What's more inviting than sitting in front of a blazing fire on a cold winter day? Unfortunately, people without a built-in fireplace don't have that comfort. Installing a fireplace isn't economical, so they're left with no natural fire. A fire pit requires you to sit outside, and the only other option is to get an electric fireplace. With one, you can get cozy and warm any time of the year. Find out which electric fireplaces are best for your home, and make your winter more comfortable than ever.
The 5 Best Electric Fireplaces Comparison
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Your Guide to Electric Fireplaces
For decades, electric fireplaces have been giving people across the U.S comfort. Over the past few years, technology has made these heating elements better than ever. They’re more realistic, versatile, and efficient than ever. It doesn’t matter what you want an electric fireplace for - there’s a model that will do everything you want it to do.
Before buying your new fireplace, there are a few things you should know about them. Namely, you should know why most people choose them. There are several benefits to having an electric fireplace. All of the following are reasons you might want this type of fireplace:
No Flame
These fireplaces don't produce an actual flame. If you have children in your home, this could be a huge benefit. There's no danger of them falling into the flame or touching a hot metal rod.
Instead of a flame, this type of fireplace uses a fan forced heat to warm a home. While you won't want children playing near the fire, the fireplace is a much safer place than a traditional one. As an added benefit, you don't need to worry about them getting injured on the poker or any other tools you have near your fireplace.
A real fireplace is also a fire hazard to your home. If an ember goes rogue, it could cause a house fire. Another danger comes from
They're Available in Various Sizes
A regular fireplace needs to be a certain size. Typically, they take up significant space in homes. Because they come out from the wall several feet, these fireplaces take up space in your living room.
When you get an electric fireplace, you have the convenience of being able to choose the best size for your home. If you don't want to take up too much space, you can choose a small one. There are recessed electric fireplaces that sit in the wall and take up almost no room whatsoever.
Some electric fireplaces are inside a cabinet. Although these take up more room, they're furniture that are often stylish and appealing. You can make your fireplace the centerpiece of the room.
Reduce Air Contaminants
Even though you might love the smell of burning wood, you're smelling toxins. When you burn wood or gas, pollutants go into the air. You could have very poor air quality if you have a wood fireplace in your home. According to the EPA, burning wood and gas releases carbon monoxide and other chemicals.
Electric fireplaces don't use any wood or gas. As a result, there are zero toxins released in your home. You and your family can breathe easier and enjoy better air quality.
Get Additional Heat
If you live in a moderate climate, you probably rely on your heater to get you through the winter. But your heater probably doesn't keep your whole home cool. And if it does, you know how hard your heater works based on your monthly energy bill.
Electric fireplaces save money by working as a supplemental heating system. Instead of heating your entire home, like a central heating system, your fireplace does zone heating. It heats the room you want to keep warm, only when you want it warm. You don't waste money or energy heating unoccupied rooms.
To save money with an electric fireplace, you can turn your thermostat to a low minimum temperature. Then, use your fireplace in the room you are using. By the end of the winter, you could save hundreds of dollars in energy bills.
Enjoy the Technology
In the span of ten years, electric fireplaces have come a long way. There are fireplaces with 3D displays that look like the real thing. If you're looking for style, there are ones that look like they belong in a five star hotel.
For ease of control, many fireplaces come with remotes. You can turn the fireplace on or off from across a room. Additionally, some options have precision temperature control. This increases your comfort and makes life better for everyone.
More Flexibility
When you buy a home with a fireplace, you have no control over where it goes. In fact, you need to design your whole room around the fireplace. If you want flexibility regarding the heating in your home, you should opt for an electric fireplace. Even if you buy a recessed option, you can position it wherever you want.
If you get cabinet-style fireplace, you can move it around your home. Try it out in several spots before you find the perfect location. With flexibility comes the ability to decorate your living room however you want.
Best Electric Fireplace Reviews
Best Low Profile Electric Fireplace
Looking for an electric fireplace that won’t take up much space? Check out this option.
With this electric fireplace, you can get serious heat output in a recessed mount.
- Multiple heat settings
- Three color options
- Can be noisy
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This fireplace gets recessed mounting in your wall. If you’re looking for a low profile option, this is it. It takes up practically no space and is easier to install than you might imagine. To install the fireplace, you make a rough frame in your wall and use the included mounting brackets to hang it. The instructions are very detailed and tell you exactly what you need to do. You have the option to hard-wire the fireplace or plug it into the wall.
Once installed, the fireplace has two heat settings. You can put it on high or low, and with either setting, the heat comes out of the vents on the upper front. When set to high, the fireplace produces enough warmth for you to be snug in your room. The fire image itself is very realistic, and you can choose from three colors. Once you choose between the orange, blue, and blue-orange flames, you can select one of five heat settings. Let your fire blaze, or keep it as embers.
Best Overall Electric Fireplace
All around, this fireplace has everything you might want your fireplace to have.
This electric fireplace has a powerful output.
