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Published October 25, 2026. Prices and specs checked October 18, 2026.
An electric fireplace and a space heater turn the same outlet power into the same heat, so the extra money buys the flame. The Lasko CT22850 tower heater is $69.99. The Dimplex Multi-Fire XHD28L electric fireplace is $700.48 at Home Depot.
I have used plug-in heaters for years, mostly for the few cold snaps a South Florida winter brings. They all hit the same wall. A heater that plugs into a standard outlet tops out around 1,500 watts, and a flame-effect fireplace stops at nearly the same number. The look is the part you add.
The flame is what you pay for. It makes a living room look lived in, and it can run on its own for about a nickel an hour, as the cost table below shows.
Electric Fireplace vs Space Heater
Two current products make the comparison concrete: a ceramic tower heater from Lasko and a plug-in firebox from Dimplex.
| Lasko CT22850 ceramic tower heater | Dimplex Multi-Fire XHD28L electric fireplace | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99 at Lasko’s store | $700.48 at Home Depot |
| Power at full heat | 1,500 W (900 to 1,500 W across its settings) | 1,465 W (Home Depot lists 1,500 W) |
| Heat output | 5,118 BTU an hour (1,500 × 3.412, computed) | 5,000 BTU per Dimplex’s sell sheet (Home Depot lists 5,118) |
| Coverage the maker claims | 300 sq ft | 1,000 sq ft |
| Flame effect | None | Yes, with or without the heat |
| Power connection | 120 V plug | 120 V plug-in |
| Warranty | 3 years | 2 years (Home Depot lists 1 year) |
The Lasko draws 1,500 W and the Dimplex draws 1,465 W, so the two give off almost the same heat. Price is where they split: $700.48 minus $69.99 is $630.49, and the Dimplex costs about ten times as much (700.48 ÷ 69.99 = 10.0).
The Lasko adds the controls a plain heater needs. Its page lists an adjustable thermostat, an Auto Eco mode, a remote, a 12-hour timer, tip-over and overheat protection, and oscillation. At 6.0 pounds, it moves between rooms easily. The Dimplex stays where you build it.
The Dimplex is sold as a built-in firebox, so it goes into a framed opening or surround. Dimplex’s sell sheet and Home Depot’s listing both say it plugs into a standard outlet.
If you are still choosing between ceramic, infrared and oil-filled space heaters, that is its own comparison. The Lasko here is a ceramic tower.
Do Electric Fireplaces Heat a Room?
Yes. With the heater on, a plug-in electric fireplace is a space heater in a fireplace case. Dimplex lists 5,000 BTU for the XHD28L, and the Lasko comes to 5,118 BTU by the same arithmetic.
The coverage claims are where the paper stories differ. Dimplex’s sell sheet says the XHD28L warms up to 1,000 square feet. Lasko says its 1,500 W tower covers 300. Both draw almost the same power, so the 3.3-fold gap is a claim and not extra heat.
Dimplex’s own support page is more modest. It calls the heater supplemental, meaning your main heat stays on, and it gives no square-footage rating. I would read it that way for a cold room.
The flame can also run with the heater off. That mode gives light and no heat, and it uses far less power, which the next section prices.
The cold space might be a garage rather than a living room. A garage heater has different rules from either of these. For a cold deck or patio, start with the electric patio heater comparison.
How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Fireplace?
The U.S. average residential price was 18.31 cents per kilowatt-hour in July 2026, per the Energy Information Administration’s Electric Power Monthly (Table 5.6.A). Your rate will differ. That table runs from 12.72 cents in Louisiana to 33.61 in California, and Hawaii is 48.00.
Cost per hour is watts times hours, divided by 1,000, times the rate. The table below uses $0.1831. Dimplex’s support page puts the flame effect at about 300 W, so the flame-only row uses 300 as a ceiling.
| Mode | Draw | One hour (watts × 1 ÷ 1,000) | Cost per hour | Four hours a day for 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasko CT22850, high | 1,500 W | 1,500 × 1 ÷ 1,000 = 1.5 kWh | $0.27 | 180.0 kWh = $32.96 |
| Lasko CT22850, low | 900 W | 900 × 1 ÷ 1,000 = 0.9 kWh | $0.16 | 108.0 kWh = $19.77 |
| Dimplex XHD28L, heat on | 1,465 W | 1,465 × 1 ÷ 1,000 = 1.465 kWh | $0.27 | 175.8 kWh = $32.19 |
| Dimplex XHD28L, flame only | 300 W | 300 × 1 ÷ 1,000 = 0.3 kWh | $0.05 | 36.0 kWh = $6.59 |
Both full-heat rows cost $0.27 an hour and end up 77 cents apart over the month ($32.96 − $32.19). Home Depot’s listing puts the Dimplex at 1,500 W, which would make its row match the Lasko’s. A thermostat on either unit will cut the real bill, because neither runs at full draw all hour. The flame alone is the cheap mode, about $6.59 a month at four hours a day.
Are Electric Fireplaces Safe?
They share the risks of any electric heater, because the heating part is one. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and look for a UL or ETL listing on the box or product page before you buy.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) says to keep a space heater at least three feet from anything that can burn. It also says to plug the heater straight into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip, and never to leave it unattended. ESFI puts heating equipment as the second leading cause of home fires in the United States, with more than 65,000 a year.
A 1,465 W unit is a heavy load on one circuit. Dimplex’s support page suggests a dedicated 15-amp breaker if your lights dim when it starts. NFPA and CPSC also publish heater safety guidance worth reading before the first cold week.
I checked CPSC’s recall database on October 18, 2026. It lists five Lasko recalls, the newest of them box fans in 2011. The newest Lasko heater recall is also from 2011, covering Lasko model 5540 and Air King model 8540 tower heaters. None names the CT22850. It lists two Dimplex recalls, Cadet Apex72 heaters in 2024 and remote-control kits for electric fireplaces and stoves in 2010. Neither names the XHD28L.
Are Electric Fireplaces Worth It?
Buy the fireplace if the flame is the point. It sits in a living room, it looks like something, and the flame runs for about a nickel an hour when you want the light without the heat. You pay about ten times the heater price for that.
Buy the heater if the room is cold and the budget is tight. A $69.99 tower and a $700.48 firebox draw almost the same power. The tower does the same heating job for a tenth of the price. The fireplace earns its price where your main heat already keeps the house warm and the flame is the point.
Frequently Asked Questions About Electric Fireplaces
Does an Electric Fireplace Use a Lot of Electricity?
With the heater on, yes. Dimplex lists the XHD28L at 1,465 W, which is $0.27 an hour at 18.31 cents per kilowatt-hour (1.465 × 0.1831). With the heater off, the flame effect is about 300 W by Dimplex’s support page, or $0.05 an hour.
How Many Watts Does a Space Heater Use?
Lasko lists 1,500 watts at full output for the CT22850, and 900 watts at its lowest setting. Dimplex lists its fireplace at 1,465 W, nearly the same ceiling. Check the label or product page on the model you are buying.
Can You Plug a Space Heater Into a Power Strip?
No. ESFI says to plug a space heater directly into a wall outlet and not into an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat. The same rule applies to the heater inside a fireplace unit.
Can You Leave a Space Heater on All Night?
ESFI says never to leave a space heater unattended, and to turn it off when you leave the room or go to sleep. A fireplace unit with the heater on is a space heater in a different case. Check the owner’s manual for what the maker says about the flame-only mode.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
