We tested 23 electric fireplace heaters in our Lab in Des Moines, Iowa, and evaluated them on ease of assembly, heating performance, design, safety, and value. The winner was the Costway 20-inch Freestanding Electric Fireplace because it provides powerful heat, includes several safety features, and has realistic-looking “flames” you can view from three sides. Here are the best fireplace heaters we tested. If space is an issue, you won’t have to store this heater in the winter. The flame feature works independently from the heat, so you can use the fireplace in the summer for a bit of ambiance, no matter how hot it is outside. The heater has windows on three sides for ample viewing of the fire. And, during testing, we noted that the movement and color of the flames looked pretty realistic. The fireplace features a simple control panel, with a knob to adjust the heat, an on/off switch for the heater, and an on/off switch for the unit (flames only). We didn’t notice much of a difference between the heat settings, and the unit lacks a remote control. But overall, we think this is a relatively affordable option for anyone who wants to add a cozy fireplace to their home, with little effort. Price at time of publish: $146 You can enjoy the flames without the heat, which is always a nice feature. And the fire appears pretty genuine, as our tester noted: “The color of the flames and the embedding of the flames in the fake log is fairly realistic. You can see the red flames inside the grill underneath, which also adds to the realism of the unit.” However, the Turbro doesn’t have windows on the sides, so you can only view the “flames” from the front. We believe this heater is good for small spaces due to its small size, weight, and heating abilities. At 13 pounds, it’s also lightweight enough that you could move it around the room as needed. We felt the heat from as far as 5 feet away, but it was more noticeable at 4. This unit does not come with a remote, but it does feature a dial to adjust the heating power, and two on/off switches: one for the unit itself and another for the heat. This fireplace heater is also CSA certified. Note that there is no tip-over shutoff, and it’s small and lightweight, so make sure it’s not in a high-traffic area. Price at time of publish: $90 The Callaway Grand Electric Fireplace is well worth the splurge if you are looking to add a classic fireplace and mantel to your living space without having to worry about a chimney. It’s definitely more of an investment in money and space than a small electric stove, but your family could gather around the “fire” and decorate the mantel and space above it for years to come. We also like that it is available in white or chestnut oak to match your decor. The mantel doesn’t support a TV, but it can support up to 30 pounds of decor. It took two of us around an hour and a half to assemble the fireplace, but this seems reasonable, given it is a sturdy and heavy piece of furniture. However, we found the instructions easy to follow. As our tester noted, “All of the cabinet pieces were labeled with a number, and the instructions showed the part number in the graphics, which was very helpful in doing the assembly.” After assembly, you simply have to plug the fireplace in—make sure wherever you set it up is close to an outlet. This is an infrared fireplace, so it heats up the objects and people in the room—not the air. When we tested the heating performance, we felt warm above the level of the heat box up to 3-and-a-half feet away but most powerfully at 3 feet away. Although there are six settings ranging from 72-99 degrees, we didn’t notice much of a difference between them. We like that this fireplace comes with a remote to control all the settings, with no control panel on the unit to take away from the authentic look. Safety features include CSA certification, but the unit does lack tip-over shutoff or overheat protection. However, this is a sturdy piece of furniture that should not tip over easily, and it comes with a wall anchor kit to secure it. It also features a timer so you can program it to shut off after a period of time. Price at time of publish: $1,316 Since this is an infrared heater, it heats the people and objects in the room instead of the air. We confirmed this when testing this heater: We didn’t record any change in the temperature of the room. But our tester noted that the heater did a good job of heating on all settings. The heater also comes with a remote to change those settings, although we found the instructions unclear. This UL-tested heater has several safety features, including overheating protection on the plug, and a programmable automatic shutoff timer. Also, while testing, we noticed that the top and the sides of the heater did not get hot. The grill, however, did get quite hot, so you should keep this in mind when considering placement. Price at time of publish: $250 With no assembly needed, this small heater has many of the same features as the bigger freestanding fireplaces in this roundup, and in some cases, even more. It has two heat settings (high and low), and you can view the flames without the heat. We were surprised by how quickly this heater started warming up the room, and we loved the temperature-regulating feature. Once the heater warmed the room to the set temperature on the dial, the heater would shut off, and once it cooled down below it, it would turn back on again. Safety features include a cool-touch exterior and a tip-over shutoff, which we found worked before we even knocked the heater completely over. The instruction manual notes that the cord is both UL- and ETL-compliant (but we didn’t see this information on the cord). Price at time of publish: $47 Although it’s not the easiest unit in this roundup to assemble, it took two of us less than an hour, and we