If you are someone that has a large family room, you’ll love a large electric fireplace to keep it cozy. However, knowing exactly which type, brand, and electric fireplace model to choose can be a headache. Which electric fireplace can best warm a home? Which can realistically capture the ambience you’d get with wood fireplaces? This post is going to cover all of the information you need to know about getting a large electric fireplace for your home.
In This Post, We Will Cover:
- Why Is A Living Room Electric Fireplace Preferable Over a Wood or Gas Fireplace? – Are you still hesitant about making the switch to an electric fireplace? This beginning area will shed light on everything advantageous about modern electric fireplaces over these older traditional fireplaces.
- Which Electric Fireplace Type Should People Get To Be a Focal Point In Their Home? – Before choosing a brand or a specific model, you need to know what the options are for fireplace types. Here, we cover them and explain when you might want one type over another.
- What Electric Fireplace Features Should People Be Aware of Before Buying One? -Electric fireplaces come with a wide variety of great features. This area focuses on what features are commonly available and which options you should keep your eye on.
- If You Don’t Have Space For a Large Electric Fireplace, What Are Your Best Options? – For some people, space is limited in their home. This section deals with space limitations and some different ways you can still enjoy many electric fireplace types.
- Is It Safe To Buy a Generic Electric Fireplace If It Is On Sale At Amazon? – Due to cheaper prices, there is no surprise that generic fireplaces are tempting. However, the issues you face with them will end up haunting you later. Here we explain why.
- How Do Popular Brands Like Dimplex, Southern Enterprises, Ameriwood Home, MagikFlame, and More Compare With Each Other? – Not every electric fireplace brand is made the same. Here, we compare and contrast some of the popular brands so you know which you might like.
- What MagikFlame Electric Fireplace Models Are There To Choose From? – For a great electric fireplace, there are several different MagikFlame models. We highlight all of the different models here so you can see which you might prefer.
- Why Is a MagikFlame The Best Electric Fireplace? – Finally, we explain the real reason MagikFlame is the only electric fireplace brand that you need in your house.
Why Is A Living Room Electric Fireplace Preferable Over a Wood or Gas Fireplace?
The hassle of maintaining, cleaning, and using a wood fireplace is enough for most people to look for alternatives. Of course, if that doesn’t scare you away, remember that they are incredibly dangerous. They are a leading cause of tragic house fires. They also release a significant supply of harmful emissions. This is terrible for any people that suffer from different types of respiratory issues.
While gas fireplaces have become an alternative, you’ll run into some surprising problems with these too. Fire is still involved, which makes them a fire hazard. Both gas and wood-burning is particularly dangerous with pets and children in the home. In addition, even though gas fireplaces use real fire, the flames don’t look like traditional fireplaces. Premium electric fireplaces can produce more realistic fire effects to match a traditional fireplace in comparison with the disappointing neon colors of gas fireplaces.
Traditional fireplaces require venting. Even several gas options need ventilation installed. Electric fireplaces have no ventilation requirements because they don’t produce any toxic emissions. On top of the air being clean, electric fireplaces are also more efficient since heat isn’t escaping through ventilation systems.
Compared with these other types of fireplaces, a large electric fireplace is much easier to install. You don’t need a professional to install your electric fireplace in the living room, family room, bedroom, or anywhere else that an electrical outlet is present. Once your fireplace is installed, using it is simple. After turning it on, your only other job is setting the fireplace thermostat to your ideal home temperature.
Mounting a TV over the existing mantel of a fireplace that burns wood or gas is a bad idea. These fireplaces damage TVs mounted above them. However, electric fireplaces don’t have this disadvantage. If you’d like to mount your TV vertically above electric fireplace mantels, it is safe. Some people mount TVs this way to help save space in smaller homes.
If you don’t own a home, building a wood fireplace or installing a gas model is unlikely to happen. Luckily, electric fireplaces don’t share this restriction. You can use electric fireplaces in rental houses and apartments. Many units are placed on the ground like any other furniture piece and then plugged in.
Which Electric Fireplace Type Should People Get To Be a Focal Point In Their Home?
