When it’s chilly outside, there’s nothing like putting your feet up in front of a cozy fire. Bring on the popcorn, the cocoa and your favorite bingeable TV series, and who cares how blustery it is out of doors!

But what if you don’t have a chimney? Well, that’s where an electric fireplace comes in! Now anyone, even an apartment or condo dweller, can savor fireside heat at the push of a button. An indoor electric fire is easy, inexpensive and convenient. Why, even those who have the wood-burning option might be tempted to close those fireplace doors and enjoy the fuss-less plug-in version, or add one to another room like a master bedroom.

How Does an Electric Fireplace Work?

One of the convenient factors of electric fireplaces is that no special wiring is needed. In a nutshell, you plug them in, turn them on and out comes the heat. Most units draw in cool air, heat it with a coil and blow it back into the room with a fan. However, some use radiant heat. That’s an option you often see in patio heaters as well.

Some fireplaces allow you to switch the heater on and off, so that you can display a flame that doesn’t generate heat at all. It’s a great option for an indoor campfire on a mild summer night!

Why Use an Electric Fireplace?

There are so many good reasons that it’s hard to know where to start! Let’s begin by comparing installation and maintenance with the alternatives. If you already have a fireplace with a chimney, well and good. However, you better have that chimney swept every few years and also inspect it to make sure the interior is sound. Another choice is a gas fireplace. For that, however, you’ll need to hook it up to a natural gas line and vent it. With an electric fireplace, just take it out of the box, put it where you want it and stick the plug in the socket!

Then there’s cost. Not only is an electric fireplace reasonably priced and virtually maintenance-free; it’s also economical to operate. It costs about the same or less to run than a typical space heater, and it can offset some of your other heating expenses.

Safety is another reason families go electric. There’s no smoke and no chance of sparks flying into the room. You don’t need a hearth or a fireproof rug. Also, the front doesn’t get hot, so there’s no worry about little hands touching the door.

This biggest selling point may be convenience. There’s no wood to chop, split, store and carry. No bugs hiding in logs. No bark grinding into the carpet. No ashes to sweep out and dispose of. If you want the room warmer or cooler, you simply make the adjustment. Many models come with a remote. And if you want to rearrange your room, you can just unplug your electric fireplace and move it. Some even come on wheels.

Electric fireplaces offer versatility. Many do double duty as an electric fireplace media console, where you can set your TV, and/or as a storage unit with shelves and drawers.

Then there’s durability. Compared with other heating choices, electrics are less susceptible to corrosion, and can look good and work well for many years.

Finally, consider the beauty of these pieces of furniture. They come in styles to fit any design aesthetic, so that they add more than just physical warmth to a room.

Choosing an Electric Fireplace

If you want the electric fireplace that’s exactly right for the room you plan to heat, here are some factors to consider.

Size and Power

Think about how big the room is and how much warmth you want to add. Different models are rated to heat anywhere from 400 to 1,000 square feet. Do you want your unit to provide significant heating, or are you mainly looking for ambiance? If it’s the latter, lower power will do.

Storage

If you plan to place a TV on a media console electric fireplace unit, buy one that’s big enough. Some accommodate sets as large as 80 inches. Also, consider what kind of space you want for accessories, other electronics and anything else you’d care to store in your electric fireplace entertainment center. Do you want things hidden away? Some units have shelves and others have drawers.

Style

No matter the style of your room, that’s an electric fireplace that goes with it! Dark veneer finishes complement a traditional space. Industrial style units, often with a mix of wood and metal, put forward a modern look. A rustic style, which may come with sliding barn doors or distressed wood, is popular with farmhouse designs.

There are choices in how the front of the units are arranged. Some units have the “fire” on one side and the shelving or drawers on the other. An alternative is the flames in the middle with storage on either end.

Additional Features

Some extras you might want to look for in your electric fireplace:

· Remote control. Adjusting the settings from the couch beats getting up to change them, and it certainly beats getting up to put another log on the fire!

· Heatless operation. All units offer the visual flame without the accompanying warmth, making the fireplace useful year-round.

· Built-in Bluetooth speakers. Nothing goes with a fire like your favorite music.

· 3D flame. These flames look realistic from any angle, and some units even have multiple color settings.

Fireplaces for Many Rooms

With all the different designs and features, you can find a fireplace that’s suitable for almost any room in your home. Can’t decide where to put that new electric heater? Why not bring home two!