Wall mounted or inset electric fire
Updated: 22.10.2026
You either have a blank wall or you already have a fireplace opening, and you are trying to decide whether a wall mounted or inset electric fire is the one that belongs there. The watts will not settle it. In this amazon.co.uk set, captured on 19 October 2026, both formats sit around 1–2 kW. The split is the hole. We compared the listings, not a laboratory heat test. Prices and stars for the whole twelve are on the [electric fireplace comparison](/hub/fireplaces-and-stoves/electric-fireplace). A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
You either have a blank wall or you already have a fireplace opening, and you are trying to decide whether a wall mounted or inset electric fire is the one that belongs there. The watts will not settle it.
You either have a blank wall or you already have a fireplace opening, and you are trying to decide whether a wall mounted or inset electric fire is the one that belongs there. The watts will not settle it. In this amazon.co.uk set, captured on 19 October 2026, both formats sit around 1–2 kW. The split is the hole. We compared the listings, not a laboratory heat test. Prices and stars for the whole twelve are on the electric fireplace comparison. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Install | Opening | Heat | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  FLAMEKO FLAMEKO Wilton 50 inch | Wall, recess or floor | 127 cm case | 900–1800 W | 9.4 | about £239.97 | View offer |
| Alternative |  INMOZATA INMOZATA 127 cm three-way | Wall, recess or floor | Recess 124.6 cm | 900–1800 W | 9.2 | about £229.90 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Zanussi Zanussi inset stove | Insert | 16 inch | 2000 W | 8.8 | about £120 | View offer |
On this page
Inset when the opening is already there
An inset in this set means a fire sized for an existing opening, not a 127 cm panel you hope will shrink. The Zanussi ZEFIST1001SS is £120, 8.6 kg, 2 kW, and 4.4 from 421 reviews. Reviewers say it fits a standard 16 inch fireplace. The flame runs without heat, a timer is on the listing, and a 13 A note is included. One verified review says the remote was not in the box, and that buyer took a £19.50 partial refund. The FLAMEKO Verona is the other inset, at £159.97 with 4.6 from 195 reviews. The case is 50 × 60 × 17 cm, for a 16 inch or 18 inch opening, with 1000 W or 2000 W and the outlet on the upper front. The listing bullets do not confirm a timer. If the opening is nearer 18 inches than 16, the Verona is the listing that prints both. If it is a tight 16 inch and £120 matters, the Zanussi is the one reviewers describe in that hole. A 127 cm fire is not an inset for a 16 inch opening. Measurements against watts and plugs are the electric fireplace buying guide.
Wall or recess when the wall is blank
A wall fire hangs on a flat wall, or it sits in a recess you build. You do not need a chimney. The FLAMEKO Wilton is 127 × 43 × 14.3 cm and 21.5 kg, at £239.97 with 4.7 from 442 reviews. It can go on a wall bracket, into a recess, or onto floor brackets. The outlet is at the front, a UK 13 A plug is stated, and the flame runs with or without heat. The three-way INMOZATA, model IF-50, is £229.90 with 4.6 from 481 reviews. It is 24.5 kg, and the recess it prints is 124.6 × 32.3 × 15.2 cm. Reviews describe a two-person lift, and several UK reviews say the remote fails after installation. The shallower INMOZATA is 11 cm deep and 18.8 kg, at £199.99 with 4.4 from 30 reviews. Do not quote 11 cm as the depth of the Wilton. The PURFINO cases are 92 cm and 102 cm wall fires, not 16 inch insets, and their review text is shared. If the screen goes above the recess, read electric fire under a TV before you close the plasterboard.
The conditional pick
If the opening measures about 16 inches, buy an inset. The Zanussi is the £120 fit reviewers put in a standard opening, provided the remote is in the box. The Verona is the pick when the opening is 16 or 18 inches and you want 1000 W and 2000 W. If the wall is blank and you will not build, use a surface-mounted wide fire or a freestanding stove. If you will build a stud, the Wilton is the top pick for a 127 cm recess with a stated front outlet and a 13 A plug. The three-way INMOZATA is the alternative when you want the printed recess size and you can return the fire if the remote fails. A 2 kW Zanussi and an 1800 W Wilton are the same kind of top-up Which? describes. What changes is the joinery, the lift, and whether a television can sit above a forward outlet. The NETTA models, the Cheriton, and the Silonn are not this choice. For a named stove or the under-£70 NETTA, use the best electric fireplace page.
When a joiner or an electrician takes over
Call a professional when the cable will be hidden, when the wall construction is unclear, or when the recess has to hold 21.5 kg or 24.5 kg and you are not confident in the frame. A plug into a socket you can see, on a fire that stands in an opening you already have, can stay a householder job. The inset does not become safer because it looks like the old gas fire. The outlet still needs to stay clear, and a child’s guard still must not block the vents. BestHeating’s install guidance separates a plug-in fire on a visible socket from hardwiring and from stud work you cannot identify.
Common questions
I have no chimney. Can I still have an electric fire?
Yes. These are plug-in heaters with an LED flame. A wall-mounted fire is the usual answer on a blank wall, and a freestanding stove is the answer if you do not want to drill. An inset still needs an opening of the right size. The chimney itself is not what makes the fire work.
I have a 16 inch opening. Which listings match?
The Zanussi, which reviewers describe in a standard 16 inch fireplace, and the FLAMEKO Verona, which is printed for a 16 inch or 18 inch opening. Measure before you order. A 127 cm Wilton or INMOZATA will not become a 16 inch inset because the heat output looks similar.
Is a 127 cm fire an inset?
Not for a traditional 16 inch opening. The Wilton and the INMOZATA models are wide cases for a wall or a recess you frame to their size. The three-way INMOZATA prints a recess of 124.6 × 32.3 × 15.2 cm. That is joinery, not a slip-in stove.
How deep is a media-wall recess in this set?
It depends on the model. The shallower INMOZATA is 11 cm deep. The three-way INMOZATA’s recess depth line is 15.2 cm, and the case itself is 14.2 cm. The Wilton is 14.3 cm deep. Frame to the listing you are buying, and leave the outlet grille open. Do not copy 11 cm onto the heavier fires.
Do watts change if I pick wall instead of inset?
Not in any way that should decide the format. The Zanussi is 2 kW, the Verona is 1000 W or 2000 W, and the wide wall fires are 900 W and 1800 W. Which? still treats that band as supplementary heat. Choose the hole first. The running cost follows the element, not the word inset or wall.
Can one fire do wall, recess, and floor?
The Wilton and the three-way INMOZATA say they can. The Wilton includes a wall bracket and standing brackets. The INMOZATA prints freestanding, wall, and recessed, with the recess size above. The shallower INMOZATA is wall or recess, not a floor stove. The Zanussi and the Verona are the opening fires, not 127 cm hangers.
When do I need a joiner or an electrician?
When you are building a stud recess, burying the cable, or you cannot tell how the wall is made. A visible 13 A socket and a fire that stands in an opening you already have can stay with you. A 24.5 kg INMOZATA is a two-person lift even before the wiring question. Kitchens, bathrooms, and new circuits are electrician work.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts were taken from the listings in the comparison file, checked on 19 October 2026.
- Ofgem, Energy price cap unit rates (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Regulation (EU) 2015/1188 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Energy-related products (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, Heaters (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- West Sussex Fire and Rescue, Heating appliance safety (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Fire safety for parents (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Which?, Buying an electric fire or stove (retrieved 19 October 2026)