Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60” Review: a clean-looking electric fireplace with solid smart features

I installed the Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60” in my living room wall about a month ago, as part of a TV wall build. I wanted something that looked like those modern linear gas fireplaces, without dealing with gas lines or venting. I’m not a contractor, just a reasonably handy homeowner with a drill, a level, and a stud finder. So this is very much a normal-user take, not a pro installer review.

First honest reaction after getting it in the wall and turning it on: it looks good. Not mind-blowing, but definitely good enough that people notice it right away when they walk in. The flames are obviously not real, but the combination of the logs, crystals, and the different color options gives you plenty of ways to make it look less “cheap electric” and more like a proper feature in the room.

Where I had to adjust my expectations was the heat. It’s a supplemental heater, not a full room furnace. In my open-concept space (roughly 500–550 sq ft), it takes the chill off, but it’s not going to replace the main heating system. If you’re buying this purely for heat, you might be a bit underwhelmed. If you’re buying mainly for looks and ambiance with some bonus warmth, it’s much more in its comfort zone.

Overall, after a few weeks of use, I’d say it’s a pretty solid mix of aesthetics and practicality. It’s not perfect, and there are a few details that bug me, but for the price compared to what you see in specialty fireplace stores, it feels like reasonable value. I’ll break down what worked well for me and what felt a bit overhyped.

On price, the Sideline Elite sits in that mid-range sweet spot. It’s definitely not the cheapest electric fireplace you can buy, but it’s also not in the same league as the high-end linear gas or super-premium electric units you see in specialty stores. I went to a couple of those shops before buying this, and a lot of the models they showed me were two to three times the price. Yes, some looked a bit more realistic up close, but not enough to justify that huge price jump for my living room.

For what you pay here, you’re getting: a 60" recessed unit, WiFi/smart control, a bunch of flame/media options, a heater that covers around 400 sq ft, and a design that doesn’t scream “cheap Amazon special.” When I compare that to some generic wall-mount units I’ve seen at big box stores, this feels like a step up in both looks and features. The Amazon rating around 4.7/5 with 800+ reviews lines up with my experience: generally positive, with a few quirks.

Where the value is a bit more mixed is if you don’t care about smart features or color options. If all you want is a simple orange flame with basic heat, you can probably save money with a simpler model. A big part of what you’re paying for here is the flexibility: app control, Alexa/Google, tons of color combos, adjustable speeds, etc. For me, that’s worth it because we actually use the smart control daily (“Alexa, turn on fireplace” is lazy but convenient).

Overall, I’d call the value good but not mind-blowing. You’re paying a fair price for a product that looks nice, works reliably, and doesn’t feel cheap. There are cheaper options if budget is tight and you can live with a more basic look. There are more expensive options if you’re chasing ultra-realistic flames. This one sits comfortably in the middle and, for a normal home setup, hits a decent balance between cost, features, and appearance.

Design-wise, this is clearly aimed at people doing modern TV walls or feature walls. The frame is thin and black, so once it’s recessed, you mostly see glass and flames, not a big chunky border. That minimal frame really helps it look more expensive than it is. When I compared it to units at a local fireplace store that cost 2–3x more, the general front look was surprisingly close. Up close, of course, those pricier models sometimes have nicer finishes, but on the wall in a normal living room, the difference is small.

The flame itself is decent. You’re not going to confuse it with a real gas flame, but it’s not that old-school flat orange LED mess either. You get multiple flame colors and speeds, and you can adjust brightness. At lower brightness and a slower speed, it looks more natural; at max brightness with blue/purple colors, it’s clearly more of a decorative light show. I mostly stick to warmer colors and medium speed, which feels the most believable for everyday use.

One thing I appreciated is the large viewing area. There isn’t a lot of wasted space around the edges, so the whole 60" width basically feels like fire, not trim. If you’re putting this under a 65–77" TV, the proportions look good. I went with a 65" TV above, and visually it balances out nicely. If you go much smaller with the TV, the fireplace can visually dominate the wall, which may or may not be what you want.

On the downside, if you stare closely, you can see it’s a digital flame effect. The internal reflections and LED pattern give it away. That’s normal for this category, but if you’re expecting ultra-high-end realism like some $3k+ units, this isn’t that. For the price range though, I’d say the design and overall look are a strong point, especially once it’s surrounded by drywall and decor instead of sitting on a bare construction wall.

The body of the Sideline Elite is alloy steel with a glass front, which is pretty standard for this category. When I unboxed it, the first thing I checked was whether it felt flimsy or rattly. It doesn’t. The metal housing feels reasonably thick, the glass sits flush, and there weren’t weird gaps or sharp edges. It’s not the heaviest thing ever at about 50 pounds, but it gives a decent impression of sturdiness once it’s in the wall.

The included media (logs, driftwood, crystals) are clearly synthetic, but that’s expected. The logs and driftwood pieces look okay from a normal viewing distance; you’re not going to be inspecting them from 5 inches away once it’s installed. The crystals are basically acrylic chunks. If you go full crystals, it pushes the look more toward modern/“hotel lobby” style. Mixing them with the logs helped it feel less fake, at least in my setup. If you’re picky, you could easily swap in different media later since the interior is accessible.

