Regency Liberty L234

Quick Facts

• Heating Capacity: Approx. 600–1,200 sq ft
• Efficiency: 74% (steady state)
• Viewing Area: 209 sq in
• Fuel: Natural gas; propane conversion kit available.
• Controls: Handheld remote; wall thermostat optional.
• Fan: Included

Who It's For

Small masonry fireplaces and the thin steel builder fireplaces of the 1970s and 80s are too shallow and too narrow for most inserts, so they stay open and inefficient. You need a compact insert without a lot of extras. If your opening is tight and you want dependable gas heat with realistic logs and nothing you don't need, the Liberty L234 is the one. Leave the old box as it is and it keeps losing more heat than it makes.

What Makes It Special

The L234 is Regency's small insert for tighter openings, including the inefficient steel fireplaces many homes were built with, and at 74 percent it is among the most efficient gas inserts Regency makes, so a small fire still turns most of its gas into room heat.

The fan is included, the fire runs without electricity in an outage, and a low-profile three-sided faceplate with safety screen finishes it with a minimum of metal. Rustic brown or old town red brick sits behind highly realistic logs.

Possible Downsides

• One faceplate style, a low-profile three-sided plate; the Liberty Radiant inserts offer seven.
• Two brick colors and no reflective panel; the fire bed is logs only.
• The smallest viewing area of Regency's gas inserts; for more fire in a small opening, look at the Atmosphere Gi25 or Gi27.

If you want to fix a small, drafty fireplace without buying more fireplace than the opening can hold, the Liberty L234 is the right decision. The little fireplace finally pays its way through the winter.

The L234 offers a low-profile three-sided faceplate, a custom backing plate, brick panels in rustic brown or old town red, an ember upgrade package, and extra ember media.