Electric fireplaces used to be the option you settled for. That changed. The current generation of electric fireplaces gives you 100 inch linear fireboxes with glass that stays cool, flame effects that fool guests from across the room, and water vapor units that produce actual rising "smoke." For a lot of New York City apartments, an electric unit is not the compromise. It is the only fireplace a board will approve. This guide covers the types we sell, what the heater can and cannot do, how the flame technologies differ, how to size and frame a linear unit, and what owners complain about after a year of use.
The short answer
Buy an electric fireplace for the look and the convenience, not the heat. A standard 120V unit tops out around 1,500 watts (roughly 5,000 BTU), which takes the chill off a room of about 400 square feet. Spend your money on flame realism and a size that fits the wall. For a NYC co-op or condo, a recessed linear unit on a dedicated circuit is the simplest fireplace you can get approved, because nothing goes through the wall to the outside.
Key takeaways
- Every 120V electric fireplace has the same 1,500 watt heater (about 5,000 BTU). Pay for the flame, not the heater. Hardwire to 240V if you want real room heat.
- Pick the type before the brand: wall mounted for renters, recessed linear for a feature or TV wall, insert or log set for a dead masonry firebox, outdoor rated for covered patios.
- Flame realism comes from the panel. Frosted or layered panels (Dimplex Revillusion) beat plain mirrors; water vapor (Opti-Myst) beats everything.
- Depth decides the framing: slim units around 6 inches fit a 2x6 wall; Panorama Deep (12 inches) and Opti-Myst Pro (about 16 inches) need a built-out chase.
- A TV above is fine because the glass stays cool and heat vents out the front. Follow the manual's gap anyway.
- For a NYC co-op or condo, electric is the fireplace a board will approve: nothing touches the facade.
In this guide
- Which type of electric fireplace do you need?
- How much heat do you actually get?
- Which flame technology looks most real?
- What size and wall depth do you need?
- Can you mount a TV above it?
- Which controls matter: thermostats, apps, remotes and sound?
- Will a NYC co-op or condo board approve it?
- What do owners complain about?
- Cheap vs. premium: where does the money go?
- Our recommended models
- Which should you choose?
- Frequently asked questions
Which type of electric fireplace do you need?
Every electric fireplace is a sealed box with LEDs, a flame mechanism, and a fan heater. What changes is how it mounts and what it is built to live inside. Pick the type first, then the brand.
| Type | Best for | Install reality |
|---|---|---|
| Wall mounted | Renters, rooms with no wall depth, anyone who may move it later | Hangs on a bracket like a TV, plugs into a 120V outlet. Sits proud of the wall by 5 to 7 inches. |
| Built-in / recessed linear | New feature walls, renovations, TV walls, anyone who wants a flush, finished look | Framed opening in a 2x4 or 2x6 wall, hardwired by an electrician. Most are 50 to 100 inches wide. |
| Insert for an existing firebox | Prewar apartments and houses with a dead wood or gas fireplace | Slides into the masonry opening, trim kit covers the gap, plugs in or hardwires. Keep the damper closed. |
| Electric log set | Same situation as an insert, with a smaller budget and a more open hearth look | Sits on the hearth floor, plugs in, done in an afternoon. |
| Traditional / mantel packages | Rooms that want a classic hearth without a chimney | A 26 to 42 inch firebox framed into a wall or paired with a mantel. Log sets and brick liners instead of glass media. |
| Outdoor rated | Covered patios, rooftops, pool houses, bathrooms | Same framing as indoor, needs a covered location and a GFCI protected circuit. Not every linear is rated for this. |
"Wall mounted" and "built-in" overlap. The SimpliFire Allusion Platinum 60 and the Napoleon Astound 74 FlexMount ship with hardware for both, so you can hang one now and recess it in a future renovation. The traditional category is where modern electric fireplaces and classic ones split: the Modern Flames Redstone 36 and the SimpliFire Inception 36 look like a masonry firebox with logs, not a ribbon of glass crystals.
How much heat do you actually get?
