ZAFRO Electric Fireplace Stove Review: a compact heater that adds real cozy vibes without wrecking your budget

I’ve been using the ZAFRO Electric Fireplace Stove (22 inch model, 1500W) as a secondary heater in my living room for a bit now, and I’ll be straight: I bought it more for the fake-fire look than for the heating specs. I just wanted something that looked like a mini stove, gave a bit of glow at night, and took the edge off the cold without messing with the whole house thermostat. On paper it’s 5100 BTU and rated for about 600 sq ft, which is roughly my open living/dining area.

In practice, it’s not magic, but it does the job. I’ve had it running on the 1500W setting in a room that’s roughly 14 x 24 feet, and after about 20–30 minutes you really feel the difference, especially if you’re sitting within a few meters in front of it. It’s not central heating, but it’s enough so you’re not wrapped in a blanket all evening. The fan noise is there, but not annoying; I can watch TV without turning up the volume much.

What surprised me most is how light and easy to move it is. I’ve dragged it from the living room to the bedroom a few times when we had a colder night, and the weight (a bit under 16 pounds) is manageable with one hand. You just pick it up, plug it in, and you’re done. No assembly nightmare either: just screwing on the legs with the included screws and that’s it.

It’s not perfect though. For this price, I really wish it had a remote, because once you’re on the couch, getting up to adjust the thermostat is annoying. Also, the body is more "decor heater" than heavy-duty appliance, so if you expect a cast-iron tank, that’s not what this is. But overall, as a small electric fireplace that looks decent and actually warms a room, it’s pretty solid.

From a value standpoint, you have to compare this to two things: a plain 1500W space heater, and a bigger electric fireplace unit. If you just want heat, you can find basic space heaters for cheaper. They’ll warm the room about the same, but they’ll look like, well, a plastic box. No fake fire, no ambiance, just function. If you want a full console-style electric fireplace or something built into furniture, you’re paying a lot more. This ZAFRO stove sits right in the middle: it costs more than the barebones heaters, but you’re also getting a nicer look and the flame effect.

For what it offers—5100 BTU, two power levels, thermostat, adjustable flames, and a compact footprint—I’d say the price is fair. You’re not paying for unnecessary smart features or Wi-Fi stuff you’ll never use. It’s pretty no-nonsense: plug in, set the knob, enjoy the warmth and the look. A few Amazon users even mentioned buying multiple units to heat several rooms, which makes sense if you want room-by-room control instead of cranking a central system.

Where it loses a bit of value for me is the missing remote. At this price point, a basic remote isn’t a crazy expectation. Getting up every time to adjust the temperature or turn it off is slightly annoying, especially if you’re using it mainly from the couch or bed. Also, keep in mind the running cost: 1500W is standard for this type of heater, but if you run it all day every day, it will show up on your electric bill. That’s not specific to this model, just to this category in general.

Overall, if you’re looking for something that both heats decently and looks nicer than a generic heater, this is good value. If you only care about raw heat per dollar, you can go cheaper. If you want furniture-grade looks and premium materials, you’ll need to spend more. This one hits a pretty reasonable balance between price, function, and appearance.

The design is clearly going for that old-school, small cast-iron stove vibe. It’s black, with a fake door front and windowed sides, so you can see the flame effect from three angles. That three-window thing is actually more useful than I thought: if you put it in a corner or near a table, you still see the glow from the side. The front has simple controls tucked away at the bottom, nothing fancy, but it keeps the look reasonably clean.

The flame effect is honestly one of the better parts. I’m not going to say it looks like a real wood fire, but for a unit in this price range, it’s decent. The logs glow, and the flame pattern has some movement to it instead of looking like a cheap looping GIF. You can adjust the brightness, which helps a lot: at full blast it looks a bit fake, but at a lower setting, especially in the evening with the main lights dimmed, it gives a pretty cozy atmosphere. You can also run the flames with no heat, so it doubles as a sort of ambient lamp.

