Fireplaces by category
A long, thin linear unit that hangs on the wall or sits flush in a framed opening. This is the look most people mean when they say "electric fireplace" today. Check the depth: under 6 inches lets you recess it into a standard 2x6 wall without building out.
An insert slides into the opening of a wood fireplace you no longer use, or into a mantel. Measure the opening at the front and at the back, because most fireboxes taper. Then pick an insert that is at least half an inch smaller all round.
A set of glowing logs on a grate that sits inside an open fireplace. No glass front, so it looks the most like a real fire from across the room. Most plug into a regular outlet inside the firebox.
A freestanding cast-look stove on legs. You set it down, plug it in and it heats one room. No install, so these suit renters and bedrooms.
A piece of furniture with a fireplace insert built in. Check two numbers before you buy: the TV size the top is rated for, and the weight it holds. A 65-inch TV on a stand rated for 55 inches will hang over the sides.
Under $300 you get a 1,500 W heater with a remote, a few flame colors and a 1 year warranty. Fine for a bedroom or an apartment. Look at the warranty and the review count before the flame photos.
Up to $600 covers most 50 to 60 inch wall units and the better mantel packages. This is where most buyers end up.
A wide linear fireplace under a 65 to 85 inch TV. Wider does not mean warmer: almost every model here still has the same 1,500 W heater as a 36 inch unit, because that is what a standard 120 V outlet allows.
A thermostat switches the heater off when the room hits the set temperature and back on when it cools down. Without one the heater just runs until you turn it off, which wastes power and dries out the air.
These connect to your Wi-Fi so you can switch the fire, heat and colors from your phone. Some also work with Alexa or Google Home. The remote still works if the app ever stops.
Models with a long track record on Amazon.com. A big review count does not make a fireplace good, but it does show how the heater and the remote hold up after the first winter.