Buying guide
Electric fires have come a long way from the bar heater. A good modern electric fire gives a convincing LED flame, a fuel bed that glows from within, heat at the touch of a remote and a flame you can enjoy on its own in summer. With no flue, fuel or installer to book, it is the easiest fire there is to live with.
Types of electric fire
Built into the wall
Media wall fires
Long, letterbox fires built into a stud wall, often under a TV. Our Acantha fires run from 1304mm to 2054mm wide.
Hangs on the wall
Wall mounted fires
Fix to the wall like a picture and plug in. No recess or building work, and the floor stays clear.
For a fireplace opening
Inset electric fires
Slot into an existing fireplace, often replacing an old gas fire, with spacers for different depths.
Complete fireplace
Electric fireplace suites
A surround, back panel, hearth and fire that stand flat to the wall, with no chimney needed.
The look of a log burner
Electric stoves
A freestanding stove with an LED flame and log bed. Stand it in a fireplace recess or on a hearth.
How electric fires work
An electric fire has two separate parts: the flame effect and the heater.
The flame effect on modern fires uses LEDs. Light is projected or reflected onto a screen behind the fuel bed to create moving flames, and LEDs under the fuel bed make the logs, coals or pebbles glow. Fires sold as 3D use layers of light and reflection for more depth. Most let you change the flame colour, brightness or speed, and the flame runs whether or not the heater is on.
The heater is usually a fan heater with two settings, for example 1kW and 2kW on the Acantha media wall fires and Sureflame WM-9332, or 0.9kW and 1.8kW on the other Sureflame fires and the Adam Woodhouse. A fan pushes warm air out through a grille, usually at the top or bottom of the fire. Some fires add a thermostat to hold a set temperature and a timer to switch the heat on and off; the Acantha and Sureflame fires come with a remote control that includes a 7-day timer.
How much heat will you get?
Electric fires top out at around 2kW on a standard socket. Using the usual rule of about 1kW for every 14 cubic metres of room, 2kW heats a room of about 28 cubic metres on its own, for example a 4m x 3m bedroom or study with a 2.4m ceiling. In a typical living room, an electric fire is best thought of as a focal point that tops up the central heating, taking the chill off in the evening without heating the whole house.
Running costs. An electric heater turns all the electricity it uses into heat. On 2kW, an hour uses 2kWh; on 1kW, 1kWh. Multiply by the unit rate on your bill for the cost per hour. The LED flame on its own uses a small fraction of that, so running the flame for the look is cheap. Because energy prices change, use your own tariff to work it out.
Choosing by room
- Living room. Make the fire the focal point. A media wall fire under the TV, a wide wall fire such as the 1066mm Sureflame WM-9331, or a fireplace suite with a surround all work. Expect it to top up the central heating.
- Bedroom. A compact wall fire or an electric stove. At up to 2kW it can heat a typical bedroom on its own, and running just the flame makes a soft night light.
- Kitchen diner or open plan space. A long media wall fire or a panoramic fire that can be seen from different parts of the room.
- Room with an old fireplace. An inset electric fire or an electric stove in the recess keeps the period look without a working chimney.
- Flat or rented home. Anything that plugs in: wall fires and stoves need no building work and can come with you when you move.
Controls and features worth having
Beyond the heat settings, a few features make a real difference. A remote control lets you adjust the fire from the sofa; the Acantha and Sureflame fires add a 7-day timer, so you can set the heat to come on before you get up or get home. A thermostat, as on the Ekofires 1120, holds the room at a set temperature by switching the heater on and off. Flame settings let you change the look: the Ekofires 1120 has four flame picture settings. The Sureflame WM-9332 adds dimmable downlights in its frame. For a fire you will use most evenings, a remote with a timer is the feature people value most.
How to choose an electric fire
- Where will it go? An existing fireplace suits an inset fire or a stove. A blank wall suits a wall mounted fire or a suite. A new feature wall suits a media wall fire.
- How big? Hold a template or tape to the wall. Media wall fires are often chosen to roughly match the width of the TV above; a wall fire for a bedroom can be as compact as the 660mm Sureflame WM-9334.
- Flame and fuel bed. Logs suit a cosy, traditional room; coals suit a period fireplace; pebbles and crystals suit a modern one.
- Controls. A remote with a timer is the most convenient. Some inset fires, such as the Ekofires 1060 and 1070, use switches under the hood instead.
- Power. Plug-in fires need a socket within reach of the cable. Built-in fires need the socket or connection planned before the wall is finished.
- Finish. Black glass for a crisp modern frame, grey glass for a softer look on pale walls, mirrored glass to reflect the room, or brushed steel and brass effects for a fireplace.
