Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60” Review: a clean-looking electric fireplace for people who like to tinker with settings

I put the Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60” in during a living room refresh because I wanted the look of a modern linear fireplace without dealing with gas lines or venting. I’ve been using it almost daily for a few weeks now, both for the flame effect and as a heater on colder evenings. I’m not a contractor, just a reasonably handy homeowner, so everything here is from that point of view, not pro installer talk.

The first thing I noticed is that this thing is clearly built to be more about looks and ambiance than raw heating power. It’s rated for about 400 sq ft, which feels accurate. In my open-concept space (closer to 550–600 sq ft), it takes the chill off in the immediate area but doesn’t replace real heating. As a visual focal point though, it does the job right away. The flames don’t look like a real wood fire, but they’re good enough that you stop overthinking it after a day or two.

Installation is where you need to be honest with yourself. If you’re comfortable cutting drywall and dealing with framing, you’ll manage fine with the included instructions. If not, you’ll either surface-mount it (less clean, but easier) or pay someone to do the in-wall recess. I did a proper recessed install, and the dimensions they give are accurate, so as long as you measure carefully, it fits without drama.

Overall, this is not perfect, but it’s a pretty solid middle ground between cheap-looking wall heaters and super pricey designer units from specialty stores. You’re basically paying for a decent flame effect, smart features, and a clean, built-in look. If that’s what you’re after and you’re okay with “good supplemental heat” rather than “main heat source,” it lines up with expectations.

In terms of value for money, this sits in a sweet spot: more expensive than the no-name Amazon specials, cheaper than the high-end linear fireplaces from specialty stores. After using it, I get why a lot of people land on this model. You’re paying for a decent flame effect, smart features, and a clean in-wall look without going into crazy luxury prices. If you compare it to a basic $200 wall-mounted unit, the difference in looks and options is noticeable.

What you’re really buying here is a mix of:

• Respectable flame realism for the price
• Smart/WiFi + Alexa/Google support
• Flexible install (plug-in or hardwire, surface or recessed)
• Multiple included media (logs, driftwood, crystals)

Compared to higher-end brands I looked at in stores, those did look a bit more refined close up (slightly better flame patterns, nicer media, heavier construction), but not enough to justify double or triple the price for me personally. Touchstone feels like a middle-ground choice: good value if you actually use the smart features and care about the built-in aesthetic. If you’re just going to slap it on a wall and never use WiFi or colors, you could probably save money with a simpler model.

So overall, I’d say the value is pretty solid if you want a modern, clean electric fireplace that you’ll use regularly as a visual focal point and occasional heater. If you’re expecting it to replace your furnace or look exactly like a gas fireplace, you’ll be underwhelmed. As long as you go in with realistic expectations – “nice ambiance, decent heat, lots of customization” – the price feels fair.

Design-wise, this fireplace is very straightforward: black metal frame, big glass front, minimal trim. No fake mantel, no fancy curves, just a wide rectangle of flames. In a modern or updated living room, it fits in easily. I built a simple media wall with a TV above it, and the proportions feel right at 60" – not tiny, not comically huge. If you have a smaller room, though, this size might dominate the wall a bit.

The heat vents are on the upper front edge, which matters if you’re putting a TV above it. They recommend at least 8" below the ceiling or anything mounted above. In practice, I gave it more like 12–14" under the TV just to be safe. After running the heater for a few hours, the wall above gets warm but not scary hot. Still, I wouldn’t cram a soundbar right up against that vent area. Plan your wall layout before you start cutting.

The controls are simple: hidden buttons on the unit and a remote that handles everything (heat, colors, intensity, speed, timer). Once you connect it to WiFi and the app, you can skip the remote entirely if you want. The interface is not fancy, but it’s clear enough. One thing I noticed: the remote uses IR, so you need line of sight. If your fireplace is recessed deep or you’re off to the side, sometimes you have to point more carefully. Not a huge deal, just mildly annoying.

Visually, the flames are obviously artificial, but in a good-enough way. At medium speed and intensity with an orange/yellow mix, it feels cozy. If you crank colors to blue, purple, and all the wild combos, it looks more like a nightclub feature than a fireplace. That’s either fun or tacky, depending on your taste. I mostly stick to one or two color setups and ignore the rest, but some people will love cycling through the options.

From a materials and build point of view, this feels like a well-made consumer product, not a tank and not flimsy. The outer frame is alloy steel with a black finish, and the front is a big glass panel. The metal panels don’t flex or rattle much when you handle it, which is reassuring during install. Once it’s recessed and screwed in, it feels solid in the wall. I’m not worried about it sagging or warping under normal use.

The internal parts – logs, crystals, and driftwood – are clearly synthetic. The logs are lightweight, probably some kind of molded resin. They don’t look real if you’re standing right in front of them, but from the couch, they pass the test. The crystals are basically decorative glass/acrylic pieces. They catch the light nicely from the LEDs and help sell the ember bed effect. Again, nothing high-end artisan here, but for the price range, it’s perfectly acceptable.

The glass front is what you’ll touch and clean the most. It feels sturdy and doesn’t flex when you press lightly. It does pick up fingerprints and dust quickly, like any black glass surface, so be ready to wipe it down now and then. I’ve run it for several hours with heat on, and the glass gets warm but not so hot that you burn yourself instantly. I still wouldn’t let small kids lean on it for long, but it’s not like a real wood stove.

