The Dimplex Detroit Fire in Brenda McNeil's Living Room

Like many home owners wishing to give their living room a new lease of life, Brenda McNeill decided that a purchasing a new fireplace would have the most impact on her surroundings and it was whilst in the grip of another cold, damp and miserable British winter that Brenda finally decided that it was time to begin the search for a new fire to replace her old gas fire which was sitting in her fireplace unused and abandoned.

Like most of us who decide to upgrade a fire Brenda put in quite a lot of research and searched both online and also took to the pavements  to see what was on offer on her local high street and in the out of town showrooms. After a couple of months of fruitless searching, and with spring supposedly upon us in the (wintery) month of April, Brenda finally stumbled across the Gr8 Fires website whilst looking on the internet.

Brenda Found the Perfect Fire for her Home with Gr8 Fires

Knowing that she definitely wanted to get rid of her old, unloved gas fire Brenda was pleased when she spotted the Dimplex Detroit Freestanding Electric Fire which benefits from the unique Optiflame effect. The fire fits flat to the wall making it perfect for smaller front rooms and also comes with a choice of a black or a chrome finish – meaning that there will be a version to suit almost any home. The Dimplex Detroit also comes with black coals and white pebbles for the fuel bed and in 1kW or 2kW heat output options, allowing you to decide on how much heat your room needs depending on its size.

Despite knowing that this was the fireplace for her, like many people Brenda still found it a little tricky to envisage exactly how the fire would look once installed in her living room. Of course, this is one of the very minor issues when buying a fireplace online however Brenda said that the cost was also a factor when it came to choosing a fire and the price of the Dimplex Detroit was unbeatable. In fact Brenda was more than happy with the discounted price which had almost a quarter of the original price off and even included free shipping.

Brenda also wasn’t sure if the stylish surround was included and was very happy to find that, once the electric fire was delivered, it was in fact included, and as she notes, it really enhances the look of the whole fireplace.

“Exceptional Service…I Could not Recommend a Better Firm and Product”

Thanks to the inclement weather Brenda was more than pleased when her new Dimplex fire arrived within just three days of her having ordered it, with her exclaiming in her original product review that she was “…so happy with this purchase…exceptional service from you…I could not recommend a better firm and product.”

In no time at all Brenda’s old gas fire was a thing of the past with the installer lifting it out of the fireplace and easily fitting the new electric fire in by simply passing the cable through the back of the fireplace. This meant that just three days after deciding on her new fireplace Brenda was able to enjoy a lovely, warm living room.

A Fire that’s as Stunning as the Picture

Having previously been a little concerned whether the new fire would suit her living room and look like the picture Brenda was over the moon when she found that even when not switched on it more than lived up to her expectations. She further explains in her review, “Loved the fire, looks stunning as in the picture – absolutely beautiful”. However once she switched the fire on she was even more delighted with the realistic Optiflame effect which looks just like real flames and adds a cosy feel to Brenda’s living room.

In fact, she was so impressed with the life like ‘flames’ that Brenda even took photos of her new fire to send to her friends and family with many of them thinking that the electric fire was in fact a real, open coal fire!

Now Brenda finally has a fire she can be proud of and as you can see from the photo above, which she very kindly sent us, she has made a real welcoming feature of it in her home. The white pebbles look stunning with the matching white fireplace surround and the large candles on either side of the hearth add an extra stylish touch.

Now, one of Brenda’s favourite things to do in the evenings is to create a homely atmosphere by turning on the fire and just one lamp and sitting and relaxing in the glow of her new living room.

The Dimplex Castillo Electric Fire in Barry's Living Room

When Barry Turner decided to give his living room a dramatic new look with new furniture and an elegant black and silver colour scheme he knew that his old Burley electric fire would have to go. Having had it for around ten to fifteen years, Barry decided that not only was it high time for a complete top to toe front room make over but that his existing fire’s brass surround would not work with the new décor he had in mind.

Once his new living room was complete Barry set about choosing the finishing touch – a new fireplace for his home. And he knew exactly the person who would be able to assist him in making this important purchase: his daughter who he freely admits is the one with the ‘good taste’ when it comes to making changes to, and purchases for, their home.

