Get Cozy with these Electric Fireplace Inserts for your Home

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Tired of streaming Netflix’s “Fireplace for Your Home” when guests come over? It might be time for you to invest in a sleek electric fireplace that you install right into your wall. Not only does this type of fireplace come smoke- and hassle-free (that’s right, no need to gather wood!) but it's safer to operate, according to Home Improvement & Outdoor Director Dan DiClerico. But what we love most about electric fireplace inserts is that they’re an easy way to add warmth to any room of your home, and unlike space heaters, they’re a cozy, stylish addition to your space. Below we list our favorite electric fireplace inserts of 2023, including everything from the most affordable to the most luxurious picks.

The engineers and product analysts at the Good Housekeeping Institute test everything you need to create the perfect home, from air purifiers and whole house humidifiers to the best TVs that go right above your fireplace. When narrowing down the best electric fireplace inserts, our engineers evaluated each pick’s ease of installation and use, design, number of settings and safety. According to our pros, these are the best electric fireplace inserts that your friends and family will love bundling up next to this winter, based on our Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab’s extensive testing data, familiarly with top-performing brands and rave consumer reviews.

After our top picks, continue reading to learn more about how electric fireplace inserts work and don’t forget to check out more modern living room ideas from Good Housekeeping!

The Sideline Recessed Smart Electric Fireplace

Available in a variety of sizes from 28 to 100 inches and built to be mounted inside a recessed wall, this electric fireplace insert is the perfect choice for most homes seeking a cozy atmosphere. Not only will the fire look realistic, but our pros love that it comes with a log set and crystals, which can be swapped out at any time to suit your style. Just keep in mind that it can be difficult to remove the glass pane and make the actual swap, according to Rachel Rothman, executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

In testing, we found this model easy to operate and appreciated the choice among three flame colors and five intensities. According to our pros, the heat ranges from 68 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit and the unit will shut off automatically if it ever heats past 88 degrees. We also like that you can make adjustments via an included remote or directly on the fireplace itself. And as a bonus, it's compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa so you don't even have to move from the couch to turn on the fireplace.

Electric Log Heater Insert

Featuring over 1,000 reviews on Amazon and an average 4.6-star rating, pop this electric fireplace insert into your old chimney, plug it in and you're all set. While we haven't yet tested it in the Lab, our pros love that it looks like a proper fire pit and that you can choose among five levels of brightness. While it may not be as sleek as some of our other picks, we appreciate that a remote comes included and that you can operate the flame with or without heat. "This fireplace insert looks like a live fire burning and keeps the room warm even in freezing weather," one online reviewer says.

Redstone Series

Simple and elegant, this premium electric fireplace will be the centerpiece of your home. It's available in three sizes and suited for a recessed 10-inch space or a pre-built fireplace, though you can purchase it with a DIY trim kit to help solidify the look if your existing fireplace is slightly larger than the insert. According to Modern Flames, it can heat a room up to 400 square feet and reach temperatures up to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. But what our pros love most is that you can choose among 10 unique color variations and adjust the room's ambiance in a snap. We also appreciate that the insert features built-in touch controls in addition to a remote.

3D Infrared Quartz Fireplace Insert

It would be difficult to find a more realistic-looking electrical fireplace than this one, which comes with its own mantle but nicely fits into your pre-existing fireplace or recessed wall. Once installed, you can choose among five flame effects and adjustable brightness settings, alternating between a crackling fire or a gentle flame depending on your mood.

Also unique is that this fireplace uses infrared technology for heating instead of fan convention, meaning that it should heat the room faster than a traditional heater. Our pros like that you can adjust settings on the control panel or with the provided remote, and a timer makes it possible to leave the insert on while drifting off to sleep (knowing that it will turn off after a set amount of time). Plus, according to ClassicFlame, this insert features Safer Sensor Technology that automatically shuts off the heater if it overheats to prevent electrical or product issues. However, our engineers do point out that this fireplace likely heats a much smaller area than the claimed 1,000 square feet and advise always double-checking how many BTUs per square foot are typical before purchasing anything.

