Home & Kitchen · Head-to-head
Dimplex Revillusion Built-in Electric Firebox vs Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60" Recessed Electric Fireplace
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Electric Fireplaces: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Dimplex Revillusion wins on the one thing that matters most in a fireplace - a genuinely believable flame - as long as you can build it into a wall or mantel. If you want a wide, modern look with smart control and no construction, the Touchstone Sideline Elite is the easier, more flexible buy.
Dimplex Revillusion Built-in Electric Firebox
Buy itThe most convincing electric flame you can buy, if you can build it in.
- Realistic flame effect with a mirror-free 'living flame' with randomized embers and a front-lit log set that give it a very realistic look
- Low-glare glass and an edgeless built-in look that disappears into a wall or mantel
- Solidly built firebox aimed at permanent installation
- Expensive, and you still need a framed cavity or a compatible mantel - it is not a plug-and-hang unit
- Heat output is supplemental only, so it will not be a primary heat source for a large open room
Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60" Recessed Electric Fireplace
Buy itA wide, near-frameless linear fireplace with real smart control at a fair price.
- Big edge-to-edge flame with multiple flame and media-bed colors, plus included log, crystal, and driftwood sets
- WiFi with app control and voice-assistant support, which is less common at this tier
- Installs recessed or surface-mounted with DIY-friendly instructions, and comes with a manufacturer warranty
- The flame is a stylized linear ribbon rather than a 3D log fire, so it reads modern, not traditional
- Glossy front glass can throw reflections in bright rooms, and heat is supplemental
Side by side
The 6 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Dimplex Revillusion Built-in Electric Firebox Our pick | Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60" Recessed Electric Fireplace | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Buyers who want the single most realistic flame and are building it into a wall or mantel surround. | Modern rooms that want a wide, built-in look and app/voice control without framing a full firebox. |
| Price tier | $$$$ · flagship | $$$ · premium |
| Format | Built-in firebox (insert) | Recessed / wall linear |
| Flame realism | Realistic 3D log fire, mirror-free | Very good stylized ribbon |
| Installation | Needs a framed cavity or mantel | Recess or surface-mount, DIY-friendly |
| Heat (supplemental) | Supplemental, check spec sheet | Supplemental, check spec sheet |
| Smart control | Remote | WiFi + app + Alexa/Google |
| Build & longevity | Solid, built for permanent install | Solid, warrantied |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Dimplex Revillusion Built-in Electric Firebox if
buyers who want the single most realistic flame and are building it into a wall or mantel surround.
Know before buying: expensive, and you still need a framed cavity or a compatible mantel - it is not a plug-and-hang unit.
Pick the Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60" Recessed Electric Fireplace if
modern rooms that want a wide, built-in look and app/voice control without framing a full firebox.
Know before buying: the flame is a stylized linear ribbon rather than a 3D log fire, so it reads modern, not traditional.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Dimplex Revillusion Built-in Electric Firebox - The most convincing electric flame you can buy, if you can build it in. Choose the Touchstone Sideline Elite Smart 60" Recessed Electric Fireplace instead if modern rooms that want a wide, built-in look and app/voice control without framing a full firebox.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Electric Fireplaces: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).