If you are looking for the best fireplace inserts, search no further as we have compiled our top choices to complement your house’s design and look.
A smoky appearance and a fluctuating heating arrangement can destroy the charm of this intimate part of the house.
This underlines the importance of the installation of a newer fashion in the fireplace at homes – a fireplace insert.
What Is A Fireplace Insert?
It is a closed-combustion firebox that is installed into an existing fireplace to increase the capability of the heating system.
A good fireplace insert can enhance the functioning of a fireplace up to 80 percent and make it worth boasting.
In this way, it serves the utilitarian as well as sentimental ends of the buyer. Different configurations of the fireplace inserts available on the market make them a decorative feature of the home interior too.
A little investigation in the field of fireplace inserts would help us explore their pleasing possibilities.
Top 8 Best Fireplace Inserts
When the fireplace insert world is crowded with a wide range of decent options, searching and choosing the right insert for your home can be a difficult process.
We are here to recommend to you some of the most popular names in the fireplace market.
Sure Heat BRO18NG Vented Gas Log Set
Sure Heat fireplace inserts are one of the most reliable inserts trending on the market at the moment.
If your home is equipped with a natural gas supply, then Sure Heat inserts sound to be a sensible investment.
The 8 cement hand-made log set is so detailed that it offers a unique outlook to your home.
The dual U-shaped burner imparts double brightness to the product.
The burnt river oak color gives it a more authentic look and a size of 18 inches makes it a perfect fit.
Thus, it is guaranteed that if you own a Sure Heat BRO18NG Burnt River Oak Vented Gas Log Set, you get more reliable durability and comfort.
Electric Fireplace Inserts: Dimplex DFI2309
Dimplex DFI2309 electric fireplace insert is one of the top-selling fireplace inserts.
It can recreate the warmth of your existing fireplace impressively and safely with a hand-held remote control facility.
They run on a built-in fan-forced heater that can keep the room warm for a long time with a BTU of 4695 and wattage 1375.
It is a pollution-free insert that has a patented flame technology.
With a height of 19.8 inches and a width of 23.5 inches, it fits right into your fireplace. In truth, it is an affordable and quality-assured product for your home.
Pleasant Hearth 20” Electric Crackling Natural Wood Log
Pleasant Hearth 20” Electric Crackling Natural Wood Log insert is a fast-selling model that generates splendid flame effect and heat.
As the name indicates, it produces the crackling sound of authentic wood which is soothing to our ears.
Moreover, the natural wood color also charms the soul. A size of 20 inches goes along with most of the fireplaces.
It assures heat coverage up to 400 square feet and uses iron and wood as primary materials.
Run by electricity, Pleasant Hearth electric crackling wood log proves to be the safest choice for the customers.
Timberwolf Economizer EPA Wood Burning Fireplace Insert
Timberwolf’s strong and elegant wood insert renders reliable heat required to keep the room warm.
It has a solid cast iron arch door that imparts a classy look.
It offers the best efficiency in comparison to other types of inserts by offering extensive heat coverage up to 2000 square feet and a burn-time duration of 6 hours.
Another highlighting feature of this product is that it produces clean-burning, leaving a well-kept impression of the fireplace.
It is a budget-friendly product that is gaining more ground in the market.
More Fireplace Inserts
AKDY 27” Black Electric Firebox Fireplace Heater Insert
AKDY Electric inserts fall under the category of the top-selling fireplace inserts in the market.
A royal exterior look and the latest flame technology make it a very convincing choice for the buyers.
The curved front panel glass and exterior design make it extremely classy and enchanting.
The hand-held remote control makes the operation of the fireplace very convenient.
This 27-inch insert slips easily into a fireplace of moderate size.
If comfort is a high priority for you, AKDY guarantees you, the optimal heat for your setting.
Duraflame Electric DFI030ARU Infrared Quartz Set Heater
If you are tired of browsing through numerous fireplace inserts available on the market, then Duraflame DF1020ARU-A004 electric fireplace insert is a brand worth considering.
It plugs easily into any standard outlet and functions in dual ways-with and without a heater.
This fireplace generates an ample amount of heat sufficient enough to keep the room warm with a BTU of 4600 per hour and wattage of 1400.
Also, it offers a heating coverage of up to 400 square feet. The hand-held remote control facility makes the whole arrangement extra convenient.
Another highlighting feature is that you can relish the flame effect even after turning off the insert. In short, the product lives up to the demands of the customers.
Electric Fireplace Inserts:
ClassicFlame 23EF031GRP 23″ with Safer Plug
ClassicFlame 23EF031GRP Electric Fireplace Insert is a popular name on the list of vent-free inserts available on the market. It produces a spectacular flame effect by generating simulated flames from the insert.
The energy-saving LED technology helps you to save money on your energy bills. In fact, the BTU of 4600 per hour is sufficient enough to sustain the heat generated in the room.
