We have not included inset fires which need special installation. Wall-mounted ones we review are hung using a simple bracket supplied with the electric fire.

All our recommended models have been tested for temperature control, safety, and ease of use. We have included the best budget buy and what we believe is the 'best electric fire on the market'.

Noise: Some electric fires are powered by fan heaters and will be noisy to some degree.

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These are delightful-looking electric fires, made of thick durable plastic the stoves are finished to look like cast iron mini wood-burning stoves. For price performance and styling, we think they are extremely good value.

With a  high user satisfaction rate (93% of users giving them 3 to 5 stars) we think you agree with us.

There is a choice of 2 styles, both have the same performance, but differ slightly in appearance size and weight.

• Arch design dimensions: 37 x 23 x 51 cm; 5.5 Kilograms
• Classic design dimensions: 36.5 x 24 x 41.5 cm; 4.5 Kilograms

The heat is supplied by a fan heater which has 2 settings, 1 kW and 2 kW, complete adjustable thermostats and safety overheat cut out.

The fires have a vivid flame effect resembling burning logs which can be used independently.

No extended guarantee with these fires. Your usual refund, replacement or repair rights as outlined in the Consumer Rights Act 2015

Dimensions:  54 cm high, 39 cm wide and 25.5 cm deep. Weight 5.6Kg.

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Adam Fires & Fireplaces is part of the Huddersfield based Fired Up Corporation which includes Corby of Windsor and Aurora Marble.

Adam design and manufacture affordable high-quality heating and electric fire & fireplace products which are supplied internationally to the home improvement market.

Their products are now manufactured in their Chinese factories but are still assembled and pass final QA at their UK plant.

The Adam Helios has been our best-selling budget freestanding electric fire for a few years now, its clean and crisp styling finished with a brushed stainless steel effect surround coupled with a contemporary glow effect pebble flame bed allows it to blend into most room designs.

At only 20cm deep this flat-backed freestanding fire can be positioned in an existing fireplace where it will cover the hearth (If you want it flush with the existing fire surround you need a minimum recess of 120mm), or it can be placed in a surround and set against a wall making a standout feature for any room.

Several users have reported that they use it set against a wall (using the two small brackets provided) with no surround, and have had no issues with it.

The Heat is generated from a fan heater controlled by 4 switches concealed under the cowl, there are 2 heat settings (1kW & 2kW), a fan-only setting and a glow-only setting (only 5 watts) great for warmer evenings where you only want the pebble 'fire bed' illuminated.

The concealed fan heater is slightly louder than we would like but despite this, the Helios has a good satisfaction rate with 78% of users giving it 3 to 5 stars.

There is a safety cut-out to prevent it from overheating and it has a 1-year manufacturer's warranty.

Dimensions: Width: 480mm Height: 600mm Depth:200mm. Weight: 11.6kg

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This elegant curved black glass wall-mounted electric fire has stunning visual effects and is fully remote-controlled. Available in log or pebble effect flamebeds.

This is more than a heater it's a piece of 'mood furniture'. The LED flame illumination can be changed to suit your mood or decor.

There are 7 different colours that can be used to suit the ambience of your home. The remote control unit turns it on and off and allows you to control the level of heat, flame effect and lighting and includes a programmable timer.

The heat is supplied by a fan heater which has 2 settings 1 kW & 2 kW, there is a safety thermal cut-off device to prevent overheating.

Dimensions: 89.2cm*48.0cm*13.5xm (W/H/D): Flame window size 73.0cm*29.5cm: Distance from a wall 6cm at the edge 13.5 cm at the middle. A wall bracket is supplied with this fire.

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Dimplex is the world's largest heating appliance manufacturer and has been making heating appliances for over 60 years, they are the world leaders in home heating technology and innovation.

The Cheriton is the most popular of the Dimplex freestanding range, with a high user satisfaction rate, with 96%  giving it 3 to 5 stars and 76%  giving it the top 5-star rating.

This is a well-manufactured modern 2kW freestanding electric fire in a black finish with a brass effect fret and trims, fitted with the Optiflame coal effect fuel bed as standard.

Optiflame is a Dimplex patented way of generating realistic simulated flames and creates the illusion of flames emanating from the centre of an enhanced depth fuel bed (made from real coals).

