Best electric fireplaces: Top heaters for your home

Warming fires to heat your home

ne upside to the fact that we’ve never spent more time in our own homes? They’re looking better than ever thanks to our various DIY endeavours.

After investing in a new sofa, painting the walls and collecting all the candles that we can get our hands on, we’re looking to another more practical item. According to consumer research, sales of electric fires have rocketed.

Given that even the best British summers can be rather chilly, electric fires are the ideal way to warm your home. You can turn them on and off with one flick of a switch, crank up the heat using a remote control and use timer functions to programme the fire's activity for the week ahead. Ambiance-wise, they’re hard to beat. There's few things as comforting as the warm flickering glow of a fire (even an electric one) - whether it's a cool summer's night or the depths of winter.

They’re incredibly easy to install too - although depending on the design of the fire, an installation service might be still be preferable. "Independent fireplace shops will offer a design and installation service, but if you are a keen and confident DIYer, you can see a set of basic plans in the manual available from for free," says Phil Wicks at Focal Point Fires. "Make sure you plan ahead to incorporate televisions, soundbars and LED lights as you design your build, too. The fire only needs to be plugged into a normal socket, and if you are installing a TV above the fire, I recommend plugging the fire into the same socket, as this means easy access if required. If you plan well the build and decoration could take around two days."

It's also worth spending some time researching the different types of fire available. "Over recent years, homeowners have maximised floor space by turning to so-called ‘hang-on-the-wall’ fires," says Lee Isherwood at leading electric fire manufacturer and distributer Fired Up Corporation. "These fires have become increasingly modern and sophisticated in both style and technology. However, inset fires and traditional fireplaces still account for the majority of fireplace sales in the UK as typical UK housing stock favours this design."

See our pick of the best to light up your home.

Max heat output: 1.5KW

We can't say we’ve ever paid close attention to logs, let alone New Forest ones, but these are the most realistic we’ve come across, right down to the varying degrees of singeing and the jagged ends of each hand-painted piece of wood. There's plenty of tech, too. Air Curtain Technology ensures unbeatable heat distribution, and you can use the remote control to change the colour of the fuel bed and the flames. Our favourite feature? The OP (open window) detection function. If the temperature drops below five degrees within 10 minutes, the fire will turn off, and "OP" appears on the remote. It will turn on once the temperature rises, or when it's manually activated.

Max heat output: 2KW

This is a brilliant electric fire that won't break the bank, but will quickly heat your home and provide a stunning focal point, too. Despite its smaller size, it throws out an impressive 2KW of heat, and on warmer days, you’ve got the option to switch off the heat without turning off the surprisingly realistic flame effect. There's no remote, but the easily-accessible controls are incredibly simple to use.

Max heat output: 1.5KW

This large, monochrome fire looks like the kind of gizmo found in glossy interior design magazines, which is why we’re even more excited about its price – unbelievably, this fire costs under £200. The extra-wide fuel bed allows it to project a generous amount of both light and warmth, and its sturdy black base means less faffing when it comes to installation. The fire comes with a remote control, and there are plenty of opportunities for customisation, too – you can choose between crystal or pebble fuel beds, and from three back light settings and four flame styles.

Max heat output: 2KW

This fire is a superb option for anyone who wants to combine some seriously hi-tech heating with the wonderful cosiness of a log fire, albeit an artificial one. The beautiful oak-look surround is also brilliantly realistic – all too often artificial wooden surrounds look and feel nothing like the real thing. It's incredibly easy to operate, and we loved the slick remote control which you can use to crank up the heat output from 1kW and 2kW. In summary? Fumbling around with log stacks and lighters will feel positively primeval when you’ve ignited this glorious roaring fire with one touch of a button.

Max heat output: 2KW

When it comes to realism, flames aren't easy to get right, and too many electric fires get it horrendously wrong. Not so with ACR's E-Trinity3, a stove-style fire which has flames – or at least a 3D holographic flame projection, to be precise - which aren't just extremely realistic, but which can be viewed from the side as well as the front. You can also change their height, switching between high, medium, or low flames or, for ultimate cosiness, glowing embers. The fire's settings can be changed using the controls on the unit itself, or the remote control, which you can use to programme the fire up to seven days into the future.

Max heat output: 2KW settings

Be Modern's elegant offering, with its understated trim, makes a wonderful focal point. Its USP is the realism. Behind an elegant grill, glowing red flames float above a pile of perfectly-stacked logs, complete with glowing embers near the base. Available in two size options (16" and 18"), the fire has easily-accessible controls at the top of the unit, and the option to toggle between 1kW and 2kW heat settings and a flame effect-only setting.

Max heat output: 1.5KW

This entire stove suite, which costs under £400, can be placed against any wall, and instantly ups the cosiness credentials of any room. The artificial log bed is extremely realistic, and the combination of an ultra-bright LED display, remote control, timer and thermostatic control options means it's surprisingly easy to use.

Max heat output: 1.5KW

The downside about the Arteon Electric Fireplace, which is available in one, two or three-sided installation styles? You’ll inevitably end up spending significant amounts of time obsessing over details which you’d never considered before. Luckily, all of these aspects can be adjusted using the remote control. Tweakable features include the fire's fuel bed, which can be illuminated with 13 different colours. You’ll also have the option to choose between pebbles, bark, slate and crystals, and the ability to coordinate the colour of the fuel bed with the colour of the downlighting.

Max heat output: 2KW

If only all electric fires were this easy to use. You can use an app, voice controls (via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant) or the remote control to change the downlighting tucked under the plinth, and you can also use the remote to quickly programme the fire up to seven days ahead. The customisation options are also fantastic – you can choose between three flame colours and 13 fuel bed colours and we love the fact that if you’re not happy with the paint jobs on offer, you can paint it yourself.

Max heat output: 1.5KW

Heating doesn't get better than this – a long, slim fire which throws out generous amounts of both heat and light (thanks to cleverly-concealed illumination) on three sides. It's another fire with incredible attention to detail. There are six flame colour effects and six flame animation settings, and you can switch between the image of woodland logs or silver birch split logs. Anti-reflective glass means there's no annoying glare to spoil your view, and for ultimate laziness, the fire can be controlled using an app. It's compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, too.

Max heat output: 2KW

There's a touch of Art Deco glam to this electric fire, which is available with several different trim and four fuel bed styles - crystals, pebbles, coals and logs. It's great for larger homes, with a maximum heat output of 2KW, an ultra-clear LED display and a remote control which is wonderfully simple to use. Our favourite combo? A satin gold trim with the extremely realistic log fuel bed.

Verdict

It doesn't get cosier than British Fires’ New Forest 1200 Electric Fire, which is both hi-tech and homely. The fuel bed was the most realistic we’ve come across, and we loved the ease with which we could change both the temperature and the fire's appearance. Adam's Brentwood Electric Fireplace is a great option for family homes thanks to its 2KW heat output and ease of use, and Vision Fires’ VEL40 is a brilliant example of a feature-packed fire which doesn't cost the earth.