[social_warfare]
Wood fireplaces are lovely and cozy and make excellent focal points in our homes. However, their installation costs, tiresome maintenance, and space invasion are unpleasant, to say the least.
So, I found space-saving, aesthetically-pleasing, eco-friendly, heating efficient, and more affordable alternatives in this list of the best wood-burning fireplace inserts.
Best Wood Burning Fireplace Insert
- PuraFlame EF45DFGF Western
- ClassicFlame 36EB220-GRT Traditional
- Timberwolf Economizer
- R.W.FLAME 36"
- Drolet Escape 1800i
- Comfort Glow ELCG251
- Dimplex Firebox 23"
- Turbro In Flames 26”
- Dimplex Revillusion 20"
The Top 9 in 2022
Now, we will take a look at the best wood fireplace inserts on the market and why they are the perfect replacement for the traditional heating method.
1. PuraFlame EF45DFGF Western
Do you want the ambiance and warmth of a wood-burning fireplace but none of the fire hazards? The PuraFlame EF45DFGF Western Electric Fireplace Insert offers flame effects, adjustable thermostat, 100% energy-saving LED technology, and minimalistic design at a low price.
If remembering the effort and installation costs of your last fireplace makes you shudder, don’t worry. The flat-bottom design of this wood insert makes it easy to install and uninstall. You can insert it into an existing fireplace, cabinet, or enclosure.
The rest of the look is sleek and minimalistic, thanks to the three-sided interior brick wall and front steel trim design, which adds to the unit’s aesthetics and durability simultaneously. It comes with realistic resin logs that sit on a grate on the ember bed.
You’ll also be impressed with how the front heat outlet and control panel is hidden subtly by the grille that you can open with a finger so that the controls don’t clash with the aesthetics. Also, the front glass is safe to touch, even when the heater is on.
In terms of functionality, this electric insert doesn’t disappoint in heating up to 400 square feet. It has a convenient control panel with an ON/OFF button, three life-like flame effect settings that utilize 100% energy-saving LED technology and don’t need heat, a heater button, and an adjustable thermostat.
In addition, it comes with a remote control so that you can adjust the settings from afar, and it has six crackling sounds to choose from.
Pros:
- Reasonably priced
- Easy to install and uninstall because of the flat bottom
- Three-sided interior brick wall and front trim design
- Three life-like flame effects that you can use without heat
- Convenient control panel and remote control
- An adjustable thermostat
- 100% LED technology
Cons:
- The glass isn't anti-glare
- Not a primary heating source
2. ClassicFlame 36EB220-GRT Traditional
Sometimes you want a fireplace but don’t have much space for it, and everyone knows how much space wood fireplaces can take. You can save space, energy, and more, thanks to the built-in design of the ClassicFlame 36EB220-GRT Traditional Electric fireplace insert.
While the unit needs to be hard-wired, it is pretty easy to install and comes with an integrated junction box for hard wiring. Unlike most fireplace inserts, this unit doesn’t need ventilation either.
Regarding its design, the built-in insert is a style upgrade that won’t take much space, so it’s perfect for a small home. It also comes with a total surround flange that makes flush mounting to already finished wall surfaces possible.
In addition, it comes with its own traditional log set and gentle rolling ember bed to provide an ambiance that you can enjoy through the viewing window of the fixed, tempered glass panel.
This unit can be useful in providing supplemental zone heating with a heating capacity for up to 800 square feet, which is much easier on your energy bills than heating up your whole house simultaneously.
The unit also comes with a convenient, easy-to-use wall-mounted thermostat for temperature control between 60°F and 90°F. Plus, the electronic timer enables you to save energy and money.
Also, you can enjoy the LED flame effects with five brightness settings on the multifunctional remote control. Plus, if the weather is already warm where you are, you can still savor the ambiance without any of the heat.
Pros:
- An electronic timer function
- Comes with a traditional log set and rolling ember bed
- Five brightness settings for LED flame effects that you can have without the heat
- Multifunctional remote control and wall-mounted thermostat to adjust the temperature between 60°F - 90°F
- Easy to install and comes with an integrated junction box
- Provides supplemental heating for high efficiency
- Doesn’t require ventilation
Cons:
- Heating is weak compared to others
- The fire looks pretty but not realistic
3. Timberwolf Economizer
While everybody loves the idea of family gathering around a wood fireplace, most people nearly choke when they hear how much it costs to install and maintain one. So, I recommend the Timberwolf Economizer Wood-Burning Fireplace Insert for the affordable warmth that you need.
As the name suggests, the Timberwolf Economizer line is the economy line in terms of price but not in quality. You'd be pleased to know that this unit is pretty straightforward and quick to install because it comes pre-packaged. Plus, it comes with its own flashing and trim.