The Optiflame effect can be used independently of the heat source. This is a fantastic centrepiece fire and an ideal substitute for an open fire.

The heat is provided by a fan heater mounted under the canopy.

There are  2 power settings 1 kW & 2 kW,  there is a thermal safety cut-out that switches off the heater if it overheats.

Dimensions:  68.2 cm high, 69.3 cm wide and 19.4 cm deep. weight 15.2 Kg

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The Adam Cubist electric fireplace is one of our most popular freestanding fireplace suites with 58% of all users giving it the top 5-star rating.

Designed to be placed against a flat wall forming a room centrepiece, the Adam Cubist electric fire has a satin white and brushed steel finish, the Graphite Effect Bowl has a chipped stone glow flame-bed and live flame effect.

The unit is ready assembled, simply unpack it, position it and plug it in, brackets are supplied so it can be fixed to the wall for stability.

The heating is provided by a fan heater mounted above the bowl which has 2 heat settings 1 kW & 2 kW. The flame effect can be used independently, there is a self-resetting safety cut out to prevent the fire from overheating.

This fire is covered by a 1-year manufacturer's guarantee.

Measures: Width: 905mm Height: 875mm Depth:195mm (approx 3 feet square by 8 inches deep) and weighs 29kg (64 lbs) The bowl is 12" dia by 7" high.

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If you're going to spend £1000 or more on an electric fire, it better be something special, and this one most certainly is.

Dimplex call this their living art range and that's what you are buying, a piece of high-tech art with a pretty effective fan heater thrown in.

There are newer hi-tech screens and fire effects on the market such as the Valor Dimension with its Holoscreen, but we believe the living art is a true classic.

Dimplex has taken a TFT screen and mounted it into a 700mm diameter (27.5 inches) circular glass mirrored surround, when switched off it looks like a large round mirror.

Turn it on and the screen springs to life, snuggle down in front of one of three ultra-realistic fire scenes (dying embers, cosy coal fire or a roaring log fire), relax with an aquarium or visit one of 4 idyllic scenes, a babbling brook, waterfall, snow-topped mountain or a beach, each animated scene comes with its own soundtrack, the fires pop and crackle, the aquarium bubbles away and the natural scenes have a realistic ambient sound, when you close your eyes you believe you are standing by a brook, at the beach etc...

Somewhere inside this brilliantly designed fire, Dimplex has managed to hide 2 nifty electric fan heaters with a combined heat output of 1200 Watts, they can be operated independently or together and have cool blow settings and thermal safety cut-outs to prevent overheating.

The LVA192 can be operated with just the screen only if you prefer, or just the heater only..

As you would expect everything is remote-controlled by an ergonomically designed hand-held unit, if you should need the manual controls, they are cleverly concealed behind the top of the surround.

This combination of practical home heating and animated art is a true piece of innovative genius, all those we have spoken to who have purchased one of these have had nothing but praise for it. If ever a heater can become collectable, then this is the one.

Size 700 mm diameter (27.5 inches) Depth 75 mm (3 inches)

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Opti - V PGF

Since designing the LVA192 Dimplex has introduced their Opti - V PGF wall-mounted fires which have 22-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel HD screens with full sound, combined with LED lit fuel beds and sympathetic lighting they show fires so realistic you cannot tell them from the real thing.

At close to the £2000 mark, unless you have a deep-down love of real fires and just cannot have one fitted in your home, then we just cannot see the justification for spending such a sum on what is in effect a fan heater stuck behind a TV screen, no matter how innovative the technology or how cool it looks.

If you've got 2K to spend on a fire visit The Home Fire Shop and get a real wood or multi-fuel burning stove.

Nice as the Opti - VPGF is at The Home Heating Shop we prefer the LVA192's versatility, and (as we have said earlier) its classic design because at these prices you want your fire to be a little more than just a virtual fireplace.

Dimplex Opt-Myst

These are lovely flame-effect fires with realistic smoke effects, the smoke effect is caused by steam and we have had reports that the steam has caused serious condensation issues, our trials prove this, so unless you have a very well-ventilated space we cannot recommend them.

*Please visit the Dimplex website to find your nearest stockist to see one of these fires in action.*

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