Short answer: on full heat, a 1,500 W electric fireplace costs about 24 cents an hour at 16 cents per kWh. With the heater off and only the flames on, it costs about a cent an hour.
The math
Power use in kW times hours times your price per kWh.
| Mode | Power | Per hour at 16¢/kWh | 4 hours a night, 30 nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat on high | 1.5 kW | 24¢ | $28.80 |
| Heat on low | about 0.75 kW | 12¢ | $14.40 |
| Flames only | about 0.03 to 0.05 kW | under 1¢ | about $1 |
Your rate is on your power bill. Some states pay well under 16 cents, California and New England often pay more than 25.
A thermostat cuts the bill
With a thermostat the heater switches off once the room is warm, so it runs a part of each hour instead of the full hour. Without one, it runs until you switch it off.
Is it cheaper than the furnace?
Every watt of an electric heater turns into heat, but power is an expensive way to buy heat compared with gas or a heat pump. An electric fireplace saves money when you heat one room and turn the furnace down in the rest of the house. It does not save money when you run it next to a furnace that heats the whole house anyway.
Does it need a special outlet?
No. A 1,500 W fireplace draws about 12.5 A, which fits a normal 15 A household outlet. Do not run a microwave or a hair dryer on the same circuit at the same time, and never use an extension cord.
