Electactic 34" Electric Fireplace Insert Review: a decent fake fire that heats well but with a small flame window

I put this 34" Electactic electric fireplace insert in an old, unused wood-burning fireplace that was basically just collecting dust. I’ve been using it on and off for a couple of weeks, mostly in the evenings when the temperature drops. Overall, it does what I wanted: it fills the empty hole in the wall and gives off decent heat without me messing around with wood, ash, or gas lines.

Right away, I’ll say this: if you’re expecting it to look exactly like a real fireplace, you’ll probably be slightly underwhelmed. The flames look decent from a normal viewing distance, but they don’t cover the whole glass area, which is a bit annoying on a unit this wide. It feels like the fire “window” inside is smaller than the frame suggests. That matches what I saw in some reviews, and I agree with them.

On the heating side though, for a 1500W electric heater, it’s pretty solid. In my medium-sized living room, roughly 300–350 square feet, it takes the chill off in about 20–30 minutes on the high setting. It’s not going to replace a full house heating system, but as a zone heater for one room, it gets the job done. The fan could be stronger, but the warmth is noticeable if you’re in the same space.

If you just want a simple electric insert that looks decent, has a bunch of flame settings, and gives you a bit of ambiance without any construction work, this one is worth considering. Just keep your expectations realistic: it’s a heater with a fake fire, not a luxury centerpiece. I’d call it good, not mind-blowing, and the price is what really decides if it’s worth it for you.

Value really depends on what you compare it to. If you look at it as a 1500W space heater, then yes, you can get much cheaper heaters that will warm a room just as well, but they’ll look like a box or a tower, not a fireplace. If you compare it to higher-end electric fireplaces from big brands, those can easily cost a lot more for slightly better flame effects and nicer finishing. This Electactic model sits in that middle area: not dirt cheap, not premium.

For the price, you’re getting: a decent-looking black glass-front insert, multiple flame and log colors, adjustable brightness and speed, a remote, and a heater that can handle about 400 sq ft. You’re not getting: super realistic flames, a strong blower, or a perfectly filled glass area. So if you’re mainly paying for ambiance, you might feel like the small flame window is a bit of a letdown for the money. If you’re paying for both heat and looks, it starts to make more sense.

Personally, I think the value is pretty solid if you have an empty fireplace or want a wall-mounted unit that doesn’t require major installation. You plug it in, slide or mount it, and you’re done. No venting, no gas line, no messing with chimney draft. That convenience alone is worth something. I do think they could have improved the blower and flame coverage without drastically increasing the cost, so there’s a bit of frustration there: it’s close to being very good for the price, but they cut a couple of corners.

If you find it on sale, I’d say it’s a good deal. At full price, it’s fair but not a steal. You’re paying for a mix of heat and decor. If you only care about heat, get a cheaper heater. If you want a showpiece, you might want to look at pricier models with better flame realism. For a practical, mid-range option, this one sits in a reasonable spot.

The overall design is pretty simple: black frame, big glass front, and a faux brick interior. The double-sided brick pattern inside is actually one of the nicer touches. It gives the illusion of some depth behind the logs instead of just a flat black wall. The glass is 7mm thick tempered glass, and it feels solid when you tap it. The finish is lacquered black, so it blends easily with most surrounds or walls. Nothing flashy, but it looks clean and modern enough.

The weak point for me is the proportion between the glass size and the flame area. The unit is 34 inches wide, but the flames only use maybe 40–50% of that visible space, mostly in the middle. The rest is kind of dead glass area with no action. You really notice it when you’re sitting close or looking straight at it. From across the room, it’s less obvious, and guests who don’t know what to look for probably won’t care, but if you’re picky about realism, this will bug you.

On the positive side, you do get several flame and log color options, plus different brightness and speed settings. You can go from a more classic orange fire to cooler tones. I ended up sticking to the warmer colors because they look more natural. The brightness levels help a lot; on the highest setting, it can look a bit fake, but on a mid-level brightness in a dim room, it’s acceptable. The automatic mode that cycles colors is more of a gimmick for me, something you might use once and then never again.

Visually, I’d describe it as: good enough for casual use, not realistic enough if you’re trying to fool people into thinking it’s a real fire. It’s closer to a TV screensaver than an actual fireplace, but that’s pretty standard at this price range. If the flame window used more of the glass, I’d rate the design higher. As it is, it’s decent but clearly has room for improvement.

I haven’t had this fireplace for years obviously, but after a couple of weeks of daily use, I have a decent idea of the build quality. The frame feels sturdy, the glass is thick, and there are no rattles or weird vibrations when the fan is running. At just over 50 pounds, it doesn’t feel like a cheap hollow box. The lacquered finish doesn’t scratch easily with normal handling, although I wouldn’t go dragging it across a rough surface without protection.

The internal parts, like the fan and the LED flame system, are the question mark for long-term durability. The fan noise has stayed consistent so far—no buzzing or grinding. LEDs usually last a long time, so I’m not too worried about those burning out quickly. What I do notice is that this is very much an appliance built to a budget. It’s solid enough, but you don’t get that heavy-duty, industrial feel you might find on a more expensive brand.

