Napoleon Astound Built-In Electric Fireplace

A Deep Recessed Firebox in Four Widths Up to 96 Inches

The Napoleon Astound Built-In is a recessed electric fireplace made in four widths: 50, 62, 74 and 96 inches. It is a genuinely deep firebox, which is what sets it apart from the slim linear panels most built-in electric fireplaces have become, and the front glass is hinged so you can reach the ember bed by hand. It runs on a standard 120 volt circuit and can be hardwired to 240 volts for double the heat.

The Front Glass Flips Down for Media Changes

Most built-in electric fireplaces seal the glass in behind a trim kit, so changing the logs means dismantling the face of the unit. The Astound's glass flips down instead. You reach in, swap what is in the bed, and close it.

It arrives with a Beach Fire log set and the Woodland media kit. Napoleon also makes birch logs, clear glass beads, mineral rock and black crystal media that drop into the same bed, and the flip-down glass is what makes seasonal decor a five minute job rather than a project.

It Has to Be Framed In, and It Cannot Be Wall Hung

This is the constraint worth knowing before anything else. Napoleon is explicit that the appliance must be fully recessed into an enclosure and cannot be hung on a wall. There is no surface-mount option and no shallow install, so the wall either gets framed for it or this is not the right fireplace.

What you do get to choose is the finish. A frameless finishing flange gives you the flush, trimless look, and a one-piece adjustable trim handles varying finishing material thicknesses if you would rather see a frame. Both are in the box, so the decision can wait until the drywall is up.

Best for a Wall You Are Already Building

New construction, a renovation that is already open, or a purpose-built media wall. If you are framing anyway, the depth costs you nothing and buys a firebox with real presence, especially at 74 and 96 inches where a slim panel starts to look thin for the wall it is on.

It is a poor fit for a finished wall you would rather not open, and for anyone who wants flame visible from more than one side. It is single-sided in every installation. Our Astound FlexMount covers both of those cases at a shallower depth.

Controls Run From the App, a Remote, or Your Voice

The premium remote is included and handles everything day to day. The Napoleon Home App adds scheduling and the full color range over WiFi, and Alexa or Google Home will take voice commands. An optional wall-mounted controller is available if you want a fixed switch plate instead.

The thermostat holds anywhere from 64 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit across eleven settings. ECO mode runs the heater at half output when you want the look more than the warmth, and BOOST runs it at maximum with the blower sped up. The flame runs independently of the heater, so the fire works in July.

Settle the Voltage Before the Wall Closes

The Astound will run plugged into a dedicated 15 amp, 120 volt circuit, and that is how most of them are installed. Hardwiring it to 240 volts doubles the output. It is the same fireplace and the same flame either way, so this is purely a heat decision, but it is one to make early: moving from 120 to 240 volts afterwards means opening the wall back up.

Two other things to hand your installer. Clearance to combustibles is zero at the bottom, sides and back, and 3 9/16 inches from the top of the appliance to a mantel. And if a TV is going above it, give it that clearance and check your TV maker's own operating temperature limits, because heat vents out the front but a closed alcove still holds it.

Optional Accessories: Birch Logs, Glass Beads, Mineral Rocks, Black Crystals, and Wall-Mounted Remote