We stock both, and they are not competing versions of the same thing. One is a real fire that produces real heat. The other is a lighting effect that produces none. Almost every decision between them comes down to that.
The short answer
- You want heat as well as a flame → ventless ethanol.
- You want the look with no heat, no fuel and no combustion → smart water vapor.
- It is going in a rental, a hotel lobby, or a home with small children → water vapor, because it is cool to the touch.
- It is going on a sheltered outdoor wall → ethanol. Our water vapor units are indoor products.
The difference that decides it: heat
A ventless ethanol burner is a real, contained fire. Our 72″ Linear Burner puts out 47,200 BTU (14.3 kW) and our 84″ puts out 61,500 BTU (18.6 kW) — enough to warm roughly 130–180 m² of nearby space. Across the range, output runs from about 22,600 to 61,500 BTU.
A smart water vapor fireplace produces no meaningful heat at all. It creates the flame from LED light shining through a cool water mist. There is no combustion, no smoke and no emissions, and the unit stays cool to the touch. That is the point of it — but if you were hoping to take the chill off a room, it will not.
Side by side
| Ventless ethanol | Smart water vapor | |
|---|---|---|
| Flame | Real fire | LED light through water mist |
| Heat output | 22,600–61,500 BTU | None — cool to the touch |
| Fuel | Bioethanol, bought and refilled | Tap water, plumbed or filled by hand |
| Flame color | Natural fire | 7 colors, 5 height settings |
| Control | Manual; SmartFlame remote and Wi-Fi optional | App and remote as standard, with child lock |
| Venting | None — no flue, gas line or chimney | None — no flue, gas line or chimney |
| Electrical | No hard-wiring needed | Needs power |
| Where it can go | Indoors or a sheltered outdoor wall | Indoors |
| Build | 304 stainless steel, insulated base tray | #201 stainless body, #304 stainless water tank |
| Certification | CE approved, EN 16647, third-party tested | Electrical appliance; no combustion standard applies |
| Sizes we stock | 13″ round up to 96″, custom to 180″ | 18″ to 98″ |
| Price range | $1,245–$12,195 | $2,995–$9,595 |
| Warranty | 3 years | LED rated over 60,000 hours |
Choose ventless ethanol if…
- You want the room to feel warmer, not just look warmer.
- You want a real flame, and the movement and unpredictability that comes with it.
- You are building it into a feature wall and want a certified, commercial-grade unit — ours are CE approved and certified to EN 16647.
- You are covering a sheltered outdoor wall as well as an interior.
- You do not mind buying fuel. Larger burners hold 21.5–28 liters, so refills are infrequent, but they are a running cost.
Worth knowing: our automatic fireboxes include an automatic refill system and built-in safety sensors behind 8 mm tempered glass, and there is an optional SmartFlame upgrade that adds dual-stage flame control by remote and Wi-Fi app.
Choose smart water vapor if…
- Safety is the deciding factor. Nothing burns, nothing gets hot, and the remote has a child lock.
- It is going somewhere combustion is impractical or not permitted — apartments, historic buildings, hotel lobbies, restaurants, retail.
- You want to change the mood. Seven flame colors and five flame heights, adjustable from an app.
- You want the lowest possible upkeep. It runs on tap water, either plumbed for automatic filling or topped up by hand, and the LEDs are rated beyond 60,000 hours.
- You are retrofitting somewhere awkward. Every unit is 6.6″ high and 7.6″ deep regardless of length.
What they have in common
- Both are genuinely ventless. No chimney, no flue, no gas line. That is what makes either one viable in a building that could never take a conventional fireplace.
- Both are stainless steel. Built to last rather than to a price.
- Both come in linear sizes made for built-in installation in a custom surround.
- Both ship free anywhere in the 48 contiguous states.
Running costs
Ethanol has an ongoing fuel cost. How much depends entirely on how often you burn it and at what flame height. The reservoir size tells you how long between refills, not how much you will spend in a year.
Water vapor costs electricity and water. The LED draw is small and the water is tap water. There is no consumable to reorder.
If you are running a fire most evenings through a cold season, ethanol fuel is a real line item. If the fire is mostly for looks, water vapor is cheaper to own.
Common questions
Does a water vapor fireplace produce any heat?
No. It produces light and cool mist. If you need heat, choose ethanol.
Do either of them need a chimney?
No. Neither needs a chimney, flue or gas line. Ethanol needs no electrical hard-wiring either; water vapor needs a power supply.
Is ethanol safe indoors?
Our ethanol units are CE approved and certified to EN 16647, the European standard for ventless ethanol appliances, and are third-party tested. The automatic fireboxes add safety sensors and an automatic refill system. As with any real flame, follow the clearances in the technical documentation.
Can I put either one outside?
Ethanol fireboxes are suitable for a modern interior or a sheltered outdoor wall. The water vapor range is an indoor product.
Can I control them from my phone?
Water vapor units include app and remote control as standard. Ethanol burners and fireboxes can be upgraded to SmartFlame, which adds dual-stage flame control by remote and Wi-Fi app.
What sizes can I get?
Ethanol runs from a 13″ round tabletop burner up to a 96″ firebox, with custom linear lengths available to 180″. Water vapor runs 18″ to 98″.
Still deciding?
Browse the full fire collection, or go straight to smart water vapor fireplaces, linear ethanol burners, automatic fireboxes or freestanding fireplaces.
If you are sizing a unit for a specific opening, call us on 1-270-770-3553, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm EST. We would rather talk it through than have you order the wrong length.