The remote is where the materials feel more basic. It works, but the plastic feels cheap and light. Buttons are straightforward enough, but it doesn’t scream high-end. That said, I mostly use the app and smart controls now, so the remote lives in a drawer. If you’re someone who hates apps and prefers remotes, just know this one is more “it works” than “nice gadget.”

Overall, on materials, I’d say you’re getting solid mid-range quality. It’s not luxury-level finish, but it doesn’t feel bargain-bin either. Once it’s recessed and trimmed out, the actual metal body and internals basically disappear, and what you interact with is the glass front and flames. In that context, the materials are perfectly acceptable for the price bracket, just don’t expect the same feel as a high-end gas unit from a specialty shop.

Performance-wise, this fireplace is running at 1,500W, which is pretty standard for electric heaters. Touchstone says it’s good for about 400 sq ft of supplemental heat. In my experience, that’s accurate if your room is average-sized and reasonably insulated. In my more open-concept space (around 500–550 sq ft with stairs open to another level), it warms the immediate area nicely but doesn’t heat the whole level on its own. So if you expect it to replace your main heating, you’ll probably be disappointed. As a “take the chill off, make it cozy” unit, it gets the job done.

The two heat settings (high/low) and the thermostat from 68–88°F work as advertised. The vents are at the upper front, so the hot air blows out into the room instead of up the wall. The fan noise is there, but it’s not crazy loud. With the TV on at a normal volume, I don’t really notice it. If the room is totally silent and you’re reading, you’ll hear a low fan hum, but it’s not annoying to me. Some cheaper units can sound like a hair dryer; this one doesn’t go that far.

As for the flames, this is where the “60 color combinations” thing shows up. You actually have 6 flame colors and 10 ember/media colors that run independently, plus 3 flame speeds and 5 brightness levels. In practice, I played with all the options for a few days, then settled on 1–2 presets I use all the time. It’s nice to have the options, but you probably won’t be changing them every day once the novelty wears off.

One detail I liked: you can run the flame effect with no heat, which is great for warmer months. That way you still get the fireplace vibe without turning your living room into a sauna in July. Overall, I’d say performance is solid but realistic: good ambiance, decent supplemental heat, quiet enough fan, and reliable operation. It doesn’t blow me away, but it also doesn’t feel cheap or underpowered for what it claims to do.

Installation is where you want to pay attention. The mantra “measure twice, buy once” that they repeat in the description is accurate. The total unit is 59 3/4" wide x 19 1/4" high x 5 1/2" deep, and the recessed opening needs to be about 58 7/16" wide x 18" high x 5 1/8" deep. In practice, I framed a slightly generous opening based on their spec, dry-fit the unit, then adjusted. If you’re not comfortable cutting into drywall and dealing with studs, you may want a handyman or contractor to handle it.

The fireplace can be plugged into a standard 120V outlet or hardwired. I went with a dedicated outlet inside the wall cavity, on its own circuit, just to be safe with the 1,500W draw. If you’re not sure about electrical, this is where bringing in an electrician is smart. Also, they recommend installing it at least 8 inches below the ceiling or anything mounted above, which matters if you’re putting a TV on top. I left more than that gap, plus a mantel shelf to deflect some heat away from the TV.

The actual physical mounting is straightforward once the hole is ready. You slide the fireplace into the opening and use the included drywall anchors and screws to secure the flange to the wall. Having two people helps here to keep it level while you mark and screw it in. The manual is clear enough, not perfect, but good enough that I didn’t have to guess much. Just follow the diagrams and don’t rush the framing step.

Setup of the WiFi and app took a bit of patience. It connected on the second try, and once it was paired, controlling it from my phone and linking it to Alexa was pretty painless. I did notice one minor annoyance: some users mention remote interference with certain TVs (like Vizio), and I had a similar small issue where one of the buttons seemed to wake the TV. It’s not a deal-breaker, but if your TV remote and fireplace remote start talking to each other, it can be a bit annoying until you adjust your habits or reposition the receivers.

Out of the box, the Sideline Elite 60” is basically a big rectangular metal box with a glass front, plus a bunch of loose media (logs, crystals, driftwood), a remote, mounting hardware, and the manual. The unit itself is about 59 3/4" wide, 19 1/4" high, and just over 5 1/2" deep, so it’s fairly slim for an in-wall fireplace. It weighs just under 50 pounds, so one person can move it, but for lifting and fitting into the wall, two people makes life a lot easier.

Touchstone includes different media: logs, driftwood, and crystals. You’re not locked into one look; you can mix and match. I ended up doing mostly logs with a few crystals to fill gaps, which looks more natural than just a pile of shiny rocks. The fact that you can open the glass and rearrange this later is nice, especially if you change the room style later on.

The controls and basic functions are straightforward: you get two heat settings (high/low), a thermostat from 68–88°F, a timer (1–8 hours), and a bunch of flame/media color combinations. They market it as “60 color combinations,” which sounds like marketing fluff, but in practice it just means you can play with flame and ember bed colors separately. The remote handles all that, and you can also control it via WiFi/app and smart home (Alexa/Google) if you want to yell at your fireplace from the couch.

In day-to-day use, what matters is: does it turn on easily, does it remember your last settings, and does it behave predictably? In my case, yes. It remembers my preferred flame style and color, and I can trigger it via a wall switch and the app without digging through menus every time. So from a usability angle, it’s simple enough for guests to figure out without a tutorial, which I appreciate.