Wall Mounted Electric Fires

Buying guide

A wall mounted fire is an easy way to add a fire to a room that never had one. It keeps the floor clear, sits at a height you choose and goes up in an afternoon. The main decisions are size, height and finish.

Our wall mounted fires

Choosing a wall mounted fire

• Size to the wall. A 660mm fire suits a bedroom, alcove or chimney breast; 1066mm to 1120mm suits a living room wall or a space under a TV. Tape the outline on the wall and look at it for a day.
• Portrait or landscape. The Ekofires 1011 is a portrait fire, taller than it is wide, which suits a narrow wall or a modern room.
• Finish. Black glass gives a crisp, modern frame; grey glass is softer on a pale wall; mirrored glass reflects the room when the fire is off.
• A complete look. The Sureflame WM-9332 is a wall-hung suite with its own surround and dimmable downlights, so no mantel is needed.
• Stand option. The Ekofires 1120 can hang on the wall or stand on its supplied stand.

How high to hang it

Most people hang a wall fire with the flame at roughly seated eye level, often with the bottom of the fire somewhere between low sideboard height and the height of a traditional mantel. Lower feels more like a real fireplace; higher works when there is furniture beneath. If the fire goes under a TV, leave enough space between them for both to breathe and for the clearance the fire's manual gives. Always check that the cable reaches the socket, or plan a socket behind or beside the fire.

Fitting it

Wall fires come with a bracket and fixings. Fix into a sound wall: solid masonry with suitable plugs and screws, or a stud wall with fixings into the studs or rated for the fire's weight. Check for pipes and cables before drilling. Hang the fire, plug it in, and you are done; there is no flue, vent or certificate needed. If you want the cable hidden, an electrician can fit a socket or fused spur behind or beside the fire. Some electrical work must be notified under Part P of the Building Regulations in England, which a registered electrician handles.

Finishes and flame effects

The glass front sets the character of a wall fire. Black glass, on the Sureflame WM-9331 and WM-9334, gives a crisp frame that disappears into a dark wall or contrasts with a pale one. Grey glass, on the WM-9505, is softer and suits light, neutral schemes. Mirrored glass, on the Ekofires 1110, reflects the room when the fire is off, so it reads almost like a mirror. The Ekofires 1011 has curved black glass in a portrait shape. Inside, most of our wall fires pair an LED flame with a log effect fuel bed; the WM-9332 suite has a 3D LED flame, and the Ekofires 1120 offers four flame picture settings.

Wall fire or media wall?

A wall mounted fire and a media wall fire can look similar from across the room: a long flame in a slim frame. The difference is the work. A wall fire hangs on a bracket on your existing wall and is up and running in an afternoon, and you can take it with you when you move. A media wall fire sits flush inside a purpose-built stud wall, which hides cables and creates alcoves, but takes planning and building. Choose a wall fire for speed, renting and simplicity; choose a media wall when you are redesigning the room.

Heat and running cost

Wall fires give up to 1.5kW to 2kW, which heats a small room on its own or tops up a larger one. On 1.8kW, an hour uses 1.8kWh; multiply by your unit rate for the cost. The flame effect alone uses far less, and every fire here can run its flame without heat. The Sureflame remotes include a 7-day timer, and the Ekofires 1120 has a thermostat and timer.