If you know you want an electric fireplace for your home, but you aren’t quite sure which body type is right for you, this section will be helpful. Below, we cover the many types you’ll commonly see. Check the notes of each to see what might be best for your living situation:
- Electric Fireplace Mantel Package – For one of the most common types, you have your standard mantel packages. These are beautiful fireplaces with full mantel surrounds. This is what you want if you prefer a traditional fireplace aesthetic against a flat wall. These are popular, solid choices for a reason. You can get these in different sizes so you can match the size of the room.
- Corner Electric Fireplace – A high-end corner electric fireplace is a great alternative to mantel packages. They are often just as powerful and functional as mantel packages made by the same manufacturer. Rather than a flat wall, place these in the corner of the room for an interesting focus. Additionally, they can be helpful to save space in smaller rooms.
- Electric Fireplace TV stand – TV stands with fireplaces built into them can be another space-saving option. This is because two pieces of furniture are turned into one, allowing for more free space. Of course, with these units, smaller fireplaces are sometimes required to make things for extra TV stand features. This will be things like bookcases or shelving on either side behind a glass door. The downside here is that the fireplace itself might be less powerful or have less than ideal fire effects. Be careful purchasing these units. If you want a space-saving option that involves combining a TV and a fireplace, check out a much better alternative in one of the sections later in this article.
- Wall Mount Fireplace – Using a wall-mount electric fireplace in your house can be a fun look. However, it tends to fit modern home decor styles since it doesn’t look as traditional. If you do want one of these, consider embedding them into a recessed wall instead of simply mounting them. By doing a recessed wall installation, it can sit flush inside of the wall. This saves some additional space and makes it feel like a solid part of the home. While standard mantels don’t usually fit these fireplaces, they look great with one of many floating mantel options installed just below the fireplace.
- Electric Fireplace Insert – An electric fireplace insert has a few functions. Commonly, it is placed inside the firebox of a wood-burning fireplace. Alternatively, it can be used with third-party mantels for a mildly custom fireplace. For a completely custom fireplace, build yourself a mantel to fit an insert.
- Freestanding Space Heater – It is important to note that many of the fireplaces listed above can technically be considered freestanding models. However, this part is talking about a freestanding electric fireplace that has more in common with a portable space heating device. A freestanding electric fireplace can seem convenient. But, it is important to know that this style of freestanding electric fireplace unit suffers from poor fire effects and weak heating. If you care about having a premium fireplace, avoid these portable types.
- Electric Fireplace Stove – A rarer type of fireplace is an electric fireplace stove. These aren’t common because they usually only fit extremely rustic and rural decor styles. Unfortunately, they look too out of place for most homes. Of course, if you want an electric fireplace that looks like a typical wood stove you’d find in a cabin, this fireplace type may suit you.
What Electric Fireplace Features Should People Be Aware of Before Buying One?
One of the most important features of a fireplace is how well it heats an area. For this reason, you want to make sure you choose a fireplace that uses infrared quartz to heat your home. A quartz coil in a fireplace is more powerful and works drastically more efficiently than cheaper types of heating devices.
Another important feature of a fireplace is the flame effect. You want fire effects that can simulate what a real flame looks like. If the electric fireplace can’t accurately capture the atmosphere and ambiance that real wood-burning fireplaces have, then it will only look fake and tacky in your home. Choose a fireplace that has 3D flames like the holographic fire effects included with MagikFlame fireplaces.
To add to the realism of the fire effects, you can get a beautiful log set inside of the firebox of your fireplace. By getting an electric fireplace that comes with a log set, it will more accurately capture the traditional look and feel of wood fireplaces.
While every electric fireplace on the market will likely come with a remote control device, these types of remotes are often boring, easy to lose, and need batteries changed regularly. Instead, choose premium brands of fireplaces that offer smartphone applications to control their fireplace models. With an app on your phone, you’ll have more functionality and features.
The style of your electric fireplace mantel is also important to consider. You want a mantel that matches the room and the furniture in the room. If you have many espresso pieces of furniture, you may want an espresso fireplace mantel. The same can be said about an electric fireplace mantel made of dark walnut, chestnut oak, hickory, and more. Keep in mind that if you want a timeless and versatile mantel for your electric fireplace, you can’t go wrong with solid white oak. This type of mantel looks beautiful and clean. It can also easily fit a variety of popular decorating styles. It also won’t go out of style any time soon.
