A holographic fireplace burns nothing. It plays footage of a real fire on a screen set behind the glass, and puts real-looking logs, lights and the sound of a wood fire in front of it, so the eye reads depth and movement.
The flame
The fire is filmed from real burning wood and played back on a screen. The X Series uses an LG 4K LCD panel and footage tuned frame by frame, so the flames do not flicker or loop visibly; the flat model uses an imported inner screen.
The logs and the light
In front of the screen sit resin logs moulded from real wood and painted by hand, lit by a top light, an ember bed and a bottom light. On the K Series each of these changes colour, and the flame speed can be set from the remote.
The sound
Most models play a recorded wood-fire sound. On the flat model it was recorded beside a real fire for more than an hour, so it is soft and even.
What it needs
A power socket and nothing else: no chimney, gas line or fuel. Many models can have a heater; the standard versions are display only.
How to choose
- Viewing sides: the K and X Series can be seen from one side or three
- Form: built into a wall, freestanding, or round on the wall
- Heat: display only, or with a heater
Compare it with water vapor, LED and ethanol fireplaces in our guide to the four types.