“All in All, It Sold Itself to Us”

Barry and his daughter didn’t want the hassle of pounding the pavements so decided to  give the high street retailers and out of town showrooms a miss and immediately focused their search for a new electric fire online. As active eBay business users, who were indeed intending to pay for their fire with money earned from selling items on eBay, the first place they turned to was…you guessed it – eBay. However after much searching they found that the other sellers weren’t coming up with the goods and they couldn’t find anything that perfectly suited their new decoration.

After a little more surfing on the internet it wasn’t long before they came across the Gr8 Fires website and were delighted to find that not only were our prices beating the competition hands down but that we were stocking the exact fireplace they’d been looking for; the Dimplex Castillo Freestanding Electric Fire. The elegant Art Deco lines of the fireplace and its chrome and satin silver effect finish convinced them on sight that this was the fireplace for them. Not only that, but the fact that they knew and trusted Dimplex as a brand also meant that they were sure they were making a well informed choice by purchasing from a name they could trust.

“Absolutely Delighted – the Flame Effect is so Realistic”

Barry and his daughter were pleased that our user friendly site meant that purchasing the fire was so quick and easy and that delivery was exactly as promised with the delivery man taking the fire all the way into their front room ready to be installed. They found installation fast and trouble free too, although Barry did change the supplied black cable for a white one so that it blended in with his carpet (and his new colour scheme!) better. In keeping with the new design of their living room Barry and his daughter also opted for the white pebble fuel bed instead of coal as they ‘provide a stunning effect’ and are ‘much better and less messier than coal’. The white pebbles also look fantastic with their existing white plaster fireplace surround and the marble backing and hearth, as the above picture that they very kindly provided for us proves.

Barry also loves the soothing effect of the unique Optifame effect, especially as his old electric fire only had an unrealistic and unwelcoming electric bulb type glow. In fact Barry often uses the fire without having the heating on as he loves the glow so much and the coziness it brings to their living room on cold or dark evenings. The whole family agrees – including Jessie the dog – and they love nothing more than switching on the Optiflame effect and settling down for the night with a good book or in front of the TV. Barry even says that he finds his eyes drifting off from the programme he’s watching and towards the fireplace!

Easy to Use and a Great Price

Both father and daughter are more than happy with their new electric Dimplex fire. They remarked upon how the fire was simple to use and that considering the bargain, discounted price that we’re currently selling it at, they couldn’t be more pleased with its high quality appearance.

We have to say we agree because the beauty of this Dimplex electric fire is that thanks to the Optiflame effect and the stylish, natural white pebbles, you can enjoy the look of your fireplace all year round without having to have the heat on unnecessarily – making it perfect for use throughout the warmer summer months as well. Although having said that knowing our unpredictable British summer weather you never know when you might need the heating on too!

The Dimplex Chalbury Brass Electric Fire in Jennifer's Living Room

Jennifer Cooke admits that she wasn’t particularly looking to purchase a new gas or electric fire but when jackdaws decided to set up home in her chimney and subsequently blocked it the decision was made for her. However thanks to the pesky, feathered squatters it all turned out for the best as Jennifer told us that she is now really pleased that she got rid of her old gas heater fire as she’s upgraded with a smart Dimplex electric fire that not only looks much nicer in her fireplace surround, but is in fact cheaper to run.

Once Jennifer (or her birds!) decided that it was time to get a new fire and to make the switch to electric, the brand that sprung to mind was Dimplex as she’d always heard good things about their fires. She started her search for the perfect electric fire on the internet to get an idea of what was out there and then she cleverly did the rest of her research on foot by visiting the local fireplace shops and showrooms in her area. However as Jennifer says, this was in fact just a ploy to check the fires out in person, as her real intention was to buy her fire online.

As Jennifer quite rightly points out (whilst she did feel a little bad for the nice sales people that were doing their best to sell her a fire!) because the showrooms’ overheads are so much higher than an online stockist, their fireplaces are more expensive. Therefore it makes much more sense for home owners to buy their fires on the internet.

I Didn’t Want Anything Too Showy but this was Just Right

Jennifer’s main requirement when looking for a fireplace to enhance her living room was that it shouldn’t be too showy. She also wanted an electric fire that looked like the real deal with a realistic coal fuel bed. Therefore she was happy when after visiting a number of websites and not finding the exact fire she was looking for she stumbled across the Gr8 Fires website and spotted the Dimplex Chalbury Brass Electric Fire. Impressed by the smart brass surround that was attractive without being too “OTT” and the very real looking coals, Jennifer was pleased to have finally found her ideal fire. The fact that it was an incredible bargain and almost half its original price didn’t hurt either!

