Having the best electric fireplace makes the home warm and cozy during the bitterly cold winter months. So be ready and get your fireplace installed before winter comes!
A classical wood or a more modern gas fireplace isn’t the thing that you might be wanting to have at home nowadays. While they make your room very atmospheric and authentic, they aren’t the most convenient and cost-effective options.
What could you do? Buy an electric fireplace, of course! And you would surely want to find the best electric fireplace out there!
But finding the best electric fireplace isn’t easy. And with that in mind, we are going to give you a little helping hand by explaining their benefits and also reviewing 12 great electric fireplaces! So let’s go!
Table of Contents
The 10 Best Electric Fireplaces
| Fireplace Image | Electric Fireplace | Installation Type | Room Coverage | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Touchstone Sideline 50" Fireplace | Wall Mount | 400 square feet | See Price |
 | PuraFlame Alice 48" Fireplace | Wall Mount | 400 square feet | See Price |
 | Duraflame DFI-5010-01 Infrared Quartz Fireplace | Freestanding | 1,000 square feet | See Price |
 | Altra Furniture Ameriwood Home Chicago Fireplace | Freestanding | 400 square feet | See Price |
 | PuraFlame 30" Western Electric Fireplace Insert | Fireplace Insert | 400 square feet | See Price |
 | R.W.FLAME 50" Recessed Electric Fireplace | Wall Mount | 400 square feet | See Price |
 | Southern Enterprises Calvert Carved Fireplace | Freestanding | 400 square feet | See Price |
 | PuraFlame Alice 68" Electric Fireplace | Wall Mount | 400 square feet | See Price |
 | Southern Enterprises Claremont Convertible Media Electric Fireplace | Freestanding | 400 square feet | See Price |
 | SEI Southern Enterprises Tennyson Electric Fireplace | Freestanding | 400 square feet | See Price |
Electric Fireplace vs Gas Fireplace
Apart from the classical wood fireplace, nowadays, you can also buy an electric or a gas fireplace. Both of those fireplace types have their benefits and disadvantages, but electric fireplaces will be far more superior for most of the people.
Firstly, gas fireplaces are powered by gas and thus require a gas line in your house. If you do not have one, you would need to spend a good amount of money to set it up. No need to do that with an electric fireplace since it will operate on electricity.
Secondly, choosing the right spot for setup is much more important with a gas fireplace. That’s because you will need to make sure that it is ventilated perfectly to ensure the safety of the occupants of your house, which mostly means that you need to hire a professional to do the installation. Electric fireplaces are not so demanding in that regard because they, again, only use electricity.
A gas fireplace is also a safety hazard since it gets hot to the touch. If you have children or pets, you will need to think about safety precautions. On the other hand, electric fireplaces can display flames when the heating is off. However, even when the heating is on, they won’t be a safety hazard as they are made from materials that don’t transmit heat.
Another strong advantage of electric fireplaces is that they are ideal for those who care about air quality in the home. In fact, significantly lower pollution, as well as the much lower cost of maintenance are the main reasons people go for electric fireplaces. You don’t need to pay for gas to run an electric fireplace after all!
Safety, Maintenance and Installation
When it comes to the safety and maintenance of an electric fireplace, all you need to do is to make sure that it is installed into a dedicated circuit breaker or fuse. Otherwise, the circuit could become overloaded, creating a safety hazard. Basically, you only need to constantly make sure that your home electric network is spot-on.
As for installation, things could become a bit trickier, albeit it is much easier than with gas fireplaces. Depending on the type of electric fireplaces, installation could take from mere minutes to several hours, and even more. We offer you to dive into those intricacies a bit deeper as they can be quite crucial.
Freestanding vs Wall Mount vs Insert
Freestanding electric fireplaces offer the most convenience and also often look better than the other types. A freestanding fireplace is easily movable and can frequently serve as a TV stand due to its large top surface, unlike the other two electric fireplace types. Freestanding fireplaces are often built into exquisite cabinets making them look like classical wood fireplaces, which is why they generally have a better appearance.
A wall mount fireplace is also quite easy to install since it simply needs to be mounted on a wall, just like a TV or a painting. A wall mount electric fireplace is also very easy to move from one spot to another. However, wall mount electric fireplaces could be the least aesthetically pleasing type for you because they stick out from the wall quite a bit.
Insert electrical fireplaces resolve the sticking-out issue of wall mount fireplaces because they are designed to be installed into an existing wood or gas fireplace. However, if you do not have an old fireplace in your home, you would need to make an opening in one of your walls in order to install an insert fireplace. This kind of an electric fireplace is thereby the least convenient in terms of setup, though it will sit flush with the wall, unlike a wall mount fireplace.
So how do you know which one would be the best electric fireplace for you? It’s quite simple.
