duraflame Electric Log Set 400 Sq Ft Heater, Faux Logs Insert with Lifelike Flames for Existing Fireplaces, Remote Control Included

After having lived 1.5 Minnesota winters in my 100+ year old Craftsman, I realized we needed something to supplement the heat on the main floor. The entire house is on one thermostat, meaning by the time it thought the downstairs was appropriately cozy, the upstairs was doing a convincing impression of a Swedish sauna. I needed something to supplement the heat downstairs and tell the thermostat to (literally) chill—and a bit of ambiance wouldn’t hurt.I did some homework and realized that, with my eczema, I’d need infrared heat, and this little guy was the best rated. Six and a half years later, I have not regretted my choice. I’ll run through the specifics below.Size: I have a coal-burning fireplace, meaning it’s much smaller than a wood-burning one. This heater fits perfectly.Heat output: the technology on mine doesn’t allow me to pick an exact temperature, but it acts as a great supplement to my radiators even on days when the temp drops to well below zero.Ease of use: you can set it how you want it on the side panel, then just use the remote to turn it on and off. I find the remote buttons to be vague enough that I don’t really know what difference they’re making, which is why I only use it as a power switch.Ambiance: does it look like a real fire? Not exactly, but it’s close enough that it makes the room pretty and cozy. Definitely sets a “curl up with a hot chocolate and a good book” mood.Value: This is what I really came here to say. We have run this thing for several hours almost every day for about six months out of the year (remember: Minnesota) for SIX. YEARS. Over the past week it kept shutting off, and I was worried I’d have to replace it. Nope! Turns out the intake vent was choked with dust and cat hair. A good vacuuming with the blade attachment, and it is once again happily chugging along at my side like the day I set it up. Which brings me to...Safety: What I thought was a malfunction (turning itself off quickly after I turned it on) was actually the unit's safety feature at work. It was saving us from a conflagration of dust and cat hair. Good to know that feature works!If you need an aesthetically pleasing, practical, long-lasting space heater/fireplace insert, buy this. It’s worth the money and then some.

The media could not be loaded. I love this little insert! This heater fit perfectly in my fireplace. It was easy to set up. The crackle feature is well worth the extra money. The fire looks as realistic as it can, and casts a flickering glow on the back of the fireplace. I have mine in a 400 sq. ft. sunroom that has very little insulation and the heater puts out a comfortable amount of heat in temps between 35 and 55 degree nights. The blower is not too loud. I like that each feature works independently of the others, so you can have flickering flames, sound, or heat without the other features. There's a thermostat on the side so you can adjust your heat level. We love the ambiance of this insert! It's perfect for someone who doesn't want the hassle of or can't have a real fire in the fireplace. Great value for the cost!

The media could not be loaded. Compared to other retail sites, the price for which Amazon has this unit is a steal. (It is offered at numerous other big box retail stores under different brand names, but the model number will be the same.) Got it yesterday, plugged it in, and voila! Instant ambience! We have a wood burning fireplace, and we do use it. But sometimes, you think about a fire too late in the evening as a person doesn't want to go to bed leaving a fire going, so this will fit the bill nicely. And when we do want a real fire, it can be removed instantly.The one thing I wanted to address is the bronze color. I was hesitant to order this and kept looking at the same unit offered elsewhere that featured a black grate, as the black is what I thought I wanted. Because the price was so good on this and photos featured in the reviews made it look like a dark bronze, I ordered it, and couldn't be happier. The bronze is so dark that it almost looks black, and in the fireplace, it DOES look black. So glad I ordered it for this price!The cord: It's short (6 ft), but if you get a minimum 14 gauge extension cord, you should be fine. This is the one I would recommend: Tripp Lite Heavy-Duty Power Extension Cord 15A, 14AWG (NEMA 5-15P to NEMA 5-15R) 6-ft.(P024-006). It is available in different lengths.The noise and amount of heat: With just the flames going, it makes very little noise...practically none. With the heater going, it does have fan noise similar to any small heater you would buy that features a fan. This does not put off heat like a real fire would, and I would compare the heat of the unit to be the temperature of a regular fan heater set on low or medium. So, at best...this unit would be good to take the chill off of a room, which is another reason we wanted it. Even with our furnace set at 68, on particularly cold nights, our living room can sometimes have a bit of chill to it, and we look for this to quickly and easily make the room a bit more comfortable.I will attach a video showing the logs on high on a grey, cloudy morning. (I have a wrought iron fireplace screen over the opening.) I have the heater on, as well, so you can hear the amount of noise it makes. We have a pretty large fireplace opening, and we have the unit placed directly over the ash dump, which is the perfect place for maximum projection on the back wall. The logs can be moved to change the amount of projection making it work well for all sized fireplaces.