Duraflame Electric Log Set DFI021ARU Review

Welcome to our Duraflame Electric Log Set DFI021ARU Review. We’re excited to take a look at this electric fireplace alternative because it is an inexpensive electric log set.

NOTE: If you have arrived on our site and have decided to buy the Duraflame DFI021ARU then we recommend clicking through to Amazon.com and checking out this product and the daily discount. You will get very fast delivery (often free) and the great Amazon guarantee and service pledge.

The Duraflame DFI021ARU performs the exact same two functions as the more expensive full-featured electric fireplaces, at a very low price. It provides flickering fire flame effects and supplemental heat to your room. The big question is how well does it do it? Read on to discover the answers.

This Duraflame portable electric log set heater is a sturdily built one piece unit designed to be placed inside an existing fireplace. The log set can be viewed with the flame effect with or without turning on the heat. It comes with a full function remote control.

The following video shows the Duraflame Electric Log Set DFI020ARU, the slightly older version our reviewed log set.

Duraflame Fire Effects

How realistic are the Duraflame log set flame effects?

As with most things in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The majority of buyers are very pleased with the flame effect, especially at this price point, although they admit it is not as realistic as actual flames of a real fire.

There are two components that generate the flame effects. The first component is the LED lights within the plastic logs that generate the glowing ember effects. These can be controlled for a pulsing or steady effect. The “ember bed undulation” control gives you the option to change this to a steady light or pulsing.

The second flame generation component is that light is also projected from the rear of the unit through flame shaped cutouts that project on the wall or whatever reflective surface there is behind the log set. The reflected flame effect is orange light that is bounced off whirling foils strips. The brightness of the flames can be adjusted to five different levels of brightness and can be controlled with the remote.

Because the flame effect is a result of reflection, there are a couple of factors to consider that will materially alter the flame effects.

The first factor is the distance of the log set from the back of whatever reflective surface is behind the unit. You may have to move the log set closer and further away to get the appropriate height of flames that looks best for you. The further from the back wall, the higher or larger the flames will appear.

The second factor is the color of the wall on to which the light is being projected.. The darker the surface, the light is hitting, the better the flames will show up. A few enterprising buyers painted the inside of their fireplace black or dark gray to get an enhanced effect.

As with most fireplace inserts, the flame effects look more realistic when viewed with a fireplace screen in front.

Duraflame Heater Functions

How does this Duraflame electric heater stack up?

As with most electric fireplaces or electric fireplace inserts, the usual heater warning and caveat applies. These electric log inserts are primarily designed to provide supplemental heat or zoned heat. They are not meant to be a primary heat source in a home.

The Duraflame log set has a maximum BTU of 4600, 1500 Watts, 11.7 Amps and is designed to warm up to 400 sq. ft. These are pretty standard specifications when compared to most basic electric fireplaces.

What does that mean in realistic terms of heating?

One buyer states that his fireplace will raise the temperature in his living room by 10°. His room measurements are 11 x 19 (209 square feet) but has an unusually high 20 foot ceiling. Another buyer states that it warms up her 20 x 20 room (400 square feet) but it takes over an hour to do so.

This unit has a blower that forces the hot air from the lower part of the unit and directs the heat out the front. There were some complaints about the noise level of the blower unit. One comment was “when you using the heater you know you’re using the heater” by the noise . Whether or not the noise it emits fade into the background for you is a matter of personal sensitivity to noise.

The heat can be felt approximately 2 ½ feet from the unit and then it dissipates. There is a thermostat switch on the right side of the unit that must be manually selected, the remote has no function for that control.

We have done a comprehensive review on the Pleasant Hearth Log Set it is about half the cost of the DuraFlame. Click Here

Here Are Some Other Electric Log Set Suggestions

Log Set Controls

This Duraflame electric log insert has  manual switches for both the light, heater and thermostat are located on the right side of the unit. The controls are not very clearly marked, and sometimes it takes a couple of presses to get them to work. You must hold the buttons down for several seconds. It takes a little bit of fiddling around to get used to them.

The log insert comes with a remote control that has an on off function and will control the heat, flame effects, and intensity. There were several buyer complaints concerning the range of the remote control in the fact that it had to be aimed rather precisely at the lower right hand side of the unit, at the grate. The also appeared to be a range limitation for some buyers on the remote. It might not work from across the room.

The electrical cord on this electric log set is 6 feet long with a three pronged plug. It is attached to the unit on the rear right side. So, if your electrical outlet is located on the left side of your fireplace you will have a shorter reach that if the outlet is on the right side of the fireplace. We will discuss the use of extension cords in the next section on safety.

Safety

As with all electric fireplaces and inserts the flame effect involves no heat so this unit is basically kid and pets safe. Even with the front discharge heat flow the area around the vent gets warm but not very hot to the touch at all. It is still important to follow general appliance safety standards. Click here for detailed safety practices and warnings.

