Rich's for the Home

5 Things You Never Knew About Electric Fireplaces

2012-01-30T06:00:00-08:00

Electric fireplaces are undergoing major redesigns to reflect Americans' desire to save space and heat efficiently, while still enjoying the benefits of a crackling fire. Here are five concepts that are revolutionizing the electric fireplace industry:

1. You can have flames without heat.

Electric fireplaces are efficient at zone heating, and they’re certainly a lot better looking than baseboard heaters or fan-forced wall heaters.

But perhaps the most attractive quality of an electric fireplace is its ambiance. With the flick of a switch, you can turn off the heat and enjoy the flickering flames any day of the year.

One of our favorite ambient fireplaces is the Illuminations Electric Fireplace (pictured above) from Fireplace Extordinair (FPX). This candlescape fireplace features flickering LED flame technology, and enhances the design of any bedroom or bath.

2. Fireplace “smoke” isn’t really smoke.

The OptiMyst from Dimplex is revolutionizing the entire electric fireplace industry with its patented smoke effect. The OptiMyst creates a three-dimensional flame, glowing logs and a shimmering ember bed, and produces “smoke” that is actually mist.

Pictured below are the contemporary Rockwell model (left) and the traditional Renwick.

This 5-second video demonstrates what the OptiMyst fire looks like:

3. Fireplaces and TVs go together.

Media consoles are absolutely the hottest items in the electric fireplace industry for 2012. These space-saving units are both practical and add a significant “wow” factor to your family room, media room, or “man cave.”

A typical media console includes storage for media components (receiver, DVD/Blu-Ray player, speakers), space on top for a wide screen TV, and of course, a built-in electric fireplace.
Media consoles come in many shapes and sizes, from the ultra-sleek Novara (below, left) to the transitional Brookings (below, right).

4. Slim and sleek is in.

Wall-mounted fireplaces such as the Synergy from Dimplex have a linear look, similar to a flat screen TV. Because they mount right on a wall, they open up much more living space in a room while simultaneously serving as a beautiful focal point.

5. Glass is the new log.

Log fireplaces are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Today, you’re more likely to see decorative flame beds customized with colored glass, stone, black pebbles, or driftwood.

This Convex Wall-Mount electric fireplace from Dimplex has black pebbles in the flame bed, and can be customized with a variety of decorative fill, so your fireplace will complement your home’s décor.

Here's a video of the Convex:

Bonus: Portable space heaters are disguised as electric fireplaces.

If you’ve been reading our blog, you already know about the Mini Cube Electric Stove from Dimplex.

The latest concept in electric space heaters, The Cube quickly takes the chill out of the air and manages to look ultra-fashionable while doing so.

Stop by Rich's 5 Puget Sound showrooms in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tacoma, Southcenter, and Silverdale, and ask to see our full line of electric fireplaces. If you don’t see quite what you want in our showroom, we’d be happy to order ANY product from the Dimplex catalog for you.

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The Northwest's Largest Fireplace Sale Ever... Now at Rich's

2012-01-23T08:00:00-08:00

Rich’s announces the Northwest’s largest fireplace sale ever!

Prices slashed up to 1/3 off. 700 Rich’s inserts and stoves, featuring Lopi and Avalon.

Five-day installation; payments from $29. Sale ends Monday, January 30, 2012.

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For more details about our products and for directions to Rich's 5 Puget Sound showrooms in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tacoma, Southcenter, and Silverdale, visit Rich's website, richshome.com.

Retro-Cool Space Heater: Mini Cube Electric Stove

2012-01-16T06:00:00-08:00

By Laura Christianson
Guest columnist

My office is located in the lower level of our tri-level home, so it’s perennially chilly – sometimes downright cold – in my little room. I stopped by Rich’s to see what they offer in the way of space heaters, and was introduced to a funky little red electric fireplace called the Mini Cube.

The sales literature calls the Mini Cube a “unique and charming electric stove.” But I call it “cute” and my husband calls it “cool.”

Other than its compact size (13-inch width x 14 ½-inch height x 8-inch depth), the feature that instantly sold my husband and me is that the Mini Cube looks like a real fireplace. There’s a glowing coal bed with dancing flames, generated by a hidden clear 60-watt chandelier or candelabra bulb.

Despite the appeal of the fireplace-esque flames, our bottom line when it comes to purchasing a space heater is: Does it crank out the heat?

