PURFINO 50" Electric Fireplace Review: media-wall heater with lots of effects and a few quirks

I’ve had this PURFINO 50" electric fireplace on my wall for a few weeks now, mainly to replace a small, ugly fan heater and to finish off a media wall with the TV above it. I’m not an installer or an interior designer, just someone who wanted something that looks decent and actually throws out some heat in winter. So this is from that angle: everyday use, not showroom photos.

Right away, the first thing you notice is the size. At 50 inches wide it fills a wall nicely and doesn’t look like a toy fire. Once it’s on, the flame effect is honestly the main selling point. You get loads of colour options and brightness levels, so you can go from quite realistic orange to very fake blues and purples if that’s your thing. I mostly keep it on a simple orange/amber mix because the crazy colours feel a bit gimmicky after a while.

In terms of heating, I’ve run it in a typical UK living room, roughly 20–22 m², and the 1800W setting is enough to take the chill off in about 20–30 minutes. It’s not central heating, obviously, but if you’re sitting on the sofa watching TV, it definitely makes the room more comfortable. The fan noise is there, but it’s not shouting over the TV if your sound is at a normal level.

Overall, my first impression is: it looks good on the wall, the basic flame effect is convincing enough, and it does a decent job as a top-up heater. It’s not perfect, and a couple of details feel a bit cheap (especially the crackling sound), but for the price bracket it sits in, it’s a pretty solid piece of kit if you know what you’re getting.

Price-wise, this PURFINO 50" sits in that mid-range electric fireplace bracket: not the cheapest thing on Amazon, but far from the high-end designer units. For what you pay, you get a large 50-inch front, a decent heating output of up to 1800W, multiple flame and light options, a working thermostat, a timer, and a remote. On paper, that’s a solid feature list, especially compared to some cheaper fires that only have a basic flame effect and two heat settings with no proper temperature control.

Compared to smaller or older electric fires I’ve used, this feels like better value just because of the size and look. It actually fills the wall and makes the room feel more finished, especially under a TV. If you’re building a media wall, this gives you that “built-in fire” look without paying crazy money. The flame effect isn’t top-tier realistic, but for the cost, it’s more than acceptable, especially on the standard orange settings. The ability to run the flames without heat also adds value, because you can use it all year round, not just in winter.

On the downside, you can tell where they’ve saved money. The crackling sound effect is a bit cheap-sounding, the remote feels basic, and the overall finish, while decent, isn’t on the same level as much pricier brands. Also, installation might cost you extra if you can’t do it yourself, which is worth factoring into the total “value” picture. If you end up hiring someone to mount it and build a frame, that can easily add as much as the fire itself.

Overall, I’d say the value is good but not mind-blowing. You get a lot of visual impact and practical heat for the price, with some compromises in realism and materials. If you want a clean, modern fire for a media wall and don’t want to spend a fortune, it’s a solid option. If you’re picky about ultra-realistic flames and premium finishes, you’ll probably end up looking at more expensive models and paying quite a bit more.

The design is pretty simple: a wide black rectangle with a glass front and a modern, clean look. No fake mantel, no fake Victorian trim, just a plain front that fits nicely into a modern living room or a media wall setup. If you like that minimal TV wall style with LED strips and all that, this slots in quite well. It doesn’t scream “cheap plastic fire” from across the room, which was my main concern when ordering.

The flame bed itself is more on the modern side. You’re not getting ultra-realistic 3D logs like on very high-end units, but the effect is good enough once you pick the right settings. There are 12 flame colours and 5 brightness levels. In practice, I ended up using maybe 3 of those: a warm orange, a slightly whiter flame for daytime, and occasionally something more colourful when people come over and want to play with the remote. The top mood light has 15 settings, but again, once the novelty wears off, you’ll probably settle on one or two softer tones.

One thing I liked is that you can run the flames and lights without any heat. So in the evenings when the heating is already on and you just want the look of a fire without roasting, you can set it to flame-only. That’s where the design actually pays off, because it gives the room a focal point. The glass front is reflective, though, so during the day you sometimes see more of the room reflected than the flames, especially at lower brightness. At night, it looks much better.