Eager to get her new fire installed as quickly as possible, thanks to the terrible so-called Spring weather we were experiencing, Jennifer placed her order, noting that it was a “very clear website” and an “easy process”. Despite it being the Easter bank holiday and, as mentioned, typical British weather, Jennifer says she was pleasantly surprised at the time the fire took to arrive.

Super Easy Installation

Another unexpected bonus of the Dimplex Chalbury fire was that it was incredibly easy to install – meaning that Jennifer didn’t have to fork out for a fitter’s fee. In fact she unpacked and installed it herself, or in her own words she “just popped it in!” Despite this being her very first electric fire, always having had gas fires in the past, Jennifer found the instructions clear and the fire extremely easy to use. As Jennifer also has central heating she found the thermostatic control handy as when the room temperature reaches your pre-set perfect level of warmth, it switches itself off, which she notes makes it perfect for “taking the chill off the room”.

Not only that but after a couple of months of usage, Jennifer was also pleased to see that despite the terrible weather and the need for almost constant heating, she was saving money on her fuel bill as the electric fire turned out to be much cheaper than her old gas fire to run.

A Welcoming Cosy Glow from Dimplex Optiflame® 

When asked what she felt the main benefit of her new Dimplex fire was Jennifer didn’t hesitate to state that it was the “welcoming, cosy glow” that the fire produces. The Chalbury lets you decide whether you want the heating and the glow effect on or just the glow, which Jennifer loves, saying “if it’s a miserable day I put the glow on to make the room cosy”. With her old gas fire if she wanted a glow she also had to have the heat on. This meant one of two things: either she had to have the fire on when she didn’t really need it – leading to higher running costs – or she had to look at the plain unlit coals.

So, as someone who is now a firm electric fire and Dimplex convert, what words of advice would Jennifer give to anyone thinking about swapping from gas to electric or updating an existing out of date fireplace? She’d advise them to do exactly what she did; do some research online, check out the fires in local showrooms so you can see them in the ‘flesh’ and then head on over to Gr8 Fires’ user-friendly website to grab yourself a stylish bargain.

The Mazona Orlando 4.5kW Multi-Fuel Stove Small in Hilary and Anthony's Living Room

When Hilary and Anthony Melton decided to install their very first stove in their Devon home they both admit to initially being a little in the dark and didn’t know where to start. Not only did they not know whether they wanted a wood burning or a multi fuel burning stove, but they weren’t sure of the type of design to go for either.

Not only that but because the Meltons live in a small bungalow, they had been told that they would only need a stove that had a maximum heat output of 4.5KW – something else that they hadn’t known. And who can blame them; how many of us would know exactly what we’re looking for when choosing a stove for the very first time!

The Meltons embarked on their quest to find the perfect stove for their home the traditional way: by hitting the high street. Hilary Melton says they spent many hours searching long and hard and high and low in local shops, stores and wholesalers that sell woodburners and multi fuel stoves. Unfortunately their search was ultimately fruitless as some shops didn’t sell stoves small enough to fit nicely in their chimney breast and others had stoves with a maximum heat output of just 4.5KW, and as the Meltons wanted to make sure their bungalow is efficiently heated and is warm and snug throughout our cold winters (and very often cold summers!) they wanted a stove that had a slightly higher heat output than this.

Searching the Internet for a Stove Can be Daunting for a First Timer!

Discouraged with their efforts, Anthony and Hilary gave up and retreated back to their bungalow where they decided they needed a Plan B. Despite neither of them being particularly internet savvy they decided that it was time to bring their search for a stove up to date and start browsing the web. Indeed, as Hilary says “…for someone who is new to this it all seemed a bit daunting!”

They needn’t have worried for they appeared to have rapidly got the hang of surfing the net and were soon trawling their way through site after site of companies who sell fireplaces and stoves. Unfortunately though, once again, their search hit a brick wall as they quite quickly found themselves staring in bewilderment at poorly organized, user unfriendly websites that seemed to be selling their stoves and fires at what appeared to the Meltons, after their extensive research, vastly inflated prices.

