Touchstone Sideline 45-Inch Built-In/Wall Mounted Electric Fireplace

The Sideline 45 Takes WiFi and Voice Control, and Recesses Into a 2x6 Wall

The Touchstone Sideline 45 is a linear electric fireplace that recesses into a 2x6 wall or hangs on the surface. It runs on electricity alone, so there is no combustion, no venting, no chimney and no gas line. It connects to WiFi through the Touchstone Fireplace app and works with Alexa and Google Home, and it plugs into a standard outlet.

The 45 Has the Widest Frame in the Sideline Line, Not the Widest Fire

Touchstone builds four linear electric lines. They share the same LED flame and differ mostly in how much black frame surrounds the fire, and how deep the box is.

• Sideline is this one, sold from 28 to 100 inches. The thickest frame of the four, 5 1/2 inches deep, into a 2x6 wall.
• Sideline Elite trims the frame down. The Elite 42 sits three inches narrower on your wall than this 45 and still shows a 38 inch fire, 2 3/8 inches taller.
• Sideline Elite Pro is the deep one. More dimension in the flame, and it adds a crackling sound.
• Fury is 4 1/4 inches deep and the only one that recesses into a 2x4 wall.

Choose the 45 if you are framing a 2x6 wall and want a full 45 inches of black frame as the feature. Choose the Elite 42 if you want that same fire in less wall.

It Recesses Into a 2x6 Wall and Needs Only 8 Inches Below a TV

The rough opening is 5 3/4 inches deep, so it fits a 2x6 wall and is too deep for a 2x4. On the surface, it hangs from the included wall bracket, which should be screwed into at least two studs.

Measured from the front of the glass, Touchstone asks for 8 inches above the fireplace to a TV, mantel or ceiling, and 6 inches below it to the floor. Nothing is required at the sides or back. Keep furniture, curtains and bedding 36 inches away from the front.

1,500 Watts Takes the Chill Off About 400 Square Feet

The heater has two settings, 750 and 1,500 watts, and Touchstone rates it for roughly 400 square feet. Treat that as supplemental heat. It will warm a bedroom or a small living room on a cool evening, and it will not be the room's only heat through a cold winter. The flame runs on its own with the heater off, so it works year round.

Frame to 40 1/8 Inches, Not 45, and Keep It Out of Load-Bearing Walls

Frame to the rough opening, not to the fireplace: 40 1/8 inches wide, 20 1/2 inches high and 5 3/4 inches deep. The glass frame overlaps the wall around the opening, which is why the two numbers are five inches apart.

Touchstone does not allow it in a load-bearing wall, and it should never sit against exposed insulation or a vapor barrier. Line the framed enclosure with drywall.

Plug it straight into a wall outlet on a 15 amp circuit it does not share with other appliances. Touchstone rules out extension cords and surge protectors. If you would rather hide the cord, an electrician can hardwire it.

Other sizes and models: browse the full Touchstone Sideline series. Finish the look with a fireplace mantel.