Modern Flames Redstone 30-Inch Built-in Electric Fireplace Insert (RS-3021)

A Traditional Log Fire for a 30-Inch Opening

The Modern Flames Redstone 30-Inch is a traditional electric fireplace insert for a mid-size opening. It goes in one of two ways: slide it into the wood-burning fireplace you already have and plug it in, or frame it into a wall and have it hardwired. Glowing logs sit over an acrylic crystal ember bed, the flame works with or without heat, and every light in it changes color.

It Installs as a Plug-In Insert or a Hardwired Built-In

Modern Flames' manual covers both. As an insert, it plugs into an outlet installed inside the existing firebox and stays put by its own weight and friction, with no screws. As a built-in, it goes into a framed opening 28 1/4 inches wide, 18 3/4 inches tall and 10 inches deep, and an electrician hardwires it. Either way it needs its own 15-amp circuit.

It ships with a slim 5/8-inch trim fitted and a wider 1 5/8-inch trim in the box. If your old fireplace opening is larger than that, Modern Flames' Redstone 30 surround kits add 5 or 8 inches around the edge.

Flame, Embers and Downlight Each Change Color on Their Own

Modern Flames calls it Hybrid-FX. LEDs light the flame, and a separate downlight shines onto the logs. The flame, the ember bed and the downlight each have ten colors plus a fade mode. You set each one separately, so an orange flame can sit over red embers, or the whole fire can go blue. Flame speed has four settings and brightness has five. The flame runs without the heater, so it works in July too.

Heats a Room Up to About 500 Square Feet

The heater has two settings, 733 and 1,465 watts, about 5,000 BTU on high. Modern Flames rates that as supplemental heat for up to 500 square feet. A thermostat holds the room anywhere from 68 to 88°F, and a timer turns everything off after 30 minutes to 8 hours. Think of it as heat for the room you are sitting in, not a replacement for your furnace.

Best for a Mid-Size Fireplace You No Longer Burn Wood In

The 30 suits someone who still likes the fireplace as the center of the room but is done hauling wood and cleaning ash. It also works in a new framed wall where you want a traditional firebox rather than a long linear fire. There is no app control. It runs on the remote and the touch panel.

Measure the Opening and Plan the Outlet First

Measure your fireplace's width, height and depth at the narrowest point, front and back, and compare them with the opening sizes above. For an insert, you need an outlet at the back or side of the firebox. If there is none, have an electrician add one, because Modern Flames says never to use an extension cord or power strip. Keep a mantel at least 11.8 inches above the glass, and use heat-resistant paint on it. For a more realistic log look, the Modern Flames TruWood Timber Kit swaps in for the standard logs.

Optional Accessories: TruWood Premium Timber Kit, Redstone 30 Surround Kits, and fireplace mantels to finish the wall.