Overall, the design is modern and fairly neutral. It’s not trying to imitate a traditional wood burner; it’s clearly an electric fire with a slightly flashy light show if you want it. If you keep the settings modest, it looks pretty solid. If you crank all the colours to the max, it can drift into “nightclub fireplace” territory, which might be fun for a bit but gets old quickly. So design-wise, it does the job, but it depends a lot on how restrained you are with the settings.

The fireplace is mainly metal with a tempered glass front and a powder-coated black finish. When you handle it, it doesn’t feel flimsy. The casing has a bit of weight to it, and nothing rattles or bends easily. Once it’s on the wall, it sits flush and doesn’t flex if you give it a light push. The glass front feels sturdy, not like thin plastic pretending to be glass, which is reassuring given this thing heats up and will be in reach of kids and pets.

The finish is a matte-ish black that hides dust reasonably well, but the glass obviously picks up fingerprints and smears. After a few days of use, I had to give it a quick wipe because every time you use the touch controls, you leave marks. That’s not unique to this model, just something to be aware of. The edges and corners are fairly cleanly done; I didn’t spot any sharp spots or badly finished parts on my unit.

On the safety side, it has UKCA and CE certifications, a cool-touch front screen, and overheat protection. The “cool-touch” bit is mostly true for the glass; it gets warm but not scorching, even after running on 1800W for a while. The hottest area is around the top vent where the air comes out, which is normal. I wouldn’t press my face against it, but for kids brushing past or a cat walking nearby, it’s not a hazard in normal use. The cord is standard and long enough for most setups, but if your plug is far away, you might still need to plan the wiring route.

Materials-wise, it’s clear this is made to hit a certain price point, not to compete with very expensive built-in models, but it doesn’t feel cheap in a worrying way. It’s more “good mid-range appliance” than “premium statement piece”. If you’re expecting heavy-duty steel and super thick glass, you’ll be disappointed. If you just want something that feels solid, safe, and tidy on the wall, it ticks those boxes fairly well.

I haven’t had this fireplace for years obviously, so I can’t pretend to know exactly how it will age, but after several weeks of daily use I can at least comment on the early signs. So far, no weird rattles, no sudden fan noises, and no flickering LEDs or anything like that. The fan sound has stayed consistent, and the flames look the same as on day one. That’s a good start, especially for something with moving parts and electronics.

The metal casing hasn’t warped or discoloured, even after running it on 1800W for long stretches in the evening. The glass front hasn’t shown any signs of cracking, clouding, or anything odd. I’ve wiped it a few times with a soft cloth and standard glass cleaner, and it comes up fine. The buttons on the touch panel still respond properly, with no dead spots. The remote feels a bit cheap plastic-wise but does the job; just don’t expect it to survive being sat on or thrown across the room.

Long-term, the parts most likely to show age will be the fan and the LEDs. That’s pretty standard for electric fires. The fan motor might get noisier over a couple of years of regular use, and the flame effect LEDs can dim slightly over time. There’s a limited warranty, but it’s not spelled out as some huge long-term cover, so I’d treat this as a mid-range appliance you expect to last several winters with normal use, not a forever investment piece.

Based on the build quality and early use, I’d say durability seems perfectly acceptable for the price. It doesn’t feel fragile, and nothing about it screams “this will fall apart in a year”. But if you want something you know will last a decade plus with heavy daily use, you might want to look at more expensive brands with stronger warranties. For most people, this should hold up fine as the main feature fire in a living room for a good few seasons.

Performance is where this fireplace is mostly judged, and overall it does pretty well for a 1800W electric unit. I’ve used it in a room around 20–22 m², and on the 1800W setting it makes a noticeable difference in under half an hour. It’s not going to heat a cold house on its own, but as a top-up or for evenings when you don’t want the whole central heating running, it works. The 900W setting is more of a gentle background heat, good for taking the edge off without feeling like a hairdryer in your face.