I personally love the classic design of the wood stove and its matte black finish because it has a rustic effect. The cast iron door is budget-friendly yet reliable and durable.
Moreover, say goodbye to the open fireplace because the large ceramic glass viewing area of this one makes watching the fire enjoyable and safe.
Also, the firebox comes with its full refractory lining, which means it will last long and withstand high temperatures much better.
Despite its low price, this wood-burning insert is EPA-certified with an efficiency rating of 86%, which means you, your family, and the environment will be safer with this insert than with others. It also means that the energy won’t go to waste, so it’s better value for your money.
Moreover, this wood stove has a heat output of up to 65000 BTUs, so its heating ability is impressive. Plus, this unit comes with a dual-blower system for maximum heat distribution, and it’s temperature-controlled.
Pros:
- EPA-certified with an efficiency rating of 86%
- Affordable price
- A large ceramic glass viewing area
- Easy to install because it comes pre-packaged
- A dual-blower system for maximum heat distribution
- The firebox has its full refractory lining
- Classic style
Cons:
- No aesthetic or size varieties
- Needs a bit of maintenance after a while
4. R.W.FLAME 36"
One fact that most people tend to ignore is that a masonry fireplace is capable of starting a fire if installed incorrectly or not maintained properly. The perfect way to avoid a fire but still enjoy warmth is to have an electric fireplace insert like the highly affordable R.W.FLAME 36".
Fans of easy and quick installation will love this unit, which you can install anywhere at your home, office, or any other place with the right dimensions.
While the controls of this incredibly affordable electric insert are very modern, the manufacturer took the traditional antiqued route with the design to replicate the coziness of the real thing.
The three-sided interior brick wall design, glass door, dust-proof mesh screen, and the flame effects and colors tie the ambiance together.
The R.W. Flame vent-free insert doesn’t disappoint in functionality either. It provides supplemental heating with a capacity for up to 400 square feet. Wood fireplace owners will envy the safety of your no-fume electric insert, which has an auto-heat kill safety function.
Technology lovers can surely appreciate the intuitive touchscreen control panel that is accompanied by a multifunctional remote, which you can use to adjust everything from a distance. The timer function is a valuable money-saving feature.
Don’t think that you're missing out on the genuine fire look because this budget-friendly insert enables you to switch between four LED colors for the flame effects and burning logs. Of course, you can enjoy the effects without the heat, as well.
Pros:
- Incredibly affordable price
- LED fire colors and log colors with or without the heat
- Easy installation
- Multifunctional remote and touchscreen control panel
- Doesn’t require ventilation
- An auto-heat kill safety function
- An electronic timer function
Cons:
- The noise can be unpleasantly loud
- The brick backdrop isn’t durable
5. Drolet Escape 1800i
If you don’t mind paying a high price for high-quality inserts for a fireplace, then you’re in luck. The Drolet Escape 1800i Fireplace Wood Insert provides high efficiency, durable construction, and warmth for large spaces.
The Drolet black wood insert has an attractive, rustic design that is still contemporary enough to cater to modern taste.
The door comes with a highly durable cast iron frame, and the firebox is fully lined for protection against the high temperatures it produces. You know the manufacturer trusts the insert’s durability when they back it by a lifetime warranty.
Another interesting fact about the unit is the lack of a grate inside the firebox, which raises the log capacity of the insert. In addition, the large viewing area is made of air wash ceramic glass that upgrades the whole appearance of the insert and keeps it clean and sleek.
Furthermore, this unit prides itself on its EPA certification, which comes with an efficiency rating of 77% and a heat output of 75000 BTUs, meaning that the wood logs you’ll burn to warm up to 1900 square feet won’t go to waste. Also, it employs a premium variable-speed blower that distributes heat evenly and efficiently.
Pros:
- EPA-certified with an efficiency rating of 77%
- Doesn’t have a grate to be able to burn more logs
- A premium variable-speed blower with heat activation
- The firebox has its full refractory lining
- Durable construction
- A large fire viewing area
- Backed by a lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Expensive
- The faceplate and stovepipe aren’t included
- May overheat in smaller areas
6. Comfort Glow ELCG251
Are you tired of the maintenance, clean up, and potential dangers that come your way because of a real fire? Do you want something cheap and easy enough to install for anybody? That's exactly what log sets like the Comfort Glow ELCG251 Electric Log Insert do.
The coldness of winter can make it really hard to live without a fireplace, but installing one can be draining, with all the instructions, wires, and linings involved. However, this insert is literally plug-and-go; there is nothing else that you have to do.
Also, the design is beautiful, and that’s the whole point; these electric inserts are designed to bring life to abandoned fireplaces with their glowing ember beds and realistic LED yellow dancing flames that project onto the firebox walls.
