How a $200 Fake Fireplace From Home Depot Soothed My Soul

When I first unboxed Turbro’s Suburbs TS25 Smart Electric Fireplace, I was annoyed that it did not come with the recommended 6-inch Phillips-head screwdriver needed to attach the fireplace’s freestanding legs. I dug through my toolbox and found a shorter screwdriver, which made screwing in the 16 screws a whole affair. Yet I persevered and placed the white polished-enamel fireplace in my living room.

I pushed the power button, and an almost cartoon-like LED version of a fire appeared. I sat on my sofa and opened my laptop to work. An hour later, I woke up to the sound of my dryer buzzer. I had taken a rare, unintended hour-long nap.

Good to Glow

I would not describe myself as someone who naps. After the births of my three children, I never napped when they napped. I also struggle with the basics: rest and relaxation. That is why when I stood up at seven o’clock that evening, I eyed the electric fireplace and wondered if its simulacrum of fire, the flickering orange and red flames, glow of burning logs, and crackle sounds had bewitched me into that restful catnap. I admit that at times, my suspension of disbelief can be a force. I fall for the ventriloquist’s illusion of the puppet being able to speak simply because the ventriloquist’s mouth does not appear to move. Maybe the fake fireplace is exactly the illusion my nervous system craves.

Turbro’s Suburbs isn’t the first ventless fireplace I’ve tested, but it was the first model that truly promoted rest and possible recovery, the kind that lowers one’s blood pressure. The 32-pound Suburbs is light enough that I can pick up what is essentially a 2-by-2-foot box and move it around my home all by myself. When I opened the fireplace’s SmartLife app, which was already on my phone for another smart appliance, the Suburbs was already there on the dashboard.

The app’s remote control is easier to maneuver than the fireplace’s clunky and confusing physical remote. There are three brightness settings for the flame, and it comes with a realistic crackling fire sound that can be adjusted to three different volume settings. Lastly, the Suburbs white enameled wood-burning stove design has an infrared heater that can also be scheduled on a timer. It was able to effectively warm up my 200-square-foot living room.

It’s Only Natural

As I tested the Suburbs, I began to think of it as my relaxation box. Regulating my mood, decompressing from stress, and striving toward an actual moment of rest are all priorities in my self-aware life. What if the mimicry of a real fireplace was responsible for reducing very real stress? Like forest bathing, could the simulation of fire elicit a calming response because a wood fire is natural?

Researchers have studied the psychological benefits of watching a fire. Christopher D. Lynn, professor and graduate director of anthropology at the University of Alabama, has studied the impact of viewing fire on blood pressure. His research found that “consistent blood pressure decreases in the fire-with-sound condition, particularly with a longer duration of stimulus.”

I reached out by email to ask if he found similar results to a real fire as he did with a simulated fire, like a television Yule log. He wrote back that he “replicated our original study using an electric fireplace with funding from Napoleon Fireplaces and found results similar to the original study.” Lynn is working on getting that paper published. Earlier research has linked watching a real flame fireplace with higher cognitive function.

And while there is some research that differentiates between the benefits of a real flame versus those of the fake flame, simulated fireplaces do not cause indoor air pollution. A simulated fire is the healthier choice, and it might even help with brain function. This entire piece was written calmly, in a low-stress environment, in front of the Suburbs electric fireplace. It comes with a two-year warranty (once registered) and costs around $200, an amount of money that I would argue should be paid for out of one’s flexible spending account (FSA).