In terms of size, it’s a good fit for small spaces. It’s narrow enough to tuck against a wall without eating the room, and it doesn’t feel bulky. I’ve had it in a dining area, then moved it next to a reading chair, and it never felt in the way. That said, if you’re trying to make it the main visual centerpiece of a big living room, it might look on the small side. It’s more of a secondary accent than a big statement fireplace.

On the downside, some design choices feel a bit budget. The door look is just for show; it doesn’t open, so you’re not getting that “open the stove” feeling. Also, the control knobs and switches look and feel a bit basic. They work, but they don’t give that solid click you get on higher-end models. Overall, though, for a compact heater, the design is pretty solid and doesn’t look cheap from a normal viewing distance.

Material-wise, you can tell this is not a heavy cast-iron stove. The body is mostly metal panels with plastic trim and feet. The finish is listed as lacquered, and it has that typical matte/eggshell black you see on a lot of budget electric fireplaces. When you tap it, it doesn’t sound super thick, but it also doesn’t feel flimsy to the point where you’re scared to move it. The weight (around 15.8 lbs) is a clue: it’s light enough to move easily, so obviously it’s not solid metal all the way through.

The feet are actually decent. They flare out a bit to give more contact with the floor, and once they’re screwed in properly (3 screws per leg), the whole thing feels pretty stable. I’ve nudged it accidentally with my foot a couple of times and it didn’t wobble or feel like it was going to tip. If you have kids or pets, I’d still be cautious, but it’s better than some wobbly cheap heaters I’ve tried in the past.

The glass (or more likely acrylic front window) is clear and doesn’t distort the flames much. It doesn’t get scorching hot either, at least not in my use. Warm, yes, but not “burn your hand instantly” hot. The top surface stays relatively cool, which matches what some users say about being able to set something light on top. I still treat it as a heater and don’t stack stuff on it, but if a book or remote ends up there, it’s not a disaster.

If you’re picky about premium materials, this isn’t going to impress you. It feels like a mid-range appliance: not junk, but not high-end. For the price, I’d say the materials are good enough. The important part for me is that the casing doesn’t rattle, the feet are solid, and there are no weird smells from the plastics when it gets hot after the first uses. I didn’t notice any strong burning plastic smell, just the usual light "new heater" smell that faded after a couple of runs.

Durability is always tricky to judge without years of use, but I can at least talk about how it’s holding up so far and what feels solid or not. After repeated moves between rooms and a handful of long heating sessions, there are no weird rattles, no loose parts, and the feet haven’t loosened. The casing doesn’t flex much when you pick it up by the sides, which is a good sign. The switches and thermostat dial still feel the same as day one—no wobble or scratchy feeling.

I’ve run it for several hours at a time on the 1500W setting, and I haven’t had any overheating shutdowns or smells beyond the first couple of uses. The overheat protection is there as a backup, but in normal use it hasn’t kicked in for me. The fan also hasn’t changed sound over time—no grinding or extra noise—which is something that often goes wrong on cheaper heaters.

The one area where I’m a bit cautious is the finish and the fake glass window. I can see the black lacquered finish getting scratched if you’re rough with it or drag stuff across the top. Same with the window: if you clean it with a harsh product or scrub it with something abrasive, you’ll probably mark it. So I treat it like a TV screen: soft cloth, gentle cleaning, don’t slam anything into it.

Overall, I’d rate the durability as decent for the price. It doesn’t feel like a lifetime appliance that you’ll pass down to your grandkids, but it also doesn’t feel disposable. If you use it normally—no kicking it around, no dumping heavy objects on top—I don’t see a reason it wouldn’t last several winters. The fact that it’s relatively simple inside (basic fan heater plus lights) also means fewer complex things to fail compared to some overcomplicated smart heaters.

On the performance side, it’s pretty straightforward: you’ve got two heat modes, 1000W and 1500W, and a built-in thermostat. On the high 1500W setting, it pushes out enough heat to noticeably warm my 14 x 24 ft living/dining room in about 20–30 minutes when starting from a mildly chilly temperature. It’s not going to take a freezing room to sauna level, but for taking the chill off and keeping things comfortable around 68–70°F, it does the job. On the 1000W setting, it’s more of a gentle background heat that’s better for smaller rooms or if you just want to maintain temperature.

