Ethanol Fireplaces

Bioethanol and gas ventless fireplaces differ fundamentally in combustion emissions, infrastructure requirements, and fuel delivery, making them suited to different priorities and spaces.

EcoSmart Fire bioethanol fireplaces are approved for both indoor and outdoor use. Their combustion produces only water vapour and minimal CO₂, with no smoke, soot, or toxic gases entering your living space. Gas ventless fireplaces, by contrast, release carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide indoors, which is why they're limited to outdoor use only. This emissions difference is the core distinction: bioethanol's clean burn supports indoor air quality; gas requires outdoor deployment.

Infrastructure-wise, bioethanol fireplaces need no gas line connection; you refuel manually from e-NRG bottles. Gas ventless models require a permanent liquefied petroleum or natural gas line, professional installation, and annual inspection and servicing. If your space has no existing gas infrastructure, bioethanol eliminates the cost and complexity of installation.

Maintenance also differs. Bioethanol requires cleaning after the first 50 litres of fuel burned and then periodically depending on usage. Gas units demand annual professional servicing and vent checks. Both achieve ~90% thermal efficiency, but bioethanol's user-managed refuelling and maintenance suit flexibility-conscious owners; gas suits those with existing supply and regular service budgets.

EcoSmart Fire bioethanol fireplaces run on e-NRG fuel, available here .
⁠The actual cost per hour depends on your burner size and flame adjustment.

Consumption ranges from 0.31 litres per hour on compact burners to 1.1 litres per hour on larger models. Using a mid-size burner at full flame, an evening's three to four hours of operation costs approximately USD $10-15. If you adjust the flame to lower settings, consumption drops by 30-50%, extending burn time and reducing fuel costs proportionally. A 5-litre fill typically provides 7–14 hours of burn time, depending on your flame setting and burner size.

The appeal of bioethanol is predictable operational cost with no installation complexity. You’re not financing chimney construction, gas plumbing, or annual servicing. You’re buying fuel when you want to use the fireplace. Bioethanol’s 90-95% thermal efficiency means more of the fuel’s energy becomes usable heat, rather than escaping up a flue. Your actual running cost sits well below traditional fireplaces when you factor in the installation and maintenance savings.

For cost-conscious buyers, adjustable flame control is a practical tool. Lowering the flame doesn’t diminish the visual impact significantly, but it can cut your fuel consumption and cost by nearly half.

Your EcoSmart Fire ethanol fireplace will burn between 8 and 13 hours on a full burner, with the exact duration determined by your flame setting. The range gives you control over the experience.

A lower flame setting extends burn time and creates a subtle, intimate ambience perfect for a long evening. Higher flame settings deliver a more dramatic visual impact and warmth, though they'll reduce runtime. Adjusting the flame via the slide or hinge mechanism changes oxygen supply to the burner, so you get more hours of gentle glow or fewer hours of bold presence, whatever suits the occasion.

You can also extinguish the burner mid-burn if needed. Simply turn it off and allow the burner to cool for 60 minutes before relighting. The vapours need that cooling time.

The burner capacity varies across our range, so compact models sit toward the lower end of the 8–13 hour spectrum while larger burners reach the upper end.

As a room-vented design, ventless bioethanol fireplaces are regulated under product safety standards (UL 1370, EN 16647, ACCC) rather than traditional building codes that govern gas or wood-burning installations. EcoSmart Fire ventless fireplaces meet these safety standards and require no chimney, gas lines, or electrical hookups, which eliminates many code compliance complexities. Because bioethanol combustion produces no smoke or harmful emissions, ventless fireplaces bypass venting and structural requirements that apply to conventional fireplaces.

Regulations do vary by jurisdiction, so we recommend consulting your local building authority during the design phase to confirm any region-specific requirements for your project. Key installation specifications, such as 600 mm [23.6 in] clearance from combustibles and adequate room volume (typically 40–110 m³ for most residential models), are designed to ensure safe operation and are integrated into all EcoSmart Fire product documentation.

The ventless design simplifies the approval process because it eliminates the need for multiple trades (gas fitting, electrical, ventilation) and their associated code pathways. This makes ventless fireplaces particularly practical for retrofits, multi-residential applications, and properties where traditional fireplaces aren't viable.

Yes, room-vented bioethanol fireplaces do produce water vapour through combustion, and condensation can occur in spaces that are undersized or poorly ventilated. EcoSmart Fire's design addresses this directly: minimum room volume requirements are scaled to each burner's heat output, ensuring moisture disperses safely across the air volume rather than accumulating on surfaces.

Smaller burners (around 4 kW) need at least 110 m³ [3,885 ft³], whilst larger burners (13 kW) require 330 m³ [11,654 ft³] or more. This scaling ensures combustion byproducts, including water vapour and carbon dioxide, are diluted proportionally to the burner's output.

In properly sized rooms with normal air circulation (doors, windows, existing HVAC), condensation is not an issue. Problems arise only when a fireplace is oversized for its space or installed in a room with poor air exchange; matching the burner size to the room prevents either outcome.