Wiring and connectors look standard: three-prong plug, decent gauge cord, and the option to hardwire if you want a cleaner look. I stuck with the plug for now because I like the ability to unplug it if I ever need to pull it out. Overall, I’d call the materials pretty solid for the price – definitely better than bargain Amazon fireplaces, but not at the level of the very high-priced brands you see in specialty showrooms.

I haven’t had this fireplace for years, but after several weeks of frequent use (almost daily in the evenings), I can at least comment on short-term durability. So far, there’s been no weird noises, no flickering LEDs, and no changes in fan noise. The flame effect looks the same as day one, and all the color and intensity settings still work as expected. The fan for the heater kicks on smoothly every time without any grinding or rattling.

The exterior finish is holding up fine. No chips, no scratches from normal cleaning, and the black frame still looks uniform. I’ve wiped the glass several times with a microfiber cloth and a basic glass cleaner, and there’s been no fogging or weird residue. The unit doesn’t feel like it’s heating up internally more than it should; the top and sides get warm but not alarming. For something that’s vent-free and sitting inside a wall, that matters.

The only minor concern I have is long-term wear on the remote and electronics. The remote is lightweight and feels a bit cheap in the hand. It works, but I don’t expect it to survive a lot of drops. That said, the app and smart control are a good fallback if the remote dies. Touchstone also has a decent track record based on Amazon reviews (4.7/5 with hundreds of ratings), which suggests most units don’t fail quickly, but of course, that’s not a guarantee.

Given the price point and what I’ve seen so far, I’d rate durability as good but not bulletproof. If you install it properly (enough clearance, no blocking the vents, correct power), I don’t see an obvious weak point that will fail immediately. But like any electric heater with moving parts and LEDs, I wouldn’t be shocked if something needed attention after several years of heavy use. For now, though, it feels reliable and consistent.

On the heating side, this is clearly meant as supplemental heat, and that’s exactly how it behaves. At 1,500W and around 5,118 BTU, it’s roughly in the same ballpark as a decent space heater. In a closed room around 300–400 sq ft, it makes a real difference after 20–30 minutes, especially on the high setting. In my open living area (closer to 600 sq ft, partly open to a hallway), it mostly warms the area within about 8–10 feet of the unit. The rest of the room feels a bit more comfortable, but it doesn’t replace central heating.

The thermostat works fine but isn’t hyper-precise. You set a temp between 68–88°F, and it kicks the heater on and off to hover around there. It’s not like a smart thermostat that learns or uses sensors all over the room; it’s just reading its own general area. For a fireplace, that’s acceptable. The timer (1–8 hours) is more useful, especially if you like falling asleep with it on. You can set it and not worry about it running all night.

Flame performance is where this unit earns its price. You get 3 flame speeds, 5 flame/bed intensity levels, and 60 color combinations (6 flame x 10 ember bed). In real life, this means you can go from a slow, low, orange glow to a fast, bright, multi-color display. The flames have a decent random movement to them; they don’t look like a cheap loop. After a few days, you stop nitpicking and just enjoy the background movement. Noise-wise, the motor and fan are pretty quiet. You hear a soft hum when the heater is on, but it doesn’t overpower TV or conversation.

One extra thing: the memory feature is actually useful. It remembers your last flame settings and can be triggered by a wall switch or smart device. I wired it to a simple switch and also set it up with Alexa. Being able to say “Alexa, turn on fireplace” and have it come on with my usual settings is the kind of small convenience that makes you actually use it more often. Overall, in terms of day-to-day use, it performs like a solid, mid-to-upper range electric fireplace, not a toy and not a high-end showroom piece either.

Out of the box, the Touchstone Sideline Elite 60” is basically one big black steel and glass rectangle, plus a pile of accessories. You get the fireplace body, a remote, crystals, a log set, some driftwood-style pieces, mounting hardware, and the usual paperwork. No batteries for the remote, so you’ll need 2 AAA on hand. The unit itself weighs about 50 pounds, so it’s not crazy heavy, but you don’t want to be lifting and holding it alone during install.

The overall footprint is roughly 59.75" wide x 19.25" high x 5.5" deep. For a recessed mount, you need a cutout around 58.4" x 18" x 5.1" deep. Those numbers matter, because if your framing is off even half an inch, you’ll either be shaving studs or patching drywall. I double-checked before cutting and was glad I did. Once in place, the visible frame is pretty thin, so the flames and media (logs/crystals) take up most of the attention.

Out of the accessories, the log set and crystals are actually useful because they let you tweak the vibe. Logs and driftwood look more traditional; crystals give a more modern, hotel-lobby feel. I ended up mixing them a bit. None of it looks like real wood up close, but from a normal couch distance, it looks decent. It’s definitely better than the super cheap plastic logs you see in bargain units.

Function-wise, you’re looking at a 1,500W heater, 2 heat levels (high/low), thermostat from 68–88°F, a timer (1–8 hours), and WiFi/app control plus Alexa/Google compatibility. The flame and ember bed colors are where this thing goes a bit overboard: 6 flame colors x 10 media colors, plus intensity settings and 3 flame speeds. If you’re the type who likes fiddling with settings to get “your” look, you’ll enjoy that. If you just want orange flames and don’t care, you’ll probably set it once and never touch half the options.