R.W.FLAME 50" Electric Fireplace Review: slim wall heater that looks good and quietly does its job

I bought the R.W.FLAME 50" electric fireplace mainly for looks, and as a backup heat source in a living/media room that always feels a bit cooler than the rest of the house. I wasn’t expecting miracles from an electric heater, but I wanted something that didn’t look cheap and didn’t sound like a hair dryer every time I turned it on. After using it regularly for a few weeks, I’d say it does what it says, with a few quirks you should know about.

The first thing that stood out is how slim it is. At under 4 inches deep, it doesn’t stick out much when wall-mounted, and it fits a standard 2x6 stud wall if you recess it. That’s a big plus if you’re building a media wall or want a clean, built-in look. It’s not as heavy as a real gas insert, but at around 47 pounds, it still feels like a solid appliance, not a toy.

Heat-wise, it’s clearly a supplemental heater, not a whole-house solution. The 750W/1500W modes are enough to take the chill off a room up to about 400 sq ft, which matches what the brand says. In my case, it comfortably warms a roughly 12 x 25 ft space when the central heat is already doing the main job. You’ll feel the heat more when you’re within a few feet of it, less so across the room, but it does raise the overall temperature if you leave it on for a while.

Overall, my first impression is that this unit is good value for money if you care about looks and quiet operation more than raw heating power. It’s not perfect: the remote is a bit weak, the flame colors can look tacky if you pick the wrong combo, and I’ve seen some reports about burning smells when using the heater. But if you know you’re buying it as a decorative heater and not your main furnace, it gets the job done pretty well.

From a value for money standpoint, this fireplace sits in a nice middle ground. It’s not the cheapest electric fireplace on the market, but it’s also far from the most expensive. For the price, you’re getting a full-width 50" unit, a slim profile that looks good recessed or wall-mounted, customizable flame effects, and a heater that can genuinely help warm a medium-sized room. Considering it’s often on sale below its original list price, it feels like you’re getting a fair deal.

Compared to basic portable heaters, you’re obviously paying extra for looks and wall integration. If you only care about raw heat per dollar, a basic $40 space heater will technically do more for less. But that’s not really the point of this product. You’re paying for something that looks decent every day, even when it’s off, and adds that “fireplace” focal point to the room. In that sense, it’s good value if you were already planning to build a media wall or feature wall.

Where the value could be questioned is around long-term reliability and safety. If you get a unit that works smoothly for years, then the price is more than justified. If you end up with one that develops a burning smell after a year, that’s obviously not great. The high number of positive reviews suggests those problems are not the norm, but they’re not non-existent either. I wouldn’t let that scare me off completely, but I’d keep my receipt and register the product if possible.

Overall, I’d say this fireplace is good value if you: want a modern, slim electric fireplace, care about quiet operation and decent aesthetics, and understand it’s a supplemental heater. It’s less of a deal if your main goal is heavy-duty heating or if you’re super picky about build quality and willing to pay a lot more for a premium brand. For most people doing a living room or media room upgrade on a reasonable budget, it makes sense.

Design-wise, this fireplace leans modern and simple: black metal body, big glass front, rectangular shape. No faux wood trim, no fake stone surround. If you’re building a media wall with a TV above it, it blends in nicely and gives that “built-in” vibe without being the main star. I mounted it in a wall unit, and it definitely gives the room a more finished, higher-end look than a random portable heater sitting on the floor.

The big selling point is the thin profile. At under 4 inches deep, it doesn’t protrude much if you surface-mount it, and it sits flush if you recess it into a standard 2x6 wall. For anyone working with tight spaces or trying to avoid a bulky box sticking out, that’s a real plus. The power cord exits in a way that’s a bit more thought-out than some cheap units; you can actually plan your outlet placement so the cord stays hidden.

The flame effect is where it can look either decent or tacky, depending on how you set it up. You get 12 color options for the flame and the bed, plus speed and brightness. Personally, I think the realistic options (orange flame, blue-ish bed or basic ember color) look the best. The crazy blues, purples, and greens are fun for a minute but feel more like a nightclub than a cozy living room. The flames themselves won’t fool anyone into thinking it’s real, but from a few feet back, it gives a nice moving light effect that feels warm enough for movie nights.

One thing I liked is that the unit looks clean even when it’s off. No visible fake logs glued awkwardly inside, just a neat, dark window. If you’re picky about visual clutter, that’s worth noting. On the downside, the remote range is not great; you really do need to be within about 8–10 feet and pointing it at the unit. Also, the touch controls on the glass are not backlit labels, so until you memorize them, you might need to bend down and look closely, especially in dim light. Not a deal breaker, but a small everyday annoyance.

In terms of build quality, the fireplace feels decent for the price, but not bulletproof. The metal housing is sturdy enough, the glass front looks clean, and nothing rattles when the fan is running. It doesn’t feel flimsy when you lift it, and once it’s on the wall, it sits solid as long as you used good anchors or hit studs. The paint and finish are basic but fine; this is more of a functional appliance than a piece of furniture.

Where durability gets a bit murky is the long-term reliability of the heater and electronics. A lot of buyers seem happy even after a year or more, which is good, and the average rating is high. But there are a few comments that raise eyebrows, like the user who had a weird burning smell and saw the center of the heater glowing orange after a year of light use. That’s the kind of thing that would make me turn it off immediately and contact the manufacturer. Electric heaters do get hot, but parts that suddenly glow or smell burnt after they were fine before are not a good sign.