Separately, ambient moisture from external sources, such as humid storage environments or spilled water, can contaminate the burner reservoir and prevent ignition. This is a maintenance concern distinct from normal combustion, resolved by draining, drying, and refuelling with fresh bioethanol.

Yes. EcoSmart Fire offers dedicated outdoor fireplace categories: fire tables, fire pits, and insert-style units, all rated for outdoor use. These are engineered with weather-resistant materials: mild steel with zinc-sealed high-temperature powder coating, 304-grade stainless steel burners, and toughened glass screens. Fire tables feature handcrafted Fluid Concrete surrounds or Grade A teak; fire pits use weather-resistant Fluid Concrete construction.

To install safely outdoors, follow these clearance guidelines:

• 2,000 mm [78.7 in] clearance overhead
• 600 mm [23.6 in] clearance from fixed objects (walls, fences, railings)
• Level, non-combustible surface (stone, concrete, pavers; not grass or artificial turf)
• 12.5 mm [0.5 in] air gap beneath the unit, typically via articulating feet

Because bioethanol produces no sparks, embers, or ash, the units are safe for timber decks when proper clearances are maintained. They're suitable for year-round entertaining. Simply keep burners clean every 50 litres of fuel, and use an All-Season Cover (600D Oxford fabric with UV coating) for storage.

Ethanol fireplaces work by burning bioethanol fuel, a clean-burning renewable alcohol made from fermenting plant sugars, in a self-contained, stainless-steel burner. When you ignite the fuel with a lighting rod, it combusts at the fuel surface, producing heat, water vapour, and minimal CO₂; there's no smoke, soot, or ash.

The real innovation is in flame stabilisation. EcoSmart Fire burners use physical regulators, including steel wool in compact models like the AB3 and baffle inserts in larger burners, to control fuel evaporation and distribute the flame evenly. This not only stabilises the flame but optimises fuel efficiency, extending burn times to 7–13 hours depending on burner size and capacity.

Shutting down is equally straightforward. A slider or hinge mechanism closes off oxygen, extinguishing the flame in seconds without any residual smoke or smell. Because combustion requires no flue, chimney, or gas line, ethanol fireplaces are truly ventless; the burner stays sealed until you're ready to refuel.

This combination of clean combustion chemistry and elegant mechanical control is what makes ethanol fireplaces such a flexible heating and ambience solution.

Bioethanol fireplace emissions are limited to heat, water vapour, and a small amount of carbon dioxide, with no carbon monoxide, smoke, soot, or ash produced during combustion. The CO2 released is roughly equivalent to two burning candles, which means correctly sized rooms maintain clean indoor air without a flue or chimney.

Clean combustion does depend on fuel purity. High-grade e-NRG bioethanol burns as a complete reaction, producing a steady orange flame from start to finish without the residues that lower-purity fuels leave behind. That's why EcoSmart Fire bioethanol fireplaces won't stain ceilings, dull nearby finishes, or leave ash to clean up between uses.

What the by-products look like in practice:

• Water vapour: a slight, imperceptible rise in humidity, not visible condensation in a correctly sized room
• Carbon dioxide: trace amounts, comparable to candlelight at the same output
• No particulates: no smoke, no soot, no ash, no odour

Ventilation is about keeping fresh oxygen available for combustion, not venting harmful gases. Each burner has a minimum room size, from the VB2 at 45 m3 [1,589 ft3] up to the AB8 at 116 m3 [4,097 ft3], so adequate air supply is a matter of considered installation

Yes, bioethanol fireplaces are safe for indoor use when operated responsibly. EcoSmart Fire's ethanol burners are certified to UL 1370 (developed through 100+ laboratory tests), EN 16647, and the ACCC Safety Mandate, covering North America, Europe, UK, and Australia. EcoSmart Fire holds more certified ethanol products than any other manufacturer in these markets.

Clean combustion is the safety foundation: bioethanol produces only heat, water vapour, and trace CO₂, with zero carbon monoxide, smoke, or ash. For safe indoor operation, your space needs adequate ventilation (minimum 70–110 m³ [2,470–3,880 cu ft] depending on burner size), a smoke alarm on site, and a dry chemical fire extinguisher (AB:E or ABC rated).

Bioethanol fireplaces produce no carbon monoxide during normal operation. Complete combustion converts bioethanol entirely into water vapour and carbon dioxide, and adjustable flame control across EcoSmart Fire's operating range does not alter this chemistry.

Carbon monoxide results from incomplete combustion, when insufficient oxygen prevents full oxidation of the fuel. EcoSmart Fire burners maintain complete combustion across the full output range. The flame arrestor integrated into the burner prevents fuel vapour flashback and sustains consistent burn conditions throughout each session.

Combustion by-products are carbon dioxide and water vapour, the same gases produced by normal breathing and candle combustion. UL 1370 (USA) and EN 16647 (Europe and UK) independently validate that EcoSmart Fire fireplaces meet safety thresholds for unvented indoor use.