The ETL safety certification is reassuring, and the overheat protection is a must-have for something you might leave running while you’re in another room. I’ve run it on the timer function and let it shut off by itself several times with no issues. The cord is standard thickness for a 1500W appliance, not overly thick but not flimsy either. As always with heaters, I wouldn’t plug it into a cheap power strip; wall outlet is safer.

Long term, I’d expect this to last a few winters with normal use if you treat it like an appliance and don’t bump it around. If you’re planning to run it all day every day as your main heat source, you’re probably pushing it beyond what it’s designed for. For evening and weekend use in a living room, the durability feels acceptable for the price range. Not bulletproof, but not junk.

In terms of pure heating, this thing is basically a 1500W space heater with nicer clothes. On the high setting (1500W), it does a good job warming my roughly 300–350 sq ft living room. If I turn it on from a cool room, I start to feel a difference after about 10–15 minutes, and after 30–40 minutes the room is comfortably warm, as long as doors are closed and the house isn’t leaking air everywhere. On the low setting (750W), it’s more of a gentle boost to take the edge off, not something that will heat the room quickly.

The manufacturer claims up to 400 square feet, and I’d say that’s realistic if you’re talking about making the space comfortable, not sauna-level hot. If you’re trying to heat a large open concept area or a very cold basement, you’ll probably feel it, but it won’t be enough on its own. Compared to a basic ceramic space heater I was using before, it heats about the same, but spreads the warmth a little better because the front is wider and the fan distributes the air more evenly.

The blower is where I think they could have done better. It works, but it’s not particularly powerful. You feel the warm air if you stand in front of it, but if you’re expecting a strong blast of air like some tower heaters, this isn’t it. The upside is that it’s not overly noisy. You’ll hear a fan hum, but it’s still easy to watch TV or talk without raising your voice. For a living room, I’d rather have a slightly weaker but quieter fan than a loud one anyway.

Day to day, I’ve mostly used the high setting for the first 20 minutes, then either turned it off and kept the flames only for looks, or dropped it to low just to maintain the temperature. The thermostat control is basic but works. For what it is, the performance is solid: it heats a medium room, doesn’t dry the air too much, and the noise level is acceptable. Just don’t expect miracles in a big, drafty house.

When you unpack the Electactic 34" insert, you get the unit itself, a remote, some basic mounting hardware, and a manual that’s readable but nothing special. The fireplace is fairly heavy (a bit over 50 pounds), so it’s not a flimsy toy. I could move it alone, but getting it into the fireplace opening was easier with a second pair of hands. The power cord is about 70 inches long, which is enough to reach a nearby outlet in most living rooms without an extension cord, as long as your outlet isn’t on the opposite wall.

This model is meant for either wall mounting or as a built-in insert. I used it as an insert, just sliding it into an existing fireplace opening and securing it. The dimensions (34" W x 26" H x about 6" D) were pretty close to what’s listed. In my case, the height was a bit shorter than the opening, so there’s a small gap at the top, but it’s not super noticeable unless you go looking for it. Someone picky about finish might want to build a trim around it or add a surround.

The controls are simple: a front touch panel and the remote. You can switch between flame colors, change brightness, adjust flame speed, and set a timer from 1 to 8 hours. There’s also a heat on/off and a high/low power mode (750W and 1500W). The front panel lights are bright enough to see but not so bright that they ruin the look in a dark room. After a couple of days, I mostly used the remote and ignored the touch panel, but it’s handy if the remote goes missing in the couch.

So in terms of presentation, it’s straightforward: no fancy unboxing, no extra decorative media like crystals or different logs, just the basic kit. It feels like a practical appliance rather than a design object. If you’re okay with that and just want something that looks reasonably modern and works, it’s fine. If you’re expecting lots of accessories and customization out of the box, you’ll probably find it a bit barebones.

If I break it down by what the product claims to do, I’d say it hits most of the boxes, but not perfectly. It’s supposed to provide adjustable heat, give you different flame and log colors, run safely, and work either as a heater or just as a decorative fireplace. On those fronts, it’s mostly successful. I’ve run it for several evenings in a row, a few hours at a time, and I haven’t had any issues with overheating or weird smells after the first short “new appliance” burn-in period.

The control options are pretty complete for this type of product: you can set the flame speed, brightness, colors, log colors, and use a timer from 1 to 8 hours. In practice, I only use a small subset of these features. I set one flame color I like, one brightness level, and then either heat on or off. The variety is nice to have, but it feels more like a checklist of features than something you’ll constantly play with. The auto mode that cycles through colors and brightness is the kind of thing you might show off once to guests and then never touch again.

In terms of safety and comfort, it’s fine. The front glass gets warm but not dangerously hot, and the unit has overheat protection. The claim about maintaining humidity is hard to measure, but it definitely doesn’t dry out the air as much as some older fan heaters I’ve used. I don’t wake up with a dry throat or anything after running it in the evening, so I’d say it’s at least not worse than normal electric heating.

So as far as effectiveness goes: it heats a medium room, gives a decent visual effect, and the controls work as advertised. It’s not perfect — the fan could be stronger and the flame area should be larger — but it’s functional. If your main goals are “fill my dead fireplace with something that looks okay and gives me some heat,” then it does that job without any major drama.