Best Faux Fireplace for Your Patio

Your patio is an extension of your home, and you can make it in an elegant area by adding a faux fireplace. They fit perfectly in large and small spaces, and you can find one to match your decor relatively easy. There are dozens of sizes and styles available from a classic white hearth or rustic faux stonework. They help you form a natural gathering area, and these faux fireplaces make it easy to create a cozy or romantic atmosphere that you can share with your partner, friends, or family.

Picking out the best faux fireplace gives you dozens of options, especially if you’ve never bought one before. This means that you’ll spend time sifting through different brands and styles, and you may not have time to do this. This is why I’ve done the research for you. I want you to get the best faux fireplace possible, so I rounded up 10 high-quality choices. Along with the reviews, I put together a short buying guide to help you make your final choice. Since you can ship them straight to your door, you’ll have it ready in plenty of time for the rest of your summer and holiday gatherings.

A faux fireplace can give you the ambiance of a traditional fireplace with a fraction of the mess and hassle. Some even generate enough heat to keep your space warm, and they all put out zero emissions.

1. Touchstone 80001 Onyx Electric Fireplace – Top Pick

This wall mount faux fireplace is designed to give you additional ambiance inside your fireplace. It offers true-to-life flames that get embedded into a mass of simulated logs. Anyone who sees it will wish they had one of their own, and it’s a great patio idea to upgrade your space. You can mount this fireplace on the wall of a bedroom, office, or a family room and have it blend in nicely. It has light-emitting diodes that shine brightly, and you won’t have any ashes to worry about cleaning up between uses or soot to worry about getting on the furniture.

There are dual heat settings that you can switch between using a remote from any spot in the room, and it can easily heat up to a 400-square foot room. You get five different brightness levels that can help you set your preferred ambiance, and you can control the heat by setting it on a timer to have it automatically shut off anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours. This faux fireplace also comes outfitted with a heat thermal overload protector switch that lets you seamlessly mount the fireplace next to the wall without worrying about it overheating. There is a built-in fan with low and high settings that ensure you get good air movement, and it features a metal and glass design that is very durable.

PROS

• Sleek glass and metal design
• Built-in fan
• Heats a 400-square foot room
• Built-in timer
• Heat thermal overload protection
• Realistic flame
• Easy to install

CONS

• Not a portable option

2. TURBRO Suburbs TS20 Electric Fireplace – Step-Up Pick

This is a popular faux fireplace heater, and it’s a great choice if you’re after a freestanding model. One of the main reasons why this item is so popular is because it’s easy to put together, and you can easily do it in under an hour by yourself without needing any special tools. Instead, you attach the four legs and plug it in and it’s ready to go. This is a classic looking electric fireplace and a space heater, and you get an adjustable thermostat that lets you control how warm you want the room to get. You can set it between 68-degrees to 95-degrees Fahrenheit, and it makes it easy to adjust in a few minutes.

You get a pretty three-sided glass door that makes it feel like you’re sitting and relaxing in front of a real fireplace. Because of this sleek design, it looks nice in your office, home, workplace, or even in a hotel. You get LED color with an orange and red flame catcher to give you the most realistic experience you can have without actually having a real fireplace. This model comes outfitted with an overheat automatic shutoff feature to prevent it from damaging the components, and the fireplace’s exterior stays cool to the touch.

PROS

• Very simple setup process
• Wide temperature range
• Three-sided glass door
• LED coloring
• Overheat protection
• Automatic shutoff
•  Sleek and classic look

CONS

• Has very small flames

3. SEI Furniture Calvert Electric Fireplace – Mid-End Budget Pick

Even though this is our mid-end budget pick, you’ll get a very luxurious look and feel when you install this faux fireplace. You can have it indoors and outdoors, including right in front of your garden bench on the deck or patio. It’s a very heavy-duty product that can make your room look much more elegant and classy when you add it, and each feature was added to this fireplace to make it look as nice as possible. You get a stunning finish that will fit almost any room or design aesthetic. It also has pretty floral trim on the top to make it more finished.

You can put decorations or a television that is 42 ½-inches wide or less, and you get a remote control that lets you switch between settings and adjust the thermostat from anywhere in the room. There is a timer that helps to keep your family safe, but this product does weigh over 100 pounds. So, it’s a bigger and heavier option than a lot on the list. You can glowing embers with realistic-looking firewood in the front of the unit, and it has a brick background in the interior. When you turn it off, the flames and logs will go out very slowly, just like they would if it was real.

