Wood Fireplace Inserts

Wood fireplace inserts with blower compared

Every figure below comes from the specifications on our own product pages. Check the minimum opening against your fireplace before anything else; the depth is usually the tightest number.

Prices at Dreamwood Living as of October 2026. "Not listed" or "See manual" means the figure is not on our product page; call us and we will check the manual for you.

Why a wood insert needs a blower

An insert sits recessed inside the masonry of your old fireplace, and brick and stone happily absorb heat you paid for. The blower pulls room air through the space around the firebox and pushes it back out the front, so the heat reaches the room instead of the chimney breast. On many of the inserts above, a heat sensor or thermostat switches the blower on as the insert warms up and off as it cools; the Buck Model 91 has an Automatic/Off/Manual switch that does this.

• Blower size: the inserts above run from 90 CFM on the Osburn Matrix and Matrix 1900 to 176 CFM on the Osburn Inspire 2000-I and Matrix 2700.
• Optional blowers: on the Ironstrike Striker C160 and Performer C210 the 160 CFM blower is an add-on. Order it with the insert so the outlet and wiring are planned at installation.
• Power: every blower needs an electrical outlet at the fireplace. In a power cut the fan stops, but the insert keeps burning and still radiates heat through the glass and face.

Measure the opening before anything else

This is where most insert purchases succeed or fail. Measure the height, the front width and the depth of your firebox opening, then the width at the back, because most masonry fireboxes taper inward and the rear width often rules a model out. Compare your numbers against the minimum opening in the table. The required depth runs from 12-7/8" on the Osburn 1700 and Archway 1700 to 22-1/8" on the Matrix 2700. The Matrix 1900 has a tapered top and sides for small fireplaces, and the Osburn Matrix has a projection kit that brings its required depth down from 19-5/8" to as little as 15-5/8". Check the damper too: many installations need the damper plate removed or cut so the liner can pass.

The liner is not optional

An insert is not designed to vent into an open masonry flue. It needs a continuous stainless steel liner from the insert to the top of the chimney, usually 6" for the models here (the Buck Model 91 has an 8" flue), with a block-off plate at the damper. Get a quote for the liner and the installation at the same time as the insert, because the three together are the real cost. Before you commit, have a sweep inspect the chimney: once an insert is in, a cracked flue tile or a failing crown is much harder to reach.

Size it to the space you want to heat

Match the insert to the area you actually want to heat, not the whole house, and allow for your layout: an open plan moves heat, a closed floor plan does not, and an insert always heats its own room best. The heating ranges above run from 250 to 1,200 sq ft on the Osburn Matrix 1900 up to 2,000 to 3,000 sq ft on the Ironstrike Montlake 300. An oversized insert has to be run damped down, which burns dirtier, builds creosote and blackens the glass.

Catalytic or non-catalytic

Most of these inserts are non-catalytic. They burn off the smoke with secondary air tubes, so there is no combustor to monitor or replace and the fire stays lively. The Buck Model 91 is the catalytic option: exhaust passes through a combustor that burns the smoke at a lower temperature, with a catalyst probe to watch it and a bypass damper for lighting and reloading. Choose catalytic for long, steady, low burns; choose non-catalytic for simplicity.

Plan for the surround and the hearth

Most inserts need a surround panel, faceplate or trim kit to cover the gap between the insert and the fireplace opening, plus a door overlay on some models, and these are usually sold separately. The Buck inserts, for example, use a standard or oversized trim kit depending on your opening. There are also hearth requirements in front of the insert: the Buck Model 91 needs a masonry hearth extending at least 24" in front of the firebox opening and 8" to each side. Both are in each insert's manual.

Wood fireplace insert FAQs

Do wood fireplace inserts come with a blower?

Most do. Fourteen of the sixteen inserts on this page ship with the blower included, often with a heat sensor that switches it on automatically. On the Ironstrike Striker C160 and Performer C210 the 160 CFM blower is sold as an add-on.

Can I put a wood insert in a prefab fireplace?

Only if both the insert and the fireplace are listed for it. The True North TN20 is listed for masonry and factory-built fireplaces. Several Osburn listings say factory-built fireplaces are not permitted, and the Buck Model 21NC and Model 91 are not for factory-built (zero clearance) fireplaces. Check your fireplace's data plate and the insert's manual before ordering.

What is the difference between a wood insert and a wood stove?

Mostly where it sits. An insert fits inside an existing fireplace and vents up that chimney through a liner, so it takes no floor space. A freestanding stove sits in the room on a hearth pad with clearances on every side. The Buck Model 21NC and Model 91 can be installed either way: on legs as a stove, or with a trim kit as a masonry fireplace insert.

Are the Osburn 1700 and Empire Archway 1700 the same?

They are rated the same: 65,000 BTU for 500 to 1,800 sq ft, with the same 21-1/2" x 27-1/2" x 12-7/8" minimum opening. The Osburn is $240 less and lists a 7 hour burn against the Archway's 6.

I don't have a fireplace. What should I look at?

An insert only makes sense if you already have a fireplace and chimney. For new construction or a room without a fireplace, see our EPA certified zero clearance fireplaces, which frame into a wall, or our wood stoves. Our guide to types of wood burning fireplaces compares all the options.

Talk to us before you order

Call us at 888-486-2909 with your fireplace opening measurements (height, front width, back width and depth) and a photo of the fireplace, and we will tell you which inserts fit. We are here 9am to 9pm CST.

Related collections

• All Fireplace Inserts
• Gas Fireplace Inserts
• Electric Fireplace Inserts
• Wood Stoves
• EPA Certified Zero Clearance Fireplaces
• Wood Burning Fireplaces