R.W.FLAME 60" Electric Fireplace Review: slim wall unit that looks good and heats a small room

I picked up the R.W.FLAME 60" electric fireplace for a living room remodel where I didn’t want to deal with gas lines or venting. I’ve used basic electric heaters before, and I’ve also seen some higher-end built-in electric fireplaces at friends’ houses. This one sits in the middle: not cheap junk, but not a high-end built-in either. I’ve had it running almost daily for a few weeks, mainly in the evenings.

My main goal was pretty simple: I wanted something that looks decent on a feature wall under a TV, gives a bit of heat on cold nights, and doesn’t sound like a hair dryer. On paper, this thing checks those boxes: 60-inch width, recessed or wall-mount, 750/1500W heat, remote, and a bunch of flame color options. The Amazon rating is 4.6 with thousands of reviews, so I went in expecting something solid but not perfect.

In real use, that’s pretty much what you get. It’s good value for the money, especially if you’re doing a DIY wall build-out or replacing an old, useless fireplace opening. It’s not going to heat your whole house, and the flames are obviously fake, but it does make the room feel more "finished" and cozy without much hassle.

If you’re expecting super realistic flames or silent operation like a high-end unit, you’ll probably notice the difference. But if you just want a decent-looking, fairly slim electric fireplace that won’t blow your budget, this is a pretty solid option with a few quirks you should know about before buying.

From a value standpoint, this fireplace is pretty hard to argue with. You’re getting a full 60" unit with adjustable flames, a remote, timer, and usable heat output for the price of some smaller, more basic models. Considering it sits near the top of Amazon’s electric fireplace category and has thousands of reviews, it’s clearly hitting the sweet spot for a lot of people who want that modern “TV over fireplace” look without spending a fortune.

Where it really earns its keep is if you compare it to the cost of running a gas line, installing a gas insert, or rebuilding a wood-burning fireplace. Those projects can easily run into the thousands. Here, you’re paying a fraction of that, doing some basic framing or wall mounting, and you’re done. Operating cost is basically the same as any 1500W space heater, so it’s not cheap to run all day, but as a supplemental heater in the evenings, it’s fine.

The trade-offs for the lower price are pretty clear: the flame realism is good but not high-end, the remote is a bit laggy and slightly annoying to set up, and the instructions don’t cover every installation scenario in detail. If you’re extremely picky about realism or want absolutely silent operation, you’ll probably have to spend more on a premium brand.

For most people doing a living room or basement refresh, though, it’s good value for money. You get a modern look, usable heat, and a bunch of customization options without destroying your budget. It’s not perfect, but for what it costs, it gets the job done and looks nice doing it.

Design-wise, this thing definitely leans modern. It’s a simple black rectangle with a glass front and a relatively thin border. No fake wood trim, no cheesy brass. If you’re building a shiplap or drywall feature wall with a TV above, it blends in nicely and doesn’t scream “cheap heater.” The 3.86" depth is actually pretty useful; it doesn’t stick out much if you wall-mount it, and it recesses nicely into a standard 2x6 stud wall like the listing says.

The flames and bed lighting are better than I expected at this price. Are they ultra realistic? No. But with the crystals and some of the warmer color combinations, it looks good enough from normal viewing distance. You can dial in the brightness so it’s not overly neon. The fact that you can adjust flame speed actually helps a lot; slower speeds feel more natural, faster ones look obviously fake. Having 12 color options is kind of overkill, but it’s fun to play with for the first few days.

One small design gripe: the way the front glass attaches can be a bit fiddly. One reviewer mentioned having to slightly bend a hinge to get it to click in, and I had a similar moment where I had to line things up just right. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it doesn’t give that “perfect fit” feeling you get from pricier units. Once it’s on, though, you don’t really touch it again, so it’s a one-time annoyance.

From a distance, the fireplace looks more expensive than it is, which is basically what you want from something like this. Up close, you can tell it’s a mid-range product: decent materials, clean look, but not luxury. If you’re picky about super realistic logs and flame depth, you might be underwhelmed. If you just want a clean, modern rectangle of fake fire, it does the job pretty well.

In terms of build, the R.W.FLAME feels decent but not premium. The metal body is reasonably sturdy, the glass front is solid, and nothing felt like it was going to snap during install. It’s not flimsy, but you can tell it’s built to hit a price point, not to feel like a high-end appliance. That said, once it’s on the wall and you’re not touching it every day, the mid-range build isn’t really an issue.

I’ve been using it regularly for several weeks, running the heat on and off in the evenings, and so far there’s been no weird rattles, no buzzing, and no random shut-offs. The fan sound has stayed consistent, and the flame effects haven’t glitched. Given the huge number of Amazon reviews and the fact that it’s been sold since 2019, it’s fair to say it’s at least proven in the wild. There are always some defect stories in the reviews (that’s normal), but it doesn’t look like there’s a common fatal flaw popping up again and again.

