An electric fireplace won’t be for everyone. There are some downsides to an electric fireplace but there are a few things you can do to ensure that these downsides are less of an issue.

• The flames aren’t real, and some electric fireplaces provide more convincing and realistic flame effects than others. Look to buy an electric fireplace from a reputable brand with good flame technology and you’ll love the look of the fires.

• Electric fireplaces typically don’t make any traditional fireplace sounds, but you can buy optional sound systems to go with your electric fireplace to make the crackling noises of a real fire. You can also look to buy an electric fireplace with a sound system already integrated.

• Some electric fireplaces can be noisy due the sounds made by the blower in the heater. If you want to have a very quiet fireplace then look to get one that has an infrared heater built-in rather than a fan heater. Infrared heaters don’t have any moving parts and so can make much less noise
• Electric fireplaces are totally worth it. There are so many different options to choose from and have much more flexibility when it comes to designing one into the look of your home compared to other types of fireplaces.

We love our electric fireplace and, because the flames can be used without the heater being on, we use it all year round. We’re also looking to find other types of electric fireplace that we can integrate into our home, as they can also double up as a space heater.

For inspiration see our complete buying guides for the different types of electric fireplaces below.