If you aren’t interested in wood mantels, you might be more interested in something like faux stone. While real stone can look great, it is very labor-intensive to install and can cost a significant amount. Surprisingly, faux stone can look just as good as the real thing. Faux stone can come in round river rock types, stacked stone aesthetics, and more.
If You Don’t Have Space For a Large Electric Fireplace, What Are Your Best Options?
If you are someone in a smaller house, an apartment, or a condo, space may be limited. While a larger electric fireplace can be fun, you may just not have the extra space available for one. Luckily, there are still some options.
Some manufacturers offer compact electric fireplace options that are just as powerful as their larger units. For instance, MagikFlame has the Morpheus that works just as well as their larger mantel packages, but in a more compact size. The sizing difference is to the mantel itself, not the actual fireplace unit. Additionally, you can get a great corner unit to save space like the Churchill.
There are also options to embed your fireplace into the wall of the room. While this will still take up some wall space, by installing the fireplace so that it is flush with the wall, you save a lot of walking space in front of it. This gives more accessibility to the room. You can build a custom embedded fireplace area with an Insert unit by MagikFlame.
If you don’t require a full-sized entertainment center or media console, consider buying any full-size mantel packages from MagikFlame and then mounting your large flat screen above the fireplace mantel. Truthfully, most people have little need for TV stands these days. Between Netflix and other streaming services, media collections, and additional devices aren’t necessary to be front and center. By forgoing that large piece of furniture and instead mounting your TV, you save a lot of space. Additionally, you get the benefit of a grand electric fireplace to grace your home. The best part is that both the fireplace and the TV are common focuses in a home. Doing this allows them to fill the same vertical space against the wall.
Is It Safe To Buy a Generic Electric Fireplace If It Is On Sale At Amazon?
Buying on Amazon has become a common source of many products. However, you should avoid buying any sort of generic fireplace. It doesn’t matter if you see a good deal on Amazon, another online retailer, or your local big-box retail store. Don’t purchase generic fireplaces. There are too many problems with them.
In place of realistic flame effects, you’re often left with lackluster LED flames on a 2D screen. Having cheap fire effects in an electric fireplace doesn’t look good in a home. There is no point in decorating your home to look beautiful and then installing an electric fireplace with disappointing fire effects. This is why you need to purchase an electric fireplace with high-end fire effects like the fireplaces MagikFlame offers.
Heating is also an issue with cheap brands. Because some cut corners in their heat output, your home never quite gets warm enough. Additionally, the heaters in generic fireplaces lack the efficient heating technology found in many premium brands. You might save money buying a generic fireplace in the beginning, but after only a few quick months of using that fireplace, the difference in your electric bill can be huge. With premium electric fireplace brands that have efficient heating, the savings on your electric bill can allow the fireplace to eventually recoup its original cost. For this reason, premium electric fireplace brands like MagikFlame will be cheaper than generic brands over time.
Lastly, generic fireplaces break down quickly. Their build quality just isn’t up to par. It won’t be long before it will need to be repaired. Because they are so prone to repair, it is common for these generic models to have extremely short warranty periods. Additionally, it may prove difficult to even get repair or replacement under their warranties. With trusted brands like MagikFlame, you have a fireplace that will last extremely long in comparison. They are reliable and built to last. This is backed up with the longer duration full warranty that comes with every fireplace.
How Do Popular Brands Like Dimplex, Southern Enterprises, Ameriwood Home, MagikFlame, and More Compare With Each Other?
While brands like Dimplex, ClassicFlame, Duraflame, Sothern Enterprises, and Ameriwood Home, are all decent, MagikFlame fireplaces are the ones with the most realistic fire effects. Before you go look at a Dimplex Opti-Myst or a Duraflame GDS28l8, you need to read the rest of the article carefully. Not only will we highlight many of the beautiful electric fireplace models MagikFlame offers, but we’ll also cover all of the features that make MagikFlame a superior choice over other brands.
What MagikFlame Electric Fireplace Models Are There To Choose From?
MagikFlame has many large electric fireplace units. It also has some more compact wood mantel types for smaller spaces. Here are the common electric fireplace models you can get with MagikFlame:
- MagikFlame Trinity – With a Trinity fireplace mantel package, you can appreciate the bright white mantel to bring life into your home. The side posts on either side of the mantel are fluted for a sophisticated design. Adorning each of the side posts are also triangular corbels that are intricately carved with a bull-nose edge. This model has a four-inch base, allowing the fireplace itself to sit somewhat off of the ground. This is ideal for larger homes where you want a grand appearance with your fireplace.
