80048

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Touchstone Forte Steel 40-Inch Recessed Electric Fireplace with Mesh Screen (#80048)

Name: Touchstone Forte Steel 40-Inch Recessed Electric Fireplace with Mesh Screen (#80048)
Brand: Touchstone
SKU: 80048
Price: 549.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$549.00 $829.00

The Forte electric fireplace with a steel mesh screen across the front. The screen stays cool to the touch and the glass behind it is non-reflective, so what you see is the fire rather than the room behind you. It is the Forte to pick with children or pets in the house.

Want the plain glass version? See the Forte 40.

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Free delivery to contiguous U.S. + free 30-day returns. Est. arrival: Oct 4–11

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Photo Gallery

Forte steel installed in a farmhouse style home

Touchstone Forte Steel 40-Inch electric fireplace installed in a room

Touchstone 80048 Video

Description

A Steel Mesh Screen Across the Front of the Fire

The Touchstone Forte Steel 40 is the Forte firebox with a metal screen fitted across the front and non-reflective glass behind it. The screen stays cool to the touch, and the non-reflective glass means you see the fire rather than the room reflected back at you, which is the single biggest difference between this and an ordinary glass-fronted electric fireplace.

The Screen Is Why People Choose This One

A cool-touch screen changes what the fireplace is safe to live with. In a house with small children or a dog that leans on things, the screen is the reason to take this version over the plain-glass Forte 40, and nothing else about the fireplace changes.

The Tallest Flame Display Touchstone Builds

Five flame settings and three color options, orange, blue, or both together, over a log set and crystals that both come in the box. The Forte fire display is taller than any other Touchstone fireplace, which is what makes an upright firebox read as a real opening rather than a lit strip.

5,000 BTU Warms About 400 Square Feet

Two heat settings, a shut-off timer, and a flame that runs with the heater off so it works year-round. Treat the heat as supplemental for the room it is in rather than a replacement for the furnace.

The Opening Is Not the Same as the Plain Forte 40

The mesh screen makes the Forte Steel a wider unit than the standard Forte 40, so it needs its own opening rather than that one. Touchstone's own sources currently disagree on the width, and we would rather send you to the manual than print a figure that turns out to be three inches out. Confirm the rough opening against the manual on this page before you cut anything, and note that it is 5 3/4 inches deep, so it clears a 2x6 wall. Touchstone recommends leaving 8 inches between the top of the fireplace and a mounted television or the ceiling.

Plug It In, and Keep the Circuit to Itself

The Forte Steel plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet rather than hardwiring, so plan the outlet before the wall closes. Run it on a 120-volt 15-amp circuit, keep other appliances off that circuit, and never use an extension cord or a power strip with an electric fireplace.

Features

Forte Steel 40-Inch Electric Fireplace with its front heating vent is designed for recessed mounting in wall but can also be wall-mounted
Slim frame with a large 31" x 17" fireplace display area showcases Touchstone's industry-leading realistic LED flames
Tallest Flame Display compared to other Touchstone fireplaces
Unmatched realistic flames display with 5 flame settings and 3 flame color options (orange, blue, and blue-orange)
The built-in 5,000 BTU heater adds supplemental heat to a room up to 400 square feet. The heater has two heat settings (high and low).
The metal screen front remains cool to the touch, for added peace of mind when using the fireplace around children or pets.
Dual-mode operates with or without heat for only flame effect so you can enjoy your fireplace all year round.
Black Frame, Log set, and crystals are included
Built-in timer mode for shut-off in 30 minutes to 7.5 hours.
We recommend placing your Forte Steel at least 8" below your ceiling or 8" below your mounted flat screen television for safe clearance from the heater.
Plugs into a standard 120V outlet
Watts: 1,500
BTU's: 5,000
Room Coverage: 400 ft.
Voltage: 120v
Amperes: 12
Fireplace Dimensions: 26" H x 40" W x 5 5/8" D
Recessed Dimensions: 25 5/16" H x 32 1/2" W x 5 1/4" D
Rough Opening Dimensions: 25 9/16" H x 32 3/4" W x 5 3/4" D
Fire Dimensions: 17 1/8" H x 30 7/8" W
Fireplace Weight: 44.8 lbs.
Warranty: 1 Year

Specifications & Manuals

Fuel Type

Electric
Venting Type

Ventless
Installation

Indoor, Built-in, Wall Mounted, 2 x 6 Installation, Flush Mounted
Viewing Configuration

Single-Sided
Style

Firebox
Aesthetic

Traditional
Width

40 in
Height

26 in
Depth

5 5/8 in
Weight

44.8 lb
BTU Output

5,000
Heat Coverage

400 sq. ft.
Voltage

120V
Wattage

1,500W
Circuit Requirement

Plug-In, Dedicated 120V 15A Circuit
Material

Stone
Color

Black
Certifications

ETL Approved
Warranty

1 Year
Manuals

📄 Touchstone SidelineSteelRecessedFireplaceSeriesManual.pdf

What's In The Box

Electric Fireplace - 1 pc.
Log Set - 1 set
Glass Crystals - 1 bag
Remote Control - 1 pc.
User's Manual - 1 pc.

Touchstone Forte Steel 40-Inch Recessed Electric Fireplace with Mesh Screen (#80048) FAQ's

What does the steel mesh screen actually do?

Two things. The screen itself stays cool to the touch, and the glass behind it is non-reflective, so what you see is the fire rather than the room reflected back at you.

That combination is the reason to choose this over the plain-glass Forte 40, particularly with small children or a dog in the house.

What size opening does the Forte Steel need?

Not the same one as the plain Forte 40. The mesh screen makes this a wider unit, so an opening cut to the Forte 40's size will be too narrow.

Touchstone's own sources currently disagree on the exact width, so rather than print a figure that may be three inches out, confirm it against the manual linked on this page before cutting. The opening is 5 3/4 inches deep, which clears a 2x6 wall.

We have raised the discrepancy with Touchstone and will put the confirmed figure here once they answer.

How is it different from the standard Forte 40?

The screen and the non-reflective glass, and nothing else about how it runs. Same firebox, same 31 by 17-inch display, same tallest-in-the-line flame height and the same two heat settings.

One practical difference: the opening. The screen makes the Forte Steel the wider of the two, so the two models do not share a rough opening even though they share a firebox.

Can the Forte Steel be hardwired?

No. It plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet, so plan the outlet placement before the wall closes.

Run it on a 120-volt 15-amp circuit and keep other appliances off that circuit. Never use an extension cord or a power strip with an electric fireplace.

How close can a TV go above it?

Touchstone recommends at least 8 inches between the top of the fireplace and a mounted television, or the ceiling.

Size the fireplace against the screen as well. A fireplace narrower than the television above it reads as undersized however neatly it is installed, so keep the fireplace at least as wide as the TV.