The Pros and Cons of Installing a Bio-Ethanol Fire in 2026
The Pros and Cons of Installing a Bio-Ethanol Fire in 2026
Are you thinking of installing a bio-ethanol fire? Like with any other purchase for your home or property it’s important to understand the pros and cons of the product so that you can make an informed choice about whether the product is suited to your lifestyle and space. In this article we will discuss the pros and cons of installing a bio-ethanol fire, making you equipped with all of the information you need before your next purchase.
The Pros of Installing a Bio-Ethanol Fire
Can be installed anywhere, no flue required
The main advantage of bio ethanol fires is the fact that, unlike wood and gas fires, they can be installed anywhere, with no flue required. This is particularly great for commercial properties, homes where it is difficult to find a flue route and home/property owners that want a fire which gives off a real flame but requires little installation.
Looks like a gas fire, without the need for gas
Bio-ethanol fires are great for homes without a natural gas supply, they give off a real flame and visually look like a gas fire without the requirement of needing a gas supply or flue (see above point).
Source of heat
Bio-ethanol fires can be used as a source of heat. Different models give off different amounts of heat depending on the size of the fire. We can advise you on what size fire is the most appropriate to heat your space.
Portable
Some bio-ethanol models are portable and can be moved around your home, they can even be moved between your indoor and outdoor space.
Low maintenance
Bio-ethanol fires require no maintenance, they don’t need servicing like a wood or gas fire and they don’t require regular cleaning like a wood fire.
Vast design options
There are a wide variety of models available in bio-ethanol, from classic to contemporary ranges. There is something to suit every style whether it be a classic stove, a linear model to be fitted within a media wall or a free-standing or suspended model.
Various price points
There are different models available to cater for a variety of budgets. If you’re happy to invest in your bio-ethanol fire you can purchase a premium model with BEV technology and controlled via remote. On the other hand if you have a lower budget you can opt for a manually lit model.
We like to be transparent with our customers and it’s important that you understand not only the pros of bio-ethanol fires but the cons too. This provides you with a completely unbiased opinion of bio-ethanol fires so that you can decide whether they are a good fit for your lifestyle. This leads us to…
The Cons of Installing a Bio-Ethanol Fire
Cost to run
There is a cost to run bio-ethanol fires, on average it costs around £2.50 per litre of fuel which typically lasts 4 hours, making them cost around £1 an hour on average to run. This cost may be higher than the cost to run a gas fire however a gas fire is more expensive to install due to labour costs and the cost of a flue.
Best models sit in a higher price bracket
Like anything that you purchase, higher quality products sit at a higher price point and bio-ethanol fires are no exception. If you’re seeking a premium bio-ethanol model which is controlled via remote and has a large capacity fuel tank this will cost more than a model which is manually controlled with a smaller capacity fuel tank.
Open flame
Some bio-ethanol models have an open flame. This may not be ideal if you have young children or pets.
Can only be refuelled once cold
Once your bio-ethanol fire has ran out of fuel you must wait until the fire has cooled down before refuelling it. The only time this may be an issue is with fires with a lower burn time. Still, day-to-day it shouldn’t cause any interference. The only time this may affect you is if you were entertaining guests and the fire ran out of fuel after 4 hours. In this case you would need to wait until the fire has cooled down before refuelling it.
We hope you have found our list of the pros and cons of installing a bio-ethanol fire informative. We have listed everything with an unbiased opinion so that you can decide whether bio-ethanol is the correct fuel type for you. If you require further advice then please don’t hesitate to reach out.
If you would like to discuss installing a bio-ethanol fire we would be delighted to help you with your project. You can get in touch by clicking here or calling us on 0191 260 5959.
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