Modern Flames Orion Multi 3-Sided Built-In/Wall-Mounted Electric Fireplace

One of the Most Realistic Electric Fireplaces on the Market

The Modern Flames Orion Multi is a 3-sided virtual electric fireplace, sized from 52 to 120 inches wide, and one of the most realistic electric fireplaces on the market. Its flames play on an LCD panel behind glass on the front and both ends, and Version 2 adds glowing logs molded from real split wood, a crackling fire sound, and a built-in Bluetooth speaker for music from your phone. It builds in as a 3-sided bay, a corner or a single-sided unit, or hangs on the wall with the Floating Mantel Set, which plugs into a standard outlet with no electrician and no framing. Version 2 is also approved for covered outdoor patios.

LCD Flames With Glowing Molded Logs in Front of Them

Orion V2 comes with 24 flame options: four styles, six colors each. Three are Modern Flames' flagship multi-dimensional styles, and the fourth slot can be swapped for new styles and themes through the Modern Flames+ app, so the fireplace keeps getting new looks after it is installed. An adaptive brightness sensor dims the flames in a dark room and brightens them in daylight.

In front of the screen, V2 adds a glowing log set molded from real split wood, which is why it looks so realistic up close, plus an ember bed and a downlight with ten colors and a fade mode. The logs and ember bed can hold steady, breathe slowly, or pulse in time with the fire sound or your own music.

Leave Three, Two or One Side Open, or Hang It on the Wall

The end glass is covered by removable side plates. Take both off for a 3-sided bay, one off for a corner, or leave both on for a single-sided built-in. Fully recessed, the Orion Multi needs a framed opening at least 9 inches deep; partially recessed, 2-5/8 inches.

For a wall mount, the 52, 60 and 76-inch sizes pair with the Floating Mantel Set, which encloses the unit and includes a power cord for a standard 120V outlet. The fireplace itself ships without a cord. To plug it in without the mantel set, have an electrician fit a cord using 12 or 14 gauge wire; otherwise it is hardwired. The 240V, 10,000 BTU setup is always hardwired to its own 2-pole circuit.

5,000 BTU on 120V, and Twice That Wired to 240V

The heater is a fan-forced PTC ceramic element. On a dedicated 120V circuit it draws 1,465 watts for 5,000 BTU. Wired to 240V on a 2-pole breaker, a second element comes in for 2,930 watts and 10,000 BTU, which Modern Flames rates for 400 to 800 square feet. On V2 the thermostat holds anywhere from 68 to 88°F. It is supplemental heat, not a furnace replacement.

If you only want the flame, a lockout switch behind a small panel in the viewing area disables the heater completely, which is useful on a media wall or a patio in summer.

V2 Adds the Outdoor Rating, Lit Logs and Bluetooth Sound

V1 and V2 share the same body and the same five widths. V2 changes what you see and hear: a sharper LCD with adaptive brightness, 24 flame options that grow through the Modern Flames+ app, the lit log set and active ember bed, and a sound system with three fire soundscapes (Classic, Starry Night and Stormy Night) plus Bluetooth streaming. V2 is also the only version approved for outdoor use; V1 is indoor only. V1 keeps its built-in sleep timer and pairs with the original Modern Flames app.

Best for Open-Plan Rooms and Patios Seen From More Than One Side

The Orion Multi earns its place where the fireplace is seen from several angles: a peninsula wall between the kitchen and living room, the corner of a great room, or the end of a covered outdoor room. Modern Flames designs the multi-dimensional flames to read from any angle, which is what a 3-sided unit is for. To compare it with other 3-sided electric fireplaces, start with how the flame looks from the side. If the fireplace will only ever be seen from the front, the single-sided Orion Slim does the same job in a shallower wall.

Settle the Wiring and the Patio Cover Before You Frame

Run the circuit before the wall closes. The junction box sits at the top right of the opening, and deciding between 120V and 240V later means opening the wall again. Modern Flames asks for a dedicated 15 amp circuit, with 20 amp preferred, and a dedicated 2-pole 20 amp circuit for 240V. Never run it from an extension cord or a power strip.

Outdoors, the approval has conditions. Only the built-in installation qualifies. The patio roof has to overhang by at least half its height measured from the bottom of the fireplace, so a roof 6 feet above the base needs 3 feet of overhang, and the open distance at each side follows the same 50% rule. The base has to sit at least 2 inches above the floor, and the unit should stay out of direct sun and water. An open pergola or an uncovered deck does not qualify.

Keep furniture, curtains and anything else combustible 3 feet from the front. On the 100 and 120-inch sizes, plan on two people or more to lift the front glass off and back on during installation.

Other sizes and models: browse the full Modern Flames Orion series.