Napoleon 9600Q Review

The 9600Q is a mid-range furnace with a cost-saving efficiency rating, ENERGY STAR® certification, and some attractive design elements and features. When you're in the market for a furnace upgrade, Napoleon gas furnaces are a good option.

This model review of the 9600Q will help you determine if this natural gas furnace is a good fit for your home and needs. We’ll cover all the important aspects of the model, including the price, features, burner and blower, efficiency, specifications, design elements, warranty details, and more. 

And to help you understand where this furnace stands in terms of what else is available, we’ll conclude by comparing it to three other Napoleon models. 

The Napoleon 9600Q in a Nutshell

Average Price (with installation): $4,500 to $5,500

Top Features

• Two-stage operation for better efficiency and performance
• Multi-speed blower is quiet and manages humidity well
• Space-saving design
• High-efficiency AFUE
• Equipped with Napoleon’s patented heat exchanger
• Great for new home constructions
• FlexFit installation options
• Dual fuel operation when paired with a heat pump
• Wi-Fi enabled
• WHISPER QUIET operation features
• Self-diagnostic control board for faster maintenance and repairs

The Bottom Line

Napoleon gas furnaces are designed to deliver reliable operation, and that means being able to survive the harshest environments—including elevations in Canada up to 1,372 meters.

The 9600Q is equipped to handle Canadian winters. It will be powerful and efficient enough to keep most homes warm while saving you on energy bills.

This is a two-stage system, so it can operate in the energy-saving low-heat mode that’s 70% of its full capacity most of the time. This also reduces operational noise. When the mercury drops, the furnace can shift into the high-heat mode to keep your home warm and comfortable. 

Thanks to the design specifications and ENERGY STAR certification, this model could even qualify for rebates, which would reduce the purchase price. Nonetheless, this furnace is relatively affordable, especially for a two-stage unit.

Something unique about the 9600Q is that the heat exchanger and blower are completely modular, which means they can be easily removed or replaced during cleaning or repairs. This feature also makes the 9600Q a great furnace for new homes because the important components can be thoroughly cleaned once construction is complete. 

In Depth Review

Napoleon 9600Q Product Specifications

• AFUE: 96 percent
• Burner type: Two-stage
• Blower type: Multi-speed ECM
• ENERGY STAR certified: Yes
• Heating input: 40,000 to 80,000 BTUs

Features Overview

One of the appealing things about Napoleon furnaces is that they're equipped with a proprietary heat exchanger. Napoleon heat exchangers have a Vortex turbulator inside them that increases the efficiency of the furnace. The turbulator works by disrupting airflow inside the heat exchanger, thereby enabling it to use as much heat as possible from the flue gasses.

Some furnaces have a condensing operation, and this means they have a secondary heat exchanger that extracts more heat and energy from the exhaust gasses. The Napoleon Vortex turbulator enables the 9600Q to perform a similar function without the need of a secondary heat exchanger. 

What's more, all Napoleon gas furnaces have WHISPER QUIET operation. The 9600Q has a fully insulated cabinet to reduce noise, and the blower motor has soft starts/stops and gradual speed changes to keep noise to a minimum.

Other Key Features

• Compact and space-saving design
• Easy maintenance
• Major components can be easily accessed or replaced
• Flexible installation applications
• Option to install the SureView burner window
• Heat exchanger tubes have wrinkle-bend design to eliminate weak spots
• Equipped with a stainless steel heat recovery coil
• Aluminized multi-port in-shot burners create a more efficient flame
• Hot surface igniter is reliable and doesn’t waste fuel
• Furnace can be converted from natural gas to propane
• Vestibule and blower compartments are sealed to reduce noise

Warranty Information

Napoleon furnaces promise reliable operation, and they say their heating systems are made with the highest-quality components. The brand backs this with a great warranty, and the coverage for the 9600Q includes a:

• 10-year parts warranty
• 10-year unit replacement warranty
• Lifetime heat exchanger warranty

You will have to register the furnace within 60 days of installation to be eligible for the full terms. And be sure to budget for installation costs—you'll void the warranty if you don’t hire a licensed HVAC professional to install the furnace.

Comparable Models by Napoleon

Model Comparison by Price: 9600Q versus 9600

The 9600 falls into the same $4,500 to $5,500 price range as the 9600Q, though it’s a slightly more sophisticated furnace, so it will fall closer to the higher end of the range.

With the extra money, you do get a more powerful variable-speed blower. That means the furnace can adjust the airflow incrementally. This feature promises even greater energy efficiency, quieter operation, better humidity management, and more even temperatures throughout the house. 

The 9600 also comes standard with Napoleon’s SureView burner window, which allows you to see the flames, and this can help when diagnosing issues. 

Finally, the 9600 gives you the option of having a germicidal UVC light that sanitizes the air and prevents the spread of pathogens. 

Model Comparison by Features: 9600Q versus 9700

The 9700 is Napoleon’s most advanced and most efficient furnace, so it is more expensive than the 9600Q and has some additional features. 

The 9700 is also a two-stage furnace—Napoleon doesn’t have a modulating model—with a more advanced variable-speed blower. It also has a slightly higher AFUE of 97 percent, meaning $0.97 of every dollar you spend on heating is converted to actual heat for your home. 

The premier model also has a longer 15-year unit replacement warranty.

Napoleon’s 9700 comes with the SureView burner window and a chemical-free sanitization system, the germicidal HomeShield UV-C furnace lamp that purifies the air. 

Beyond that, the 9700 has all the same features as the 9600Q, including quiet and reliable operation, the Vortex turbulator, and the removeable heat exchanger and blower.

Although the 9700 is a more efficient furnace with some superior design elements, it lacks ENERGY STAR certification.

Model Comparison by Tier: 9600Q versus 9500

Napoleon’s 9500 series gas furnace is a single-stage heating system. That means it’s going to be better suited for homes with lower heating demands. That could include smaller spaces like bungalows, cottages, or apartments, as well as houses in milder parts of Canada.

The 9500 has a multi-speed blower motor and a 95 percent AFUE, but no ENERGY STAR certification.

It does, however, have the WHISPER QUIET features, reliable operation, proprietary heat exchanger, Wi-Fi, Flexfit installation options, modular components, and an excellent warranty.