PROS

• Very classic and nice design
• Has floral trim
• Can set items on top of it
• Very realistic-looking firewood
• Brick background
• Very sturdy
• Can fit most design aesthetics

CONS

• Very heavy

4. e-Flame USA Electric Fireplace – Bargain Budget Pick

Anyone who wants an electric fireplace that you can move from space to space without a problem should consider this highly portable option. It weighs in at around 20-pounds, and you can choose four colors. It offers fire effects and 3D logs, and you can use it to effectively heat a room up to 400-square feet without leaving any cool spots. It comes in rustic red, matte black, Venetian bronze, and winter white to get a good match or contrast to your decor. When you switch this faux fireplace on, you’ll get moving flames with a realistic wood-burning effect.

The fireplace’s body on this model will stay cool to the touch as it produces heat for your room so you can easily move it from space to space. You can even get a feature on this faux fireplace that lets you enjoy the wood burning effect without giving off any heat, and this is great for warmer nights. It uses LEDs to light it up to give you a very bright look, and it’s a smokeless and odorless option that sits up off the floor on four longer legs. You get a fan-forced heater that is very quiet, and there is an automatic shut-off that prevents it from overheating.

PROS

• Several colors available
• Uses LEDs
• Smokeless and odorless
• Automatic shut-off feature
• Very portable design
• Sits off the floor
• Sides stay cool to the touch

CONS

• Easy to scratch the exterior

5. XtremepowerUS Smokeless Electric Fireplace – Best for Rustic Decor

If you’re trying to get a very rustic look and feel for your decor, this smokeless faux fireplace brings a modern and sleek design that fits into almost any room in your home without a problem. You can quickly switch the flames to blue, purple, or red, and the smokeless effect will reduce the chances that the air in the room will get too dry, and this can be helpful in the colder winter months. It’s perfect to use all year round because you can switch it so it’s on but it won’t emit any heat as it runs. So, it won’t heat up your room to uncomfortable levels.

Since you can change the flame colors, you can easily set the mood for the room. This is a wall-mounted faux fireplace that makes a beautiful wall decor that will draw the eye when you come into the room. The exterior will stay cool while you use it, and you get a remote control that adds a layer of convenience and safety to your setup. Additionally, this faux fireplace will start heating up your room in just five minutes. The flames are very realistic looking, and you get all of the mounting hardware you need to add this product to your wall.

PROS

• Sleek design
• Flames turn red, purple, or blue
• Smokeless effect
• Wall-mounted design
• Exterior stays cool
• Can switch it on without heat
• Will heat up a room quickly

CONS

• Doesn’t heat a large area

6. PuraFlame Alice Recessed Electric Fireplace  – Best for Wall Mounting

Even though we have other faux fireplaces on the list that mounts to the wall, this is one of the best options available when it comes to this type of design. It’s very easy to install once you get it, and it can upgrade the look of your decor without a lot of effort. It puts out a realistic flame because it has a very high-intensity LED lighting element in it, and you get both crystals and logs in this model that make it look more convincing. It offers four different settings for the flames that allow you to tailor your look and feel to perfectly match your mood.

You can make the flames yellow, blue, or a combination of both colors. You also get the choice of 13 different LED colors for the crystal portion of the faux fireplace design. They range from pinks and blues or oranges, greens, or a combination of all of the colors. You can cycle through dual heat settings in the front of the heater, and the thermostat ranges from 61-degrees to 82-degrees Fahrenheit. There is a timer on this model that will shut the fireplace off when it reaches your set time, and it comes designed for a flush-mounted stud that is very quiet when it runs while installing easily.

PROS

• Larger temperature range
• 13 LED color choices
• Timer included
• Has a remote
• Sleek wall-mounted design
• Four flame modes
• Reputable brand

CONS

• Not a very good heat source

7. DONYER POWER Tabletop Electric Fireplace – Best for Small Rooms

It’s true that not everyone has hundreds of dollars lying around to spend on a faux fireplace, especially if you’re looking for small bedroom ideas to overhaul more than one room at a time. This is an inexpensive model that comes in at $100, and it’s portable enough to easily move from room to room. You also get the option of purchasing this faux fireplace without or with feet, and it’s currently available in white, black, and woodgrain. The black and white models offer feet and footless designs, and you can use this product with or without heat to allow you to use it all year round.