This insert’s heat output is 5000 BTUs, which happens efficiently through the circulating blower, warms up areas up to 400 sq. ft. So, it can definitely make small to medium rooms warm and cozy.
In addition, you can also control the budget-friendly log set either through the side-mounted controls or the remote.
Pros:
- The cheapest on the list
- The easiest to install and fully assembled
- Comes with a circulating blower
- Dancing yellow fire effect with or without the heat
- A convenient remote control
Cons:
- Not durable
- Takes a while before properly warming the room
7. Dimplex Firebox 23"
In the year 2020, warming up your home doesn’t have to be expensive, messy, dangerous, restrictive, environmentally unfriendly, or complicated, and the Dimplex Firebox 23" Log Set Insert is all the solid proof that you need.
Like the Comfort Glow ELCG251, this log set is just a plug-and-go insert. So, if you’re an anxious beginner in the world of fireplaces, there couldn’t be a better introduction. Also, one of its most obvious qualities is how it is 42% smaller than conventional baseboards.
If you’re an aesthetics enthusiast with a very active Pinterest account, you’ll appreciate the ambiance of this budget-friendly fireplace insert, thanks to its realistic pulsating glow using patented LED technology.
Unlike natural fireplaces, you can enjoy the sophisticated atmosphere that it brings with or without the heat.
This beauty releases 4695 BTUs of heat and a heating capacity of up to 400 sq. ft. Moreover, it utilizes a built-in fan to distribute the heat as well as it can. Also, it comes with a remote control that allows you to switch the insert on and off from a distance.
Pros:
- Affordable price
- 42% smaller than conventional baseboards
- The easiest to install and fully assembled
- Patented LED inner glow and pulsating ember with or without the heat
- A built-in fan to distribute the heat properly
- An on/off remote
Cons:
- Not durable
- Takes a while before properly warming the room
- Could use flame effect control
8. Turbro In Flames 26”
While most models I’ve discussed are inserts for fireplace only, there are options for those who don’t already have a fireplace. If you want something to insert in a stone mantel or TV cabinet to warm up the room, I highly recommend the Turbro In Flames 26” Recessed Electric Fireplace.
Finding an electric insert for a home that’s quick to install like this one is a blessing. In terms of aesthetics, this insert will make the best addition to your entertainment center and an excellent focal point for an intimate vibe.
This insert warms up anywhere from 400 to 1000 sq. ft. without actual wood fire. It also utilizes infrared quartz heating elements that don’t dry your skin like other heaters; plus, they perform much more efficiently than traditional singlet tube quartz in terms of energy consumption.
In addition, this budget-friendly insert saves you from inaccurate knobs with a precise, adjustable thermostat that lets you set your desired temperature anywhere from 62°F to 82°F.
Moreover, the heat won’t be dangerous like typical wood-burning fires, thanks to the automatic shutoff safety feature. Also, you can time your insert so that it doesn’t operate when not needed.
The realistic flames of this heater have seven colors and brightness levels to pick, and the intuitive control panel and remote will make it easier to do so.
Although some fireplace inserts can be loud and distracting, the Turbro ensures a quiet atmosphere with a 42 dB noise rating because heat shouldn’t interfere with your conversation.
Pros:
- Affordable price
- An electronic timer function
- An automatic overheat protection function
- Efficient, non-drying infrared heat
- A precise, adjustable thermostat
- Convenient control panel and remote
- Seven flame effects
Cons:
- Not the strongest heater
- Not the most durable
9. Dimplex Revillusion 20"
What could make a small area even more intimate? Wood fire. However, wood fire can easily be replaced with a hyper-realistic electric fire such as what the Dimplex Revillusion 20" Plug-In Log Set provides. You can plug this beauty into any standard household outlet, and you’re good to go.
This log set is simply pretty, thanks to the life-sized hardwood-cast logs that sit on a durable grate. The flames employ the Revillusion Flame Technology using the Mirage Flame Panel to make the fire brighter, larger, and more natural than before.
Also, this fireplace insert uses 360° Light that makes the flames flicker randomly to imitate what natural wood fire would do. The ThruView Full-depth Design lets you see what’s behind the flames because it looks more authentic.
Despite the warmth that this fireplace insert provides, thanks to the built-in fan that blows heat evenly, it performs quietly and won’t distract you as some other electric fireplaces do. In addition, you can easily control the heater from a distance using the multifunctional remote.
Pros:
- Revillusion Flame Technology
- ThruView Full-depth Design
- A built-in fan
- A multifunctional remote
- Quiet performance
Cons:
- The coal mat (not included) is expensive
- A bit overpriced
- Not suitable for large spaces
What Are the Advantages of Wood-Burning Fireplace Inserts?
