If your home is tight on space, and you want to add a fireplace, you may be considering an electric fireplace, because you’ve heard they are slimmer than gas. Generally speaking, it’s true that most electric fireplaces require less wall depth than gas fireplaces. How much less depends on the specific models being compared.
What are slim electric fireplaces?
Electric fireplaces range in depth from 4-inches to 18-inches. Therefore, we currently define slim electric fireplaces as those with depths of 4 to 6 inches. In general, linear electric fireplaces are slimmer than traditional electric fireplace inserts, although there are linear fires that are 12 – 13 inches deep, and there are electric inserts that are just 4-inches deep. When linear electric fireplaces first started to appear, they were mounted on the wall, with a total overall depth of close to 8-inches. Over time, as it became popular to mount flat-screen TVs above electric fireplaces, slim electric fireplaces were manufactured that could fit into the wall. These progressed down in depth from 8-inches, to 6-inches, and then to 4-inches. While all of these could be considered slim, 6-inch depths became the most popular for many years.
About a decade ago, Dimplex designed the IgniteXL linear fireplace to fit into 2×6 framing. It immediately became a best-seller, and other manufacturers quickly developed their own 6-inch deep linear electric fireplaces. Word spread pretty quickly that electric fireplaces could be added to a wall without creating a lot of excess depth in the room. It wasn’t long before renovators began to ask for electric fireplaces to fit into existing 2×4 framing, commonly found in Canadian homes. Thus, extra-slim electric fireplaces were born. Electric fireplace manufacturers have worked to create realistic looking flames in these slim 4-inch and 6-inch deep electric fireplaces. However, it must be noted that as the fireplaces get slimmer, flame quality is sacrificed. Log and decorative media options are also very limited in extra-slim 4-inch deep electric fireplaces.
As more homeowners convert from gas fireplaces to electric fires, the demand for more realistic electric flames has been growing. In response, top electric fireplace manufacturers have been developing deeper electric fireplaces, with more realism. With the flames sitting further away from the front glass, and the ability to add larger logs, electric fireplaces that are 12 to 13 inches in depth look more realistic, and are growing in popularity. For now, though, slim electric fireplaces are still the most popular, with a 6-inch depth being the sweet spot.
Which slim electric fireplaces are best?
Every top electric fireplace manufacturer has at least one 6-inch deep electric fireplace in their line-up, with some having more than one model at this depth. However, very few electric fireplace brands offer an extra-slim 4-inch deep electric fireplace. If you really are restricted to just a 4-inch fireplace depth, your limited options are linked below. At a depth of 5 to 6 inches, there are lots of slim electric fireplaces to choose from. These are our favourites from each of our top manufacturers. If you can move up from 4-inches to 6-inches, you will have a lot more electric fireplaces to choose from, as well as more media kits to personalize the fireplace interior. There are so many media options, in fact, that we recommend you focus on the flames. Flames vary greatly from one brand to another, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you like the flames on a particular slim electric fireplace, but not the media package, you can always change the media package. Just be sure your alternate media kit is designed to fit into the same size electric fireplace as the model you want to buy.
Extra-Slim 4-inch-deep Electric Fireplaces
Slim 6-inch-deep Electric Fireplaces
Installation Do’s and Don’ts for slim electric fireplaces
Do build out a new wall or cabinet for your slim electric fireplace. When you require a wall depth of just 4 to 6 inches, these fireplaces will fit into any room.
Don’t cut into an exterior wall to fit a slim electric fireplace. While your exterior wall may technically be deep enough to accommodate the fireplace, it will require you to cut into the insulation and vapour barrier, breaking the integrity of the building envelope, which will upset heating and cooling efficiency.
Do consider hanging a slim electric fireplace on the wall surface. Some linear electric fireplaces are designed to mount on the wall, for a no-construction installation option. There are a few that can ONLY be mounted on the wall surface, while most others can be IN the wall or ON the wall. Always consult the installation instructions for confirmation that your preferred electric fireplace comes with mounting hardware for surface-mounting.
Don’t assume that your slim electric fireplace may be plugged in. If the fireplace is ‘built-in’, ie. it cannot be removed from the wall cavity without breaking the wall materials, it must be hard-wired. It may come with a cord and plug, which is for testing purposes, before the wall is closed. This cord is to be removed before the installation is completed. A slide-in electric fireplace may be plugged in, if it comes with a cord and plug.
Do consider alternative media options for the interior of your slim electric fireplace. The fireplace manufacturers always include a media package, which may or may not be to your liking. These are always able to be changed out. Extra-slim 4-inch deep electric fireplaces are the trickiest to update, as they have media trays that are just 1-inch wide. You can consider small river rocks (half-inch diameter or less), coloured glass beads, or extra-slim log kits made specifically for 4-inch fireplaces. It’s okay to use media kits from other brands, as long as they were designed for the same depth as the fireplace you have. In 6-inch slim electric fireplaces, you can use any media kit that was designed for a 6-inch fireplace, as well as pebbles up to 2 or 3 inches in diameter, and large glass ‘ice’ chunks.