Napoleon Elevation represents another model in the luxury electric fireplace category, and further underscores Napoleon’s commitment to bringing better-quality electric fireplaces to market. It’s also a recognition of the changing homebuilding landscape, where natural gas service is not always being made available. The Elevation electric fireplace has been made to the same framing dimensions as its Napoleon gas counterpart, making it easier for builders to switch back and forth from gas to electric without redesigning the homes they are building.

Elevation is a slide-in traditional fireplace insert with a big, unobstructed viewing window. The picture frame surrounding the glass is not removable, and is designed to overlap the wall surface, for a clean installation. In order to accommodate the multi-layered flame effect, the framing depth is 16.25 inches. While it’s deep by electric fireplace standards, it is shallower than most gas fireplaces.

Napoleon Elevation Models

Elevation comes in 2 popular builder sizes, 36-inches and 42-inches: NEFB36H-MF, NEFB42H-MF

Napoleon Elevation features and benefits

• Frame Now, Choose Fuel Later: The deep electric firebox effortlessly slides into the framing of our premium gas Elevation X and Elevation traditional fireplaces, so builders can frame now and offer consumers the choice of fuel later.
• Yellow and orange flame colours – Personalize the flame intensity to suit your preferences.
• Triple-layer flame technology — mirrors real fire dynamics, growing from front to back and side to middle.
• Adjustable flame speed – Choose from 5 speeds to get the one that looks most natural to you.
• Multi-Colour downlighting – Add additional lighting to the flames and logs to complement the lighting conditions in your space, or to change the mood. There are 13 preset colours on the remote, and endless options in the app. These may also be turned off.
• Premium media package – Realistic Split Oak Logs are lifelike and enhance the flame effects.
• Extra-large viewing area – Glass window is unimpeded by louvers or vents. Adjustable finishing trim included.
• Thermostatically Controlled Heater – Set it and forget it. Whisper-quiet fan circulates warm air into the room. Eco mode runs at half heat to save energy; Boost mode runs at maximum heat with higher fan speed.

Other Napoleon Elevation features

• Dual Voltage – Connect to 120 (hard-wire or plug-in) or 240 volts (hard-wire only).
• Heat Output up to 10,000 BTUs— Connect your fireplace to standard 120 volts for enough heat to warm up to 400 square feet. Connect to 240 volts to provide enough power to the heater to warm up to 800 square feet.
• Easy connectivity — Voice control (Google, Alexa) and a WiFi enabled app (Napoleon Home) to allow control the way you want it.
• Napoleon Home App – The app is superior to even the remote, and is a great enhancement to the fireplace. It has visual representations of the settings that are not possible on a remote or touchpad.  Includes unlimited ember bed, top light and flame colour combinations, and programmable 7-day preset timer
• Handheld Remote Control included – Control all the features of the fireplace without the need for WiFi technology. There’s also an optional wall-mounted controller, so you always know where the controls are.
• Built-in Touch Controls – Controls all of the fundamental features of the fireplace, when the remote or app are not accessible.
• No-heat Switch – Tucked behind the front glass, for commercial settings where it’s preferable for the heater to be disabled.
• Premium Warranty : Have peace of mind with a 2-year warranty.

Napoleon Elevation vs. other electric fireplace inserts

Napoleon Elevation is the first electric fireplace to offer the triple layer flame effects, so it is quite unique among fireplace inserts. Its size also makes it quite unique, as it’s been modelled after gas fireplace inserts rather than other electrics. For these reasons, there isn’t an exact ‘apples to apples’ comparison with other electric fireplace inserts. Dimplex Revillusion comes closest in terms of technology, and Amantii TRD comes closest in terms of size. If heat output is a primary concern, there are other models that have the ability to connect to 240 volts and achieve 10000 BTU’s of heat.

Dimplex Revillusion – These inserts make use of the patented Mirage Flame Panel to create the illusion of the flames being in the midst of the logs. This is the most similar technology to the Elevation triple-layer flames. Revillusion inserts are not as deep as Elevation inserts, with just 12.5-inches of framing depth required. They also do not come as large as Elevation. The largest Revillusin insert is the RBF42, which is not as square and upright as the Elevation units. Revillusion does come with a dual-voltage connection, and heat output up to 10,000 BTUs on 240 volts.

Amantii TRD and TRD-Bespoke – These are slide-in fireplace inserts that comes in comparable sizes to the Elevation. TRD-44 and TRD-48 have big, open viewing areas with picture frame surrounds, and a 15.375-inch framing depth. There are multiple log options for TRD and TRD-Bespoke inserts, as there is no grate and logs are loose. Flames are reflected off the back of the insert. Dual-voltage installation and higher heat outputs are not available.

Amantii Signature – This electric fireplace is a hybrid that features Optimyst flames from Dimplex inside an Amantii TRD fireplace insert with LED flames. It currently comes in just one size, which would be comparable to the 36-inch Elevation. Realistic flames are created from water. This is a built-in electric fireplace, rather than a slide-in. It has a framing depth of 20.875 inches and requires a water connection. The viewing area is frameless, with no picture frame surround. It is dual-voltage, with a maximum heat output of 10,000 BTUS on 240 volts.

Modern Flames Orion Traditional – This insert has video flame technology called Heliovision, so flames are from an LCD projection. This gives them a very realistic flame effect. Orion is not as square as Elevation, although it does come in sizes of 36-inches and 42-inches wide.  Orion Traditional also has a framing depth of just 10-inches. Larger sizes of Orion Traditional (36, 42, 54 inches only) have dual-voltage capabilities, with a maximum heat output of 8300 BTUs on 240 volts.

Napoleon Element – These inserts also come in 36-inch and 42-inch sizes, like Elevation. However, they are not as deep as Elevation, and do not contain the triple-layer flame effects. Element is an entry-level fireplace insert with flames that reflect off the back of the insert. Logs are lit from above, but do not glow from within. Element does offer dual-voltage electrical connections, so heat output is available up to 10,000 BTUs on 240 volts.

Final word on Napoleon Elevation

As more builders and homeowners choose electric fireplaces over gas, for various reasons, we expect to see more electric inserts that mimic gas inserts in terms of proportions. Inside these bigger, bolder inserts will be more realistic flame effects. Napoleon Elevation is yet another indication that the demand for luxury electric fireplaces is on the rise.