 to 1,800 sq ft. Per square foot of advertised area, the Escape’s tested output (29 BTU/hr) is about 70% higher than the US2000’s (17 BTU/hr).
Price. US Stove lists the US2000-P at $1,099.99. We haven’t verified a current Escape 1500 price; it’s sold through dealers and home centers.
Who Each One Suits
Both are simple stoves without catalysts, so there’s no combustor to replace and they forgive less-than-perfect wood better than a cat stove. They give shorter burns than the catalytic stoves in our database: Drolet says up to 7 hours.
The US2000 suits a garage, cabin or supplemental zone where price matters most and a 34,000 BTU/hr ceiling is enough. The Escape 1500 suits a small house or a main living area where you want more real output from the same kind of stove.
Common Questions
Why does the US Stove 2000 say 89,000 BTU?
US Stove’s own manual explains it: “Our advertised BTU’s are based on the first hour of operation at high burn rate burning cordwood.” The same manual gives the tested range as 11,565 to 34,150 BTU/hr. See stove BTU ratings explained.
Is the Escape 1500 dirtier because its emissions are higher?
Its 2.4 g/hr is higher than the US2000’s 1.6 g/hr, but it was tested on cordwood, where the 2020 limit is 2.5 g/hr instead of 2.0 (40 CFR 60.532). It passes, though with little margin, and the two figures come from different test fuels, so they aren’t a like-for-like comparison.
Can either heat a whole house?
A small, tight one in a mild climate, perhaps. At 35 BTU/hr per square foot (Castle’s sizing rule), the US2000’s tested maximum covers about 975 sq ft and the Escape’s about 1,490 sq ft. Use the calculator with your own heat load.
See the full stove table, the heating and fuel calculator or other comparisons.