LegendFlame Carl 28" Insert

With 5.9 out of 10, the LegendFlame Carl 28" Insert ranks 18 of 47 in our comparison. Strengths: 4.6 out of 5 from 648 Amazon ratings, Thermostat holds the room at the temperature you set. Weakness: No written warranty on the Amazon listing. Best for: An old wood or gas firebox you no longer burn and want to bring back to life.

It measures 28.7"W x 10.4"D x 21.3"H and weighs 46 lb. Measure your firebox opening at the front and the back before you order, and leave at least half an inch all round.

The heater runs at up to 1,500 W, about 5,118 BTU, and the maker says it heats up to 400 sq ft. That is supplemental heat for one room, not a furnace. At 16 cents per kWh, running it on full costs about 24 cents an hour. You can also run the flames alone without heat, which costs only a few cents a day.

No. It plugs into a standard 120 V household outlet. Plug it straight into the wall, not into an extension cord or power strip, and keep it on a circuit without other big loads like a space heater or microwave.

We found no written warranty on the listing or the maker's site. Amazon's return window still applies, so test the heat, the remote and every flame setting as soon as it arrives.

The last price we saw was $300. Electric fireplace prices move a lot, with the biggest drops around Black Friday and after New Year, so check the current price.