Head-to-head · Best Electric Fireplaces

Touchstone Chesmont 50" vs Touchstone Sideline 50" (80004)

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 Sideline 50" (80004) comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about homeowners who want a permanent, recessed wall fireplace with smart-home control and are willing to pay for a flush built-in finish — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #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 →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Electric Fireplaces

Touchstone Sideline 50" (80004)

4.7

$549as of Jun 7

The Touchstone Sideline 50 is the wall-recessed electric fireplace most reviewers reach for first, and the reason is consistency: a clean flush-mount fit, a believable flame with adjustable speed and a fully independent ember bed, and smart-home control that actually works. It heats about 400 square feet, so treat it as supplemental warmth rather than a furnace. The trade-off for that polished built-in look is a price north of $600 and a relatively short menu of flame colors, but for a permanent install it is hard to beat.

Strengths

— Recessed or surface wall-mount installation fits standard 2x6 stud framing for a clean built-in look
— Three flame colors (orange, blue, blue-orange) with five brightness levels and a separate 10-color ember bed
— Heat and flame run independently, so you get ambiance year-round without warming the room

Watch-outs

— 1,500W / 5,000 BTU heater only covers about 400 sq ft, so it is a supplemental source, not a primary heater
— Only three flame colors where pricier units offer dozens of combinations
— No crackling sound effect to accompany the flames

$549 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

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.

Touchstone Sideline 50" (80004)

Costs more than the freestanding Duraflame 3D and the budget Westinghouse 50", but its recessed fit and independent ember bed make it a more permanent, built-in upgrade; it cannot match the gas-like log realism of the Dimplex Revillusion RLG25 insert, and it covers a smaller footprint than the 3-sided Touchstone Chesmont.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Touchstone Chesmont 50"	Touchstone Sideline 50" (80004)
Type	Wall-mount, 3-sided	Recessed / wall-mount
Heating Power	1,500W (750W/1500W settings)	1,500W (2 settings)
Heat Output	5,118 BTU	5,000 BTU
Coverage	Up to 400 sq ft	Up to 400 sq ft
Flame Colors	6 flame, 10 media-bed colors	3 (orange, blue, blue-orange), 5 brightness levels
Smart Control	Wi-Fi, Alexa, Google Home, app + remote	Wi-Fi, Alexa, Google Home, app + remote
Includes	Driftwood + crystal media	—
Weight	62 lb	—
Ember Bed	—	10-color, runs independently
Dimensions	—	50.4" W x 21.5" H x 5.5" D

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