Opti-Myst Electric Fireplace Insert

Designed to be used in a pre-existing fireplace, this insert is as close as it gets to the real thing! Fortunately, there's no need to hardwire it into your home as it can be plugged into any standard household outlet. Also unique: You can fill up a reservoir within the fireplace with water to give it a misting effect that imitates smoke, thanks to Opti-myst technology. "This is meant to provide the look of an actual fireplace, without the smoke and fumes that can adversely affect a home's indoor air quality," says Dan DiClerico, the Good Housekeeping Institute's Director of Home Improvement & Outdoor. A full reservoir is claimed to last around 14 to 17 hours before refill, but you can skip the "smoke" effect if it's not for you.

Electric Fireplace Insert

You don't need an existing fireplace to install this pick, which comes equipped with a wall bracket so you can mount it to the wall. Several online reviewers rave about how easy it was to install. Once assembled, it should heat a 400 square-foot space, according to the brand, and it'll keep guests entertained with 12 color modes that let you choose the flame and flame bed shade you like best. On top of that, you can adjust the fire's brightness and speed among five settings. "It looks great and the different color options are really cool," one online reviewer says.

While a remote is included, we like the touchscreen controls on the unit are easy to use and responsive. And according to R.W. Flame, it's built with a safety feature that turns the device off if it ever overheats.

Standard Log Set Electric Fireplace Insert

As a log-set style insert, this pick from Dimplex is made to be installed in a recessed area. It plugs into a standard outlet, so you can either install it in an outlet in the back of the fireplace to hide the cord or just snake it along the wall. Visually, our pros think it looks similar to a traditional fireplace. There's no housing around it, which is part of what makes it easy to install and aesthetically appealing. We like its simple design but keep in mind that you cannot swap out any mediums and there's only one size available online so make sure to measure your space first.

According to the brand, this insert should be able to effectively heat up a standard-sized room up to 400 square feet. A remote is included for convenience, and lights and effects work independently of the heat so you can use your fireplace in the summertime without worrying about your home getting too hot.

28.5-Inch Electric Fireplace Insert

One of the most versatile electric fireplace inserts on this list, you can install this model anywhere you want, from a pre-built fireplace to a TV console, or leave it free-standing as is. Our experts love that you can adjust the shade of your fire to one of three flame colors, and there are five flame brightnesses to match the mood you want to create.

You can control the insert by using the control panel's buttons or the included wireless remote. If you don't want the fireplace running for more than eight hours, make sure to set up the timer. According to the brand, the heat goes up to 82 degrees Fahrenheit and it features an overheat function if it's getting too hot. One pro tip: Pay attention to the size of this device. While it says its height is 28.5 inches, CostWay considers height to be bottom left to bottom right, not top to bottom. From top to bottom of the floor, it is actually 21 inches.

Wall-Mount or Recessed Electric Fireplace Insert

A simple plug-and-play, all you need is an outlet to get your fire started. This model can be both recessed into the wall or directly wall-mounted, allowing you to place it wherever you want in the house. It's also worth noting that this set comes with logs and two fillers, which you place at the bottom of the fireplace. Real Flame provides both crystal and stone fillers so you can customize your fireplace to create the look you love.

With multiple flame and color settings and even a color-changing mode, you can easily switch up the ambiance to suit the vibe of the night. Best of all, if you want your fireplace on in the middle of the summer, just turn off the heat and enjoy its LED flames! But if it is a chilly night, Real Flame claims that the fireplace goes up to a whopping 99 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sideline Elite Electric Fireplace

Constructed to be recessed in the walls, this fireplace insert comes with a log set, crystals and driftwood so you can change the medium that the fire comes from to your favorite look. According to our pros, it's extremely easy to remove the front glass plate to make the swap. For even more customization, this insert has 60 different color combinations to choose from, as well as the ability to adjust the flame's speed.