This faux fireplace offers realistic flames and firewood that will make you feel like you’re sitting in front of a real one, and it’s a fantastic way to add elegance to your room. You get a very steady base with this product, and it has horizontal barrier air outtakes that allow it to heat up your space very quickly and efficiently. It weighs in at just over 11-pounds, and it’s a great option to use indoors or outdoors. You can choose from three sizes when you pick out this model, and it’ll heat up to 200-square feet without a problem.

PROS

• Inexpensive model
• Very portable
• Heats up to 200-square feet
• Heats relatively quickly
• Can use it year-round without or with heat
• Very stable base
• Lightweight

CONS

• Exterior isn’t very durable

8. Ameriwood Home Brooklyn Electric Fireplace – Best for Use as a TV Console

Anyone who is trying to make their living room look more comfortable can have a TV console faux fireplace like this option from Ameriwood. You can get a very sturdy model with this pick, and it offers a decent amount of storage space for smaller items along the sides and the top. It can hold up to 70-pounds without a problem, and this means that you can put TVs that are up to 50-inches wide without worrying about overbalancing it or putting too much weight on it. You get a very sleek finish that helps prevent scrapes or scuffs, and the darker wood grain texture will fit into a huge range of decors.

This faux fireplace comes with two bigger top shelves with cord holes in the back that make it easy to set up your entire entertainment center while hiding the cords, including a cable box or gaming system. The pretty glass cabinet door on each side of this faux fireplace adds a touch of class, and you get two adjustable shelves inside of each door. It comes with realistic flames and firewood, and it can heat a room that is up to 400-square feet.

PROS

• Adds an elegant touch
• Offers a range of storage space
• Glass doors on either side
• Cord holes in the back
• Realistic flames
• Dual adjustable shelves
• Heats up to 400-square feet

CONS

• Only one color available

9. MagikFlame Electric Fireplace – Best for Remodels

This pretty faux fireplace will look right at home next to your firewood rack, and it comes in at the top of many people’s lists for a range of reasons. You get great value for money, even if the price tag is a little higher. It comes outfitted with patented holographic technology that helps to create an impressive 30 flame effects that simulate wood or gas fires. It can even simulate embers and smoke to give you a very authentic feel each time you have it on. You’ll get a popping and crackling sound when it’s on that mimics a real log fire burning to make it more authentic.

This faux fireplace comes with a 5,200-BTU infrared quartz heater that can easily heat up to 1,000-square feet without having any cool spots. You can even switch the heater off and enjoy the sounds and looks of a crackling fire on warmer nights during the summer months to give you year-round use. It has a backlit touchscreen that makes it easy to control, and you can connect using Bluetooth and your smartphone to control the settings to keep you comfortable. It has a larger white mantel with real wood veneer, and this does make it heavier.

PROS

• 5,200 BTUs
• Uses an infrared quartz heater
• Simulates flames, smoke, and embers
• Has crackling and popping sounds
• Heats up to 1,000-square feet
• Connect via Bluetooth
• Real wood veneer

CONS

• Price

10. Comfort Zone CZFP1 Portable Fireplace – Best for

The final faux fireplace on the list is from Comfort Zone, and it’s a very portable model that weighs just over five pounds to allow you to carry it from room to room without a problem. It measures 10.75-inches by 7.88-inches by 14.13-inches, and you can easily set it up on a tabletop or on the floor. You’ll get 1,200-watts of power output with dual heat settings that allow you to quickly and easily adjust it to suit your needs. This isn’t an extremely powerful model and it will only heat small rooms that are up to 175-square feet. You get glowing embers and a pretty 3D flame effect that gives you a realistic aesthetic when you switch it on.

This faux fireplace comes outfitted with a few excellent safety features that can ensure you get peace of mind when it’s on. First, you get a tip-over switch that will turn your fireplace off if it should happen to fall over. It also has an automatic shutoff feature if it starts to overheat to prevent it from damaging the internal components. The fan-forced heating element on this product will quickly and easily heat up your space without leaving any cold spots. You can choose from two colors when you buy it to help match your preferred design aesthetic.