This is where expectations go wrong. Nearly every electric fireplace sold in the United States runs on a standard 120V circuit, and the heater element in a 120V unit is capped at about 1,500 watts. Converted, that is roughly 5,000 BTU per hour. The Dimplex IgniteXL 50 is rated at 1,500 watts and 5,118 BTU on 120V. The Amantii Panorama Deep 50 is 1,500 watts, 4,800 BTU, 12.5 amps. Dimplex's Opti-Myst Pro 1000 is 1,460 watts and 4,981 BTU. They are all the same heater, more or less, because the outlet is the limit.
For comparison, a direct vent gas fireplace is typically 16,000 to 40,000 BTU. So an electric unit delivers roughly one sixth to one eighth the heat of gas. Manufacturers rate 1,500 watt heaters anywhere from 400 to 1,000 square feet depending on who writes the spec sheet. In our experience installing these across Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island, treat it as supplemental heat for a room around 400 square feet. It will warm a bedroom or a home office. It will not carry a drafty living room in February.
There is a step up. Several linear units, including the entire Dimplex IgniteXL line, can be hardwired to 240V, which raises the heater to about 2,500 watts and 8,530 BTU. That is meaningful, and it is the configuration we recommend for a primary living room in a house. The catch is that 240V means a dedicated circuit pulled by a licensed electrician, so plan for it during the renovation rather than after the drywall is closed.
From our install team
A 1,500 watt heater draws 12.5 amps. Put it on a shared 15 amp bedroom circuit and you will trip the breaker the first time someone runs a hair dryer. Ask your electrician for a dedicated 20 amp circuit at the fireplace location. If the wall is already closed and that is not possible, most units let you run flame only or lock the heater to the low setting.
Which flame technology looks most real?
The flame is what you are paying for, so it pays to know how each one is made. There are three families, and the differences are visible from ten feet away.
| Technology | How it works | Examples | Honest take |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED with reflective or frosted panel | LEDs shine through a spinning refractor onto a mirror or a partially frosted acrylic panel behind the media bed | Dimplex Multi-Fire XD and XHD, Dimplex Revillusion, Amantii Fire & Ice, Modern Flames Landscape Pro, SimpliFire Allusion, Napoleon Astound | The workhorse. Quality varies enormously between a big box unit and a premium one, mostly in flame height, randomness and whether you can see the mechanism. |
| Screen or virtual flame | An LCD panel plays a layered flame animation with ember bed and sound | Modern Flames Orion | Very convincing head on, with flame styles delivered over the air through the app. Looks like a screen when you view it from a sharp angle. |
| Water vapor | Ultrasonic transducers turn tap water into a fine mist, which rises through a log or media bed and is lit by LEDs | Dimplex Opti-Myst | The only electric flame that is three dimensional and moves with the air in the room. Needs water. The most realistic option we sell. |
Within the LED family, the thing to look for is the panel. Dimplex's Revillusion units, like the Revillusion 24 insert, use a partially frosted acrylic "Mirage" panel instead of a mirror, so the flames appear to come from inside the logs and you do not see your room reflected behind them. That one detail is a big part of why a premium unit reads as fire and a cheap one reads as a lava lamp.
Water vapor fireplaces deserve their own paragraph. The Dimplex Opti-Myst line, from the 20 inch Pro 500 cassette up to the 86 inch linear OLF86, produces a cool mist that looks like flame and smoke. It is not steam and it cannot burn anyone. You either refill a reservoir or have a plumber tie in the optional water line kit for continuous operation. We push clients toward the plumb kit on every built-in Opti-Myst, because carrying a pitcher to the fireplace gets old fast. Keep in mind the Pro built-ins are around 16 inches deep, which rules them out for a shallow 2x4 wall.
What size and wall depth do you need?
Linear electric fireplaces come in a ladder of widths: 40, 44, 50, 56, 60, 68, 72, 74, 80, 88, 96 and 100 inches depending on the brand. The right width is driven by the wall, not the room. A few rules we use on site visits:
- On a TV wall, match or slightly exceed the TV width. A 65 inch TV over a 50 inch fireplace looks top heavy. A 65 over a 74 or 80 looks intentional.
