Dimplex Brayford > Reviews > Dimplex Brayford

Author's product rating:   

Performance	Good
Ease of use	Very easy
Noise	Average
Safety	OK
Value for money	Good

Advantages:	great for that iullusion of warmth from a real fire
Disadvantages:	it isnt a real fire

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

on a visit to my mother recently, i noticed she had a new stove in the fireplace. I had to give it a closer inspection to realise it was actually an electric fire.
Having always wanted a 'real' fire, but not having a chimney in my appartment, i was very impressed with just how realistic the flame effect was on this unit. Of course when you take a close look, you can tell it is not a real cast iron stove, but it certainly gives that real fire feeling to a room, even without the heater element switched on.
I saw one on offer at a local DIY store, and so i bought one for myself based on what i had seen of my mothers.
The constuction is of a plastic coated sheet steel, which does a reasonable job of imitating Black cast iron finish, but it wont maintain its illusion on any close examination. The brass fittings are quite plastic looking. Overall it looks quite pleasing to the eye. If used outside of a fireplace, it still looks great if placed on a slate base.
The fire itself has 3 switches. 1 allows for the fire effect without heat. 2nd is for 1KW heater, 3rd is for 2KW heater.
When using the heater there is an audable fan, but not so loud as to bother me too much.
There is also a remote control. Mine works, but only at certain orientations to the fire.
I am pleased with my purchase, as the realism of the flame effect dosnt feel at all tacky as such things did years ago, and the illusion alone is sufficient to give a room wiothout a fireplace that snug winter warmth feeling. They claim that to use the flame effect alone will cost a penny an hour in electricity.