It’s that time of the year when the days start becoming shorter and the weather cooler, and many people begin to look for a safe heating alternative to supplement their home. Fireplaces have been a part of family traditions and pastimes throughout the centuries, continuing to bring people together while keeping them toasty-warm. Although some homes, apartments and condos come with built-in fireplaces, many don’t, leaving households that much more chilly during the coldest times of the year. Investing in a completely electric fireplace is not only affordable, but saves more energy than exhausting your central heating for that one room that’s always too frosty. On average, an electric fireplace consumes as much electricity as a small household appliance and can be used in virtually any room with a standard outlet.
If you’re on the hunt for an electric fireplace, we’d suggest looking at our top four best-selling brands: Real Flame, Classic Flame, Dimplex and Amantii.
1. Real Flame
Real Flame, founded more than 30 years ago, is our number one best-selling electric fireplace brand. Originally found on QVC selling ventless fireplaces, the company has expanded significantly becoming one of the leading wholesalers of exclusively designed fireplaces, indoors and out. All of their products are constructed to meet and exceed numerous safety standards, such as the UL certification, along with providing customer satisfaction.
Real Flame focuses on producing safe, affordable and beautifully made fireplaces to thousands of households across the continent that want to avoid the unnecessary maintenance and expense of a traditional fireplace. Innovation remains close to their hearts as they continue to grow and design new product “firsts”, as they did many years ago.
Whether you’re in need of a traditional mantle-style or a modern console fireplace, Real Flame has a multitude of fireplaces that complement your space while providing a sufficient source of heat. And, with so many shapes, sizes and designs, finding a fireplace to suit your needs has never been more convenient. Most of Real Flame’s mantels consist of solid wood and veneered medium-density fiberboard while the rest of the fireplace is made from durable metal.
Real Flame’s electric fireplaces come with two types of firebox heaters: the standard which provides up to 4,700 BTUs of heating power (1,400 watts), and the infrared heater which provides up to 5,100 BTUs of heating power (1,500 watts). These units are designed to plug into your standard outlet, drawing no more energy than a small household appliance.
None of these fireplaces require ventilation, due to the fact that they don’t emit any kind of gas or smoke and can be placed in countless locations that many traditional fireplaces cannot.
When it comes it features, these fireplaces fail to disappoint. All of Real Flame’s electric fireplaces come with a programmable thermostat and an operation timer of up to nine hours, allowing the units to be fully customized and tailored to your preferences. In addition, Real Flame fireplaces come equipped with a remote control, so you can easily adjust your desired settings. The LED flames feature a dynamic ember effect which makes them realistically mimic the actions of real fire. The flames can be customized with five different brightness settings–so whether you’re hosting a party or cozied up in bed, these fireplaces fit into any lifestyle. If you enjoy the aesthetic of a fireplace but not the warmth, simply switch off the heating function to enjoy a unique atmosphere, year-round.
2. Classic Flame
Coming in second for our best-selling fireplaces is Classic Flame, a global brand under Twin-Star International. Founded in 1996, Twin-Star works to enhance their customers’ lives by providing thoughtfully designed furniture pieces at an affordable price. Classic Flame is headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, while its 11,000 square foot Chinese headquarters is located in Southern China near the manufacturing facilities.
As the first company to design many different styles of electric fireplace mantels, Classic Flame sets the standard in the industry while continually introducing new products on the market. They’ve earned the reputation of having “the finest furniture in the electric fireplace industry,” and point to their products to do the talking. Today, Classic Flame is one of the world leaders when it comes to the design and manufacturing of electric fireplaces.
Safety is always on the minds of those at Classic Flame, which is why they devote much of their time to meeting international standards. All of the parts used to make their electric fireplaces must pass their IQC, or incoming quality control, which ensures that each product will obey and meet all specifications during its intended lifetime. Once the fireplaces are in-line and finished, they endure an inspection to conform to AQL standards; this measures the acceptable quality levels of the products to ensure that they’re properly fit to serve a household. But these products aren’t the only thing being inspected. All of Classic Flame’s products meet the International Safe Transit Association’s packing standards, meaning that your fireplace will be protected from structural or environmental damage when shipped. Additionally, these electric fireplaces meet CSA certifications for U.S. and Canadian markets and are tested to meet or exceed all UL 2021 standards. These certifications provide quality assurance and safety when it comes to their electrical components.
Designed and tailored towards the customer experience, Classic Flame offers a number of unique features that enhance our everyday lives. Many of these electric fireplace mantels consist of fine furniture grade construction, from solid hardwood and furniture veneers. The paired firebox inserts that come with each mantel feature Spectrafire flame effect technology, which allows you to have the ultimate say on the color, speed and brightness of your fire. This technology has five separate flame effects, flame speeds and brightness settings, which makes these units a focal point for get-togethers, date nights and family time. If you want to enjoy the flames as you fall asleep, merely set the unit’s built-in timer (which ranges from 30 minutes to 9 hours) and drift away with the comfort of the fire, worry-free.
Classic Flame offers two types of fireboxes: the standard which provides 4,600 BTUs of power for spaces up to 400 square feet, and the infrared model which provides 5,200 BTUs of power for spaces up to 1,000 square feet. Both of these models come with the Spectrafire technology, in addition to their unique “safer plug” which actively monitors the room’s temperature with a built-in thermostat. The plug itself is also monitored, enhancing the safety of these units and immediately shutting down at the first sign of overheating to prevent unsafe conditions. You’re able to plug these fireplaces into any standard 3-prong 120-volt outlet for a quick and convenient installation anywhere in your home. If things ever get too heated for your taste, simply switch off the heating function to enjoy an elegant display no matter the season.
