Our clients ask this question frequently. They’ve done their research online, and then they want our thoughts as electric fireplace experts. We carry multiple brands in our Toronto-area showroom, so we do see the best and worst features of every model. However, when it comes to quality, there’s no simple answer. We look at quality in the context of what’s important to the purchaser, and we’ve broken it down here.
Who makes the best quality electric fireplaces by Warranty
The most common warranty for top-quality electric fireplaces is 2 years – 1 year of parts and labour plus 1 year of parts only. There are a few items at lower price points and smaller sizes that have 1-year warranties, but the vast majority of our fireplaces have 2 years. There are a couple of exceptions:
- Dimplex Ignite series – XLF50, XLF60, XLF74, XLF100. These fireplaces have a 5-year bumper to bumper warranty that covers parts and service for a full 5 years. Originally, Dimplex introduced these units with their standard 2-year warranty. After several years in the market, they were able to confidently offer a 5-year warranty, knowing that the Ignite series was extremely reliable.
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- Amantii Symmetry Bespoke series – SYM-50-Bespoke, SYM-60-Bespoke. The Bespoke series is a recent introduction to the Symmetry line, and carries all the best components available from Amantii. For this reason, they have introduced it with the same coverage as their 2-year warranty, extended to 5 years.
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Who makes the best quality electric fireplaces by Variety of Models
If you’ve checked out our website, or done a search for electric fireplaces, you know there are lots to choose from. Some manufacturers have more options than others, either by style or by size, or both. While this can make your search more confusing, it does help dealers like us to help our clients to find the perfect fireplace for them. Most manufacturers produce both linear and traditional models, even if they only make a few sizes of each. However, several of our manufacturers have deeper lines that the rest:
- Amantii has the most SKU’s (Stock Keeping Units) overall. They produce both linear and traditional models, and go deep in size on all categories. Speaking of deep, they have produced in-demand slim wall-mounts, but have also introduced deeper models, as well as extra-tall models. They also offer a ton of media options for their fireplaces, so clients can change up the look of their unit just by choosing different fillers for the ember bed.
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- Dimplex runs a close second, for the variety of different technologies that they have introduced, as well as their depth in the traditional firebox category. Their linear options are more limited than Amantii, but they have several different lines in their more traditional fireplaces, at many sizes and price points.
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Who makes the best quality electric fireplaces by LED Colour Options
Not everyone wants to have coloured flames or coloured accent lighting on their electric fireplaces. If you don’t want to see coloured flames or accent lights, you don’t have to use them. However, for those who appreciate them, there are a few manufacturers who stand out.
- Modern Flames offers beautiful colour options on their newest models, like the Landscape Pro Multi, and the Landscape Pro Slim. A slick remote allows users to control full-spectrum RGB colours in the flames, ember bed and downlighting. This means that you don’t have a simple orange/blue/yellow, but can stop the colour at any point on the colour wheel to truly personalize the colours you choose to see in the fireplace.
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- Napoleon is another manufacturer who understands that colour is important to some clients. Their flames on Alluravision, their newest line, change from yellow to orange to blue, or a combination. They also offer ember bed colours, as well as downlighting (available on CHD models only.) These are pre-set LED options, and not the full-spectrum colours noted above, but that’s enough for many colour-loving clients.
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Who makes the best quality electric fireplaces by Innovative Designs
Top manufacturers of electric fireplaces are always innovating, looking for better flames, and trying to produce the features that customers will be embracing next. In recent years, this has led to more realistic flames, slimmer profiles, and new trends in media options, like birch logs and river rocks. There have been a few technological innovations that really stand out from the rest:
- Napoleon Clearion was billed as ‘the first truly see-through electric fireplace’ when it was introduced several years ago. It’s a linear style that sits flush into an 8-inch wall, but can be installed in 2×4 or 2×6 framing with the addition of an optional semi-flush trim kit. The latest version, the Clearion Elite, includes a privacy feature, which allows us to have a full view, semi-private view, or complete privacy, with the click of a button. No one else has been able to produce a commercially viable see-through 2-sided electric fireplace with the ease of installation of the Clearion.
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- Dimplex Opti-myst technology has been around for many years now, but is finally on the radar of homeowners. Opti-myst units convert tap water to mist using ultrasonic technology; lights then give this mist the look of flames. These units are sold in cassettes, which are basically metal boxes that hold the water reservoirs necessary to produce the mist. These cassettes may be used in series to create fireplaces of any size, in multiples of 20 inches or 40 inches. There are optional heaters that may be installed above the fireplace, and plumbing kits eliminate the task of refilling the tanks, wherever you can access a water line. Designers have led the way in showing how to create around these units, and now homeowners are catching on.
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- Honorable Mention: Dimplex Opti-V technology has also been around for several years. It combines the pulsating logs of a typical electric fireplace, with video of a real fire, including pops and crackles. However, it has yet to gain mainstream momentum, possibly due its lack of a heater, and limited size range.
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Who makes the best quality electric fireplaces by Flame Effect
The beauty of the flames is in the eye of the beholder, and all of our fireplaces may be set to optimize the realism. (See our blog post on how to do this.) However, there is one manufacturer that has been around longer than all the rest, and has spent those years on product research and development:
- Dimplex is top of the class when it comes to flame quality. It’s their passion, and they have made amazing strides in this area. From traditional Revillusion inserts to linear Ignite wall-mounts, our customers repeatedly choose Dimplex if they value the most realistic flames without all the accent lighting and disco effects. Add to this their Opti-myst and Opti-V technologies, which no one else has, and you have an industry leader in electric flame quality.
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Stylish Fireplaces knows that adding a fireplace to your home can be challenging. With an electric fireplace and their NFI Certified Hearth Design Specialists, it’s easy to create a space you’ll love to share with family and friends. Check out all the options and connect with their experts for help to find the perfect electric fireplace for you. You’ll live stylishly ever after.