Gas Fireplace Ratings, A Repairman Reviews The Brands...With our gas fireplace ratings, you can cut through all the sales hype and find value. It truly is as if you were taking a repairman with you while you shop! We have searched the manufacturers' literature and compared the brands. We have ranked them with from 1 to 5 stars. A 5* rating indicates the units that we would most likely purchase, if we were shopping for ourselves. We have also included our comments regarding the advantages/disadvantages of the brands. Where more than one unit has a 5* rating, we would choose the least expensive unit.
AMERICAN HEARTH--------americanhearth.com----------<1* This brand is a division of EMPIRE COMFORT SYSTEMS and the units are available in North America. The VAN BUREN line fatures B vent models while the MADISON DELUXE models are direct vent units. The warranty on the units is not as good as many brands. APPALACHIAN STOVE------appalachianstove.com--------<1* These units are basic units. The manufacturer's website is very little help and does not have a stated warranty policy. BLAZE KING-------------blazeking.com---------------<1* This brand is available through dealers in North America. The CALDERA model is a zero clearance direct vent gas fireplace. The unit faetures electronic ignition, a variable speed fan, and variable flame height all controlled by a remote control. The warranty on the heat exchanger is not very good because it is prorated (after a set number of years, you must pay 50% of the cost of a new heat exchanger). COMFORT GLOW-----------fmifireplace.com------------<1* This brand is from FMI PRODUCTS LLC. They offer B vent, direct vent and vent free models but has a small selection of models. The manufacturer's website has no stated warranty policy and is very little help to the visitor. CONTINENTAL------------continentalfireplaces.com----4* These units are made in Canada by WOLF STEEL LTD and are available throughout North America. They offer B vent, direct vent, and vent free units with a wide variety of models including peninsula units. They are sold through dealers and have a good warranty although it is somewhat complicated. ENVIRO-----------------enviro.com------------------<1* This brand is from SHERWOOD INDUSTRIES LTD and feature direct vent models. They have "EmberGlo" burner systems for realistic fires and the heat can be turned down 50%. They offer an optional remote control as well as a variable speed fan. The units are sold through dealers but the warranty on the heat exchanger is not as good as most brands. ESCEA------------------escea.net-------------------<1* This brand is available in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and the U.K. They offer only one model of indoor unit which must be installed by a dealer. The unit is a direct vent model for energy efficiency but the manufacturer's website is not much help and the warranty on the unit is not very good. FIREPLACE XTRORDINAIR-fireplacex.com--------------<1* This brand is from TRAVIS INDUSTRIES and is available in North America. They offer a wide selection of models and feature GREENSMART controls for energy savings. The units are sold through dealers but the warranty is not as good as many brands. HARMAN----------------harmanstoves.com-------------3* This is brand is from Hearth & Home Technologies. The SERENITY III is a direct vent unit that uses a front and rear burner system for flexibility in heating. The unit has a three speed blower to circulate the heat throughout the room and an optional duct system can be installed. The units are sold through dealers in North America. HEAT&GLO--------------heatnglo.com-----------------3* This brand is from HEARTH AND HOME TECHNOLOGIES and is available in North America. They offer models in either B vent or direct vent. They also offer multi-sided units including peninsula units to match the decor of your home. They are sold through dealers and are backed by a strong warranty. HEATILATOR------------heatilator.com---------------3* This is another brand from HEARTH & HOME TECHNOLOGIES. They offer a wide variety of units in both B vent and direct vent as well as peninsula models. They feature the INTELLIFIRE system which reduces gas consumption by providing a pilot flame only when it is required and features a battery backup for operation during a power outage. The units are sold through dealers and offer a good warranty. IRONHAUS--------------ironhaus.com----------------<1* This brand features the GALLATIN models which are direct vent units with electronic ignition and a battery backup and are very realistic. The SAWTOOTH model is a B vent unit that doesn't have doors and therefore is not as energy efficient. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty. KOZI------------------kozistoves.com--------------<1* These units are made in Canada by APR INDUSTRIES LTD. and are available in North America and Europe. They only offer one model (DVF3620) and it is a very basic model. The warranty is not very good and the website is not much help. KOZY HEAT-------------kozyheat.com-----------------4* This brand is from HUSSONG MANUFACTURING and the units are available throughout North America. They offer a wide variety of units including peninsula models. They are pretty basic units but offer options such as a fan, remote, control, etc. They are sold through dealers and have a good warranty but it is somewhat complicated. LENNOX----------------lennoxhearthproducts.com-----2* This brand features a wide variety of vent free, B vent, and direct vent units. They are sold through dealers and are backed by a good guarantee. LOPI------------------lopistoves.com--------------<1* This brand is from TRAVIS INDUSTRIES and is available in North America and Australia. They offer a wide selection of models and feature GREENSMART controls for energy efficiency. They are sold through dealers but the warranty is not as good as many brands. MANTIS-----------------empirecomfort.com------------5* This is the most efficient unit on the market and is so efficient that it can be vented through PVC pipe instead of traditional metal venting. The unit also captures the condensate from the combustion process and uses it to humidify the home's air. The units have low, medium, and high heat settings to more closely match the room's heating needs. The units are sold through dealers.
NAPOLEON--------------napoleonfireplaces.com-------4* These units are available in North America in vent free, B vent, or direct vent models. They are sold through dealers and are backed by a great warranty. REGENCY------------- regency-fire.com -----------1* This brand is from FIREPLACE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL and they are available in North America. They offer a wide selection including multi-sided units. They have both traditional and contemporary styles available and are backed by a good warranty. They are sold through dealers. RICHEN-------------- electric-fire.com ---------<1* These units are made in China. They only offer one model and it is a vent free unit. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy. RINNAI----------------rinnai.us-------------------<1* The RHFE-750ETRA units are direct vent models with a seven stage modulating gas valve and variable speed fan for increased comfort. The circulated air is filtered. The remote control features an integrated setback thermostat. The units are sold through dealers but the warranty is not very good. SPARK-----------------sparkfires.com--------------<1* This brand features modern styling and are available in two sided as well as peninsula units. They offer both direct veny and vent free models but the warranty is not as good as some brands. VANGUARD--------------fmifireplace.com------------<1* This brand is from FMI PRODUCTS LLC. They offer vent free, B vent, and direct vent models. They offer corner models as well as peninsula units. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy. VERMONT CASTINGS------vermontcastings.com----------1* This brand is a part of MONESSEN HEARTH SYSTEMS CO. and is available in North America. The RESOLUTION model is a direct vent unit but it can only be vented out of the top of the unit which limits flexibility in installation. The units feature dual burners for realistic fires and rear burner turndown to save on gas consumption. The units have a full function touch screen remote control for convenience. The units are sold through dealers but the warranty is not as good as many brands. In case you would like a professional to install your gas fireplace, we have teamed up with QualitySmith. With their free service, you can get three quotes from local contractors without even leaving your home.
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