Amish Electric Fireplace Review: Magical Heat or Marketing Magic?

I love this country. We do not manufacture as many products as before, but we will always be the owners of the marketing universe. No other country can take something as mundane as a 1,500-watt space heater and repackage it as the Second Coming. A perfect example of this marketing ingenuity is the Amish Heat Surge Electric Fireplace.

Wheel! Shine! The Heat Surge miracle heater is a work of genius from the coast of China! True Amish craftsmanship goes into every mantle! And, to quote the Heat Surge website, “it’s not just a fireplace, it’s a good piece of furniture.”

But you must ask yourself: Do I want to spend $ 587 on a mini electric fireplace on wheels that produces no more heat than any other 1,500-watt heater that costs $ 500 less?

To be fair, this is a valid question for all electric fireplaces, not just the heat surge. Believe it or not, you could easily spend over $ 2,000 for an electric fireplace / entertainment center combination heated with the same 1,500-watt unit.

No matter how much you pay for an electric fireplace, the cost attributable to the electric heating insert is about $ 250 (retail). So every dollar you spend over $ 250 is for the mantel. In the case of Amish Cherry Fireplace, $ 250 subtracted from the $ 587 retail price leaves $ 337 for the cost of the mantel.

Since the Amish heater is a mini electric fireplace, it is difficult to find a similarly sized electric fireplace for the sake of comparison. The best thing I could think of is the ProCom 24 “Electric Fireplace with a cherry finish.

Although this fireplace is the smallest from ProCom and uses a similar 24 “wide heating insert, its overall dimensions are still 2 1/2 times larger than the Heat Surge.

Last time I checked, the ProCom 24 “fireplace with cherry finish was available online for $ 400. After subtracting $ 250 for the heating insert, the mantel ledge for the ProCom is $ 150.

So why would you be willing to pay more than double for an Amish mantel less than half the size of a comparable fireplace that costs 30% less?

It’s the magic of marketing Baby!

If you buy an Amish electric fireplace, it won’t be because of the boring 1,500 watts of heat that every other space heater out there offers. What will get you excited enough to pull out your credit card is an inexplicable attraction to the Amish, the promise of superior Amish craftsmanship, and the pride of ownership.

I can’t explain an inexplicable attraction, but I will accept the claim of superior Amish craftsmanship. However, “craftsmanship” comes at a price. Over a three-year period, the premium you pay for an Amish mantel will add an additional $ 5 per month or $ 180 to your actual heating costs compared to the purchase price of a 24 “Pro Com fireplace.

This brings me to the second problem I have with marketing this product.

If you visit the Heat Surge website, you won’t find a picture of the Amish fireplace with the wheels on. The reason for this, in my opinion, is that the wheels make it look “seedy” compared to the “substantial” look it has when shown without the wheels.

So how much pride can you take in a product that the manufacturer is embarrassed to display in its entirety?

It’s a shame. The wheels are actually a selling point because they provide the means to heat the area; just move the fireplace from room to room as needed. Zone heating, or heating just the room you occupy, allows you to re-dial your home’s main thermostat for significant fuel savings.

On the other hand, trying to “zone heat” your multi-occupant home with a single Amish fireplace is impossible.

I have some other issues with your marketing claims that I could delve into, such as “It uses as much energy to run as a coffee pot” and regional energy costs, but they have little to do with profitability when you pay $ 587 for a heater. 1,500 watt space.