A great thing about these electric fireplaces is the maintenance, there’s virtually no upkeep required. These ventless fireplaces do not emit any kind of smoke, ash or gas, reducing the urge to hire an 18th century chimney sweep to bid your dirty work.
3. Dimplex
Coming in third for best-selling electric fireplaces is Dimplex, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electrical heating. In addition, Dimplex is a subsidiary of the Glen Dimplex network of Dublin, Ireland, and holds global positions in domestic appliances, ventilation, cooling and renewable energy solutions.
Founded in 1991, Dimplex North America Limited enrolled in the North American market by acquiring popular electric heating brands such as Chromalox, Sentinel and Westcan. Shortly after, Dimplex developed patented electric flame technology and became the first company in the fireplace industry to create a genuinely realistic “wood burning” flame effect. Since then, great strides have been made with 30 patents (others pending) covering a variety of electric flame technology. With a 200,000 square foot manufacturing/distribution facility in Cambridge and a 218,000 square foot distribution facility in Indianapolis, customer satisfaction is easily achieved.
The multi-billion dollar company focuses on providing their customers with an excellent experience based off of Dimplex’s defining standards. Innovation, design, quality and support represent their key pillars and play a huge role in their services. A countless number of tests are conducted to guarantee their products are at the best as they can be. Their UL/CSA certifications are conducted in-house to ensure for a safe and high-quality product. Dimplex stands behind everything they produce, so when it comes to maintenance, parts or support, their trilingual customer service team is far from useless. From design tips to trouble-shooting, enjoying the warmth of your electric fireplace is always a phone call away.
Dimplex electric fireplaces combine their patented flame technology with a countless selection of styles, accents and finishes to effortlessly blend their products into your space. With engineers in North America, Europe and Asia, innovative quality furniture is designed and constructed to produce some of the finest products in the industry.
These fireplaces are made from cabinet-quality wood veneers to ensure for long-lasting operation while the finishes are manually painted for maximum quality. To top it off, Dimplex’s mantels come with commercial-grade hardware that won’t break down from everyday use.
Most of Dimplex’s fireplaces either come equipped with the standard firebox, producing 4777 BTUs of heating power to spaces up to 400 square feet (1,400 watts), or the more powerful option which produces 5,120 BTUs (1,500 watts) of heating power. If you love the appearance of a roaring fire but can’t stand the heat, these fireplaces have the option to function without the heater so you can enjoy year-round ambiance. With the ability to be plugged into any standard outlet, these fireplaces make for the best accent pieces in any room. The firebox comes equipped with an on-screen display, allowing you to control the heat output and can also be controlled with the included remote. A fan-forced heater provides consistent warmth throughout your room so you can get the most out of this supplemental fireplace.
Thanks to the patented flame technology, you’re able to control the speed of the flames to create the perfect atmosphere for any occasion. Within the firebox are interior lights which serve to enhance or diminish the realistic logs. A great thing about these fireplaces is that they serve as an eco-friendly alternative; none of Dimplex’s electric fireplaces emit any harmful particulates or emissions, such as soot, ash or gas. These units also come with a Purifire Air Filtration System, the first integral air filtering system that removes allergens like pollen, dander and mold, along with other bacterium. Not only does this fireplace upgrade your room’s display–it also treats your space for a healthier environment.
4. Amantii
With more than three decades of experience under their belt, Amantii comes in fourth for our best-selling electric fireplaces. This higher-end manufacturer is the recipient of several awards, including the 2013 and 2014 Attendees Choice award at the HPBA Expo in Salt Lake City. This competitive business is able to offer a continually growing electric fireplace product line as well as dedicate a lot of their efforts towards quality and customer satisfaction. With warehouses across the nation, Amantii is able to quickly reach their customers and supply unsurpassed customer service and support.
Amantii concentrates on providing quality products that combine sophistication, modernity and traditional comfort all in one. With many different kinds of fireplace styles, such as built-in, wall-mounted and outdoor, their electric units feature state-of-the-art technology that make our lives that much easier.
The company’s electric fireplaces do not require any kind of ventilation, making the units a terrific solution for spaces where a traditional fireplace cannot be installed. These fireplaces do not require any kind of fuel or gas line attachments, making them the perfect addition to new homes and renovation projects.
Amantii’s electric fireplaces generally treat spaces from 400 to 500 square feet and require 750-1500 watts to properly operate. Whenever the weather begins to warm up, shut off the heating function to enjoy this fireplace’s atmospheric properties year round. Many of Amantii’s units come with beautifully designed hand cast surrounds–whether it’s glass or concrete, the presentation is impeccable. Most wall-mounted units feature 13 blacklit colors which glow outward on each side of the fireplace, creating a unique atmosphere that has gone unseen by many fireplace companies. This advanced flame display offers front and rear control for the fire’s brightness, allowing for a completely customized experience. Use one of the included remote controls to alter the fireplace’s flame and heater, while the other is used to adjust the many decorative backlights.
If you are thinking of buying an electric fireplace, these are some of our most-recommended brands. Electric fireplaces will enhance your space with a decorative appeal while providing supplemental heat. These electric fireplaces are perfect for homes, apartments and condos with limited space.
The post Top 4 Electric Fireplace Brands appeared first on Compact Appliance.