Electric Fireplace??

[BuckSutherland]

Any of you have one?

Is there a good brand out there or are they all pretty much the same?

I have been thinking of getting that heat surge they advertise on TV.

Interested what others think.

[delcecchi]

If you don't care about the looks, go to the store and buy an electric heater. If you do care about the looks buy one you like the looks of. The BTUs per watt are the same.

[JohnMickish]

I will add this in as well, when it comes to efficiency, a watt is a watt. That meaning a 1500 watt heater is going to use as much power as the next 1500 watt heater, no matter how they make is sound on TV.

[delcecchi]

One thing I thought of is that if it plugs in you are limited to 1500 watts or maybe a little more, on a 15 amp circuit. If you hardwire it and run bigger wire you can get more output, or maybe even use 220.

Just for reference, 1500 watts is 5100 BTU/hr.

A gas fireplace is typically 25000 and up even taking some efficiency into consideration.

[brakedancer]

those TV and newspaper advertised electric heaters are the biggest scam ever...the is no magic in electric heat..go to wally and buy a heater for a tenth of the price..they both provide the same btu's

[BartmanMN]

I have one. We purchased it for our last house to use in the basement and it has worked great. Our new house was framed with the 'dog house' for a gas one, but the previous owner did not put it in so it is now in our living room. Ours is a nice looking oak one in the mission style. I'm not sure what brand it is, but I believe we bought it from Hom furniture years ago.

When we went to look at gas fireplaces and mantles the lady was trying to sell us on electric again for our main level, saying a gas one would get to hot upstairs and our thermostat on the furnace would not kick in. She recommended a gas one for our basement so the heat would work it's way up the house. I'm not sold on the idea of Electric again. I like a real flame.

[Bigsmitty]

There is no such thing as an electric "Fire"place.

There is no fire in that box.

A more suitable term would be an electric heater with a simulated flame.

I think there pretty cheezy looking. But to each there own.