Electric Fire Suites

So you've decided to buy an electric fire? A wise choice! Having made the decision you may be wondering about the type of design that you are going to opt for.

If you're a bit stumped then a good starting point is to browse through the online selection.

But what about the different options? Let's take a closer look at the electric fire suites that are available and what might suit.

Electric fire suites

Electric fire suites come in all shapes and sizes. One important thing that you'll need to consider will be the amount of space that you have available.

Most online stores will list the dimensions of the fires - it's important that you measure up to make sure that any fire will fit the room that you're intending to put it in.

There's no point choosing your dream electric fire if it simply won't fit in the room. Don't forget that many sites will list specifications in metric measures - be sure that you get any conversions right (ideally, you should actually take all measurements in millimetres where possible).

Ok, so you know how much room you have available. Now you'll need to think about the look that you're trying to achieve and the style of fire that will help you to get there.

There are two key different styles when it comes to electric fires - modern and traditional.

Modern (sometimes called traditional) electric fires do exactly what they say on the tin. They're usually fashionable designs that can look really funky in the right room. If you have a house that would suit such a fire then you'll find that there are plenty to choose from.

So how about traditional options? They tend to mimic old fashioned fires, which may not sound too appealing at first. In fact, they can be a great option in the right room. They are often perfect, for example, in Victorian houses.

If you like the idea of having a fire in the fireplace, but don't want the hassle of gas or a wood burner then an inset electric fire could be an extremely good option for you.

A history lesson

You may be wondering about the technology in these appliances. Has it been tried and tested? Although you may see them appearing in an increasing number of pubs and restaurants, you may not associate these with the same systems that can be used in the home.

You may be surprised to learn, however, that the electric fire is actually quite an old appliance. Indeed, when we were researching this subject, we discovered that the first commercial example went on sale in the United States back in 1908. Some quick mathematics will tell you that this means that they've been sold for more than 100 years.

But how much did those early versions have in common with what's on the market today. In truth, relatively little. Most people today buy these fires with the expectation that they can replicate other sources of fuel. This means that we certainly expect to see something that looks like a flame.

But flame effects appear to date from the early 1980s, with some suggestion that Dimplex may have introduced the first fire with a realistic wood-burning flame effect.

What we can see from all of this, however, is that these appliances have a long history. But it's modern improvements that have helped to make contemporary installations so popular.