Our picks
For a media wall, the Acantha Aspire 125, 1304mm wide with a 3D LED flame, log fuel bed and 1kW or 2kW of heat. For a simple wall fire, the Sureflame WM-9331 at 1066mm wide in black glass, with a remote and 7-day timer. To fill an existing fireplace, the Ekofires 1060, a 16 inch LED inset fire with spacers for different depths. For a complete fireplace with no chimney, the Adam Chilton suite.
For a bedroom or small room, the Ekofires 1011 portrait wall fire with curved black glass, or the compact Sureflame WM-9334.
Electric, gas or bioethanol?
| Electric | Gas | Bioethanol | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flame | LED flame effect | Real gas flame | Real flame |
| Heat in our range | Up to 2kW | 1kW to 4.1kW for fires | Up to 3kW |
| Needs | A socket | A gas supply and a flue, or a flueless model with a vent | A room above the maker's minimum size, with ventilation |
| Fitted by | You, or an electrician for built-in wiring | A Gas Safe registered engineer | No installation, follow the safety manual |
| Upkeep | Dusting | Annual service | Refilling and cleaning the burner |
| Flame without heat | Yes | No | No |
If you rent, an electric fire is often the only option you are allowed, and it is also the one you can take with you: wall fires and stoves come down or unplug in minutes. Check your tenancy before drilling into walls, and use the existing sockets rather than adding wiring.
Electric is the right answer for flats, rented homes, bedrooms and any room without a flue, and for anyone who wants the look of a fire all year. If you need serious heat, a gas fire or log burner gives more.
Fitting and safety
Most electric fires are simple to fit. Wall mounted fires hang on a bracket fixed to the wall; inset fires slot into an opening; suites stand flat to the wall and are fixed back for stability. Built-in media wall fires go into a stud frame built to the cut-out sizes in the manual.
- Power. Plug fires straight into a wall socket rather than an extension lead. If you want a built-in fire wired to a fused spur, or need a new circuit, use a qualified electrician; some electrical work must be notified under Part P of the Building Regulations in England, which a registered electrician handles.
- Clearances. Keep the heater outlet clear, follow the manual's distances to a TV, shelf or mantel above, and never cover the fire.
- Old fireplaces. If you are replacing a gas fire, have a Gas Safe engineer cap off the supply first. An unused chimney should be capped and ventilated to stop damp and draughts.
- No carbon monoxide. Electric fires burn nothing, so they produce no fumes.
Looking after an electric fire
There is almost nothing to do. Switch off and let the fire cool before cleaning. Wipe glass with a soft cloth and a non-abrasive cleaner, dust the heater grille so it can draw air, and keep fluff and pet hair away from the vents. If the heater cuts out, it is usually the safety cut-out responding to a blocked outlet: switch off, let it cool, clear the obstruction and try again. LED flame effects do not need bulbs changing the way older fires did.
Common questions
Do electric fires give out real heat?
Yes. Our electric fires have fan heaters, usually with two settings up to about 2kW, enough to heat a small room on its own or top up central heating in a larger one.
How much does an electric fire cost to run?
Multiply the heat setting in kW by the hours used and your electricity unit rate. On 2kW, an hour uses 2kWh. The flame on its own uses much less.
Can I use the flame without the heat?
On most of them, yes: the LED flame can run without the heater. Check the listing or the manual for your model.
Do electric fires need a chimney?
No. They need no chimney, flue or ventilation, only a socket or electrical connection.
What is a media wall fire?
A long, built-in electric fire designed to sit flush in a stud wall, often with a TV above and alcoves either side.
Can I put a TV above an electric fire?
Many people do. Follow the fire's manual for the clearance to anything above it and keep the heater outlet clear.
Do I need an electrician to fit an electric fire?
Not for plug-in fires. If a built-in fire is to be hard wired or needs a new socket or circuit, use a qualified electrician.
Are electric fires safe?
Yes, when used as the manual instructs. They burn nothing, so produce no carbon monoxide, and have safety cut-outs on the heater.
What is the best electric fire for a bedroom?
A compact wall fire such as the 660mm Sureflame WM-9334 or the portrait Ekofires 1011, or an electric stove. Up to 2kW suits most bedrooms.
Can I replace my gas fire with an electric fire?
Yes. Have a Gas Safe engineer cap the gas supply, then fit an inset electric fire to suit the opening.
Do electric fires need servicing?
No annual service is needed. Keep the glass clean, the vents free of dust and the heater outlet clear.
Choose your electric fire
Compare sizes, heat settings and controls on each listing.