Electric fires with heating elements that glowed red

[Arran]

Electric fires with heating elements that glowed red when switched on had their heyday during the middle two quartiles of the 20th century but many were still in use in the 1990s. Older models looked like electric fires but many newer models resembled coal fires with fake coal illuminated by red light bulbs. They came in various sizes and power ratings. There were large fires with three heating elements that were fixed to walls or designed to fit into fireplaces and small fires with one heating element that were portable.

Did anybody use these electric fires at home? Have you ever burnt anything with one?

[Richard1978]

Re: Electric fires with heating elements that glowed red

I remember one of my aunts having one of those wall mounted ones into the 1980s.

My Grandad had portable one with a mirror like reflector that made it really glow in the dark.

[darren]

Re: Electric fires with heating elements that glowed red

We had one of those 3 bar heaters ill never forget when me and my bro shared a bedroom it fell over and set the floor alight.

Incredibly dangerous

[Arran]

Re: Electric fires with heating elements that glowed red

I consider these fires to be a rather crude and antiquated way of heating a room with electricity because they function as a concentrated source of intense heat. Fan heaters can produce the same amount of heat with an element at a lower temperature and underfloor heating elements are cool enough to touch.