The fan is relatively quiet. You can hear it, obviously, but compared to some cheap fan heaters I’ve had, this one is more of a low whoosh than a high-pitched whine. With the TV at a normal volume, I don’t really notice it. If you sit in silence, you’ll hear a steady fan noise, but it’s not annoying. The thermostat control between 15°C and 30°C is useful; once the room hits your chosen temperature, it cycles the heat on and off. It’s not pinpoint perfect like a smart thermostat, but it roughly keeps the room in a comfortable range.

The flame effect is honestly better than I expected at this price. On the right brightness and colour, it looks convincing enough that you forget it’s fake after a while. The extra colours are fun but feel more like a party trick. The top mood light is a nice touch if you like ambient lighting, but you can also turn it off if you want a more realistic look. Being able to control all this from the couch with the remote is handy and, in practice, what you end up using most of the time.

The crackling sound is the weak point for me. It’s there, it kind of sounds like a fire, but it’s a bit tinny and obviously coming from a small speaker. After testing it for a few evenings, I turned it off and never really went back. Some people might like it and leave it on low, but personally I think the fire looks better than it sounds. The good thing is you can switch the sound off completely and still enjoy the flames and heat, which is what I ended up doing.

Out of the box, you get the fireplace unit itself, the remote control, some basic mounting hardware, and the usual manual. No fancy extras, no decorative logs to arrange for an hour. The unit is heavy at around 25 kg, so this is not something you casually hang on plasterboard with two random screws. I had to plan the mounting properly, find the studs, and get a friend to help lift it. If you’re not handy, budget for someone to install it, especially if it’s going into a built media wall.

The front dimensions are 127 x 46.6 x 12.5 cm, and that depth is actually quite manageable for a wall unit. The vents and warm air outlet are on the top front, which matters if you’re putting a TV above it. In practice, that means the hot air blows forward and slightly up, but not straight into the TV. Still, I kept a decent gap between the top of the fire and the bottom of the TV, and I’d say that’s a good idea for anyone copying the Instagram media wall look.

The remote is simple: you can control flame colours, brightness, top light, heat settings (off, 900W, 1800W), timer, and thermostat temperature from 15°C to 30°C. The touch controls on the glass front mirror the same options. They’re responsive enough, but you do get finger marks on the glass quickly, so have a cloth nearby if you’re fussy about smudges. The display lights up briefly when you change settings then fades, which is good because it doesn’t stay glowing in your face all evening.

In day-to-day use, the presentation is straightforward: plug it in, mount it, and you’re basically done. There are no gas pipes, no flues, and no fuel to buy. If you’re moving from a biofuel or gel fire, you’ll instantly notice how low-effort this is. Flip the switch, pick a flame mode, and that’s it. It doesn’t feel premium-high-end, but for the price, everything is laid out in a way that’s easy to understand and use.

In daily use, this fireplace is effective enough as a secondary heat source. If you’re expecting it to replace a full central heating system for a big house, you’ll be disappointed. But for a living room, bedroom, or open-plan area up to around the 30–35 m² range, it does a decent job of making things feel more comfortable. For my 20–22 m² living room, 1800W is plenty. I usually put it on high for 20–30 minutes, then either drop it to 900W or just enjoy the flames without heat once the room feels right.

The thermostat is actually quite handy. Instead of constantly fiddling with the on/off switch, you set a temperature between 15°C and 30°C and let it manage itself. It’s not ultra-precise, but it keeps the room from swinging between too hot and too cold. The timer function is also useful if you’re the type who falls asleep on the sofa; you can set it to switch off after a set time so it’s not running all night.

From an energy perspective, 1800W is what it is – about the same as a kettle or a strong fan heater. The advantage here is that you’re heating the room you’re actually in, not the whole house. On colder evenings, I found myself using this instead of cranking the boiler, which should help a bit with bills if you’re sensible. The fact that you can run just the flames and lights with almost no extra heat is also good for those in-between days when you just want the look.

In terms of usability, it’s pretty straightforward. The remote works reliably, the touch controls respond quickly, and the display is clear without being too bright. The one annoyance is keeping the glass clean if you’re picky; every touch leaves a mark. But overall, as something you actually live with every day, it does the job without much hassle. It’s not perfect, but it’s practical and easy enough for anyone in the house to figure out.