Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 42" Review: a clean-looking smart fireplace that’s more about ambiance than heat

I’ve been using the Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 42" for a bit now, and the short story is this: it looks great on the wall, the flames are convincing enough for an electric unit, and the smart features are actually useful instead of gimmicky. If you’re expecting it to heat your whole house, you’ll be disappointed, but if you mainly want the vibe of a fireplace without dealing with gas or wood, it gets the job done.

I put this in a living room that’s a little over 400 sq ft, mounted in a new feature wall with a TV above it. I went with the WiFi/Alexa version on purpose because I’m lazy and like to control everything from my phone or by voice. Out of the box, it’s a 45 lb metal and glass box that feels solid, not flimsy like some cheaper fireplaces I’ve seen in big-box stores.

The first thing that stood out is how many flame and color options it has. You can play with this thing for 10–15 minutes just changing flame colors, ember bed colors, flame speeds, and brightness. Some combinations look a bit cheesy (blue/purple flames, for example), but the more classic orange/amber setups look pretty realistic from a few feet away. With the lights dimmed, it does a decent job of passing for a gas fireplace to casual guests.

Overall, my first impression was pretty positive: not perfect, not cheap, but it feels like a proper built-in appliance rather than a toy. The main trade-off is very clear though: it’s more of an ambiance piece with bonus heat, not a serious heater, and you should go in with that mindset.

Price-wise, this isn’t the cheapest electric fireplace on the market, but it also isn’t the top of the range. You’re paying extra mainly for three things: the cleaner design (thin frame, bigger viewing area), the smart features (WiFi, Alexa/Google), and the extra flame/media options. If you don’t care about those and just want a basic heater with a fake flame, you can definitely find cheaper units. But they usually look more dated and don’t integrate as nicely into a modern wall.

For what you get—1500W heater, 400 sq ft coverage, three media types, 60 color combos, thermostat, app control, and hardwire option—I’d say the value is pretty solid if you actually plan to use the smart and visual features. If you’re only going to turn it on a couple of times a year, then it’s probably overkill. Where it makes sense is if you’re building a feature wall or remodeling a living room/bedroom and want something that looks built-in and easy to live with.

One thing to factor into “value” is installation. If you’re handy and can do the framing and electrical yourself, then the cost is just your time and maybe some lumber. If you need a contractor and an electrician, the overall project cost can easily double the price of the unit. That’s not Touchstone’s fault, but it changes how you look at the total spend. For a lot of people, this will be more of a home upgrade project than a simple purchase.

Overall, I’d call the value good, not mind-blowing. You’re not getting ripped off, but you’re also not getting a miracle bargain. You’re paying a fair price for a modern-looking, smart-enabled electric fireplace that does what it says. If you care about the look and the convenience more than raw heating power, it’s money reasonably well spent.

Design-wise, this fireplace is pretty straightforward: a black metal frame with a big glass front and minimal trim. There’s no fake mantel, no chunky borders, and no fake brass anywhere, which I appreciated. Once it’s recessed into the wall, it sits almost flush and looks like it belongs there, not like something you tacked on after the fact. In a modern or updated living room, it fits in nicely under a wall-mounted TV.

The front glass is tempered and about 4mm thick. It feels sturdy and doesn’t flex when you clean it. Touchstone mentions that if it ever breaks, it’s designed to crumble into small chunks instead of sharp shards. I obviously didn’t test that (I’m not smashing my own unit), but tempered glass is pretty standard and makes sense here, especially if you have kids or pets around. The vents are on the upper front area and they’re not overly obvious; they blend in pretty well with the frame.

One thing I like is the larger viewing area compared to cheaper electric fireplaces. The Sideline Elite line has a wider window and thinner border, so you see more of the flame and less metal. That makes a difference, especially when the lights are low. The flames themselves, with the right settings, look fairly natural—especially the orange/amber combos with the log set. The more extreme colors (bright blue, pink, etc.) look fake, but some people like that. At least you have options.

The only small downside in design is the depth. At 5.5" overall, you do need a proper cavity in the wall. In a normal 2x4 wall, it’s tight but doable if you plan it correctly. If you’re trying to retrofit this into an existing finished wall without any framing changes, you might struggle. But if you’re already building a feature wall or doing a remodel, the design works well and the end result looks like a built-in fixture, not a plug-in gadget.

In terms of materials, this thing feels closer to an appliance than a cheap decorative piece. The body is alloy steel with a black finish, and the front is tempered glass. At about 45 pounds, it’s not light, which is good in my book. When I was lifting it into the wall cutout, it felt solid, no rattling panels or flimsy edges. You’ll probably want a second person to help lift and hold it while you secure it, especially if you’re not used to handling heavier fixtures.

The black steel frame has a decent finish on it—not super high-end, but not bargain-bin either. It doesn’t scratch easily with regular handling, and fingerprints on the frame aren’t a big issue. The glass, of course, shows smudges, but a quick wipe with glass cleaner fixes that. There are no sharp unfinished edges where you’d normally touch it, which I appreciate because some cheaper units cut corners there.

