Quick Answer: The best cheap electric fireplace overall is the ChimneyFree Powerheat Infrared Quartz Stove Heater ($49.99–$89.99 at Walmart, stock-dependent) — a freestanding stove rated for 5,200 BTU across up to 1,000 sq ft, the same output class as units costing 20 times more. For a built-in wall look, the R.W.Flame 36” Recessed ($149.99, list $239.99) is the cheapest genuine recessed/wall-mount unit this site has verified. Buyers who want the widest cheap option should look at the Costway 50” Recessed Ultra-Thin ($159.99 direct from Costway, though Walmart and Home Depot list the same model $80-$150 higher), and anyone needing a true small-footprint insert can drop in the Costway 18” Insert ($95-$140). All four run a standard 1,500W-class heating element — the price gap to a premium brand buys flame realism and control features, not more heat.
Most “budget” fireplace roundups just mean “under $500.” This one goes lower: four real, currently-sold units that cap out around $160, each a genuinely different form factor — freestanding stove, recessed wall-mount, wide linear unit, and compact insert — so the cheapest option in each category is covered, not just the cheapest option overall.
Cheap electric fireplace picks compared
| Model | Best for | Style | Heat | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChimneyFree Powerheat Stove | Best overall | Freestanding stove | 1,500W / 5,200 BTU, ~1,000 sq ft | $49.99–$89.99 | ★★★★★ |
| R.W.Flame 36" Recessed | Best wall-mount/recessed | 36" recessed or surface-mount | 750W/1,500W dual, ~400 sq ft | $149.99 (list $239.99) | ★★★★☆ |
| Costway 50" Recessed Ultra-Thin | Best widest cheap option | 50" ultra-thin recessed/wall-mount | 750W/1,500W, 5,100 BTU | $159.99+ (retailer-dependent) | ★★★★☆ |
| Costway 18" Insert | Best compact insert | 18" freestanding or recessed | 1,400W–1,500W | $95–$140 | ★★★★☆ |
1. ChimneyFree Powerheat Infrared Quartz Stove Heater — Best Overall
ChimneyFree® Powerheat Infrared Quartz Electric Stove Heater (CFI-470-12)
- Rated for 5,200 BTU across up to 1,000 sq ft per the manufacturer's own listing — the exact same output class as this site's basement pick, the $219.99-$259.99 Duraflame 3D Infrared Stove, for a fraction of the price.
- Walmart.com pricing swings hard on this one: current listings range roughly $49.99 to $124.99 depending on stock and active rollbacks, and the unit sells out and restocks in cycles rather than holding one fixed price. Check current stock before assuming the low end is guaranteed.
- Infrared quartz element heats objects and people directly rather than just blowing warm air, the same technology this site's best electric fireplace heater guide ranks above standard fan-forced units for actual room warmth.
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The ChimneyFree Powerheat earns the top spot because it matches the heat rating of units costing 20 times as much — there’s no asterisk on the BTU number just because the price is low, since every plug-in unit is bound by the same 120V/1,500W household-current ceiling regardless of brand.
2. R.W.Flame 36” Recessed — Best Wall-Mount/Recessed
R.W.Flame 36" Recessed Electric Fireplace
- The cheapest genuine recessed/wall-mount unit this site has verified — about a tenth of the $999–$1,499 a comparable Touchstone Sideline Elite 50" costs, per rwflame.com's own current listing.
- Dual 750W/1,500W heat settings let the lower mode run on a shared circuit without tripping a standard 15-amp breaker, the same tradeoff covered in this site's apartment guide.
- Still needs a bracket and, for a true flush look, cutting into drywall — it's cheap on price, not on install effort, unlike the freestanding ChimneyFree above.
For anyone set on a built-in wall look rather than a floor-standing stove, the R.W.Flame 36” is the lowest entry price this site has found for that format, carrying the same dual-wattage flexibility pricier recessed units charge a premium for.
3. Costway 50” Recessed Ultra-Thin — Best Widest Cheap Option
Costway 50" Ultra-Thin Recessed/Wall-Mounted Electric Fireplace
- $159.99 direct from Costway's own site, but the identical model currently runs $239.99 at Walmart and $251.44 at Home Depot — a real retailer-to-retailer price gap confirmed this run, not a typo. Buy direct from Costway if price is the deciding factor.
- Multi-color flame settings and a 3.19" ultra-thin profile at roughly a sixth of the $999 a Touchstone Sideline Elite 50" costs for a comparable 50" width, covered in full in this site's best 50-inch electric fireplace guide.
- Same 1,500W heat ceiling as every other pick on this page — the extra width buys a wider flame-viewing area, not more BTU.
If the room needs a wide, linear flame-viewing area rather than a narrow insert, the Costway 50” gets there for well under half of what a brand-name 50” unit costs — just shop around, since this is the pick on this page with the widest confirmed retailer price spread.
4. Costway 18” Insert — Best Compact Insert
Costway 18" Electric Fireplace Insert
- Drops into an existing opening or runs freestanding out of the box — covered in more depth in this site's best small electric fireplace guide, earning a repeat spot here specifically for its price floor among insert-style units.
- Full 1,400W-1,500W heating element despite its compact 18" footprint — no heat penalty for the smaller size, the same pattern this page's other three picks confirm.
- The lowest price of any pick here that still fits a true recessed opening rather than sitting as a standalone stove.
For a tight opening that needs an actual insert rather than a wide linear unit or a floor stove, the Costway 18” is the cheapest way into that format.
What “cheap” actually buys you less of
- Flame realism, not heat. Every pick on this page runs the same 1,500W-class element as this site’s premium picks — the best electric fireplace pillar’s $3,049.99 Dimplex IgniteXL included, unless it’s hardwired to 240V. The money difference buys multi-layer LED flame depth, ember-bed detail, and smoother dimming, not a bigger heater.
- App and voice control. None of the four picks here offer WiFi or Alexa integration — that’s a feature tier that starts appearing around the $900-$1,000 mark, as covered in this site’s app control comparison.
- Price stability. Budget brands like ChimneyFree and Costway swing in and out of stock and reprice frequently — this run alone found the ChimneyFree ranging $49.99-$124.99 and the Costway 50” varying $80-$90 across three retailers for the identical SKU. Premium brands like Touchstone and Dimplex hold a steadier list price.
- Thermostat precision and timer granularity. Budget units typically step in full-hour timer increments and basic high/low heat settings rather than the half-degree thermostat hold or 30-minute timer steps this site’s thermostat and timer guides cover on pricier models.
The bottom line
For most budget-focused buyers, the ChimneyFree Powerheat Stove is the strongest pick — genuine 5,200 BTU heat for under $90 when in stock, with zero installation required. Go with the R.W.Flame 36” Recessed if the room needs a built-in wall look instead of a floor stove, the Costway 50” if width matters more than footprint (buying direct from Costway’s own site to avoid the retailer markup), or the Costway 18” Insert for the lowest price that still fits a true recessed opening. Whichever one gets picked, the heat output won’t be the compromise — that’s identical across this entire price range. For the features that do scale with price, see this site’s best electric fireplace pillar guide.