The price wasn’t the only problem they kept coming up against; the other issue was that none of these companies were very clear about stating which extra parts you would need in order to install your fire – such as flue liner kits. As Hilary says, most of these they had not budgeted for simply because they didn’t know about them.  So as the costs crept up and the Meltons were still no nearer to their dream of having a toasty, traditional stove adorning their chimney breast they may well have been feeling a little on the despondent side. But all was not lost…

I Came Upon the Site for GR8 Fires and it Grabbed us From the Start

Yes, good old Gr8 Fires saves the day yet again! Despite their initial reservations with using the internet and buying a stove online, both Hilary and Anthony were delighted to finally stumble across Gr8 Fire’s website, describing it as “a well-made website” which is “easy to use and easy to find the right stove at the right price”. The couple also liked the fact that “you can see all the fittings you may need and work out how much everything will cost there and then” – something our competitors are not so good at, it seems. Having finally found the stove of their dreams at a price they could afford, the Small Orlando 4.5kW Multi Fuel Stove by Mazona, the Meltons lost no time in purchasing it, along with a 6 Inch flexible flue liner kit.

With the cast iron Orlando stove duly ordered, Hilary started to worry about how they would get it from the delivery van on the road up to their house, but as she soon found out when it was delivered, she needn’t have worried as the Gr8 Fires driver simply put it on a trolley, and not only wheeled it up to the front door but carried it inside and placed it in their front room ready for the fitter.  As Hilary says “I thought service like that had died out in the sixties – how wrong you can be!”

We Wish We had Bought One Years Ago

Anthony and Hilary wasted no time in getting their new stove fitted – with even the fitter remarking that it was a great stove with fantastic features considering the low price – and they say that even with a small fire the heat output is fantastic. In fact their only regret is that they didn’t buy a Gr8 Fires stove years ago!

When it comes to wood-burning stoves, all woods are not equal. The type of wood you choose to burn can have a big impact on your experience.

The aesthetics, scent and sound of your stove can all be affected by the wood you use. But perhaps most importantly, the efficiency of your wood-burning stove will vary dramatically depending on your choice of fuel.

Ideally, you want to use a slow-burning wood. This will provide an even supply of heat over a sustained period. Holly, for instance, is a fast burning wood. Although it gives off good heat, it is more efficient to use something that burns slowly. Continue reading →

As ever, we can only offer general advice on the type of fuel you should be using on your stove. Your go-to resource on whether or not you can burn household coal is the stove manual provided by the manufacturer.

Hopefully we’ll be able to flesh out some of the details and give an explanation of the information you’re likely to find in your manual.

Firstly, household coal and any similar coal-like or smokeless fuels should not be used on a wood-burning stove. Wood burners have a flat grate rather than the raised grate needed to burn coal. Not only is this impractical – since coal needs an air supply from below to burn properly – it would also seriously damage your stove, which is not equipped to have hot coals burning on it. Continue reading →

Alongside the prospect of making your home really cosy and switching to an environmentally friendly form of heating, saving money on your heating bills is probably one of the top three reasons for installing a wood-burning stove.

So, in this blog post we’re going to explore how you can maximise your stove’s money-saving potential to cut your heating bills as much as possible. Continue reading →

When you’re thinking about installing a wood-burning stove, finance is usually a big factor. One of the main attractions of getting a wood burner is the opportunity to switch off the central heating and make some serious savings on your household heating bills.

But those savings cannot be achieved with some initial investment in your stove and the installation process.

There are plenty of cost guides advising how much it costs to install a wood burning stove dotted around the internet, including our own blog post on the cost of wood-burning stove installation, but the truth is that the amount you will pay to complete the job will vary significantly depending on a host of different factors. Continue reading →

When you are in the process of buying a wood-burning stove, it is important to give some consideration to the installation costs.

The cost of the stove itself is only part of the deal – you also need to factor into your budget how much it will cost to install your wood-burning stove.

Some people opt to reduce the installation price by fitting their own wood-burning stove. However, even if you do go down the DIY route, you will still incur the cost of an inspection from your local authority’s building control officer. This inspection is compulsory in order to ensure that your installation meets building regulations. Continue reading →