- Heats 1,000 square feet
- 3D flame
- Simple appearance
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At 5,200 BTUs, this fireplace is powerful enough to keep your home warm. It provides heat to as many as 1,000 square feet. And heating up your room isn’t the only thing this fireplace does. It has a 3D flame effect that gives you realistic flames. For better control, you can adjust the color, brightness, or speed of the flame.
This fireplace uses infrared quartz heat, which keeps the humidity in your air. Unlike some heating elements, this one won’t completely dry out your home. You won’t need a humidifier to restore your air.If the product overheats, it instantly shuts off for your safety. The quartz also reduces static electricity, which is another convenient feature.
An adjustable digital thermostat makes it possible for you to dictate the temperature of your room. It’s as easy to use as the fireplace is appealing.Even when the weather warms up, you can use the fireplace without the heat.
Best Freestanding Electric Fireplace
If you don’t want to deal with the installation, this fireplace requires none.
A beautiful console with a fireplace insert, this product has a rustic feel.
- Console has storage
- Beautiful flame
- Difficult assembly
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This product is a television console that comes with a fireplace insert. As such, it’s a freestanding fireplace that goes wherever you want it. The product does require installation, and is made from laminated MDF and particleboard. With a weathered brown finish, this fireplace has a rustic look. It works with televisions that are 50” in size, or with the included insert.
The fireplace insert heats a room up to 400 square feet in size. The 23 inch insert comes with a remote control, as well as the batteries for the control. The LED lights on the display create a beautiful flame image. To clean the insert, you can wipe and dust the television with a dry cloth. It plugs into any regular outlet, so you can position the insert wherever you want.
Even when the insert is in, the console gives you multiple storage spaces. You can keep your DVDs, games, or other belongings in the console.
Most Realistic Electric Fireplace
If you want realism, that’s what you’ll get with this fireplace.
A free-standing electric fireplace, this product looks like the real thing.
- Looks real
- 40 inches tall
- Doesn’t match all decors
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Do you want an electric fireplace that looks like a real one? In addition to having a mantle, a fireplace needs a realistic fire. With this product, you get both features. It has an ivory floral trim that resembles the real deal. Made to have a traditional style, this fireplace looks great whether it's on or off.
When the fireplace is on, the heater puts out radiant heat in a 400 square foot area. You control the heat and the flame with a remote control. With it, you have the ability to control the thermostat, timer, flame, and logs. The remote comes with a child safety lock for protection.
The freestanding fireplace weighs 85 pounds total, and is just over 40 inches high and about 44 inches long. At 14 inches deep, this fireplace is one of the deepest ones available. As an added benefit, this fireplace is energy-efficient and can help you save money.
Best Electric Fireplace Insert
If you already have a cabinet or wall space for a fireplace, you might want an insert. This ranked as the best fireplace insert we could find.
A fireplace insert, this product is extremely realistic and puts out significant heat.
- Lasts for years
- 16 different pieces
- Bricks are 2d
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This insert measures about 35 inches wide and almost 27 inches tall. It’s only just under 9 inches deep, so fits in most places. Equipped with three flame settings, the insert puts out a varying intensity and brightness. It has energy saving LED technology, which is great for the environment as well as your energy bill. The insert has a three-sided brick wall look and a glass front.
Inside the fireplace, there’s a realistic resin log. It looks like the real thing, and may even fool some of your guests. An adjustable thermostat puts out enough heat to warm 400 square feet. It comes with a remote control and is easy to use. When lit, the fireplace makes a crackling noise and the faux brick looks realistic. The heating elements and other non-natural elements are hidden well. As far as inserts go, this is one of the most realistic ones available.
How We Picked
We picked out our electric fireplaces by considering all of the important details. In addition to looking at the heat output, we considered other factors. For instance, realism also matters. The ease of installation and style of the design all played a part in the decision-making process.
As always, quality also matters. No one wants to invest in a fireplace that won’t last more than one winter. With all of our picks, durability was considered. They’re all made to last. Finally, we considered safety. If a fireplace wasn’t safety tested, it didn’t belong on our list.
Why Trust Us
Growing up, I had a traditional fireplace. Although we didn't use it a lot, we used it enough to make fond memories. When we needed to thaw out, my parents would put a few logs on and let me light the fire. As the oldest child, I loved having the responsibility of lighting and stoking the fire. When I grew older and moved out, I missed being able to curl up in front of the fireplace.
Fortunately, I was able to recreate the pleasure that comes with a warm fire. On one of my first winters alone, I was able to get an electric fireplace. It was just what I needed to survive the winter, and I know now valuable it is to have one.
Conclusion
The clear winner of this is the Duraflame 3D Infrared Electric Fireplace. It puts out more heat that most other electric fireplaces, and also has a realistic appearance. Thanks to the temperature controls, you can have extreme control over how warm your home is. If you’re looking for a fireplace that works well and looks great, the Duraflame won’t disappoint.
If you’re ready to get warm this winter, you need an electric fireplace to get the job done. Have you used an electric fireplace before? If so, comment below and let us know what you like about using one.