Slimline Gas & Electric Fires

Buying guide

Many British houses built from the 1960s onwards have no chimney breast, just a narrow pre-cast flue in the wall and a ridge vent on the roof. A full depth fire will not fit. A slimline fire will, and it suits shallow openings in older houses too.

Do you have a pre-cast flue?

A pre-cast flue is built from interlocking concrete blocks inside the wall. Signs you have one: no chimney breast projecting into the room, a shallow fireplace opening, and a raised ridge vent or small terminal on the roof rather than a chimney stack. Pre-cast flues are shallow and narrow, so they need a fire with a shallow firebox designed for them.

If you have a brick chimney or a metal prefabricated flue of at least 5 inches, slimline fires still fit, and you can also consider full depth fires.

Slimline gas fires

All five are natural gas fires that Ekofires lists as suitable for a conventional chimney, a pre-cast flue or a prefabricated flue of at least 5 inches. The 3010, 3015 and 3020 offer a coal or pebble fuel bed; the 4010 and 4015 have a coal bed.

Slimline electric fires

If you have no gas or would rather not use the flue, a slimline inset electric fire fills the same opening with an LED flame and up to 2kW of heat, and needs only a socket.

• Ekofires 1060: 16 inch LED fire with a moulded coal bed, up to 2kW, 114mm deep, with spacer frames for fully inset, semi inset or flat-to-wall fitting.
• Ekofires 1070 Reflections: mirrored glass fascia and coal effect, up to 2kW.
• Adam Colorado: brushed steel, coal effect, 2kW, for a recess 555mm high, 405mm wide and 108mm deep.
• Adam Helios: brushed steel with a natural pebble bed and LED glow, 2kW, for a recess 545mm x 385mm x 120mm.

Why choose a slimline fire?

A slimline fire is the most adaptable kind of inset fire. Its shallow firebox fits pre-cast flues, shallow builder's openings and fireplaces where a previous fire left little depth, and it still suits brick chimneys and prefabricated flues. Because it sits closer to the front of the opening, more of the fire is on show and more heat reaches the room. The glass-fronted slimline models also give the highest efficiency of our flued gas fires. The main reason to choose a full depth fire instead is the look of a deeper fuel bed in a traditional chimney.

Fuel beds and finishes

Slimline gas fires come with coal or pebble fuel beds: the 3010, 3015 and 3020 offer both, and the 4010 and 4015 have a coal bed. On the electric side, the Ekofires 1060 has a moulded coal bed, the 1070 Reflections a mirrored glass fascia with coal effect, the Adam Colorado a coal effect in brushed steel and the Adam Helios a natural pebble bed with a soft LED glow rather than a flame picture. Brushed steel and chrome finishes suit modern surrounds; black suits stone, granite and period fireplaces.

Choosing a slimline fire

• Gas or electric. Gas gives more heat (up to 4.1kW here) but needs a Gas Safe engineer and a suitable flue. Electric needs a socket and gives up to 2kW.
• Open or glass front. For efficiency, glass: the 4010 and 4015 at 90%. For an open flame, the 3010, 3015 or 3020.
• Measure the opening. Each listing gives the opening range; most need about 540mm to 580mm high.
• Controls. Rotary, FingerSlide or remote on the gas fires; switches on the electric inset fires.

Installation

A slimline gas fire must be installed by a Gas Safe registered engineer, who checks the flue, fits the fire and commissions it. In England a carbon monoxide alarm is required in the room for a new or replacement gas fire (Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules), and the fire should be serviced every year. Where a hearth is needed, it must have a non-combustible top layer at least 12mm thick with a marked edge. Slimline electric fires fit into the opening with the spacers or fixings supplied and plug into a socket. If you are replacing a gas fire with an electric one, have a Gas Safe engineer cap off the gas supply first.