WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF AN ELECTRIC FIRE?

Electric fires are almost indistinguishable from real ones. You create a cosy atmosphere in your home and enjoy the nice warmth. They are also easy to use, durable, safe and fit into any home; all you need is a power socket. So what are all these advantages over other types of fireplaces and what do you pay attention to when buying them?

We answer the following questions for you:

What is an electric fire?
What are the advantages of an electric fire?
Does an electric fire have any disadvantages?
How much does an electric fire consume compared to a gas or wood fire?
What do you look for when buying an electric fire?

Wondering what the flames of an electric fire look like in real life? Make an appointment at a dealer near you to view the collection.

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2. What are the advantages of an electric fire?

1. Fits any room in any house
Because you do not need to consider a flue to the outside, the possibilities are endless. Would you like extra atmosphere or warmth in the kitchen or bathroom, for example? No problem at all! You can also easily build in the fire creatively without the need for (expensive) fire-resistant materials.

2. Ready for the future
Electricity has the future. The availability of gas is decreasing and the rules for burning wood are stricter, while the possibilities of electricity are increasing. With an electric stove, you are prepared for this.

3. Economical in consumption
Because you only use electricity, an electric fire is energy-efficient. The heat you generate stays in the room and is not lost. The consumption costs of a wood or gas stove are higher than those of an electric fire.

4. Almost indistinguishable from the real thing
DRU electric fires are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. This is because we use the latest projection techniques, making flames more realistic than ever. We mimic the chaotic flickering of a flame picture almost perfectly so you won't recognise a pattern.

5. Easy to install
The installation of an electric fire is very simple: you just plug it in and it is ready to use. We usually place the electric fire (just like a gas fire) in a surround. This does not make the installation itself much more difficult, but placing a surround is often skilled work.

6. Safe in use
Because there is no real fire, electric fires are a lot safer. The fire is therefore ideal in places where there are small children.

7. Easy to use
Flames and heat are instantly available with just a push of a button. The DRU Virtuo offers a handy remote control so you can regulate both the heating and the 'flame' effects from the comfort of your armchair. In addition, you set the heat the fire should give off very precisely, which is much more difficult with a wood fire.

8. Low-maintenance
The electric fire requires virtually no maintenance. You only replace parts periodically.

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3. Are there any disadvantages to an electric fire?

Not everyone associates electric fires with real fire... And let that be the main purpose of buying a fire: creating a beautiful fire that adds warmth and atmosphere to a room. Our electric fires were developed with this in mind.

So do we still talk about disadvantages of an electric fire? We prefer to talk about differences:

1. No real flames
Although the flame picture is almost indistinguishable from the real thing, you won't find any 'real' flames in an electric stove. Nevertheless, our technology has made it possible to give the fire a realistic look and experience.

2. No authentic smell
Wood in particular gives off a characteristic smell that many people find pleasant. An electricity-powered fire is odourless, which incidentally can also be an advantage!

3. Works on electricity
Are you without electricity? Then you're also without heat and cosy flames. In that case, you can still temporarily switch to tea lights.

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4. How much does an electric fire consume compared to a gas or wood fire?

Obviously, the higher the stove is on, the more energy the fire consumes. Besides the luxury and atmosphere you experience from a stove, it is also a very efficient local heating system. In the hours the stove is burning, you combine atmosphere and cosiness with local heating. This puts less strain on the central heating boiler.

Recently, gas prices have risen, but what is the effect of this? Does an electric fire really consume that much less? Below we give calculation examples comparing the consumption of an electric fire with that of a gas and wood fire. We only consider the consumption costs, not the costs you might save because the boiler does less work.

Calculation example: electric fire consumption

The electric fire uses up to 2000 watts in the highest heating setting. It heats up to 28 degrees Celsius. Nice and warm, in other words! Assuming 3 hours of use per evening at the highest heating setting:

The consumption per evening is 6000W.
The cost per evening is €4.65 (based on average tariff August 2022).

As the average user often only uses the heating setting temporarily and does not constantly use the highest setting, the costs are usually lower in practice.

Calculation example: gas fire consumption

The consumption of a gas fire naturally depends on the heating behaviour and the capacity of the fire. The most commonly sold DRU gas fires have a capacity of around 7 kW at the highest setting. Assuming 3 hours of use per evening with an output of 7 kW:

The consumption per evening at full setting is 3 cubic metres (1 cubic metre per hour).
The cost per evening at full setting is €10.35 (based on average tariff August 2022).

Our advice is to run the fire with Eco Wave as much as possible. You will then save 30% to 50% on the above.

A propane fire? Almost all DRU gas fires can burn on (BIO) propane gas cylinders, the most common being a 10.5 kg bottle. Using the same assumptions as above, you will consume 300cc to 500cc of propane per hour. So a standard bottle can burn for about 25 to 30 hours.

Consumption per evening in full mode (3 hours of firing daily) is over 8 days per bottle.
The cost per bottle is (rates January 2022) between €35 and €40. Converted to about €4.50 per evening.

Again, in the recommended Eco Wave mode, you save 30% to 50% on the above.

Calculation example: wood fire consumption

The consumption of a wood fire also depends on the heating behaviour and the capacity of the fire. The most ideal (and CO2-neutral) method is to burn your own wood. This is free and better for the environment. Is this not the case? Then you often use dried wood bought on a pallet.

A pallet of wood is 2 cubic metres of stacked wood, a total of 800 kg. Each kilo of wood releases 4 kW of energy, a whole pallet contains 3200 kW of energy. The efficiency of a modern fire is 80% on average, leaving 2560 kW of energy available in the end. The cost of a pallet of dried wood is about €400 (January 2022). Assuming 3 hours of use per evening:

The consumption of 1 kW costs €0.15.
At 7 kW per hour, the cost per evening is €3.40 (based on average rate 2022).

Do you buy local wood and dry it yourself? Then the price per pallet is usually lower. The heating cost per evening is then about €2.50 per evening.

5. What should you pay attention to when buying an electric fire?

The choice of models, brands and technologies is vast. The biggest difference is in the flame technology, which ultimately affects the price. We would like to give you some tips so you know what to look out for when buying an electric fire.

Keep the following points in mind:

1. Choose a fire that suits your taste, preference and use
The electric fire obviously does not have real flames, but the technology used is based on them. Yet each fire has a different flame effect, because almost every brand uses a different technique. For example, one uses a technique with lighting and water mist, while another uses a technique based on a projection method.
Discover the technique of the DRU fires that provide a lifelike flame picture

2. Pay attention to the sound
Electric fires make noise. Whereas one person finds it soothing, another finds it annoying. The level of noise differs per brand. Good to consider when buying.

3. Determine your budget
There are huge price differences between electric fires, and for good reason. You can actually say: the more real the fire (and thus the better the technology), the more expensive the fire. In addition, of course, it depends on the size of the stove.

4. Do you want warmth in addition to ambience?
By itself, an electric fire has little heat output. Is this desirable? Then check whether your stove offers this option. With the DRU electric fires you can easily switch a heat element on and off.