Just like the ClassicFlame 23ef023gra fireplace insert, the flame effect can be sustained even when the insert is in offline mode. As a whole, the product meets the utilitarian ends as well as the decorative purpose of the home.
Bio Ethanol Ventless Fireplace Burner Insert – EB1400 | Ignis
This fireplace insert offers you a unique experience through the authentic flames generated using the fuel ethanol.
Made of 3mm stainless steel, it is heavy, tough, and compact. Being vent-free, it is portable and easy to operate.
It is worth the price you pay as the heating efficiency is so high with a BTU of 6000 per hour and the frame is adjustable and requires easy or no maintenance at all.
The flames are odorless and burn calmly. In fact, it is a product worth every penny.
Benefits of Fireplace Inserts
Over the years, fireplaces have undergone tremendous modifications and innovations ranging from a simple hearthstone to the installation of a fireplace insert.
An overview of the advantages of attaching an insert to the existing fireplace helps to evade the shopping concerns of the customers.
Is Efficiency a Big Deal?
The first and foremost advantage of a fireplace insert is its potentiality.
It improves the distribution of heat throughout the room with the help of the blower.
Next, it functions as a closed system with an air-tight door system to slow down the process of heating and save energy.
A slow mechanism of heating can generate more heat sufficient enough to keep the entire room warm.
Budget-friendly
Fireplace inserts play a vital role in cutting down the monthly expenses required to keep the home warm.
An open fireplace draws the warm air into the furnace and accelerates the fuel-burning.
This results in the usage of more fuels that can raise your monthly expenses.
An insert slows down the burning of the fuel and helps you save money on your energy bill. The maintenance costs of the inserts are also affordable.
Eco friendly
Fireplace inserts reduce the wood-burning emissions that can cause environmental impacts.
An old-fashioned fireplace tends to produce high levels of smoke inside as well as outside the house.
The inserts which run on electricity produce stable energy and little pollution.
Decorative Scheme
Fireplace inserts come in diverse structural forms that can also be treated as artistic pieces of home decor.
They carry the details of ornamentation that impart increased elegance to the fireplace.
Inserts in marvelous shades and classic forms heighten the scenic beauty of the fireplace.
Some inserts come with carved projections and arch doors. Electric inserts produce the illusion of real flames and logs to render an authentic feel to the viewers.
Dust-Free Technology
Traditional fireplaces often leave dust, ashes, and smoke which impart a messy appearance to the room.
The modern fireplaces designed with inserts enclose the whole system with the help of glass doors which are capable of self-cleaning.
Finally, they get rid of the accumulation of dust particles frequently and make the view clear and aesthetically appealing. They also prevent the entry of combustion gases into the room.
Advanced Options
With the installation of inserts, the present-day fireplaces have all the features that you dreamed about.
Some of the inserts come with a hand-held remote control facility to turn on and off the flame as well as adjust the brightness of the flames.
You can also set the heating time with the help of timers. The self-cleaning facility of the glass doors is an impressive feature of the inserts.
These are some of the advantages of fireplace inserts that made them achieve deserved popularity.
They add much to the attraction of modern fireplaces. However, one should not rush to the store without carrying out a little research in this area.
This would help you to pick the right insert that can merge with the overall outlook of the home.
Will your Current Fireplace Accept Fireplace Inserts?
It should be taken into account that the varied kinds of fireplace inserts available on the market are mostly designed to be installed with traditional masonry or brick fireplaces.
Manufactured fireplaces which are factory-built or sheet-built often demand a specific kind of insert. Meanwhile, some of them are not equipped enough to accept an insert.
Hence, before visiting the department store, one should make sure the insert goes along well with the architectural features of the existing fireplace.
How to Find the Best Fireplace Inserts for your Home
With a diverse range of patterns, styles, features, and sizes, choosing fireplace inserts can be shockingly complex.
Any sort of misstep in the shopping of inserts may ruin the mood and architecture of the room.
Hence, you need a thorough assessment to discover the right insert for your home. The following criteria will help you to make a rightful choice of insert for your home.
Types of Inserts
Wood Burning Inserts
If you have ample scope for wood in your surroundings, wood-burning inserts prove to be a very wise choice. These types of inserts have been warmly welcomed by the customers for a long period of time. They use wood as the main fuel and increases the efficiency of the heating system.
Since they are based on wood, they double the effect of the heating environment of the fireplace. No other inserts can match the authentic feel of pure wood created by the wood-burning inserts.
The smell and snapping sound of the wood form an aesthetically pleasing combination.
If one has a leaning towards the romantic factors that give life to a home, wood-burning inserts are the best. However, they tend to generate more ashes and wastes than other inserts.
An important aspect one should not fail to take notice of before barging into shopping is the size of the firebox chamber. A standard log size comes with the brochure of these wood-based inserts.
Pellet Inserts
These kinds of inserts guarantee long-lasting performance by transforming the existing heating system into a more reliable source.