Buy a freestanding fireplace if you want a mobile unit with some space to put your TV on. Also, a freestanding electric fireplace would be very nice if you strongly care about the looks of the fireplace.
A wall mount fireplace should be considered by those who just want an easy-to-install electric fireplace and those who don’t really care about the looks.
An insert fireplace would be a perfect choice if you have an unused gas or wood fireplace in your home. Besides, such a fireplace would be nice if you want to have an electrical fireplace that sits flush with the wall.
Checklist Before Getting an Electric Fireplace
There are a couple of things you need to do or know before you go and buy the electric fireplace. Depending on which type of an electric fireplace you choose and whether or not your home has everything necessary for the installation, preparing a spot for a fireplace could cost no money or, on the contrary, cost quite a bit.
This is why it is exceptionally important to have a plan before starting your search for the best electric fireplace. So what do you need to do?
✓ Determine your budget. The very first thing you need to do before looking for the best electric fireplace is evaluating how much money you are ready to spend on an electric fireplace, as well as on its setup, if that’s necessary. Determining the budget first is important to help you save time. You will be able to only look within the price ranges you can afford, not wasting time on researching something that is out of your reach.
By the way, you should also account for the energy cost of the electric fireplace. This is pretty easy to do since manufacturers typically indicate the power consumption of their electric fireplaces.
✓ Research electric fireplaces. Invest as much time in research as you deem necessary. Until you are familiar with electric fireplaces well enough to make the final choice, don’t stop educating yourself. If you don’t understand the types of an electric fireplace, you probably won’t be able to find the best electric fireplace, ending up spending money on a product that has no use for you.
✓ Find the best electric fireplace. Finding the best electric fireplace after proper research shouldn’t be very difficult, however, you might need to spend a considerable amount of time looking for the right model. That’s one of the main reasons we picked 12 great electric fireplaces to give you a little head start.
✓ Pick a spot for the electric fireplace. Now that you know which the best electric fireplace is, you can pick the best spot for it. The right place will depend on your individual requirements, though you could just go the general way and install the fireplace in your living room.
The type of the electric fireplace also plays a role in where you could install it. For example, an insert fireplace would need to be installed into an existing fireplace. Alternatively, you would need to make an opening in one of your walls to install the fireplace, but not all walls are thick enough to securely fit an electric fireplace.
Carefully approach choosing the spot, keeping in mind the type of the electric fireplace you will be buying.
✓ See if there are any additional expenses to be made. In some cases, you might need to spend additional money on setting up the perfect spot for your electric fireplace. As a simple example, you might need to build an opening for an electric fireplace insert. Or, in case the fireplace needs to be hardwired, you might need to hire a professional to set up a new circuit breaker and wiring.
Approach this phase very carefully, especially if you are on a tight budget. Even if you find and buy the best electric fireplace, some issues that need financial investments may show itself. You won’t have the best time in this case.
✓ Go and buy the best electric fireplace. After you have taken care of all the factors that needed to be taken care of, you can purchase that best electric fireplace! Just make sure that you have taken everything into account so you don’t run into unpleasant surprises in the future.
Our Top 12 Electric Fireplace Picks
Touchstone Sideline Recessed Mounted 50-inch Electric Fireplace
As the name implies, this electric fireplace was specifically designed for mounting in recessed walls. This makes the fireplace not the best choice for everyone, though it offers a sleek appearance when installed in a wall.
Touchstone fireplace comes with two heat settings – high 1500W and low 750W – for use in cold seasons and slightly chilly weather. When it comes to the flame effects, Touchstone equipped this fireplace with a realistic flame with three color options: orange, blue, and blue-orange. Besides, this fireplace allows you to change the flame’s brightness settings.
For more immersion, this fireplace has optional faux fire log or glass crystal displaying settings. It also has a 30-minute to 7.5-hour shutoff timer.
In terms of coverage, this electric fireplace delivers heat to up 400 square feet areas.
Key features:
- 3 flame colors.
- High and low heat settings.
- 30m – 7.5h shutoff timer.
- 400 square feet of coverage.
PuraFlame Alice 48″ Recessed Electric Fireplace
PuraFlame Alice fireplace is pretty similar to Touchstone’s unit, albeit it has a couple of additional features.
This electric fireplace has 4 different flame settings: yellow-blue with low brightness, yellow with high brightness, yellow-blue with high brightness, and blue with high brightness. It also features two heat settings – high 1500W and low 750W – as well as a thermostat to maintain the room’s temperature. Lastly, PuraFlame includes a log set or crystal stones for a better ambiance.
PuraFlame Alice has a countdown timer that can be set from 30 minutes to 9 hours, after which the electric fireplace will be turned off.
Key features:
- 3 flame colors.
- High and low heat settings.