- On a standalone feature wall, the fireplace should span roughly 40 to 60 percent of the wall width. Centered, with the bottom of the glass 18 to 24 inches off the floor if there is seating in front of it.
- Dimplex recommends mounting the IgniteXL with the unit 30 to 40 inches off the floor when there is no TV above. That lands the flame at eye level from a sofa.
Depth is the spec people miss. Linear units fall into two camps. Slim units like the IgniteXL 60, the Amantii Panorama XtraSlim 40 and the SimpliFire Allusion run about 6 inches deep, which means they fully recess into a 2x6 wall or sit 2 inches proud in a 2x4 wall with a trim kit. Deep units like the Amantii Panorama Deep (12 inches) and the Opti-Myst Pro (about 16 inches) need a built-out chase, which is normal in a feature wall and a problem in a shared apartment wall. The Napoleon Astound is 7 inches deep and needs a 7.5 inch framing depth to go fully flush.
Multi-sided units change the framing again. A 3-sided Amantii Tru-View or a Modern Flames Landscape Pro Multi is meant to sit in a peninsula or a corner, with glass on the front and ends. These are the units that make a room divider between a kitchen and a living area feel finished, and they are no harder to wire than a single-sided box. See-through fireplaces are the two-sided version of the same idea, and the Dimplex e-MatriX is a water vapor firebox built specifically for that.
From our install team
Frame the rough opening to the manufacturer's cutout, not to the glass. The IgniteXL 50 is 50 1/4 inches wide and needs a 50 5/8 inch cutout plus a 3 1/2 inch deep sill. Build the sill level and solid. A linear unit that is 1/4 inch out of level shows it along the whole ember bed.
Can you mount a TV above it?
Yes, you can, and it is the main reason people choose electric over gas for a media wall. The glass on every unit we carry stays cool to the touch, and the heater on most modern linears is front vented, meaning the warm air blows out the bottom front of the unit toward the room rather than up the wall at the TV. The Napoleon Astound, Dimplex IgniteXL and Amantii Panorama all work this way.
That does not make it a free for all. Every manual specifies a minimum gap between the top of the fireplace and the bottom of the TV, and every TV has a maximum operating temperature in its own manual. Follow both, and if you want to be careful, run the heater on high for an hour and hold a thermometer where the TV will sit before the mount goes up. For reference, gas fireplace makers publish wall temperatures above the opening that can hit 180°F at 4 inches without heat management. Electric units are nowhere near that, which is the whole point.
Not sure what fits your space? Send us a photo of the wall and the TV size and we will tell you which widths and depths work before you buy anything. Book a free design consultation and we will help you narrow it down.
Which controls matter: thermostats, apps, remotes and sound?
Every unit comes with a remote. The question is what else is in the box. Premium linears now include a built-in thermostat that holds a set room temperature, a timer, and touch controls hidden on the face of the unit so you are not stranded when the remote goes missing. Dimplex's IgniteXL thermostat holds to within about 1°F. Amantii's units are hardwire ready for a wall thermostat. Modern Flames sells a wireless wall thermostat that mounts like a light switch, which we recommend on any Landscape Pro install because it ends the remote hunt for good.
Wi-Fi and app control have become standard at the top of the market. The Napoleon Astound runs on the Napoleon Home app with Alexa and Google Home, and lets you schedule heat and color changes by day. The Dimplex Opti-Myst linears use the FlameConnect app, with one quirk owners mention: when the app is connected, the remote is disabled, so you pick one or the other. Modern Flames' Orion line goes furthest, with Bluetooth speakers built into the unit and new flame styles pushed over the air.
Crackle sound is offered on the Opti-Myst linears and the Orion. Most clients turn it off within a week. Do not pay extra for it.
Will a NYC co-op or condo board approve it?