"This is one of the more high-tech inserts we tested," Rothman says. "It's Alexa- and WiFi-enabled, so you can get your phone to control the insert as well." If you don't want to use the app, it comes with a remote control. On cold evenings, you can set the thermostat up to 88 degrees Fahrenheit, but what our pros appreciate most is that even at high temperatures the insert is still safe to touch.

How we test electric fireplace inserts

The engineers and product analysts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have evaluated at least a dozen electric fireplace inserts in the past three years. To choose the best ones for your home, we first evaluate whether they’re easy to set up and install. Next, we consider whether the fireplace mediums (i.e. logs or crystals) are changeable and, if so, how easy it is to change them out for other pieces. If the electric fireplace insert is compatible with an app, we evaluate how easy it is to connect to and navigate. Lastly, we verify safety claims by using a thermal gun to confirm what temperature the fireplace reaches when on to determine whether it’s safe to touch, especially around pets and kids.

Tips when shopping for the best electric fireplace inserts

✔️ Inserts can either be hard-wired or plugged in. Confirm which option you're buying before purchasing. Just keep in mind that hard-wiring a fireplace into your home's electrical system will require professional installation by an electrician. The look is sleek and seamless as you won't see any wires or cables sticking out, but if you rather save money (or prefer an easier route) consider an insert that can be plugged into an outlet.

✔️ Consider your existing setup. Make sure you understand how the insert should be installed before purchasing. While inserts are meant to be placed inside existing fireplaces, not every home has one. To solve this, you can always create a hole in your wall to fit the insert inside. Or if you rather skip the trouble, opt for an electric fireplace that can be wall-mounted.

✔️ These devices create heat. Electric fireplaces are meant to be cool to the touch, but they do produce heat to warm the room. Though most units will let you use the fireplace function without creating heat, it's best to supervise pets or children while in use.

✔️ Proper installation is key. If you install an electric fireplace insert into a pre-built fireplace, you must make sure it is properly sealed from the chimney. If not, rainwater, dirt or debris could get inside and damage the machine.

✔️ There are two ways the insert can heat your home. The first method is convection heating, in which the fireplace creates heat and then uses a fan to push that heat into the air to warm you up. Infrared heating, on the other hand, comes straight from the heat source and will typically heat up a room faster as the air around you doesn't need to be heated. It's similar to the sun beating down on you or a campfire heating up cold hands - in those scenarios, infrared radiation is being emitted to directly warm up your skin as opposed to circulating air. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but our pros warn that an infrared heater can be hotter to the touch while a convection heater can be noisier.

How electric fireplace inserts work

Some homes or condos aren't built with fireplaces, but that doesn't mean you can't have one. If you've decided that you love the cozy look and feel of a fireplace, consider an electric fireplace insert that you install inside an existing fireplace or, if your home wasn't built with one, directly inside your wall. Because electric fireplaces don't actually burn wood like traditional fireplaces would, you don't need a venting system that removes smoke from your home. In fact, electric fireplace inserts don't actually produce anything beyond heat, making them similar to other electric heaters you may own. "The great thing about electric inserts is they don't need to exhaust outside, the way wood-burning and vented gas fireplaces do," says Dan DiClerico, Director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab. "It's a clean, convenient alternative."

One drawback of an electric fireplace insert is that you'll have to create a depression in your wall if it's not already there. If this worries you, consider an electric fireplace insert that's wall-mountable. Although this technically won't be an "insert" and the look won't be quit as sleek, it's another great option.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

GH Institute test engineer Alec Scherma has experience testing many household products and working on different types of machinery. As a mechanical engineer by trade, he brings years worth of knowledge and information when it comes to testing and installing home products.

This guide was most recently updated by GH writer and product analyst Olivia Lipski, who covers everything from consumer electronics to home, outdoor, fitness and more. She consulted the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Improvement and Outdoor Director, Dan DiClerico, as well as the Lab’s extensive testing data, to include the latest top-performing picks.

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