Electric fireplaces are ideal for commercial spaces for many reasons:
- they are easy to install just about anywhere — there are no gas lines or venting required;
- they are safe – the glass won’t heat up and there is no risk of carbon monoxide leakage;
- they come in a huge range of sizes and shapes.
Most electric fireplaces come with a heater, which may be controlled independently from the flames. This means that you can have flames with or without the heater turned on. However, in commercial spaces, where the fireplace may be accessed by the public, it is often desired that there be no heat at all. In these situations, it’s challenging to have just a single person responsible for the fireplace controls. Staff may be rotating over time, making it hard to train every person who works there. For these reasons, we are frequently asked to provide a fireplace without a heater. When such a fireplace hasn’t been available, or it hasn’t met their other requirements, we have had to disable the heater.
Now, there are several options available, for electric fireplaces without heat, for commercial spaces. All have exceptionally realistic flames, to make a great first impression.
The Best No-Heat Electric Fireplaces – Faber e-Matrix
The Faber e-Matrix is a water-based electric fireplace. It utilizes ultrasonic technology to turn tap water into a fine mist, which is then lit up from below to create the illusion of flames. The mist ‘flames’ are channeled through realistic logs to create the look of a natural fire. The entire firebox is based on Faber’s gas fireplace skeleton, so the look and feel are exceptional. The e-Matric requires 120-volt electrical connection as well as a plumbing line, for a continuous water supply.
The e-Matrix series comes in one size, with 4 different configurations: single-sided glass, L-shaped glass with right side exposed, L-shaped glass with left side exposed, and 3-sided glass. Your preferred configuration must be specified at time of purchase; you can’t change after the fact. There are not a lot of adjustments on the Faber e-Matrix, which means that the remote is super simple to use. You can control flame size with the mist output, and you can control the volume of the crackling sound effects. That’s it! No coloured lights, no other bells and whistles – just a beautifully natural fireplace.
The Best No-Heat Electric Fireplaces — Dimplex Opti-myst cassettes
If the mist technology appeals to you, but you like a more contemporary fireplace, Dimplex Opti-myst cassettes are the answer. The cassettes come in two sizes: CDFI500-PRO 20-inch (500 mm) and CDFI1000-PRO 40-inch (1000 mm). They are designed to be ganged together to create longer fireplaces using multiple cassettes. Like the e-Matrix, Opti-myst requires a 120-volt electrical connection and a plumbing line. (They may be filled manually, but this is not recommended in commercial settings, where it’s challenging to have someone trained to do this at all times. It also requires removal of the top plates, which will disrupt any media items placed on top for decoration.)
Opti-myst flames are meant to be open, with no glass around them. There are minimum clearance requirements to nearby vertical surfaces, as well as to surfaces above the ‘flames’, to avoid excessive condensation. The Opti-myst cassettes are so flexible that you can create a fireplace that’s open on one, two, three or four sides, depending on your needs. There are optional plug-in logs for a more traditional look on top, or you can accessorize the included flat-top. The Dimplex Opti-myst cassettes are the most customizable of all electric fireplaces, so designers can get really creative with them. (Photo credit at top of this article: Menkes — 100-inch fireplace created with Optimyst cassettes.)
The Best No-Heat Electric Fireplaces — Dimplex Opti-V
The Opti-V (for virtual or video) is the original no-heat electric fireplace. It consists of a video projection of a real wood-burning fire dancing among logs that glow from within. Natural crackling and popping sounds are synchronized with the video, for a very realistic woodfire experience. (The only thing missing is the smell of woodsmoke, and we have a candle for that!) Opti-V comes in two sizes: VF5452L Duet and VF2927L Solo. It is a built-in fireplace, so it goes into the wall after framing but before the wall coverings are put on. It requires a 120-volt electrical connection only. Aside from having a very realistic fireplace appearance, this is a no-frills fire; only the sound of the crackling may be adjusted.
The Best No-Heat Electric Fireplaces – heat lockout option
If the no-heat electric fireplaces above don’t quite suit your project, you could consider the many electric fireplaces that include a heat-lockout feature. This is generally considered a family-friendly feature, to keep kids from accidentally turning the heater on in July. But it works equally well in a commercial setting, where curious bystanders may be tempted to push the fireplace controls while they are lingering nearby. These units all have a heat-lockout feature:
Napoleon: Alluravision Slim, Alluravision Deep, Clearion, Trivista, Ascent, Cineview, Element, and Entice.
Modern Flames: Spectrum Slimline, Redstone
Dimplex: Ignite, Prism, Revillusion, XHD
Whether you need an electric fireplace without heat for a commercial project or in your home, the fact that the flames are not the source of heat ensures it is possible to have a no-heat electric fireplace.
Stylish Fireplaces knows that adding a fireplace to your home can be challenging. With an electric fireplace and their NFI Certified Hearth Design Specialists, it’s easy to create a space you’ll love to share with family and friends. Check out all the options and connect with their experts for help to find the perfect electric fireplace for you. You’ll live stylishly ever after.