Types of electric fireplace that are designed to be more of a permanent feature in home, such as built-in fireplaces, may need to be hard-wired into your home electrics.

However, many of these types of units can come with a plug-kit as standard that allows you to plug them into an electrical outlet instead. If not, these plug-in kits can typically be bought as an optional extra.

Powering An Electric Fireplace – Summary

When buying an electric fireplace check to see whether it can be plugged-in or needs to be hard wired. The majority of electric fireplaces will come with a power cable and plug as standard but certain types, such as built-in electric fireplaces, may need to be hard-wired.

Electric fireplaces cannot be plugged into an extension lead an so you’ll need to consider which type and model of electric fireplace will be able to reach a nearby electrical outlet in your home.

For more information about the outlet requirements for electric fireplaces see our dedicated article here.

They produce the look and ambience of a having a real fire in your home, but the flames in an electric fireplace aren’t real.

Flame Effects

The flames effects can be considered the focal point of an electric fireplace.

The flame effects in an electric fireplace are created by reflecting light off rotating mirrors, which generate the look of flickering flames.

For more information about how electric fireplaces work click here.

The realism of the flames will vary between each brand and model of electric fireplace, but in general the more expensive the fireplace the more realistic the flame effects you can typically expect to see.

The flame effects on our particular model of electric fireplace aren’t amazing but are pretty good for the low cost price we paid.

The flame effects/ember bed on our electric stove are fairly realistic for the cost of it

As you progress up the price ranges you’ll be able to find electric fireplaces that are using more and more realistic flame effects.

You’ll be able to see that an electric fireplace brand will use their own flame technology across many of their products.

Examples of this include:

Dimplex Opti-Myst / Multi-Fire / Prism

Classic Flame 3D SpectraFire Plus

Napoleon Allure

The Opti-Myst range by Dimplex produce highly realistic flame effects thanks to patented technology and the use of water vapor as smoke effects.

Highly realistic 3D flame effects can be found in electric fireplaces that utilize either the Multi-Fire flame technology by Dimplex or the 3D SpectraFire flame technology by Classic Flame.

In linear (typically wall-mounted) electric fireplace units you’ll be able to find realistic flame effects in Napoleon Allure products and Dimplex Prism products.

Electric Fireplace Flame Effects – Summary

The realism of the flame effects in an electric fireplace will vary between each brand and model.

Expect lower cost electric fireplaces to have less realism in the flame effects and for the higher priced units to display more realistic flames.

Look out for highly realistic flame technologies such as Prism, Allure and 3D SpectraFire used by popular brands such as Dimplex, Napoleon and Classic Flame respectively.