The included media (logs, crystals, driftwood) are clearly fake when you hold them in your hand, but they look fine once the lights are low and the flames are on. The log set is the most convincing. The crystals are just colored glass/plastic pieces, but for people who like a more modern or “hotel” look, they do the job. The driftwood pieces are somewhere in between—nice for a different style, but I still ended up going back to the logs.

Overall, the materials feel like they’re built to last a while. Nothing about it screams luxury, but it doesn’t feel cheap either. For the price point, I’d say the build quality is pretty solid. The only caution is that because it’s built sturdier than some cheaper units, it’s heavier and a bit more work to maneuver into place. That’s a trade-off I’m fine with, but it’s something to know ahead of time.

I haven’t had this for years, but based on a few weeks of regular use and the general construction, I’d say it’s built to handle normal home use without drama. The metal body doesn’t flex, the glass front hasn’t shown any weird warping from the heat, and the fan hasn’t started making strange noises. I’ve run it multiple evenings in a row, sometimes with heat, sometimes just flames, and it behaves the same every time.

One good sign is that the electronics haven’t glitched. The WiFi connection has stayed stable, it remembers the last flame and color settings when I turn it back on, and the thermostat functions as expected. The remote is basic but works; I just don’t use it much because the app is more convenient. If something is going to age badly, it’s usually the electronics or the fan. So far, no issues there, but obviously, only long-term users can say how it holds up after a few winters.

The tempered glass front is another durability factor. It’s thick enough that I’m not worried about normal bumps, but you still don’t want to whack it with something heavy. Cleaning it is straightforward, and there’s no sign of haze or discoloration from the heat. Since the vents are on the front, hot air doesn’t blow directly on the glass, which probably helps.

If I had to guess potential weak spots over time, I’d say: the fan motor (like any electric heater), and maybe the WiFi module if your network is spotty. That’s pretty standard for this kind of product. Touchstone gives a limited warranty, but I’d still treat this as an appliance you expect to keep for several years, not something you replace every season. Overall, durability feels decent for the price, and there’s nothing that feels obviously fragile or badly designed.

Let’s split this into three parts: flames, heat, and smart stuff. On the flame side, this unit is pretty flexible. You get 6 flame colors and 10 media (ember bed) colors that you can mix for up to 60 combinations. You can also tweak flame speed and brightness in several steps. In practice, what I ended up doing was saving two or three setups I like and sticking with them: one classic orange/amber for everyday use, and a slightly brighter one when we have guests over. The fast-speed flames look a bit arcade-ish, so I keep it on the slower settings most of the time.

Heat-wise, it’s 1500W and rated for about 400 sq ft. In my roughly 400 sq ft living room with average insulation, the fireplace can take the chill off, but it’s not going to replace the main heating. On high heat, sitting within 6–8 feet, you definitely feel it, and it’s nice on a cold evening. But if the room is really cold to start with, this is more of a helper than a main heater. Noise from the fan is there, but it’s not loud enough to be annoying. You hear a low whoosh when the heater is on, but you can still watch TV or talk without raising your voice.

The smart features are probably the best part. Once it’s on WiFi, the app lets you schedule on/off times, set the timer (up to about 8 hours), and tweak everything without hunting for the remote. I hooked mine into Alexa, and voice control works as it should: on, off, and basic settings. It also remembers your last flame settings, which is handy. You can plug it into a standard 3-prong outlet or hardwire it; I had it hardwired so there’s no visible cable, and it can be controlled by a wall switch as well.

Overall performance is solid: the flames look good for an electric unit, the heat is decent but not mind-blowing, and the smart features actually get used. If you’re buying it mostly for warmth, you might be underwhelmed. If you’re buying it for looks with bonus heat and smart control, it does its job well.

Out of the box, the Sideline Elite 42" comes with the fireplace unit, a remote, mounting hardware, and three types of media: logs, crystals, and driftwood pieces. So you can set it up in a more traditional look with the log set, or go for a more modern glass-crystal style. Personally, I ended up using the logs, because they look the least fake when the flames are on. The crystals are fine if you like that hotel-lobby vibe, but it’s not my thing.

The unit is designed to be recessed into a wall. The full dimensions are about 41 3/4" wide x 19 1/4" high x 5 1/2" deep, and the cutout needs to be around 40 7/16" x 18" x 5 1/8". Those numbers are not a suggestion; you really need to respect them or the fit gets annoying. This isn’t a simple hang-it-like-a-TV product. You either need to be comfortable cutting into drywall and framing a box, or you need to pay someone who is.

In terms of controls, you get three options: the handheld remote (takes AAA batteries, not included), the front panel buttons, and the app/WiFi control which also hooks into Alexa or Google Home. The app is where you unlock the nicer stuff like scheduling and more granular control of colors and settings. For daily use, I honestly barely touch the remote; I just say “Alexa, turn on fireplace” or use the phone app to tweak the brightness or turn the heat on.

On paper it’s a 1500W heater rated for around 400 sq ft, with two heat levels and a thermostat you can set from 68–88°F. In practice, I’d call it a decent supplemental heater. It’s not replacing a real furnace. Still, as a package—visuals, heat, and smart features—it’s a pretty solid all-in-one unit if you understand its limits upfront.