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SotaFlame is a Minnesota family-owned business founded in 2025 that brings real materials and thoughtful design in electric fireplaces directly to homeowners and contractors nationwide.

Co-owners, Joe Kuefler and Paul Kilburg, are close friends who spent nearly two decades each in the fireplace industry before starting SotaFlame. They have extensive experience in fireplace manufacturing, design, marketing, finance and business operations. They both live in the Twin Cities metro area with their families.

SotaFlame pays homage to where the business is based and where the owners live. It’s also where its signature Oak & Ember real wood log kits are handcrafted by the team. Nordeast, its first fireplace series, is inspired by and named after the historic Minneapolis neighborhood. Hyland, its second fireplace series, is named after the Hyland Lake Park Reserve and Hyland Hills area in the south metro. Every SotaFlame fireplace will carry a Minnesota place name, celebrating the diverse character of the North Star State.

The fireplaces are designed in Minnesota and built in China. The real wood log sets are produced by the team in Minnesota from locally sourced oak.

All SotaFlame products are available for purchase on SotaFlame.com and Amazon.com and can be shipped anywhere within the United States (including Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. Territories). Trade professionals can purchase SotaFlame fireplaces directly from the company for construction or remodeling jobs. They are currently not sold at any retail locations. The Oak & Ember real wood log sets can be purchased separately for non-SotaFlame fireplaces.

Yes. The company created a specific trade business offering that includes preferred pricing and end-to-end service and sales support. Trade professionals can connect directly with SotaFlame through an online submission form to begin a partnership.

Before launching its first fireplace series, SotaFlame offered Oak & Ember real wood log kits made from local Minnesota oak, sold online to electric fireplace owners nationwide. In Sept. 2026 it introduced the Nordeast Linear Electric Fireplace Series, named after the historic Minneapolis neighborhood and available in 44, 50, 64 and 74-inch models. SotaFlame is planning to introduce the Hyland series, a slim-profile linear electric fireplace, in the fall of 2026.

SotaFlame sources real oak logs kiln-dried by Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)-certified producers. The wood is heat-treated to strict MDA and USDA standards, ensuring it is free from pests. The team then cuts, shapes and chars each piece by hand. The charring enhances the wood’s natural grain, depth and contrast, providing a level of realism compared to artificial logs.

The overall design combines authentic materials, thoughtful design and modern convenience to create a more realistic fireplace experience. It features:

• Reflective flame panel doubles the visual depth so flames appear to rise between the fire bed
  
• Hidden heat vents and discreet controls for a clean, flush face with no visible grills or louvers
  
• Three natural Soundscapes for a more immersive fireside experience
  
• LiveEmber™ Dynamic Motion so the ember bed glows and shifts like real embers
  
• Intuitive control by remote, Wi-Fi app, Alexa, or Google Home for effortless comfort
  
• Alpine white quartz stones and black glass embers
  
• Limited two-year warranty
  
• Installation hardware and manual
  
• Optional Oak & Ember real wood log set
  

Yes. The new Hyland series, a slim-profile linear electric fireplace, will be available for purchase in the fall of 2026. The team continues to develop additional fireplace designs and accessories as part of SotaFlame’s broader product roadmap.

Electric fireplaces are growing in popularity as they are easy to install, take up minimal floorspace, and provide a clean, efficient way to enjoy a fireplace feature year-round. An electric fireplace can be installed almost anywhere given its design and simple wiring, adding more applications throughout a home – from the living room, bonus room, bedroom, office, to even bathrooms. 

The Nordeast requires just nine inches of wall depth for recessing and can be plugged in or hardwired, making installation straightforward in nearly any room. TVs and artwork can be placed just inches above the fireplace, thanks to its hidden heat vent design. A minimum 15-amp circuit is required, while a dedicated 20-amp circuit is recommended.

SotaFlame fireplaces feature 1,500-watt heaters that produces 5,000 BTUs, enough to warm a room of about 400 square feet. It’s supplemental heat to take the chill out of a room rather than replace a home’s heating system. You can run the flame without adding heat, bringing the atmosphere of a fire to your space year-round without adding warmth.