Electric Fireplace Inserts

An Electric Fireplace Insert Needs an Opening and an Outlet

An electric fireplace insert puts a flame and a heater into a fireplace that no longer burns anything, or into a new opening framed for it. Nothing burns, so there is no chimney, flue or gas line to work around, and most models plug into a standard outlet. That is why they are the usual fix for a drafty masonry fireplace nobody uses.

Three Kinds of Insert, Sorted by the Opening You Have

• Electric log sets sit on the hearth of an open masonry fireplace, the way real logs would, and plug into an outlet nearby. They suit a fireplace you want to keep looking like a fireplace, screen and all. See all electric log sets.
• Plug-in fireboxes slide into an existing opening as a complete glass-fronted unit. The Dimplex 23-Inch Standard Insert is the simple case: it plugs into any household outlet.
• Built-in fireboxes go into a framed wall or a larger opening and are finished flush around the glass. Most still ship with a cord. A few, like the Dimplex Deluxe, are designed to be hardwired, with a plug kit sold separately.

Measure the Opening Before You Choose

Size decides the shortlist. Measure the width, height and depth of the opening, at the front and again at the back, because many masonry fireboxes narrow toward the back. Compare those numbers with the insert's dimensions on its product page, and leave room for the power cord to reach an outlet. If the opening is much larger than any insert, a built-in firebox in a reframed opening is usually the cleaner result.

A Blower Matters More in a Masonry Opening

Most inserts here use a fan-forced heater, which manufacturers also call a blower: the fan pushes warm air out into the room instead of letting it sit in the opening. That matters in a retrofit, because an old masonry firebox is a cold cavity that soaks up heat. On a standard 120V outlet most put out about 5,000 BTU, which is supplemental heat for one room. Some built-ins can be hardwired to 240V for up to about twice that. The flame runs with the heater off, so the fan stays quiet through the months you want the look without the warmth.

The Safer Insert Around Kids and Pets

Compared with a gas or wood insert, an electric insert is the safer choice in a home with kids and pets. Nothing burns, so there is no open flame, no smoke and no carbon monoxide, and the glass stays far cooler than the glass on a gas fireplace. The one part that does get hot is the heater outlet and the trim around it, so keep small hands, pet beds and curtains out of the path of the warm air.

Check the Clearance Above the Insert

Most electric inserts can sit close to combustible material on the sides and bottom, but many set a minimum distance to a mantel, shelf or TV above them, because that is where the warm air goes. The figure varies by model and is in the manual. If a TV is going above, choose an insert at least as wide as the screen and see our fireplaces to install under a TV for the clearance rules.

Realistic Flame and Installation Guides

For a closer look at how the most lifelike models make their flame, see our Most Realistic Electric Fireplace Inserts guide. For a step-by-step walkthrough with video, see our Electric Fireplace Insert Installation Guide. Still choosing a fuel? The Gas vs. Electric Fireplace Inserts guide compares the two head to head.

Explore Related Fireplace Styles

Looking for something else? Browse related collections:

• Electric Fireplaces to compare every electric style
• Built-in Electric Fireplaces for a new framed wall, including linear models
• Water Vapor Fireplace Inserts for a mist-based flame instead of LED
• Fireplace Inserts for Existing Fireplaces to compare every fuel type