Modern Flames Orion Slim vs Multi: Which Should You Buy?

Modern Flames builds the Orion V2 in two bodies, Slim and Multi. They are not a good-better pair. They are different fireplaces that suit different walls, and the decision comes down to four things: how many sides you want to see the flame from, how deep a wall you have, how much heat you want, and whether it is going outside.

Every dimension and rating below comes from the Modern Flames owner's manuals for the V2 models, not from spec summaries.

The Multi is one, two or three sided

This is the difference the names hint at and no product listing explains. The Orion Multi is approved for three built-in styles:

One appliance, three ways to build it in, plus partial recess and wall mount options. The Orion Slim is front-facing only: wall mounted, recessed, or set into a mantel. If the fireplace needs to be seen from more than one direction, the Slim is not a candidate at any price.

Sizes, and the one that is not what it says

The Slim is made in 52, 60, 76 and 100 inches. The Multi adds a fifth size at 120 inches, so above 100 inches the Multi is the only Orion there is.

Worth knowing before you draw a wall: the nominal size is not the appliance width. The 120 inch Multi is actually 124-3/8" wide and needs a 124" rough opening. The 52 inch Slim is 52-3/8" wide. Design to the framing table, never to the model name.

Rough opening, size by size

Two things fall out of that table. The widths are nearly the same at every size, and identical at 100 inches. What actually changes is height and depth: the Multi needs about five and a half more inches of height and three more inches of depth. If you are retrofitting into an existing opening rather than framing new, that is usually what decides it.

One detail for bay installs: the three sided opening is slightly narrower than the standard one, by about three eighths of an inch at most sizes. Use 50-5/8", 59-1/8", 74-15/16", 99-1/4" or 123-1/2" if you are building a bay.

Power: both start at 120V

A common misreading, and one worth clearing up. The Multi does not require a 240V circuit.

Both fireplaces ship as 120V, 1,465 watts, 5,000 BTU, on a dedicated 15 amp circuit at minimum. The difference is that the Multi can optionally be wired for 240V split phase, which brings its second heater online for 2,930 watts and 10,000 BTU. That takes a dedicated two-pole 20 amp breaker and a four-wire connection.

So the 240V circuit is a choice about heat, not a condition of buying the Multi. If you want the fireplace to actually warm a room rather than decorate it, budget for that circuit. If you want ambience with some warmth alongside it, 120V is all either model needs.

One practical difference: the Slim ships with a 72 inch power cord and can be plugged in or hardwired. The Multi is hardwired.

Both are approved for outdoor use

Neither product listing says so, but both V2 manuals state it on the cover: approved for indoor and outdoor use. That makes either one a candidate for a covered patio or outdoor room, which is unusual for an electric fireplace at this level.

The conditions are specific. Only the built-in installation is approved outdoors. It has to sit under a patio cover, away from direct water and direct sunlight. The roof overhang must be at least 50% of the height measured from the bottom of the fireplace, the same rule applies to the distance from each side, and the base must sit at least 2 inches above the floor. A six foot height means three feet of overhang and three feet of clearance to each side.

Viewing area and proportion

At 60 inches, the Slim shows a 55-1/2" x 14-3/8" opening in a body 19-5/8" tall and 6-5/16" deep. The Multi shows 58-11/16" x 18-7/16" in a body 24-5/16" tall and 9-9/16" deep.

So the Multi's flame opening is four inches taller and three inches wider, in a fireplace five inches taller overall. On a large wall that extra height reads as presence. In a tight alcove it reads as too much. Mock the opening up in painter's tape before you commit.

What the upgrade costs

Pricing as of September 2026; check the product page for the current figure. At 52 and 60 inches the Multi is about five hundred dollars more, and that buys the option of a corner or bay, a taller flame opening and the second heat setting. At 100 inches it is $2,700, and the question deserves a straight answer: are you actually going to use more than one side?

If the fireplace is going on a flat wall and staying there, that premium is buying height and heat alone. Plenty of people should just buy the Slim.

So which one

Choose the Orion V2 Slim if it is going flat against a wall, your wall depth is tight, you want the option to plug it in, or you want the cleanest, lowest-profile installation. Six and a quarter inches deep fits places the Multi does not.

Choose the Orion V2 Multi if you want two or three sides of glass, it is going into a corner, bay or peninsula, you want the taller flame opening, you want 10,000 BTU of real heat, or you need a size above 100 inches.

Browse both in Modern Flames Orion V2, or call us at 888-486-2909 and we will work through the wall you have. We are here 9am to 9pm CST.