PROS

• 3D flame effect
• Tip-over automatic switch
• Uses fan forced heat
• Dual heat settings
• Very portable and lightweight
• Easy to set up
• 1,200-watts

CONS

• Runs loud

Faux Fireplace Buyer’s Guide

When you buy your new faux fireplace, you want to make sure you’re getting something that blends well with your current decor, and it should also be durable enough to handle the conditions on your patio. You can look at the reviews above, but understanding what you should look for when you shop is also key. You can find this information below.

Why Pick Out a Faux Fireplace?

A faux fireplace is nice if you don’t want to worry about the hassle of venting it and emissions. Most of them use LED technology to put out bright and realistic-looking flames, and there are zero emissions. You can also change a lot of the flame colors to match your desired mood, so this adds a contemporary twist to a traditional fireplace.

Picking out this type of fireplace is a nice option for people who can’t have a traditional fireplace. They fit well in apartments or in outside spaces like your patio or balcony, and you don’t have to do anything to maintain them besides switch them on and off. 

Heat or Flame Only

Do you want a faux fireplace that produces just flames or flames and heat? Some allow you to switch between the two, and this makes it easy to set up your pergola and use it all year-round. You can shut the heat off during the summer and flip it back on to heat the space in the winter. If you need it to heat, double-check the square footage it’ll cover. This can range from just over 400 square feet up to over 1,000. If you have a bigger patio, you’ll need a bigger space.

LEDs

If you’re building a new porch or patio, you want to save a space for your faux fireplace. Doing so will ensure you get the most out of it, and it’ll also help the LED lighting elements in the faux fireplace shine. Look for a model that offers different brightness and color settings. You should also be able to control them either via touchscreen or remote. The more you can customize your LEDs, the easier it is for you to set your desired ambiance.

Look for as many additional options as you can when you shop for your new fireplace. The more convenient it is for you to use, the higher the chances are of you switching it on and off every few days.

Timer

Some faux fireplaces come with a timer and some don’t have it. A timer adds a layer of convenience to this setup because you don’t have to worry about forgetting to shut it off and leave it running. If it comes with a timer included, see how long it’ll let you set it. It could be for an hour or two, but some allow you to set it for eight or nine hours out before it’ll automatically shut it off.

Type

Do you want a wall-mounted unit or an insert? Maybe you need a freestanding one or a recessed design. Take a look at the area where you want to put your faux fireplace and pick a type. If you do this right away, it’ll help narrow down your choice from the start. If you want to incorporate it into a balcony idea, you’d most likely want a freestanding unit. If you have a traditional patio, you have more freedom.

Benefits of a Faux Fireplace

There are several benefits that come with this type of fireplace, and it’s what prompts many people to purchase this type instead of a traditional one. The biggest benefits include but are not limited to:

• Clean Air – These fireplaces don’t pollute the air inside your home when you have them on since nothing actually burns. This is a very big benefit for people who have breathing problems like asthma or allergies.

• Easy Installation – Faux fireplaces are generally easy to install when you compare them to wood or gas fireplaces. Usually, all you have to do is take them out of the box and plug them in.

• Low Costs – These fireplaces are usually much more affordable than other options because all they need is electricity to run.

• No Maintenance – This type of fireplace will allow you to easily use it for years at a time because it has a long-lasting LED lighting element in it. Once you install it, you don’t have to do much in the way of maintenance but dust it every once in a while.

• No Mess – An electric fireplace creates an air of ambiance when you have them on without any of the traditional messes or worries that come with traditional models.

• Safe for Pets and Kids – Faux fireplaces stay cool to the touch when you have them on. So, there’s no chance of anything burning your kids or pets when they brush by it.

• Zone Heating Capabilities – These fireplaces are excellent supplemental heat sources, and they’re up to 99% efficient. This means that you don’t have any energy loss because it all gets converted straight to heat. You can put them in virtually any room to add warmth while helping you save on your heating bill.

Bottom Line

A faux fireplace is a nice option to have if you don’t want to deal with the expense and mess of having a traditional fireplace. They’re modern, come in dozens of styles and colors, and they give you a great deal of flexibility. I’ve listed 10 high-quality options for you, and you can use the buyer’s guide to narrow down the faux fireplaces to the best pick for your wants and needs.