- 30m – 9h shutoff timer.
- 400 square feet of coverage.
- Adjustable 61 – 82 °F thermostat.
Duraflame DFI-5010-01 Infrared Quartz Fireplace Stove
If you are looking for an electric fireplace with the most authentic feel, then this one might be the right choice for you. That’s because it has a 3D flame effect technology that allows you to view the flame through each of the fireplace’s three windows.
Duraflame electric fireplace has pretty rich flame effect settings with 5 colors, adjustable brightness, as well as speed settings.
What’s notable about this fireplace is that it is equipped with an infrared quartz heater, which is able to heat up the air very quickly while preserving its natural humidity.
The heating temperature of this fireplace is adjusted within the 62 – 82 °F range. Duraflame electric fireplace also has a shutoff feature that turns the unit off, should its temperature rise above safe levels.
Key features:
- 5 flame colors.
- Patented 3D flame effect.
- Safety shutoff feature.
- 1000 square feet of coverage.
- 62 – 82 °F temperature range.
Altra Furniture Ameriwood Home Chicago Electric Fireplace
Altra Furniture Chicago Fireplace is one of the most functional fireplaces we reviewed. That’s because apart from displaying flames and heating the room up, it can also provide you with quite a bit of storage space and a mounting surface for your TV.
The Chicago Fireplace is equipped with 2 side cabinets where you can store your DVDs, video games, or books. The shelf above it is specifically designed to hold AV components thanks to 2 wide cable openings. And yeah, its upper flat panel accommodates up to 50” TVs.
On the other hand, the Chicago Fireplace can’t offer any flame and temperature settings. It’s just on and off. However, if you don’t really care about the colors and just want a useful electric fireplace, then Altra Furniture’s product is a perfect choice.
Key features:
- Great media capacity.
- 2 side cabinets.
- Accommodates up to 50” TVs.
- Upper media shelf.
PuraFlame 30″ Western Electric Fireplace Insert
If you wanted a smaller electric fireplace insert, then PuraFlame Western Electric 30” fireplace will be just right. Apart from being compact, it also has a number of good features to offer. If you are looking for the best electric fireplace insert, this one might be the right choice.
This electric fireplace comes with realistic resin logs, an ember bed, as well as 3 flame settings to complement the 3-sided interior for an authentic feel. The flames feature variable intensity and brightness but no color options.
When it comes to temperature control, the Western Electric Fireplace is very versatile since it is equipped with an adjustable thermostat working within the 60 – 84 °F temperature range. All in all, this electric fireplace provides heat for up to 400 square feet areas.
Key features:
- 3D interior.
- 3 flames with variable intensity and brightness.
- Adjustable 60 – 84-degree thermostat.
- 400 square feet of coverage.
R.W.FLAME 50″ Recessed Electric Fireplace
R.W.FLAME 50″ Recessed Electric Fireplace is an ideal choice for those who want a versatile electric fireplace. This is due to the abundance of the features it comes with!
This electric fireplace has 12 flame and flame bed color modes, 5 flame speeds, as well as 5 brightness levels. You could also set up the fireplace to change the flame color and brightness automatically. A feature that will be of great use for most is the 1-8 hour shutoff timer.
Most remarkably, this electric fireplace can be installed either on a tabletop, in a wall, or mounted on the wall. This will both make the initial setup convenient, as well as will allow you to easily move the fireplace around in the future.
Lastly, this fireplace has 2 heat settings and up to 400 square feet of coverage.
Key features:
- Tabletop, recessed, or wall mount installation.
- High and low heat settings.
- 12 flame colors.
- 1-8 hour shutoff timer.
- 400 square feet of coverage.
Southern Enterprises Calvert Carved Electric Fireplace
The Calvert Carved Electric Fireplace is not only very functional but also beautiful. This electric fireplace features a refined and elegant design with an ivory finish and a classic silhouette, making it a scene-changing addition to any room.
The sophisticated design aside, this electric fireplace could also satisfy those who want a functional product. The Calvert Carved Electric Fireplace allows you to adjust the flames and the logs. Apart from that, it allows you to set up the shutoff timer and its thermostat.
Interestingly, the remote control of this electric fireplace is equipped with a child safety lock. The protective glass also remains cool to the touch, ensuring the safety of your children and pets.
This fireplace is also in Espresso.
Key features:
- Elegant freestanding design.
- Countdown timer.
- Remote with a child lock.
- Adjustable 62 – 82-degree thermostat.
PuraFlame Alice 68″ Recessed Electric Fireplace
This unit is the larger version of the 48” PuraFlame Alice we reviewed a bit earlier. It is identical to the smaller model in terms of its features, but it is much bigger. If you want to basically turn one of your walls into a fireplace, then this Alice would be the right choice.
