Verdict
Head-to-head · Best Electric Fireplaces

Dimplex Revillusion 25" Log Set (RLG25) vs Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz Electric Fireplace Stove

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Dimplex Revillusion 25" Log Set (RLG25) comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about homeowners retrofitting an existing masonry or gas firebox who want the most lifelike electric flame available — read the strengths below before deciding.

Dimplex Revillusion 25" Log Set (RLG25)
Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Electric Fireplaces
Dimplex Revillusion 25" Log Set (RLG25)
$487.99as of Jun 7

If realism is the priority, the Dimplex Revillusion RLG25 is the flame to beat. Instead of a flat screen behind the logs, Dimplex projects the fire from inside the resin-cast logs, producing larger, brighter, more random flames that owners say genuinely read as wood-burning. It slots into an existing firebox and adds a 5,118 BTU heater for up to 400 square feet. The price is steep and a few quirks (flames tied to the heater, some screen reflection) keep it from perfect, but nothing else here looks this convincing.

Strengths
  • Revillusion technology projects flames from within the resin-cast logs for the most realistic fire in this roundup
  • Drops into an existing masonry or gas firebox - slide in, plug in, done
  • Glowing LED ember bed and ash mat add depth a flat flame screen cannot match
Watch-outs
  • Among the most expensive options here at around $799
  • Flames cannot run unless the heater is also on, per multiple owner reviews
  • Some users see ambient-light reflection and the outline of the circular projection screen
Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz Electric Fireplace Stove
Ranked #4 in Best Electric Fireplaces
Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz Electric Fireplace Stove
$139.99as of Jun 7

The Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz stove is the value pick of the category: a freestanding, plug-in-and-go unit with a genuinely convincing layered 3D flame and an infrared heater that warms a room without the dry-air feeling of a fan-forced coil. Family Handyman tested it and felt the heat within 30 minutes. It cannot match a big wall fireplace's flame size, but for supplemental warmth and cozy ambiance at around $230 it is the easiest recommendation here.

Strengths
  • Infrared quartz heat helps retain room humidity instead of drying the air out
  • 5,200 BTU heater rated for supplemental zone heating up to 1,000 sq ft
  • Patent-pending 3D layered flame effect with five adjustable brightness levels
Watch-outs
  • Compact stove footprint means a smaller flame display than wall units
  • Remote is lightweight and some owners report short range
  • Fan can be audible at higher heat settings

How they stack up

Dimplex Revillusion 25" Log Set (RLG25)

The most realistic flame in this lineup and the only true firebox insert - it is meant to replace a gas log set, unlike the wall-mounted Touchstone Sideline 50, the 3-sided Touchstone Chesmont, or the budget Westinghouse 50; it also costs the most and, unlike the freestanding Duraflame 3D, needs an existing firebox to drop into.

Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz Electric Fireplace Stove

The best value in this lineup - a fraction of the price of the recessed Touchstone Sideline 50 or the Touchstone Chesmont, and its infrared heater is rated for a larger area than the Sideline, though its freestanding stove flame is smaller and less lifelike than the Dimplex Revillusion RLG25 log insert.

Specs side-by-side

SpecDimplex Revillusion 25" Log Set (RLG25)Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz Electric Fireplace Stove
TypePlug-in log set insertFreestanding stove
Heating Power1,500W (12.5A draw)1,500W
Heat Output5,118 BTU (fan-forced ceramic)5,200 BTU (infrared quartz)
CoverageUp to 400 sq ftUp to 1,000 sq ft (zone heating)
Flame TechRevillusion projection from within logs
Flame ColorsOrange and blue effects
IncludesResin log set + glowing ash mat + remote
Width25 in
Flame Effect3D layered, 5 brightness levels
ControlsOnboard panel + remote
Overheat ProtectionAutomatic shutoff
InstallationNone - plug into 120V outlet
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