They run on electricity, but most of the models offer a battery backup facility in case of a power outage.
Farm wastes are the main source of Pellets, which constitute a renewable source of energy.
Hence, this type of insert is more pocket-friendly than other inserts. They also turn to be cheaper in terms of installation costs.
It has the capacity to burn 20 to 40 pounds of pellets per day. Another benefit of this insert is that it demands only less venting.
However, one major inconvenience of the pellet insert is its high maintenance regularly.
Apart from the cleaning up of the ashes, the electric components also need considerable attention.
You may like to read: 8 Amazing Ventless Pellet Stove in the Market Today + Buying Guide
Gas Fireplace Inserts
If one’s priority is efficiency and the generation of heat, then a gas fireplace insert is the most favorable option. One of its highlighting features is that it requires very little maintenance. Also, several vent-free models of these inserts are available in the fireplace stores. They are so user-friendly that they can be operated instantly using remote controls or switches.
While choosing this insert, you are making a switch to a smart thermostat. They also offer visually pleasing options such as false logs and flames.
A downside of these inserts is that they are very expensive when compared to other inserts.
Electric Fireplace Inserts
When convenience becomes the deciding factor to purchase an insert, you can always stick to electric inserts.
Electric inserts do not involve the sweat and toil associated with other inserts as the remote control facility enables you to operate the device from anywhere inside the room.
They also offer visually soothing arrangements like realistic flames and heat which are adjustable.
Inserts require zero ventings and can be installed with much ease. However, the heating capacity of these types of inserts is relatively low when compared to others.
Getting the Dimensions Right
Making a note of the dimensions is an important step in the shopping of fireplace inserts. First, the fireplace should be equipped enough to integrate the new addition.
The inserts come in all sizes including small, medium, and large and hence one needs to ensure the compatibility of the insert with the existing fireplace.
Take the correct measurements of the opening of the fireplace as well as the distance from the firebox to the mantel.
This will prevent you from accidentally picking an insert of the wrong size. The proper dimensions may also help you to explore the right flashing or surround.
Many of the inserts are designed to go with black sheet metal flashing and some of them are even restyled to blend with cast iron surround.
A chimney liner of optimal size must be installed in the beginning to make sure that the chimney’s draft meets the configurations of the insert. It will also ensure the safe functioning of the insert.
Venting Makes it a Simple Affair
While choosing an insert, you need to make sure whether it coordinates well with the type of venting installed in the fireplace.
An insert functions properly with the aid of venting it using a flex pipe that runs up the chimney. Many of the inserts come with a venting kit (including a liner, flashing, cap, and a connector adapter).
The kit helps you to get rid of the headache of guessing and double-checking whether you have bought all the components. The venting apparatus mostly come in three varieties namely natural, direct vent, and vent-free.
Differences Among Various Types of Fireplace Inserts
A wood fireplace insert often demands a 6-inch diameter stainless steel liner installed inside the chimney. The flexible liners are available in different lengths ranging from 25 feet to 35 feet. One could trim and fix the liners following the height of the chimney.
If the size of the chimney is big, you can always go for wood-burning inserts without any shadow of a doubt. A pellet-burning insert also operates in a similar natural vent fashion. It can run on a much smaller exhaust venting too.
Gas fireplace inserts usually follow the route of direct vent mechanism for upgrading their performance. Direct vent fireplace inserts operate through two side-by-side flexible liners. These run via chimney as well as an opening on the wall of the room.
With the help of these liners, they draw the air for combustion and exhaustion from outside leaving the room air clean and odor-free. They have been widely accepted and boasted by most of the house owners.
An electric fireplace insert always makes use of vent-free technology. It fascinates the customers as it offers the best comfort level and causes little pollution.
Moreover, it requires zero ventings that you can place the fireplace cum inserts almost anywhere in the room.
Vent-free options are also available in gas inserts. At times one needs to leave the windows in the room open as the whole process for a prolonged time may result in the depletion of oxygen in the room.
Flaunt Your Style Statement
A fireplace insert with an aristocratic design can be the first thing that attracts the attention of a visitor to your home. The fireplaces have evolved that they exhibit rapid improvement in craftsmanship and style.
They also turn into very artistic and attractive pieces of furniture at present. Rather than a necessity, they have become more of a luxury.
As a whole, a fireplace with an engraved insert provides ample scope for flaunting the home interior.
Best Fireplace Inserts: Final Thoughts
Fireplace inserts come in astonishing models, patterns, and sizes that can transform a dull room into a refreshing and cheerful environment.
They not only serve the purpose of generating heat but also add style and individuality to the home.
Sliding easily right into your fireplace, they cause less annoyance.
In fact, fireplace inserts prove to be a great asset worth exhibiting all-round the year. We hope you’ve benefitted from our reviews and buying guide of the best fireplace inserts. Now let us know your opinions.
