Head-to-head · Best Electric Fireplaces

Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz Electric Fireplace Stove vs Touchstone Chesmont 50"

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

Touchstone Chesmont 50" comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about buyers who want the fireplace to be a design statement, with a floating mantel and wraparound three-sided flame view — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Electric Fireplaces

Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz Electric Fireplace Stove

4.5

$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

$139.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Electric Fireplaces

Touchstone Chesmont 50"

4.6

$999as of Jun 7

The Touchstone Chesmont is the design-forward pick: a 50-inch wall-hanging fireplace with a floating mantel and a genuine three-sided flame view that wraps around the front and both sides. It carries six flame colors and a 10-color media bed, plus the same smart-home control as Touchstone's Sideline line. It is supplemental heat (about 400 sq ft) and the mantel makes it a statement piece rather than a disappear-into-the-wall unit, but for a focal-point install it looks the part.

Strengths

— Three-sided design with front and side viewing framed by a floating mantel for a furniture-like look
— Six flame colors, 10 media-bed colors, five intensity levels and three flame speeds
— Heat and flames operate independently for year-round ambiance

Watch-outs

— 1,500W / 5,118 BTU heater is supplemental only, rated near 400 sq ft
— Wall-hanging mantel design is more visually prominent than a flush recessed unit
— Heavier (62 lb) and bulkier to mount than a simple insert

$999 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

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.

Touchstone Chesmont 50"

Shares Touchstone's smart-home platform and independent flame/heat control with the Sideline 50, but trades the Sideline's flush recessed fit for a three-sided wall-hanging mantel and a wider flame view; it is more of a focal point than the Westinghouse 50 and pricier, and unlike the Dimplex Revillusion RLG25 it is a wall unit rather than a firebox insert.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Duraflame 3D Infrared Quartz Electric Fireplace Stove	Touchstone Chesmont 50"
Type	Freestanding stove	Wall-mount, 3-sided
Heating Power	1,500W	1,500W (750W/1500W settings)
Heat Output	5,200 BTU (infrared quartz)	5,118 BTU
Coverage	Up to 1,000 sq ft (zone heating)	Up to 400 sq ft
Flame Effect	3D layered, 5 brightness levels	—
Controls	Onboard panel + remote	—
Overheat Protection	Automatic shutoff	—
Installation	None - plug into 120V outlet	—
Flame Colors	—	6 flame, 10 media-bed colors
Smart Control	—	Wi-Fi, Alexa, Google Home, app + remote
Includes	—	Driftwood + crystal media
Weight	—	62 lb

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