found the illustrated directions easy to follow. The only assembly glitch our tester found was getting the top of the cabinet to fit onto the base, and they fixed that by loosening some screws. Once assembled, we found it easy to use the settings located on the firebox panel, as well as on the remote. In fact, we noted that the remote worked up to 25 feet away. And although this fireplace doesn’t have an overheat shutoff feature, you can set a timer so the heater turns off after up to 9 hours. While this fireplace stands out for its authentic look and flame display, it’s not the best option to heat your space. It can be used with or without heat, and although the heat can be felt up to 11 feet away, we didn’t feel it to be as powerful as we’d hoped. However, if you want to add a fireplace to your home without the hassle of installing a chimney and hearth, this a beautiful option that looks custom-made. Price at time of publish: $809 Aside from being a stylish and practical piece of furniture, this unit features a very effective heater. While testing, we were surprised at how strong the heat felt—we could feel its warmth more than 7 feet away. However, the fireplace has only one heat setting and lacks a remote. Although the controls on the unit are simple to use, we would prefer that the fireplace take a cue from the TV it supports: letting you relax on the couch without having to get up to change the settings. We do like the multicolor flames, and that you can view them without the heat. Price at time of publish: $435 With a relatively small footprint, this unit is black and made of steel, and although it doesn’t feature a tip-over shutoff, we couldn’t imagine it being knocked over easily. We found the control dials easy to use and operate, although we would prefer that the unit came with a remote. Also, even though this seems like a straightforward, freestanding unit, like a few of the smaller ones we examined, it was relatively complicated to put together, taking us 37 minutes. We had a hard time assembling the plastic stovepipe in particular and found the instructions to be unclear. Price at time of publish: $754 We don’t recommend this fireplace if you are looking for a powerful heater for a large room—farther than 3 feet away, we felt no heat. But if you love the look of a traditional stone fireplace and want to enjoy the ambiance of the flames year-round, this is a great choice. Plus, it has a wood mantel that is perfect for displaying seasonal decor or other small items. It comes with a remote and is CSA certified. This unit doesn’t offer automatic tip-over shutoff, but since it’s so sturdy, we believe it would be hard to knock over. Price at time of publish: $782 Although we haven’t tested this electric fireplace in our Lab, we’ve noted that it is easy to install and looks great. We also like that it is available in four styles: White Frame, Black Frame, Mirror Glass Panel, and Stainless Steel. You can activate the flames without turning the heater when you just want to add ambiance. The one major drawback is although you can adjust the brightness, this fireplace doesn’t produce multicolor flames (although most products in this roundup don’t). But it’s a great option if you like a modern aesthetic and want to utilize wall space. Price at time of publish: $230 Aside from ambiance, electric fireplace heaters should add supplemental heating to your space, so we also evaluated each unit on its heating performance. With an IR thermometer, we recorded the temperatures of the room, the tester, the grill, the glass, and other surfaces of the fireplace after different time intervals. We ran through each heating setting and noted if there was a difference in temperature between them. We then used a decibel meter to measure the fireplace’s noise output at its highest setting to determine if they operated quietly or were noisy and distracted from the ambiance. Last, we evaluated the value of each unit, considering the price, features, and design.
What to Look For in an Electric Fireplace Heater
Heating Capacity
While electric fireplace heaters shouldn’t be your primary source of heat, they can provide an impressive amount of supplementary heat in your home. If you want to use your fireplace heater to warm part of your house, consider its recommended heating capacity. Most units clearly state what size room they’re designed to be placed in.
Style
Fireplace heaters come in a wide variety of styles, from sleek, modern, wall-mounted units to rustic, wood stove-inspired models. As you shop, consider your decor and how the heater may fit into the room. For instance, our best splurge option, the Real Flame Callaway Grand Electric Fireplace, is designed to look like a real fireplace along with having a functional mantel for decorating. The Walker Edison Glenwood Highboy Fireplace TV Stand can support a TV and has ample room for storage.
Safety Features
Electric heaters are a common cause of house fires, which is why it’s important to find a product that has built-in safety features. Look for a model that automatically shuts off if it overheats. If you have young children or pets, you may want a product that stays cool to the touch. Also, be sure to look for labels indicating that the unit has been tested by recognized agencies such as UL, ETL, or CSA. Never use an extension cord with an electric heater—choose a model with a long power cord if proximity to an outlet is an issue.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Jenica Currie is the Associate Commerce Editor for outdoor, gardening, and home improvement at The Spruce. She has tested products at home and in the Lab, including combination fan heaters, outdoor solar lights, garden hoses, and snow shovels. She researched dozens of top-rated electric fireplace heaters and used our test results to compile this roundup.