And yeah, this fireplace has the familiar 3 color and 2 brightness settings, 2 heat settings, as well as a 30-minute to 9-hour timer, just like it was in the 48” Alice fireplace.
Key features:
- 68” size.
- 3 flame colors.
- High and low heat settings.
- 30m – 9h shutoff timer.
- 400 square feet of coverage.
- Adjustable 61 – 82 °F thermostat.
Southern Enterprises Claremont Convertible Media Electric Fireplace
This electric fireplace is fairly similar to Altra Furniture Chicago we examined earlier. It is likewise equipped with two side cabinets, though it has a one-sided upper shelf for gaming consoles or DVD players. The design of this electric fireplace is also a bit different, but it can generally offer the same features as the Chicago model.
What differs the most is this unit’s functionality as a fireplace. It has such features as on/off timer, adjustable flame brightness and height, as well as adjustable temperature in the 62 – 82 °F range (in 4-degree intervals). It can also accommodate a 46-inch flat-panel TV.
So when it comes to adjustability, Southern Enterprises’ fireplace is superior to the Chicago. But if you don’t need those features, they won’t make much of a difference.
Key features:
- Two side cabinets and an upper media shelf.
- Accommodates up to 46” TVs.
- Adjustable shutoff timer.
- 62 – 82-degree thermostat.
SEI Southern Enterprises Tennyson Electric Fireplace
SEI Southern Enterprises Tennyson is quite similar to the Claremont Convertible fireplace we reviewed just before. What differs the most is its appearance, which is, as we think, a bit warmer and more welcoming thanks to the brighter color choices.
Another notable feature of the Tennyson electric fireplace is that it can accommodate truly huge flat-panel TVs. If you have got a large TV that is up to 68.25 inches overall, this fireplace will be better suitable than the other cabinet units we already reviewed. And it also has two side cabinets to accommodate your books.
As for the fireplace functionality, the Tennyson offers 4-degree-interval adjustable temperature within the 62 – 82-degree range, adjustable flame, a timer, a shutoff feature, as well as a childproof remote.
Key features:
- Supports up to 68.25” TVs.
- Two side cabinets.
- Adjustable 62 – 82 degree thermostat.
- Childproof remote.
GMHome 40″ Electric Fireplace
GMHome Electric Fireplace certainly is superior in terms of its convenience and mobility. Firstly, it is much lighter than cabinet fireplaces. Secondly, it can be installed either free-standing or wall-mounted, which makes it a suitable choice for the most of the people.
As for the flame features, you are getting 9 color options, adjustable brightness, as well as auto color cycling. Besides, this electric fireplace features 2 heat settings – high 1500W and low 750W – to deliver heat in up to 400 square feet areas, which is pretty typical for electric fireplaces. The main benefit of this electric fireplace is its suitability for the most of the people since it doesn’t require any prerequisites like an existing fireplace.
Key features:
- Freestanding or wall mounted.
- 9 flame colors.
- High and low heat settings.
- 400 square feet of coverage.
3GPlus 50″ Wall Recessed Electric Fireplace
While this electric fireplace may seem identical to the Touchstone or PuraFlame fireplaces, it is a bit different. Because its heating vents are located in the front, this unit can be either recessed or mounted on a wall. This certainly increases the degree of this fireplace’s convenience.
In terms of flame features, it is quite basic as it features 3 color changing options – blue, amber, and amber & blue – as well as a color cycling option. The familiar two heat settings and the 400 square inches of coverage are also here. And this unit also has a built-in shutoff timer, of course.
Key features:
- Either recessed or wall mounted.
- 3 flame colors.
- Shutoff timer.
- 400 square feet of coverage.
Energy saving tips for using electric fireplace
Keep the flame effect off if you don’t need it
Almost all electric fireplaces allow you to turn the flame effect off, which would allow you to save quite a bit of power in the long run. When leaving your home or when not in the room, simply turn the flame effect off.
Make use of the timer feature
The timer is an exceptionally useful feature if you want to save energy. It could allow you to leave the fireplace on to heat the room when you are out of the home. Then, it will turn off automatically once the work is done, saving your power.
Set the heat to “Low” when you don’t need to heat the air in the room
Make sure to set the heat level to “Low” if you are done heating up the air in the room. The low setting should maintain the temperature while consuming much less energy.
Turn the fireplace off when not needed
Lastly, turn the fireplace off completely when you need neither the flame nor the heating!
Summary
You now should be able to easily distinguish between the hundreds of available fireplaces. That ability will allow you to save a lot of time and will also make your search easier!
You could have already picked the best electric fireplace from the units we reviewed. If so, great, you have spent almost no time! Otherwise, don’t be afraid to spend hours and hours looking for the very best electric fireplace out there!
