VITESSE 60'' Electric Fireplace Review: slim wall unit that looks good and heats decently

I’ve been using this VITESSE 60-inch electric fireplace for a bit now, installed in a main living area that’s roughly the size they claim it can heat. I’m not an installer or designer, just a regular person who wanted something that looks like a built-in fireplace without cutting half the house open or dealing with gas. I’ll be straight: this thing is not perfect, but it does a pretty solid job for the price and the size.

The first impression when you turn it on is mostly positive. The flames and ember bed don’t look like a real wood fire, obviously, but they’re good enough that you forget it’s fake after a few minutes, especially at night. During the day, you see more of the LEDs and the trick, but it still gives the room a nice focal point. Heat-wise, it’s not going to replace a furnace, but it does help take the edge off in a medium room.

What pushed me to try this specific model was the combination of size (60 inches looks great under a TV), the thin profile, and the fact that it can be recessed or wall-mounted. I didn’t want to do a full renovation, so having options helped. The remote, the different flame colors, and the ability to run flames without heat all sounded good on paper, and I actually use those features way more than I thought.

In this review, I’ll go through how it looks, how it heats, what’s annoying, and where it feels a bit cheap. Overall, it’s a decent mid-range electric fireplace: not luxury, not junk, just a practical unit with a few quirks you should know before you cut a big hole in your wall for it.

In terms of value, this VITESSE 60-inch model sits in a pretty comfortable spot. It’s not the cheapest electric fireplace out there, but for the size, features, and overall look, the price feels reasonable. You get a wide 60-inch front, multiple flame and ember colors, two heat settings, remote control, and the option to recess it. Compared to some big-name brands that charge a lot more for similar specs, this one gives you most of the same experience for less.

Where the value dips a bit is in the long-term confidence. Things like motherboard issues mentioned by some buyers don’t kill it for me, but they remind you that this is not a premium, built-like-a-tank unit. That said, support seems responsive and willing to send replacement parts fairly quickly, which helps. If you’re okay with the possibility of a little tinkering or dealing with support, you’re still getting decent bang for your buck.

Energy-wise, 1500W is standard for electric fireplaces. It’s not particularly cheap or expensive to run compared to others; it’s basically like running a decent-sized space heater. The plus side is you can use the flame effect without heat, so for most of the year, you’re just running LEDs, which don’t cost much. That adds to the perceived value because you’re not only using it two months a year.

So from a practical standpoint, I’d rate the value as good for someone who wants a big visual impact and moderate heat without paying premium brand prices. If you expect ultra-high build quality or industrial-level durability, you’ll be underwhelmed. If you just want your living room or man cave to look nicer and feel a bit warmer, it’s a pretty fair deal.

Design-wise, this fireplace leans very modern: long, rectangular, black frame, glass front, and a low profile that sits close to the wall. The upgraded thickness is around 3.8 inches, which is pretty slim, especially if you recess it. Once it’s in the wall, it gives that built-in media wall vibe that people like under a TV. I went for a semi-recessed look, and it sits flush enough that it doesn’t feel like a big box stuck on the wall.

The front glass is clear and glossy, which looks good but does pick up fingerprints and dust. If you have kids or pets, expect to wipe it down pretty often. The touch controls are right on the glass, and they light up when you touch them. It looks neat, but honestly, after the first week, I mostly ignored them and just used the remote. The black frame is simple and doesn’t scream “cheap,” but it’s not high-end either. It’s basically a clean metal frame that does the job.

One thing I noticed is that the unit looks a lot better at night or in a dim room. In bright daylight, you can see more of the LED sources and the fake nature of the flames. That’s normal with these electric fireplaces, but just be aware: if your room is full of natural light all day, it’ll look more like a TV screen with lights than a firebox. At night, though, the reflections on the glass and the ember bed glow make it feel much more convincing.

From a practical standpoint, the thin design is nice because it doesn’t eat into the room. If you wall-mount instead of recess, it still doesn’t stick out like an old gas heater. Just remember you need clearance from other devices, especially under a TV. I’d say the design is clean and modern, not fancy, but totally fine for most living rooms, bedrooms, or a man cave.

The materials are pretty much what you’d expect at this price: metal body, glass front, plastic for some internal parts and the remote. The frame and shell feel sturdy enough once it’s mounted. It doesn’t flex or rattle when you touch it. You’re not getting thick, heavy steel like a high-end gas insert, but you also aren’t paying that kind of money. It feels like a decent household appliance, which is basically what it is.

The front glass is the part you interact with visually the most, and it looks clean. No weird distortions or waves. It does show smudges and dust quickly, especially with the touch controls there, so keep a microfiber cloth nearby if you care about it looking clean. The internal ember bed pieces (crystals or rocks) look okay from a distance. Up close, you can tell they’re fake, but once the lights are on and the room is dim, they do their job just fine.

