Buying guide
If you have a fireplace and a surround you like but no longer want a gas or real fire, an inset electric fire is the quickest change. It sits in the same opening, plugs into a socket and gives you a glowing fuel bed and flame at the flick of a switch.
What is an inset electric fire?
An inset electric fire is designed to sit within a fireplace opening or recess, either fully set back into it or partly, with its fascia and trim around the opening. Unlike a gas fire, it needs no flue: the chimney behind is not used. Heat comes from a fan heater, and an LED flame plays over a coal, log or pebble fuel bed.
Our inset electric fires
| Fire | Look | Heat | Fits | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ekofires 1060 | 16 inch, moulded coal bed | 1kW or 2kW | Opening 400 to 460mm wide, 560 to 580mm high; spacers for fully inset (5 inch depth), semi inset (3 inch) or flat to wall | Switches under the hood |
| Ekofires 1070 Reflections | 16 inch, mirrored glass fascia, coal effect | Up to 2kW | Opening 400 to 460mm wide, 560 to 580mm high, or freestanding against a wall | Switches under the hood |
| Adam Colorado | Brushed steel, coal effect, LED flame | 1kW or 2kW | Recess 555mm high, 405mm wide, 108mm deep | Manual |
| Adam Helios | Brushed steel, natural pebble bed, LED glow | 1kW or 2kW | Recess 545mm high, 385mm wide, 120mm deep | Controls under the canopy |
Measuring your opening
- Width and height. Measure the opening at the front, from the hearth or base to the top. Compare with the range or recess size on each listing.
- Depth. Measure from the front of the opening to the back. The Ekofires 1060 needs 5 inches for fully inset fitting or 3 inches for semi inset, and can also stand flat to a wall with its spacer frame.
- Socket. Find where the plug will go. A socket beside the fireplace or behind the surround keeps the cable tidy.
- What is there now. If a gas fire is still fitted, it needs removing and the gas capping by a Gas Safe engineer before the electric fire goes in.
Replacing a gas fire with electric
Swapping an old gas fire for an inset electric fire is one of the most common reasons people buy one. A Gas Safe registered engineer should disconnect the gas fire and cap the supply safely. Once it is out, check the opening size again, because it may differ from what was visible behind the old fascia. The chimney is no longer needed for the fire, so many people have it capped at the top and ventilated to stop rain, draughts and damp, or fit a chimney balloon. The existing surround and hearth can usually stay; check the fire's manual for any clearances to a mantel above.
Choosing between them
For a traditional fireplace, the Ekofires 1060 with its coal bed is the most versatile, thanks to the spacer frames that adapt it to deep, shallow or flat walls. For something a little more decorative, the 1070 Reflections has a mirrored glass fascia. For a modern brushed steel look, the Adam Colorado has a coal effect and LED flame, while the Adam Helios has a calm LED glow over natural pebbles rather than a flame picture, which suits a minimal room.
Fuel beds and finishes
The four fires look quite different. The Ekofires 1060 has a traditional moulded coal bed with an LED flame, the natural choice for a period fireplace. The 1070 Reflections adds a mirrored glass fascia that reflects the room when the fire is off. The Adam Colorado pairs a coal effect with brushed steel for a modern take on a classic fire, and the Adam Helios uses real pebbles with a soft LED glow for a calm, contemporary look with no flame picture. Brushed steel suits pale stone and painted surrounds; black and mirrored finishes suit darker granite and cast iron.
Surrounds and hearths
An inset electric fire looks best framed by a surround and hearth. If you are keeping an existing fireplace, the fire simply sits in the opening. If you are starting from scratch, a fire surround with a back panel and hearth creates the opening, or a complete electric fireplace suite gives you the lot with the fire included. Because electric fires burn nothing, the hearth is for looks rather than safety, but follow the manual's clearances to a mantel shelf above.
Heat and running cost
All four give up to 2kW, enough to heat a room of about 28 cubic metres on its own using the 1kW per 14 cubic metres rule, or to top up central heating in a bigger living room. An hour on 2kW uses 2kWh; multiply by your electricity unit rate. Running just the flame or glow uses much less. Electric fires produce no fumes, so there is no carbon monoxide risk from the fire itself.
Common questions
Can I put an electric fire in an existing fireplace?
Yes. Inset electric fires are designed for it. Measure the opening and compare it with the size on each listing.
Do inset electric fires need a chimney?
No. They do not use the chimney, which can be capped and ventilated.
Can I replace my gas fire with an inset electric fire?
Yes. Have a Gas Safe engineer disconnect the gas fire and cap the supply first, then fit the electric fire in the opening.
How much heat do inset electric fires give?
Up to 2kW, enough for a room of about 28 cubic metres on its own or as a top-up in a larger room.
Do your inset electric fires have a remote?
The Ekofires 1060 and 1070 use switches under the hood, and the Adam fires have manual controls. For a remote, look at our wall mounted and media wall fires.
What is the shallowest inset electric fire?
The Adam Colorado needs a recess 108mm deep, and the Ekofires 1060 can be fitted semi inset in a 3 inch opening or flat to the wall.
Can I run the flame without heat?
Yes, on all of them.
Do I need an electrician?
No, they plug into a standard socket. Use an electrician if you want a new socket installed near the fireplace.
Fill the fireplace
Measure your opening and compare the sizes on each listing.