Everybody wants the picturesque wood cabin with the roaring fireplace, but if your home didn’t come with one, then don’t worry – you’re not out of luck!
You can skip the pricey remodel, and instead you can get an attractive electric fireplace for a fraction of the cost of a real one.
However, even if you already have a fireplace, you can use these to replace a traditional fire to rid yourself of the mess and safety hazards of real flames.
In today’s article, we’re going to be doing a comparison of two of the top brands in the world of electric fireplaces to help you answer the question: Dimplex or Magikflame?
First though, it’s important to figure out what it is that you want before choosing an electric fireplace. While you might think that these products are more or less the same, there are differences. For starters, not all electric fireplaces produce heat! So, if you’re looking for a device which will double as a heater, make sure to read the product descriptions closely.
The Opti-Myst by Dimplex looks nice, but if you take a second to read some of the Dimplex electric fireplace reviews, you’ll see a few disappointed customers. Many of which who are upset by their chosen fireplace’s lack of heat, because they didn’t read the description before buying it.
We’ve done a full review for both of these brands, but spoiler alert, Dimplex is our top pick. It’s simply the most realistic faux fireplace that we’ve come across, and for the price they’re asking, the product becomes even more attractive when compared to the Magikflame.
PS. You can typically get the best price on Amazon, because they have an algorithm that automatically price matches or beats the entire internet!
Editor’s Pick!
Dimplex Fireplace Review
The Dimplex is a beautiful fireplace at a surprisingly nice price tag when compared to the Magikflame.
While it doesn’t have a fancy app, it does have some of the most realistic flames you’ll ever see on a fake fireplace.
This is, in part, due to their use of steam, which creates the illusion of smoke. While this does require filling the reservoir with water, you can get a solid 17 hours of use before needing to refill it. It’s well worth the trouble in our opinion.
Dimplex’s fireplaces also use a mirror which adds a sort of depth to your fireplace viewing. This looks pretty nice, and it gives a great effect, however some people dislike it.
Why? Well, because if you’re looking too closely you might be able to see reflections of items in the room, ruining your ambiance. However, we don’t feel that this is a big enough issue to take away from how good everything else is. You can see a demo of one of their models in the video below to see how nice it is.
PS. Have a look at the background of the fireplace on the bottom! Dimplex has even added fake soot marks, a nice touch.
However, they have many, many different fireplace styles if you don’t really like that particular version of it.
The attention to detail does not stop there though, and the longer you look, the more little details you’ll find that will make you love Dimplex’s fireplaces.
For example, the logs are actually cast from real firewood, which makes for a very realistic ember display.
If you’re looking for a dual-purpose eye candy and heater fireplace, then keep in mind that not all of the Dimplex fireplaces provide heat.
The ones that do are rated to heat up to 1,000 sqft, but keep in mind that this is not meant to be a primary heat source, and if you’re planning to use it as one, you’ll likely be disappointed. This is supplemental heat, and is not a replacement for your main heating system.
Their fireplaces with heat though have a temperature controller, and you can save energy by only having them kick on when needed. You can also turn the heat off entirely if you wish, for year round usage, and the remote allows you to adjust a medley of light and performance settings.
However, there are a few things missing from this fireplace that are on our wish list. So, keep reading for our second review to see what you might be missing out on if you go with the Dimplex fireplace!
PROS
- Most realistic flames
- Best price
- Great log details
- Realistic “smoke”
CONS
- Doesn’t have a phone app
- Backing mirror is hit or miss
- No sound effects
- Mantels could be nicer
Magikflame Fireplace Review
Finding any real Magikflame electric fireplace reviews seems difficult, and there are surprisingly few results of people using it or assembling it on Youtube to watch.
However, the Magikflame has established itself as a competitor in the market, and they do have a few merits, most notably, the extras, which you may want.
While the Dimplex fireplace easily has the most realistic flames, the Magikflame has something that it does not: sound. All of Magikflame’s fireplaces come with built-in sounds, sampled from real fires, and you can even get an add on that will add the scent of fresh pine to the mix. If these little details are important to you, then the Magikflame is worth a look, because it has yet more tricks up its sleeve.
However, the real charm of this particular fireplace comes from the mantel versions.
If you don’t already have a fireplace for the drop-in version, then their mantels offer a very attractive exterior which just looks nicer than Dimplex’s mantles.
As you can see, the all wood mantels feature intricate carving details and crown molding.
They’re also made out of high-quality woods and veneers with furniture grade construction, making them quite attractive focal points in your living room.
While Dimplex does have stone and wood mantels, they’re missing the attention to detail in our opinion, and it’s something that they could improve upon.
But, if you’ve already got a fireplace and you’re just looking for a drop-in model to rid yourself of messy fireplace maintenance, then this is a moot point, obviously.
The Magikflame also has a smartphone app and a touchscreen, while the Dimplex models have a regular old remote. If you don’t care much for bells and whistles then this likely won’t matter to you, but the ability to control everything from your phone is very convenient.
If you go with this fireplace, then you’ll also be able to get updates as they’re released. So, that means if the company improves their visuals or sounds, you’ll get free lifetime updates, which is a pretty nice touch to be honest.
However, the Magikflame is quite a bit more expensive than the Dimplex, and you’ll have to decide for yourself whether these extra features are worth the cash or not. For us, the answer is no, and we’d go with realism over extras, but it’s important to know everything about your options before deciding for yourself and making a purchase.
The Magikflame has its share of problems though too, and the most common consumer complaint comes from glare on the “screen”. If you’re not at exactly the right angle, then you could be disappointed by how the fireplace works, and for some reason, you can’t adjust the temperature with the app, and you instead have to use a dial on the fireplace itself. You can read about these issues further in some of the reviews.
PROS
- High-quality sound effects
- Very attractive mantels
- Phone app
- Touch screen
- Pine scent add on
CONS
- More expensive
- No smoke effects
- Flames aren’t quite as good
- “Screen glare” problems
- Can’t control temp with app
Choosing a fireplace and recommendations
In closing, both of these are pretty great fireplaces, and they both are capable of adding supplemental heat (given you choose the correct model), and adding an attractive focal point to living areas. However, both of these brands have a ton of different models, and if you need help choosing, then this section will help you to pick out a great model for your needs.
Insert model recommendations
If you’ve already got a fireplace and you’re looking to fill it with a replacement faux fire log, then you’ll need this type of electric fireplace. These fireplace inserts drop right in to your existing fireplace. All you have to do is plug them in and you’re good to go. However, you do need to measure the fireplace and make sure the box will fit!
| Dimplex | Magikflame |
| Multi-Fire XHD Insert | Premium Firebox Insert |
What if I have an oddly shaped firebox?
If you have an oddly shaped firebox, then you can go with something like the Opti-Myst open hearth insert from Dimplex, which is just the fire logs and not a box. This model looks very nice sitting in an existing fireplace, but it does not provide heat.
Mantel Model Recommendations
If you don’t already have a fireplace, then you’ll likely want a mantel model. These are free standing models that are more like furniture which you can simply place and plug in. No measuring or cutting is needed like with wall installation models.
| Dimplex | Magikflame |
| Featherston Mantle | Neo Cherry Mantel |
Linear Firebox Recommendations
Looking for something a little sleeker? Then a linear firebox may be fore you. These attractive wall mounted units are installed flush to the wall, and they provide a nice amount of extra heat to the wall to boot. However, these units will require professional installation and cutting into the walls.
| Dimplex | Magikflame |
| Ignite XL | N/A |