The remote is very standard plastic, light in the hand, and not fancy. Buttons are a bit small, and the icons take a couple of uses to memorize. It works, range is fine, but it’s not premium. If you lose it, you can still control everything from the touch panel on the unit, so you’re not stuck. That’s a good point because cheap remotes are easy to misplace.

Some users mentioned needing a motherboard replacement early on, which tells me the internal electronics are not top tier. The good news is that support seems willing to send parts and instructions. Still, that’s something to keep in mind: the shell and glass feel solid, but the internal components are more “mid-range appliance” than “built-for-20-years” heater. For the price bracket, I’d say the materials are acceptable and in line with expectations.

Let’s talk about what matters: does it actually heat, and do the flames look okay? On the heating side, this is a typical 750/1500W electric heater. On high, it helps warm up a medium room (around 300–400 square feet) from slightly chilly to comfortable, but it’s not going to handle a freezing basement by itself. In my case, in a normal insulated room, it takes the edge off in about 15–20 minutes. If you’re in a garage or a very open space, it’ll help, but don’t expect miracles.

The fan noise is there, but it’s not loud. I’d put it in the “low hum” category. You definitely hear it when the room is silent, but it’s not annoying over TV or normal conversation. For something that pushes warm air, I’d call the noise level pretty reasonable. Some users reported issues like the heater shutting off early due to a bad motherboard, but when that’s not happening, the heater itself is straightforward: it blows warm air from the front vent and cycles as expected.

Flame-wise, this unit is better than the super cheap electric fireplaces I’ve seen, but of course it still looks like LED flames. You can tweak flame height/speed and choose from multiple colors. The more natural orange/yellow mix looks the best if you’re trying to mimic a real fire. The blue/purple/green combos are more for people who want a more “LED feature wall” look. The ember bed color options are also a nice touch; when you match them to the flame tone, it looks more cohesive.

In practice, I mostly leave it on a medium-speed, warm-toned flame and only change colors when guests are over or I’m bored. The big win is that you can run the flames without heat, so you actually use it year-round. For performance overall, I’d say: good ambiance, decent heat, nothing mind-blowing but absolutely usable.

Installation will depend a lot on how handy you are. The actual fireplace mounting is straightforward: you either wall-mount it with the included bracket or recess it into a 2x6 stud wall. The unit is designed to fit that depth, which is nice. The annoying part is not the fireplace itself but the wall work: cutting the opening, reinforcing studs if needed, and ideally adding a hidden outlet inside the cavity so the cord isn’t hanging out.

If you’re just wall-mounting, you can get away with much less work. It’s basically like hanging a heavy TV: find the studs, mark the bracket, drill, mount, then hang the unit. You’ll still have to deal with the power cord, though. If you’re picky about looks, you’ll probably want an electrician to install an outlet behind or below it. That’s an extra cost people often forget to factor in.

Recessing looks cleaner but is more involved. You need to be comfortable cutting drywall, checking for wires/pipes, and possibly reframing a bit to create the opening. The manual gives basic measurements and guidance, but it’s not a step-by-step for beginners. If you’ve never opened a wall before, I’d either get help from someone who has, or budget for a handyman. The unit isn’t brutally heavy, but it’s big and awkward, so two people make life easier.

Overall, I’d say installation is manageable for a reasonably handy person, but not plug-and-play like a space heater. The hardest part is the wall modification, not the fireplace itself. Once it’s in, you don’t really touch it again aside from cleaning the glass, so doing it right the first time is worth it.

Out of the box, you get the 60-inch fireplace body, a remote, some decorative media (usually crystals and/or faux logs/rocks depending on the version), mounting hardware, and a basic manual. The unit itself weighs around 50 pounds, so it’s not crazy heavy, but you don’t want to be wrestling it alone on a ladder. It’s a corded electric setup, 750/1500W, rated for about 400 square feet of supplemental heating. That last part is important: this is a space heater with a fancy front, not a full home heating solution.

The control options are pretty complete for the price. You’ve got:

• Touch controls on the front glass
• A remote that handles all the same features
• Timer from 1–8 hours
• Two heat levels: 750W and 1500W
• Independent flame vs heat (you can run flames with no heat)
• Multiple flame colors, ember bed colors, and flame speed settings

The brand advertises 12 flame colors, 5 speeds, and 12 ember bed colors. In practice, you’ll probably settle on 2–3 combinations you like and ignore the rest. Still, it’s nice to be able to go from more neutral orange/yellow for a classic look to blue or purple if you want something more modern or “LED-ish.” There’s also a sleep mode that dims things down, which is handy if it’s in a bedroom and you don’t want a light show all night.

Overall, the feature list is pretty stacked for the price bracket. Nothing here feels revolutionary, but for a mid-range electric fireplace, you’re not really missing any major function. The main thing is whether you like the look of the flames and if you’re okay with the heating power being just “helpful” rather than “primary heat.”