Here is why electric dominates our apartment business. New York City prohibited new solid fuel burning fireplaces under Local Law 38 of 2015, effective May 6, 2016. Vent-free gas fireplaces cannot be installed in the five boroughs under the NYC Fuel Gas Code. That leaves direct vent gas, which needs a hole through an exterior wall or a roof, a gas line extended by a licensed master plumber, and a Department of Buildings filing. In a co-op or condo, the vent termination alone kills most proposals because it touches the facade, which belongs to the building.
An electric fireplace touches nothing outside your unit. The typical alteration agreement still requires board sign off for anything involving electrical work, so plan on submitting a one page scope: a recessed electric fireplace in a new framed wall, one dedicated 20 amp circuit, work by a licensed electrician. We have never had one rejected on the merits. The boards that push back are reacting to the word "fireplace," and a copy of the spec sheet showing a 1,500 watt sealed electric appliance usually ends the conversation.
If your building has a dead prewar fireplace, a plug-in SimpliFire 30 insert or a Dimplex Revillusion 25 log set goes in without any construction, and many boards treat it like furniture. If you are furring out a wall for a linear unit, a slim 6 inch unit costs you about 6 inches of room. A 16 inch Opti-Myst Pro costs you 17.
What do owners complain about?
We read the reviews so you do not have to, and we hear the same things on service calls. The complaints cluster into three themes.
Heater fan noise. The flame itself is silent. The fan heater is not. Owners frequently describe the sound as similar to a bathroom fan or a space heater, which is exactly what it is. Cheaper units are louder and tend to develop a rattle. If quiet matters, buy a unit with a low heat setting and a ceramic element, run it on low, and use the thermostat so it cycles off instead of running constantly. Water vapor units add a faint hum from the transducers that most people do not notice.
Flame realism not matching the photos. Product photography is shot in a dark room with the brightness maxed. In a sunny living room at noon, every electric flame washes out. Premium units hold up better because the LEDs are brighter and the panel does not reflect the room. Flames also read best against a dark surround. If you are deciding between two flame technologies, come see them running in our Maspeth showroom under real light.
Remotes. Lost remotes, dead batteries, and remotes that stop pairing are the number one service call we get on electric units. Buy something with on-unit touch controls or a wall control. Modern Flames, Dimplex and Napoleon all offer them.
Cheap vs. premium: where does the money go?
A big box 50 inch linear and a Dimplex IgniteXL 50 can look similar in a thumbnail. They are not the same product. The money in a premium unit goes to a few specific places:
- The flame panel and LEDs. Brighter LEDs, more color zones, a frosted or layered panel instead of a plain mirror, and flame motion that does not repeat on a visible loop.
- The heater. Ceramic elements, a real thermostat, a quieter fan, and 240V capability on the better linears.
- The glass and the media. Tempered glass bonded so it does not rattle. Hand painted driftwood and oak log sets instead of plastic.
- Serviceability. Premium brands keep parts. We can get a transformer or a flame motor for a ten year old Dimplex.
- Warranty and a dealer. Five years on the IgniteXL. Three on the Astound. And someone local who will come look at it.
Our rule: if the fireplace is going into a wall you are building and finishing, buy premium. Opening the wall later costs more than the difference. If it is hanging on a bracket in a rental, mid tier is fine.
Our recommended models
These are the eight we point to most on the showroom floor, picked for flame quality in real daylight, serviceability and how easily they fit the walls we actually see in NYC and Long Island homes.
Recessed linear and water vapor
Flexible mount, inserts and multi-sided
All electric fireplacesLinearBuilt-inWall mountedFirebox insertsLog setsOutdoor ratedWater vapor
Which should you choose?
Choose a wall mounted or plug-in unit if:
- You rent, or you may move the fireplace to another wall later.
- The wall is closed and you are not opening it.
- You can live with the unit sitting 5 to 7 inches proud of the wall.
- A standard outlet on a lightly loaded circuit is within reach.
Choose a recessed linear or water vapor built-in if:
- You are building or furring out a feature wall or a TV wall.
- You want a flush, finished look with stone or tile running to the glass.