Use of extension cords is not recommended by the manufacturer or the owners’ manual. We believe that most electric fireplace manufacturers prohibit the use of extension cords for legal and liability reasons. However, one owner reportedly called Duraflame customer service and was informed that if they used an extension cord it had to be a 14 gauge wire rated at 15 Amps and 1875 Watt load. Do not under any circumstances use a standard household extension cord.

Setting Up This Electric Log Insert

This could be the world’s shortest set of instructions for set up.

1.Take it out of the box, place it where you like.

2.Plug it in, turn it on.

That’s it, plug-and-play. As noted in a previous section, the distance from the wall at which the unit is placed will affect the size of the flames projected on it. So there may be a little initial trial and error to get the flame effect you desire.

Because the unit is free standing, you may wonder if the unit can be placed on a tabletop or dresser top or even in the middle of the room. One thing you must take into consideration that is not readily apparent from looking at pictures of the unit, is that the log and grate effect is only realistic looking on three sides. On the backside there is the cut out where the light shines out to reflect the flames.

If the unit is not placed where the rear of it but all wall or reflective surface you will lose the flame effect and only have glowing embers. Some buyers have placed the unit on dresser tops or small tables and brought coziness and ambiance to rooms without a fireplace in it.

Cost Of Operation

The costs of operating this electric log set or no more or less than a standard electric fireplace. As with any electric fireplace heater the cost of operation is significantly higher when both the flame effects and the heater are being used simultaneously

If you just operate the flames by themselves the cost is approximately $.02/ per hour. That is the cost calculated of LED bulbs energy consumption which is much less than old fashioned incandescent bulbs. Therefore, using the flame effects mode and assuming 4 hours of use each and every night it would add about $2.00per month to your electric bill.

Operating the heat on high and the flames at the same time would drive the cost to about $.15 per hour. So, running the unit every night for 4 hours @ rated max of 1400 Watts would add $18.00 to your electric bill. The 3 variables that will greatly affect your actual cost are the price you are paying for electricity in your state, how long you run the unit and the modes you are operating it in. h

To get a more precise cost of operation:

1. Determine the cost of electricity in your state, it should be on your electric bill. Alternatively, go to this site and determine your states energy cost per KWH. For examples above,I used the US average of $.12/KWH.

Click Here to find out: Your states energy cost.

2. Then use the calculator at this site to calculateyour cost: Click Here for the Cost Calculator

Values= 1400 watts high heat + flame, 700 watts for low heat and flame. Fill in your states KWH cost, the hours you think you will use it per month and generate results.

Dimensions

Overall Height – Top to Bottom: 12 inches high

Overall Width – Side to Side: 20.5 inches wide

Overall Depth – Front to Back: 8.66 inches deep

Overall Product Weight: 13.86 Pounds

Shipping Weight: 16.8 pounds

Accessories

There are 3 accessories you may want to consider, the first for added functionality, the second for added aesthetics and pleasure.

1. Consider Electrical Socket Protection. Safer Socket has five tiny thermostats strategically placed inside the unit monitor the temperature of the plug to make sure it is operating at a safe temperature. Should there be a rise in plug temperature which could lead to an electrical fire, Safer Socket will automatically shut off the device. Click on Image below for Safer Socket.

2. Add Fire Crackle Sound. The sound effect of fire crackling is only available on very high end fireplaces, but we have you covered. For about $30 you can add this sound machine, The box is about 2 1/2 ” x 3″ and can attach to the fireplace out of sight. Click on Image below for Fire Crackler Sound System.

3. Wire Covers. Wires and cables dangling from your electric fireplace can really detract from the effect? This Cord Cover Kit makes it a snap to hide wires. It’s very easy to install and can be painted to blend seamlessly into any wall.

TSR-01 Safer Socket Fire Prevention Plug, WhiteComfort Smart Fire Crackler Sound SystemWiremold 30-inch Flat Screen TV Cord Cover Kit

Pros and ConsI believe the pros far outweigh the cons, but here is a bullet point presentation of the high and low notes:

Pros

• It is very inexpensive
• Adjustable flame effects – can achieve large flames by moving unit further from the wall.
• Very portable – plug and play.
• It has a full function remote.

Cons

• Controls are somewhat difficult to master.
• Noise level is certainly noticeable.
• Cord is thought to be short.

Consumer Ratings

About 60% of 200 reviewers rated this a 5 star item. This is not a notably high number of top notch reviews. 25 % of reviewers it 4 stars and 25% were 3 stars or less. This indicates to us that most people were reasonably pleased with their purchase, but it was not universally and exceptionally well received.

NOTE: If you have pretty much have decided to buy the Duraflame Electric Log Set DFI021ARU then we recommend clicking through to Amazon.com and checking out the exact ratings and reading buyer reviews:

Click Here to see Amazon star ratings and buyer reviews

Summary

If you’re looking for some pleasing ambiance and a little supplemental heat when needed this Duraflame log set will certainly fit the bill and not break your budget. It is a perfect way to utilize the ‘dead space’ of a currently unused or non-functioning wood or gas fireplace installation. It is currently available for under $200 and a really good value and bang for the buck.

We hope you enjoyed our Duraflame Electric Log Set Review.