The one part that feels a bit more fragile is the hinge/mounting system for the glass front, like I mentioned earlier. It works, but it doesn’t give that solid “click” of high-quality hardware. If you’re rough with it or keep taking it on and off, I could see that being a weak point over time. Fortunately, most people will install it once and never touch it again.

Overall, I’d say durability is good enough for the price. If you want something built like a tank that you’ll keep for 15+ years, you’d probably be looking at a more expensive brand. For a mid-priced electric fireplace that looks nice and does its job, this one feels like it’ll hold up fine with normal use, as long as you install it properly and don’t abuse it.

On the performance side, the R.W.FLAME is basically a space heater with better looks. The 1500W setting is what you’d expect from a typical plug-in heater: it’s enough to warm up a small to medium room (their 400 sq ft claim is roughly accurate if your insulation is decent), but it’s not going to fix a freezing, drafty house. In my case, in a roughly 250–300 sq ft living room, it takes the chill off pretty quickly and then just keeps things comfortable.

Noise-wise, it’s relatively quiet but not silent. You do hear the blower when the heat is on. It’s more of a low fan sound, not a screechy one. If the TV is on or you’ve got some background music, you forget about it. If you’re in a silent room reading, you’ll notice it, but it’s not annoying enough to be a problem. The flame-only mode is much quieter since the heating element isn’t running, so if you just want ambiance, that’s the way to go.

The flame and color controls work as advertised. You can genuinely tweak a lot: flame speed, brightness, and separate bed colors. After the first week of playing with all the options, I basically settled on one or two combos and stuck with them. The timer function is handy if you like to fall asleep with it on; set it and don’t worry about it running all night. The auto shut-off if it overheats is also reassuring, especially in a tighter wall recess.

One area where it’s just “fine” is the remote responsiveness. There’s a slight lag between pressing a button and seeing a change, and one reviewer’s note about the tiny screw in the remote is real: you do have to actually remove it, not just the plastic tab, or it won’t work. Once set up, the remote is okay, but it doesn’t feel super premium and the delay is noticeable. Overall, though, the fireplace does what it claims: it heats a small room reasonably well, doesn’t roar like a jet engine, and gives you plenty of visual customization.

Installation is where this fireplace is pretty straightforward if you’re handy, but not plug-and-play for everyone. For a basic wall mount, it’s basically like hanging a heavy TV: mount the bracket into studs, hang the unit, secure it, and plug it in. The included anchors are, as usual, not the best. I ended up using my own better-quality anchors and making sure I hit at least two studs. Once the bracket is solid, getting the unit on there is manageable with two people.

Recessed installation into a 2x6 wall is a bit more work but still not rocket science if you’re comfortable with framing and cutting drywall. The unit is sized to fit between standard studs, but in older houses where stud spacing is weird (like one reviewer mentioned with lath and plaster), you might have to adjust the framing or add blocking. The instructions give the cutout dimensions, but don’t hand-hold you through every scenario. If you’ve never cut into a wall before, you may want a handyman.

Installing it into an existing wood-burning fireplace opening is where the manual doesn’t help much. One reviewer talked about building a frame inside the old hearth and mounting it like a TV. That’s basically what I did: build a simple wood frame, secure it inside the opening, mount the bracket to that, and then slide the unit in. It works, but you’re on your own figuring out the exact support and trim details.

So overall: not hard, but not idiot-proof. If you’re comfortable with a drill, level, and stud finder, you’ll be fine. If you’re expecting a no-tools, 20-minute install, that’s not this product. The biggest tip I’d give is: ignore the cheap included anchors, measure twice, and plan your power outlet location so you’re not stuck with an ugly cord run after you’ve finished your fancy wall.

Out of the box, the R.W.FLAME 60" comes with the main unit, a wall-mount bracket, hardware, a remote, and the decorative media (crystals and faux logs/rocks, depending on the version). The unit itself is about 60" wide, ~18" tall, and just under 4" deep, which is noticeably slimmer than a lot of older electric fireplaces I’ve seen. At around 48 pounds, it’s light enough for two people to handle without swearing too much, but I wouldn’t try to mount it alone.

The manual is basic but usable. It covers recessed and surface wall mounting, stud spacing, and clearances, but it’s not super detailed on more creative installs, like shoving it into an existing wood-burning fireplace opening. If you’re doing anything non-standard, you’ll be leaning on YouTube and common sense. That matched what one Amazon reviewer said: they had to figure out the framing themselves and use videos as a guide.

Function-wise, you get: two heat settings (750W and 1500W), a flame-only mode, 12 flame/bed color combos, 5 flame speeds, 5 brightness levels, and a timer. Controls are duplicated on the front touch panel and on the remote. The heat vents from the front middle, which is important if you plan to put a TV above it; at least the heat isn’t shooting straight up into the electronics.

Overall, the feature set is generous for the price. It feels like they tried to cram in all the adjustable settings people ask for on Amazon: lots of colors, speed control, brightness, timer, etc. The flip side is that the remote buttons aren’t super intuitive at first and there’s a bit of trial and error to remember what does what. Still, for what you pay, you’re getting a fairly complete package that covers the basics and then some.