Turns out this little guy (I’ve decided this fireplace is of the male gender) heats quite efficiently. It heats up to 400 square feet. The low heat setting provides 600 watts of heat output, while the high setting cranks out 1200 watts, comparable to the large, ugly space heater in my kitchen.

The Mini Cube plugs into a standard 110/120 V household outlet, and has a quiet fan.
I read several reviews of the Mini Cube online, and buyers highly recommend it for use in the following types of rooms:

Office
Apartment
Bedroom
Rec room
Dorm room (as long as college rules allow for space heaters)
Kitchen
Hobby Room
RV

The Mini Cube comes in a gloss-red finish. If you’re looking something a bit larger or in a white chrome finish, consider the Mini Cube’s big brother, aptly named The Cube.

Reminding me of my Apple computer from the early 90s, The Cube is 18 ½ inches wide x 18 ½ inches tall x 10 ¼ inches deep and provides 1,480 watts of heat output (650 watts on the low setting and 1300 watts on high).

The Cube and Mini Cube are manufactured by Dimplex, the industry leader in electric fireplaces. Dimplex products are produced by our neighbors to the north in Ontario, Canada.

And here’s the best news: For a limited time, Rich’s is offering the Mini Cube for $99 (it retails for $149). That’s a great price for an electric fireplace that’s not only efficient, but provides a lot more ambiance than a run-of-the-mill space heater.

Here’s a video of the UK version of The Cube so you can see what the flames look like:

More About The Cube

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The Best of Rich's 2011: Articles About Hot Tubs, Fireplaces, Grills and Outdoor Furnishings

2012-01-02T06:00:00-08:00

Hot Tubs and Spas

Stoves, Fireplaces, and Inserts

Grills & Grilling Accessories

Recipes for the Grill

Outdoor Furnishings

Entertaining & Ambiance

Affordable Hydrotherapy: Clearwater Spas XS Series

2011-12-19T06:00:00-08:00

By Laura Christianson
Guest Columnist

When I stopped by Rich’s on Saturday to purchase a new bubble cover for my Clearwater Spa, I joked with the sales associate that they build these spas too well. We’ve owned our Clearwater Spa for 16 years. My family of four (which includes two teenage boys) uses it heavily, but all the jets still work and it cranks out the heat.

I live with chronic back pain, and I can’t tell you how many times a dose of hydrotherapy has helped me rest better at night.

While I was buying my bubble cover – officially known as a “floating thermal blanket” (which, incidentally, is the best spa accessory we’ve ever purchased because it traps the heat beneath the hard cover and significantly decreases our electric bill) – I picked up some literature on Clearwater Spas.

There are three levels of Clearwater Spas:

XS Series – I call these “entry level” spas. Although they’re engineered the same as the luxury models and they’re extremely energy efficient, the XS Series models come with fewer bells and whistles and are quite affordable.

Beachcraft Series – These “middle of the road” spas are a bit roomier and include features such as multi-level steps, cool-down seats and ergonomically designed seating configurations.

Resort Series – “Elegant” and “decadent” are words I’d use to describe these luxury spas. Lots of jets. Multiple pumps. Custom lighting. Custom waterfalls. Everything you could ever want in a spa.

Being a budget-minded person, I eyeballed the XS Series spas, which currently include eight models (new models for 2012 are now available for ordering). I asked the sales associate, “Which of these models would you recommend for folks who are buying their first spa?”

“It depends on the size of your family, and on the size of the people who will be using the spa,” he replied.

For a couple, he recommended the XS76NL - Signature (pictured, right). This model seats 6 adults in an open seating arrangement, has 40 jets, and holds 300 gallons of water.

For a couple with young kids, he recommended the XS84NL. It also seats 6 adults and has a kid-friendly cool-off bench so young ones can get their little bodies mostly out of the spa for a few minutes while still dangling their feet in.

For a family with teens (or several adult-sized people), he recommended the XS93NL - Signature (pictured, top right), which seats 8 adults. The largest of the XL Series line, this spa holds 450 gallons of water and has 40 jets.

All Clearwater Spas come in a variety of shell colors and cabinet styles colors, and Rich’s carries a full line of spa accessories and chemicals.

I can’t recommend Clearwater Spas highly enough. If and when my hardy Clearwater Spa ever dies, I’ll replace it with another Clearwater Spa.

All this writing about spas is making my back ache; I’ll give you one guess where I’m heading next.

More Spa Articles on Rich's Blog:

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For more details about our products and for directions to Rich's 5 Puget Sound showrooms in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tacoma, Southcenter, and Silverdale, visit Rich's website, richshome.com.