Dimplex Dakota Stainless Steel Optiflame Inset Fire

Not at all — the Dimplex Dakota Stainless Steel is fully electric, so there's nothing to burn and nothing to vent. That means no chimney, no flue, and no ventilation work, which opens up rooms a traditional fire could never go near, from a flat with no chimney breast to an internal wall.

The Dimplex Dakota Stainless Steel is designed to fit into an existing fireplace opening or a purpose-built recess in the wall, and the included spacer kit also allows freestanding installation. There's no chimney, flue, or ventilation work involved, so it's a genuinely straightforward addition to a room rather than a renovation project.

Yes — flip the heat off and the flame keeps going. The Dimplex Dakota Stainless Steel's flame-only setting means it's just as much at home creating atmosphere on a warm summer evening as it is throwing out heat in December.

Everything on the Dimplex Dakota Stainless Steel is in your hands via the controls under the canopy, letting you dial the flame and heat in independently to match the moment. It has a variable thermostat, so heat adjusts smoothly rather than in fixed steps.

The Dimplex Dakota Stainless Steel puts out 2kW of adjustable warmth — enough for genuine everyday heating, not just a token gesture, with the flexibility to ease it back for gentler background warmth or turn it up when the room really needs it.

The Dimplex Dakota Stainless Steel uses Dimplex's Optiflame technology, layering LED effects to create a flickering, moving flame display with real presence in a room — all without smoke, fuel, or upkeep. Realism is always a bit subjective with flame effects, so it's worth watching a demo if you can before deciding it's the look for your space.