The fan noise is pretty reasonable. It’s not silent, but it’s quieter than a lot of cheap box heaters. It’s a soft whoosh sound rather than a high-pitched whine. I can watch TV or work on my laptop with it on and it doesn’t bother me. If you’re super sensitive to noise, you’ll hear it, but it’s not the kind of thing that ruins a movie night. The airflow comes out from the lower front area, so it’s good for warming your legs and feet if you sit nearby.

The thermostat is basic but functional. It’s a dial, not a digital display, so you don’t set an exact degree. You basically turn it up until the room feels right and then leave it. Once the room reaches that rough level, it will cycle on and off. It’s not ultra-precise, but for a budget heater, that’s expected. I’d say it’s more “good enough for comfort” than “lab-accurate”.

One thing to keep in mind: this is still a 1500W electric heater. That’s pretty much the ceiling for a normal household outlet in this category. So if you expect it to heat a very big open-plan area or a very poorly insulated room in the dead of winter, you’ll probably be underwhelmed. Used as it should be—supplemental heat in a small to medium room—it’s pretty solid. No tripped breakers for me so far, but I don’t run it on the same circuit as other heavy appliances.

On the spec sheet, the ZAFRO Electric Fireplace Stove is a compact, freestanding electric heater rated at 5100 BTU, with two power modes (1000W and 1500W). It’s roughly 15.35" wide, 9.45" deep, and 22" high, so it’s not huge. Think more “small side table” height than a big fireplace console. It’s meant for indoor use and ZAFRO claims up to about 600 sq ft of heating coverage. Power is standard corded electric, so no batteries needed for heating or flame, just a wall outlet.

You get adjustable flame brightness, which is nice if you just want the visual without the heat. The flame effect is 3D-style with glowing logs and dancing lights in the back. There’s a thermostat knob and a switch for the flame, plus a heating mode selector (low/high). No digital display, no Wi-Fi, no app, and, importantly, no remote control. So all the controls are manual on the front of the unit.

Safety-wise, it has overheat protection that shuts it down if it gets too hot, and the feet are slightly flared out to make it more stable. The body stays reasonably cool on most surfaces, especially the top, so you can put something light on it (though I still wouldn’t pile stuff on there long term). The heat blows out from the lower front area, which is good for warming your feet if you sit close.

In terms of category, it’s basically a space heater dressed up as a vintage stove. It sits somewhere between a basic ceramic heater and a full electric fireplace TV stand. If you just want heat, there are cheaper plain heaters. If you want a full furniture piece, you’ll pay more. This one sits in the middle: compact, decorative, and functional enough for day-to-day use.

In daily use, the thing that matters is simple: do you feel warmer and more comfortable with this thing on? For me, yes. When I work from home, I don’t want to crank up the heat for the whole house just to sit in one room. With this ZAFRO stove running on high, the area around my desk and couch gets cozy enough that I can sit there in a t-shirt while the rest of the house is a bit cooler. That’s basically what I wanted it for.

It’s especially effective if you’re within a few meters of it. Sit right in front of it, and you feel the warm airflow on your legs and feet, which is nice on cold mornings. If you move further away, you still feel the overall room temperature going up, but it’s more subtle. I’ve also used it in a smaller bedroom, and there it works even better; the room warms up faster and stays comfortable with the thermostat cycling on and off.

The flame-only mode is also something I actually use. At night, I sometimes turn off the heat and just leave the flames on low brightness, and it works as a sort of ambient light. It doesn’t heat in that mode, so it’s not going to cook you while you’re trying to relax. If you have guests, it also gives the room a nicer look than just a plain heater sitting there.

It’s not perfect, of course. If your place is badly insulated or you’re in a very cold climate, this won’t replace a proper heating system. It’s an extra tool, not a full solution. But as a supplemental heater that makes a noticeable difference in comfort and looks decent while doing it, it’s effective. I don’t feel like I wasted my money, which is already a good sign for this kind of gadget.