What’s your opinion on electric fireplaces?

I bought one about 10–15 years ago & I love it!!! The only drawback is that it will raise your electric bill dramatically. I use it in my bedroom which is the coolest room of my house no matter how comfortable the rest of the house is & I mainly use it to knock off the chill. I was amazed at how lifelike the fire is as I was concerned that it would look phony, but it looks amazingly lifelike & mine also has an audio where you get a little sound of the crackle of a real fireplace. This sound also sounds real & not like a looped prerecord. Mine is a standalone unit & it doubles as a TV stand.

I used it in my den as my only heat source for a short length of time but found it cost prohibitive for that purpose. I’ve mainly used it as a backup heat source & I find it perfect for that particular purpose!!!

I like wood burning Arts and Crafts style fireplaces with a quarter sawn oak mantle, Pewabic Pottery tile surround in a satin matte green glaze.
On each side of this fireplace, I’d like bookshelves with a small stained glass window above each, similar to those found in the dining room of the Gamble house.
I am nothing if not specific lol
If we ever put this fireplace in, I have a feeling I wouldn’t use it that often. I do love the way they look though.
My sister has a free standing wood burner in the mudroom of her home and it heats the entire house.
She has also smoked herself out of her house which I find amusing. :)
A friend of mine lives in a small cabin in the middle of nowhere and heats his house all winter with his fireplace.
Get the real deal :)

They are fake by definition. Some look better than others. It’s not for me, but if it floats your (I mean that generally) boat, than go for it. There are certainly practical advantages to not having deadly gasses that you have to exhaust safely, and soot to clean, and chimney liners to install/replace, etc.

They are goofy.

Watt?

1500

Most people would prefer a gas log or gas coal or real woodburning fireplace I think.

An electric fireplace is a slightly different thing, like an artificial Christmas tree. Everyone knows its not the real thing, but it can be turned off and on easily and you don’t even have to use the heat. You can get the look of a fire even in the summer.

Electric fireplaces look much better nowadays than they did a decade or so ago. But no one is fooled by them. Nor is that the intention.

Electric fireplaces look great and can be totally portable.
A wood or gas fireplace needs fresh air to burn the fuel and that cold air comes from all over the house, from every crack or gap. If you install a real flame fireplace, install a fresh air feed for the firebox. Plus, a flue is needed to vent the combustion gasses.

I thought they were ridiculous until I used one. Staying at my brother’s house with broken central heat, I would work in a reading nook with a big electric fireplace/TV console.

The imitation is still a bit weird. But I get it now. The cozy heat melts qualms.

Thanks everybody for your answers!

They have some nice ones. Rick actually bought one to put in the new-to-us camper, which we finally have in our driveway after all of these months. It will be nice because at the campgrounds we don’t pay for the utilities directly.