- An electrician can pull a dedicated 20 amp circuit, or 240V if you want real heat.
- Realism matters most: go water vapor and plan for the 16 inch depth and the plumb kit.
Choose an insert or log set if:
- You have a dead wood or gas firebox in a prewar apartment or house.
- You want it done in an afternoon with no construction.
- Your co-op board treats a plug-in unit like furniture and you would rather not file an alteration.
- You want a classic log fire look, not a ribbon of crystals.
Our recommendation: for a wall you are building and finishing, recess the IgniteXL 50 or the Landscape Pro Slim, run a dedicated circuit, and hardwire 240V if the room needs heat. If flame realism is the whole point and the wall can take the depth, the Opti-Myst Pro with the plumb kit is the best electric flame we sell. If you rent or the wall is staying closed, the Allusion Platinum on a bracket gets you most of the look for the least disruption, and a Revillusion log set is the right call for any dead masonry firebox.
Frequently asked questions
Can an electric fireplace heat a whole room?
A standard 120V unit puts out about 1,500 watts, or roughly 5,000 BTU, which is enough to warm a bedroom, office or small living room of around 400 square feet. It will not replace central heat in a large or drafty space. A 240V hardwired unit raises that to about 2,500 watts and 8,500 BTU.
Do I need an electrician to install an electric fireplace?
Wall mounted and plug-in units can go on an existing outlet, ideally one on its own circuit. Any built-in unit that cannot be removed from the wall must be hardwired, and any 240V unit must be hardwired. For those, yes, a licensed electrician.
Can I put a TV above an electric fireplace?
Yes. The glass stays cool and most linear units vent heat out the front, not up the wall. Follow the minimum gap in the fireplace manual and the maximum operating temperature in the TV manual.
Which electric fireplace looks the most realistic?
Water vapor units like the Dimplex Opti-Myst produce a three dimensional mist flame that moves with the air in the room, and they are the most convincing option available. Among LED units, look for a frosted or layered flame panel rather than a plain mirror, and bright LEDs with random flame motion.
Are electric fireplaces allowed in NYC co-ops and condos?
Generally yes, and they are the easiest fireplace to get approved because nothing penetrates the exterior wall. You will still need the board to sign off on any electrical work through the normal alteration agreement process.
How deep does the wall need to be for a recessed linear fireplace?
Slim units around 6 inches deep fully recess into a 2x6 wall or sit about 2 inches proud of a 2x4 wall with a trim kit. Deep units such as the Amantii Panorama Deep (12 inches) or the Dimplex Opti-Myst Pro (about 16 inches) need a built-out chase.
Do electric fireplaces make noise?
The flame is silent. The heater fan sounds like a small space heater, and cheaper units are louder. Run the heater on low with the thermostat set so it cycles, or run flame only when you just want the look.
Can I use an electric fireplace outdoors?
Only if the model is outdoor rated, and only in a covered location on a GFCI protected circuit. The Amantii Panorama and Tru-View, Dimplex IgniteXL and SimpliFire Forum lines offer outdoor rated versions.
Talk to a specialist
See the flames running before you commit to a wall
We have been designing, selling, installing and servicing fire features and outdoor kitchens for over 30 years across New York City, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey and South Florida. Our Maspeth showroom has linear, water vapor and traditional electric units burning side by side, and our crews handle the framing, wiring and finish work on every install.
Book a free consultationCall 718-326-4328Showroom: 58-30 Maspeth Ave, Maspeth, Queens.
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Written by the NYC Fireplaces & Outdoor Kitchens team. Last reviewed October 2026. We sell, install and service the products discussed here.
Sources:Dimplex IgniteXL XLF50 spec sheet, Amantii BI-50-DEEP-OD spec sheet, Napoleon Astound 74 FlexMount, Modern Flames Landscape Pro Slim, Modern Flames Orion V2, SimpliFire Allusion, NYC DOB code update, Local Law 38 of 2015. Specifications change; always confirm with the manufacturer's current installation manual.