- MagikFlame Artemis – The Artemis is another fireplace mantel package with a beautiful white color. It features squares and rectangles with a minimal and elegant array. On both of the side posts and the center mantel, you will find gorgeous crown molding for a more luxurious look. This fireplace is a tad smaller than the Trinity model, for people that want a substantial fireplace in a medium size.
- MagikFlame Morpheus – The Morpheus is a fireplace mantel package that is more compact than the Trinity but similar in aesthetics. Similar to the Trinity, it features fluted carvings on the side posts of the mantel. However, the Morpheus unit doesn’t have the triangular corbels as the Trinity does. This model is a wise choice for people that want a fireplace against a flat wall but have limited space to work with.
- MagikFlame Churchill – The Churchill is MagikFlame’s electric fireplace that is built for the corner of any room. This corner unit has another beautiful white mantel. Its corner design allows for additional space to be saved. Additionally, it is great if you prefer a corner focus in a room. To further save space, you can place your flat-screen TV on top of the corner unit and use it as a TV stand. The minimalist design of the fireplace allows for many styles of decorating.
- MagikFlame Athena – The Athena electric fireplace model has a bold and beautiful look. The alpine white mantel is clean and eye-catching. Like some other MagikFlame models, the Athena features fluted carvings on the side posts. Adorning the top of each side post are appliques that are intricately carved by hand. The crown molding around the mantel further highlights the ornate and luxurious craftsmanship of this mantel.
- MagikFlame 28 Insert – This 28-inch electric fireplace unit is an insert model instead of a fireplace mantel package. Despite it not coming with a mantel, it has all of the same functionality and features that every other MagikFlame model comes with. With the insert model, you can do a few different things. First, you can place it into an older wood fireplace or even some gas fireplaces. This will convert these traditional fireplaces so that they are not electric. Second, you can use an insert with a mantel you already own or with a third-party mantel that better fits your home decorating style. Finally, you can use an insert to completely customize your fireplace space by embedding it in the wall, building your mantel from scratch, and more.
MagikFlame also offers some alternative looks like the MagikFlame Neo and MagikFlame Smith.
Why Is a MagikFlame The Best Electric Fireplace?
When searching for electric fireplace brands, you’ll quickly notice that MagikFlame is the best electric fireplace. Competitors have trouble keeping up with all of Magikflame’s deluxe features and superior build quality. Whichever model of MagikFlame electric fireplace you choose, these features will be included:
- Ultrarealistic Flame Effect – When people buy an electric fireplace, they want fire effects that look like real flames. Without realistic fire effects, the ambiance won’t match a traditional wood-burning fireplace. With MagikFlame fireplaces, you get the most realistic flames an electric fireplace can have. 30 different styles of fire effects are available to switch between. You can set the mood to whatever you feel like. The available effects are all 3D and holographically projected. They flicker realistically and spark off beautiful embers.
- Crackling Log Sounds – Enhancing the already impressive visuals of a MagikFlame fireplace isn’t an easy task. However, that is exactly what happens when they also include these complimentary crackling log sounds. By hearing the crackles of burning logs as you see flames dance and embers spark, the fireplace immersion is unparalleled. Additionally, if you want to add some increased relaxation, there are some optional nature sounds owners can turn on.
- 5,200 BTU Heat – The 5,200 BTU infrared heater uses quartz coils to heat 1,000 square feet of a home. While this is sufficient for most homes, some extraordinarily large homes might require more square feet to be warmed. The answer to this is supplemental heat. With an additional fireplace in another part of your home, you can efficiently warm only areas that are occupied by people. If you remember to keep doors closed between these heating zones, you’ll keep your electric bill reasonably low. Despite it being a larger home, you’re only warming smaller areas for maximum heating efficiency.
- Smartphone App – In place of a traditional remote control device to change the thermostat, MagikFlame offers an incredible app that can be installed on smartphones or tablet devices. Because the phone connects to the fireplace through Bluetooth, a line of sight to the fireplace isn’t required for operation. You can be in the other room and turn your fireplace on or off. The app comes fully featured, allowing you to control all of the different heating and effect options.