Aesthetics
Nothing beats the good old-fashioned ambiance of a traditional wood fireplace at home; there’s something about burning wood that has made people gather around it since the beginning of time.
However, you can achieve the same cozy atmosphere at home with an insert. Inserts tend to have glass doors so that you can enjoy the visuals. Also, many inserts have the flame effect option that you can adjust and operate even without heat.
In addition, they come in traditional and contemporary styles to cater to everyone’s tastes.
So, you don’t wood-burning fireplace inserts beat their traditional counterparts in terms of functionality and aesthetics.
Convenience
Installing a standalone fireplace is a hassle because, most of the time, you have to start from scratch, and that’s not the case with inserts at all. As the name suggests, it is a firebox that you insert into an already existing fireplace, so the installation process is minimal yet rewarding.
Plus, they are much easier to maintain than wood fireplaces because you only need to clean it with a wire brush every once in a while; then comes the annual cleaning.
Some inserts have self-cleaning doors that make use of the by-products by burning them instead of forcing you to clean them.
Efficiency
Open masonry fireplaces do heat the air, but it ends up being sucked into the fireplace and up the chimney. So, the heating of wood-burning fireplaces is highly inefficient.
On the other hand, the enclosed design of the insert, accompanied by burning less wood, results in much higher heating efficiency and prevents the possibility of air leakage.
Plus, people tend to get inserts for warming the occupied rooms of the house only, using far less fuel than they would if they used a fireplace to heat up the entire house.
Eco-friendly
The way a traditional open masonry fireplace works is that it burns wood logs to produce heat, then vent out through a chimney. As you can imagine, the carbon footprint resulting from all of this venting is undesirable, messy, and potentially dangerous.
Fireplace inserts produce much fewer emissions and smoke than a traditional wood-burning fireplace. Plus, they make use of their own by-products.
Cost
It is a well-known fact that wood-burning fireplaces are more costly than their gas, electric, gel, and ethanol counterparts. Even if you install the simplest unit, it can still break the bank without even getting into the necessary regular maintenance and fuel cost.
On the other hand, fireplace inserts use all of their fuel efficiently, need less fuel, to begin with, require less maintenance, and tend to be easy-to-install. So, they end up saving you a lot and not just on heating bills.
How to Choose
Dimensions and Coverage
Since fire inserts will be placed inside the existing fireplace, you need to check its dimensions, meaning height, width, and depth, to determine what size of insert you need.
Also, you need to consider how much area in square feet the insert covers. Since inserts target certain areas of the house, rather than the whole place, you need to match the room that you want to warm up with an insert than can do the job.
Construction
The materials of the fireplace insert can make all the difference in your experience. Most of them are either made of cast iron or steel.
The beauty of both materials is that they are strong and reliable. In addition, their heat retention abilities help trap the heat and make wood burning more efficient.
EPA Certification
While fireplace inserts are inherently more eco-friendly than traditional fireplaces, you can maximize the environmental benefits by looking for an EPA-certified insert that follows EPA standards of clean heating and produces as little waste as possible.
So, I recommend EPA-certified inserts because they're better for the environment and your health.
Features
All fireplace inserts do the same job: warm up your home. However, there are some features that distinguish one insert from the other and make things more convenient for you.
Some inserts have thermostat control that allows the user to adjust the temperature. Plus, being able to adjust the settings with a remote is even better.
Heat distributor fans are great for heating efficiency because they ensure that they cover the area. Also, self-cleaning glass doors are an amazing way to relieve you from having to clean the insert yourself while leaving no logs to waste.
Installation
Will installing the fireplace insert be hassle-free or tricky? This can depend on the size and complexity of the insert itself and its accessories or how much it matches your existing fireplace.
For the best and safest results, I recommend hiring a factory-trained professional to install it for you, especially if you were a beginner.
Conclusion
Of course, all the inserts I’ve reviewed have more advantages over others on the market. Yet, the PuraFlame EF45DFGF Western Electric Fireplace Insert is a clear winner in my list.
Compared to expensive products like the Drolet Escape 1800i Fireplace Wood Insert, the aesthetically-pleasing winner is more reasonably priced. Also, its flame effects are more realistic than the ClassicFlame 36EB220-GRT Traditional Electric Fireplace Insert.
It also has many qualities, as I’ve explained that you should look for, such as easy installation, solid construction, 100% energy-saving LED technology, adjustable thermostat, convenient remote, and more. So, it checks a lot of lists and has more features than its counterparts.
Additional Reading
- Best Electric Garage Heater 120V
- Do Fireplace Inserts Need Electricity?
- Best 50-Gallon Gas Water Heater
