Electric Fireplace Inserts vs. Electric Logs: What You Need to Know

Everybody loves the look and feel of a fireplace. But what happens when a wood-burning hearth becomes dated, drafty and too daunting to maintain or repair?

For those who don’t want to commit to expensive masonry work to fix an unusable wood-burning hearth, a fireplace insert or a log set can be a low-cost, low-maintenance solution to convert an existing fireplace to electric.

There are many gas-fueled and electric options for inserts and log sets. However, switching to an electric-powered insert or log set is a sound option for getting all of that coziness and charm with very little cost or effort—and without having to worry about gas lines or venting. Either option will come with a remote control so you can get the glow of a fireplace with the click of a button.

“Electric very cost effective because you don't have to run a gas line to it, and you don't have to vent all the way up your chimney to exhaust it,” explains Joe Kuefler, director, brand marketing at Hearth & Home Technologies In fact, all that is needed is a nearby electrical outlet.

In general, electric log sets come at the lowest price point, with many big-box retailers selling them for under $200, Kuefler says. An electric fireplace insert will run closer to $1,000, but will allow you to update the look of your fireplace in addition to updating the functionality.

Typically, electric inserts and log sets output about 5,000 BTUs—enough supplemental heat to keep a 400-square-foot room warmed, says Kuefler. They can also be used year-round for ambiance without the heat.

“They’re good for those who want a little bit of the look [of a fireplace], but not all the heat,” explains Tony Leggett, VP of Fireplace Professionals, Inc. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Not sure which electric option to pick to revamp your hearth? Read on to learn which is best for your budget, aesthetic and lifestyle.

An electric log set includes a bundle of painted, man-made “logs” atop a metal grate. Simply set the entire unit inside an existing wood fireplace and plug it into a nearby wall outlet. An in-unit heater and fan push warm air into your room, while an ambient LED light “flame” is projected either onto the back wall of your fireplace or onto a back panel that is attached to the log set.

An electric log set is the least expensive option for repurposing an existing wood-burning hearth for electric heat—but at the end of the day, it will look exactly like what it is: Logs inside the shell of a wood-burning fireplace.

While you’ll get heat and the illusion of a flame, the actual hearth structure won’t be changed at all. So if you’re not crazy about the look of your existing fireplace, you’ll be stuck with it even after you start up your log set. You’ll also be stuck with an unsightly cord coming out of the front.

An electric fireplace insert uses technology similar to that of a log set. It is a steel box that is measured to slide right inside your existing wood-burning fireplace, with a surround trim that covers up any gaps. It includes a textured log set and projects a “flame.” It may also include additional features such as accent lighting and ember bed media.

Just like an electric log set, an insert’s integrated heater provides supplemental heat to your room, pushed out by a fan, while the LED flame effect is projected onto a flame screen in the insert.

A key benefit to an electric fireplace insert, Kuefler and Leggett point out, is aesthetics. An insert “gives you a much more finished look, and it looks like a fireplace,” Kuefler says, whereas gas log sets can sometimes look “cheesy.”

“The facing on [an electric insert] is designed in such a way that it would fit up against the face of a [wood-burning] fireplace,” explains Leggett. “If I have a fireplace that was being remodeled and I didn't want to have to redo the inside, the electric insert might lend itself well, with a corresponding surround. It might work especially well for new finish work to be put around it.”

But, inserts do cost more. “Instead of $200 [for a log set], maybe you're spending $800 or $900 for an electric insert solution,” Kuefler points out. “But you’re still spending way less than the $3,500 for a gas-fueled solution.”

While the process can be slightly more involved than simply plugging in a log set, installing an electric fireplace insert is still very easy.

Once you attach the surround and slide the appliance into your existing fireplace, “that’s really all there is to it,” explains Kuefler. One option for electric is to simply plug the installed unit into a normal wall outlet like a log set, however, many choose to have an electrician hardwire the insert to the electrical system from the back.

“Ideally you would run electricity into that actual firebox so that you don't have a cord running out of your fireplace,” Kuefler says. “Some people have electric already back there, otherwise you might hire someone just to run [it]. You can also run a cord out the front, but that just doesn't look quite as nice.”