The unit has an overheat shutoff and is ETL certified, which is better than the totally generic heaters with no visible safety testing. Still, I’d treat it like any space heater: don’t cover it, don’t shove it into a super tight box without ventilation, and don’t leave it running on high heat unattended for long stretches. As for the flame LEDs and motors, those usually last a long time on these types of units, and I haven’t seen many people complaining about the flame effect dying early.

Overall, I’d call the durability acceptable but not bulletproof. For the price, I wouldn’t expect it to last 20 years like a real gas fireplace. If you use it regularly during colder months and mostly for ambience the rest of the time, I’d hope for several good seasons out of it. Just be ready to lean on the limited warranty if something feels off, especially with smells or visible overheating. If long-term, heavy-duty use is your priority, you might want to look at more expensive brands or hardwired units with stronger heater components.

In terms of heat performance, this thing behaves like a decent space heater with a nicer face. On the 1500W setting, I can feel the temperature in a 12 x 25 ft room go up a couple of degrees after 20–30 minutes, especially if the central heat is already doing a baseline job. It’s not blasting hot air at you; the heat comes out from a vent and kind of drifts into the room. You feel it most if you’re standing or sitting within a few feet in front of it. If your room is much bigger than the rated 400 sq ft, treat this as a comfort booster, not a main heater.

The noise level is one of the better points. The fan has a soft, low hum even on high heat, way quieter than those little ceramic tower heaters. You can easily watch TV at normal volume without cranking it up to drown out fan noise. When the heat is off and only the flames are on, it’s basically silent. For a media room or bedroom, that’s a big plus. If you’re sensitive to any fan noise at all, you’ll still hear it in a quiet room, but it’s not annoying.

The flame effects are decent once you dial in the right settings. You can change:

• Flame color (12 options)
• Flame speed (5 levels, from slow to fast)
• Brightness (5 levels)
• Bed color (also 12 options)

One thing to flag: some users mention a burning smell from the heater after a while, and one even saw the center of the heater glow bright orange. On a new unit, it’s normal to have a bit of smell the first few uses as dust burns off, but if it keeps smelling strongly or you see parts glowing that didn’t before, that’s not great. I didn’t run into that issue myself, but it’s something I’d keep an eye on, and I’d contact support right away if it happened. Overall, for day-to-day use, the performance is good enough for supplemental heat and ambience, as long as you don’t expect it to replace a real fireplace or a proper HVAC system.

Installing this fireplace is doable for a handy person, but it’s not like hanging a picture. The unit weighs over 40 pounds, so you’ll want two people to lift and position it, especially if you’re recessing it into a framed opening. If you’re just surface-mounting on a wall, you screw the bracket into the studs (or decent anchors), then hang the unit on it and secure it. That part is straightforward, but I’d recommend using your own quality anchors if your wall is weird (old plaster, etc.), like one reviewer did in a 130-year-old house.

Recessed installation takes more planning. You need to frame an opening between studs that matches the dimensions in the manual, make sure there’s enough depth (standard 2x6 wall is fine), and figure out where the power outlet will go. Ideally, you put a dedicated 120V outlet inside or right next to the cavity so the cord stays hidden. One Amazon reviewer even ran a separate circuit for it, which is smart if you’re already running a lot of AV gear or other space heaters on the same line. A 1500W heater can eat most of a 15A circuit by itself.

The included hardware is basically fine, but not top-tier. The bracket works, but if your studs don’t line up nicely (common in older houses), you may have to get creative or add a horizontal board to catch the screws. The manual is readable, but like most budget appliances, it’s not going to walk you through every scenario. If you’ve never framed or wired anything before, you might want a contractor or at least a friend who knows what they’re doing.

Once it’s mounted, the actual setup is simple: plug it in, use the touch panel or remote to set the flame color, brightness, and speed, and decide if you want the heater on low, high, or off. There’s a timer if you don’t want it running all night. The only small annoyance is the remote range; you really do need to be in front of it, within about 10 feet, and pointed roughly at the unit. So don’t expect to control it from the other side of a big open-plan space. Overall, installation is not painful, but you do need to think about power, wall structure, and mounting height before you start.

On paper, the R.W.FLAME 50" fireplace checks a lot of boxes: recessed or wall-mounted, 750W/1500W heat settings, remote control, touch controls on the front panel, multiple flame colors, adjustable speed and brightness, and a timer. The unit is about 50" wide, 18" high, and only 3.86" deep, which is thinner than a lot of older electric fireplaces I’ve seen that stick out 6" or more.

The heater is rated for about 400 square feet, and that feels realistic based on how it performs in a medium-sized living room. It’s ETL certified and has an auto shut-off if it overheats, which is reassuring, especially if you’re recessing it into a wall or using it around kids or pets. The heat output is 1500W on high, which is standard space-heater territory. So don’t expect it to turn a freezing space into a sauna, but do expect it to bump the room up a few degrees over time.

The controls are simple: there’s a touch panel on the front glass for power, flame settings, heater level, and timer, and a remote with the same functions. One thing to note: you can’t run heat without the flame effect; the flame always has to be “on” for the heater to work. It’s not a deal breaker, but if you were hoping to use it as a silent heater with no lights, that’s not how this one works.

From a features vs. price perspective, it’s pretty solid. You get:

• 12 flame and LED bed color modes
• 5 flame speed levels
• 5 brightness levels
• Timer shutoff (handy if you fall asleep on the couch)
• Two heat levels plus no-heat mode