Electric Fireplaces: Do They Feel Cozy, and Are They Safe?

An electric fireplace makes a room feel cozier mainly through its glowing flame effect, and most add a fan heater that warms one room. Treat it as a space heater: keep it 3 feet from anything that can burn, plug it straight into a wall outlet, and switch the heater off when you leave the room or go to bed.

What an electric fireplace adds to a cozy room

An electric fireplace gives a room two separate things: a moving, glowing light that looks like a fire, and a heater. On Dimplex models the two work independently, so you can run the flame alone in spring or fall and add heat on cold nights.

The flame effect is LED light. Some higher-end units add water vapor: Dimplex’s Optimyst range uses ultrasonic technology and LED light to turn water into a mist that looks like flame and smoke. Either way, nothing burns, so there is no smoke or ash, and Dimplex notes there is nothing to exhaust, so no chimney or vent is needed.

Warm, low light is a large part of what makes a room feel cozy. Our guide to making a room cozy covers lamp color and placement, and an electric fireplace slots into the same plan as one more warm light source at sitting height.

How much heat does an electric fireplace give?

Most plug-in electric fireplaces use a heater of about 1,500 watts. Dimplex says that with the heater on, its units draw about 1,500 watts and produce about 5,115 BTU, and its FAQ says most electric fireplaces can heat rooms of up to about 400 square feet.

That makes an electric fireplace supplemental heat for the room you sit in. A drafty room still loses heat fast, so close curtains and stop drafts first.

Are electric fireplaces safe to leave on?

An electric fireplace with its heater running should follow the same rules as any space heater, and both U.S. safety bodies are clear about leaving one on. The NFPA says to turn space heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed. The CPSC says never to leave a portable heater on while you sleep.

The CPSC also says not to leave a heater operating unattended. Check what your model’s manual says about flame-only mode before you leave the room with it running.

Where to put an electric fireplace safely

Placement rules for electric fireplaces come straight from space heater guidance.

• Three feet of space. The CPSC says to keep curtains, sofas, beds, clothes and papers at least 3 feet from the front, sides and back of a heater. The NFPA also says to keep children away from a space heater.
• A firm, level base. Stand it on a flat, stable surface where it cannot be knocked over, per the CPSC.
• A wall outlet you can see. Plug it straight in, with no extension cord or power strip, and check the plug and outlet for heat now and then, as the CPSC advises.

The CPSC counts an average of 1,600 fires a year involving portable heaters, including electric space heaters, with an average of 70 deaths and 150 injuries a year from 2020 to 2022. Most of the advice above exists to keep fabric and furniture away from the heat.

What to check before you buy an electric fireplace

Look for the mark of a qualified testing laboratory, such as UL or CSA, on the label or listing; the CPSC and NFPA both point to this. The NFPA also suggests a thermostat, overheat protection and automatic shut-off if the heater tips over. A flame-only setting and a timer are worth having too.

Recalls do happen. In November 2023 the CPSC announced a recall of about 14,670 Style Selections 42-inch infrared quartz electric fireplaces made by Twin-Star and sold at Lowe’s, because they could overheat. Search cpsc.gov for your model before winter, and buy new rather than secondhand.

If you already have a wood fireplace you no longer use, an electric log set or insert fits inside the opening instead, with the same safety rules. For tight spaces, see our guides to small electric fireplaces for apartments and bedrooms, and wall-mounted electric fireplaces for mounting height, wiring and a TV above.

Electric fireplace or a heated throw?

An electric fireplace warms the room and gives you the glow. A heated throw warms just you and uses less power; our guide on whether heated throws are safe covers auto shut-off and cords. For one sore spot, a heating pad is smaller again. Many people use both: the fireplace for light and a quick warm-up, then a throw blanket once the heater is off for the night.