Author: Maurice Savaryego, M.Sc.Eng. (Learn More)
​(Please note that our website is supported by commissions earned when products are sold through the provided links.)
​
Compare Wall Mounted 50-inch Linear Electric Fireplaces: Touchstone vs. Napoleon

Touchstone Onyx Wall Mounted FireplaceLuxurious Touchstone Fireplace (Photo Credit: Touchstone)
If your home has a room that looks boring and that needs some quick brightening-up, you may want to consider hanging a linear electric fireplace as the one shown in the picture.  These fireplaces can be directly mounted on the wall or recessed into the wall when the heating element and the control panel are on the front of the unit.

Linear electric fireplaces come in many shapes, styles and types. Some are used just for decoration, to fill up an old wood fireplace recess that is no more operational, or to simply brighten up a dull room. Traditionally, only few of them have been installed for the precise purpose of heat generation, mainly because wood and gas fireplaces have been shown to be cheaper and more efficient for heating the home.  Also, in the past, most electric fireplaces lacked elegant style and came with tacky and cheap looking artificial logs that would shine or sparkle when the unit was plugged.

Nowadays, you can get electric fireplaces that are not only very stylish looking with realistic looking flames, but that can also be used for heating the room in which they are installed without costing a lot in electricity bills. In warmer days, when no heating is required, you can simply turn on the flames display without turning on the heat and still enjoy the beautiful ambiance created. On cooler days, if heating is required, you can turn on the heat as well.  These units usually come with a remote-control device that can be used to turn on/off the unit and adjust the heat generation as well as the LED flames display.


​The article will compare the following 50-inch electric linear fireplaces which were the most popular among Amazon customers at the time this article was written (these fireplaces had also received excellent reviews with an average rating of at least 4 stars each, out of 5 stars):
  • Touchstone Onyx (made for surface mounting to wall)
  • Napoleon Allure (made for both surface mounting and recessed mounting to wall)

If you are in a hurry, and you would like to see right away price information on the above listed fireplaces, please click below:
Linear Electric Fireplaces on Amazon


​Comparing the Selected Linear Electric Wall Mounted Fireplaces

The following pictures show the  Touchstone and Napoleon fireplaces to be compared:
​

​​The following table compares the various features that come with these fireplaces.   
​Please read the explanations to the table notes that follow for a better understanding of the features.
Table Notes 1 - 8 Explained:

Note 1:
  • Touchstone Onyx has its control panel on the side of the unit. Therefore, if the unit is recessed into the wall, it can not be accessed. In that case only the remote-control can be used.
  • Napoleon Allure has a touch display panel in front of the unit. Note that the on-screen controls dim after 10 seconds, disappearing completely off screen.

​Note 2:
  • Touchstone Onyx was designed to be mounted on the wall like flat-panel TV.  Because it  has the heat vent on top of the unit, it should not be recessed into the wall unless you are planning to use the unit with the heat turned off. But, even then, because the control buttons are on the side of the unit, you will not be able to access them if the unit is recessed into the wall. The preferred way of mounting this unit is on the surface of the wall like a TV, and not recessed into the wall.
  • Napoleon Allure has its control panel and heating element in front of the unit. It can be mounted on the surface of the wall like a TV, or it can be recessed into the wall for a flush mount. 

Note 3:
Both fireplaces considered here come with a remote-control device that allows invocation of all controls that can be invoked from the control panel on the units.

Note 4:
  • TheTouchstone fireplace can be set to high heat, low heat or no heat: When the heat control button is pressed, the fan blows cool air for 10 seconds, and then starts blowing warm air as it is in the low heat mode (750W).  When the button is pressed for a second time, the unit starts blowing hot air and goes into the high heat mode (1500W). Finally, if the button is pressed again, the heater turn off, the fan blows cool air and then turns off. 
    Note that there is no Thermostat and no temperature selection.  
  • Napoleon Allure is thermostat controlled and the desired temperature level can be set either on the touch control panel or using the remote-control device. The unit allows you select the following operation modes:
    - No heater or blower.
    - Blower only.
    - Heater blows warm air (750W).
    - Heater blows hot air (1500W).

Note 5:
The no-heat setting of both fireplaces considered here operates the unit without heat, for flame effect only.

Note 6:
Napoleon Allure allows changing the color of the flame: either orange, blue or both colors.

Note 7:
  • The Touchstone fireplace allows you to adjust the flames depending on your desired luminosity with five flame brightness settings, which ranges from a dull ember glow to a full blazing light.
  • Napoleon Allure allows controlling the intensity of both the blue and orange flames. You could have the orange flame at zero and the blue flame at maximum intensity, or vice versa,  the blue flame at zero and the orange flame at maximum intensity. Or you could have a combination of both flame types with any desired intensity.

Note 8:
  • The Touchstone fireplace is equipped with a timer that allows shut off in 30 minutes to 7.5 hours.
  • Napoleon Allure is also equipped with a timer. It has 9 Settings: (0.5h, 1h, 2h, 3h, 4h, 5h, 6h, 7h, 8h). 

For exact price information on the Touchstone and Napoleon fireplaces considered here, please refer to the Amazon products section below.  Note that sometimes Amazon provides a discount on the List Price of sold products. If a discount exists, both the List Price and the actual Amazon Price will be shown when you click the Amazon product link images below.
Napoleon Allure Fireplace
Napoleon Allure Fireplace (Photo Credits: Napoleon)


​So which of the electric fireplaces is best for you?

​The linear electric fireplaces considered here are excellent products as shown by the good reviews and excellent average rating each had received from Amazon customers at the time this article was written. Indeed, they had each received an average rating of 4.5 stars (out of 5 stars)! Therefore, there is a good chance that you would be quite happy with any of these fireplaces.

However, there are some important differences that you may want to consider before making up your mind:
  • If you need a wall mounted or wall recessed electric fireplace for just displaying the beauty of the flames and not for heating the room, then any of these fireplaces can be selected. Note that they all have a no-heat option.
  • If you need the fireplace also for heating the room, then you need to make your selection based on how you will be mounting the fireplace on the wall:
    - If you want the fireplace to be recessed into the wall, you should consider the Napoleon Allure. This fireplace has its control panel and the heat element in front of the unit. So, it can safely be recessed into the wall. ​
    ​-  Touchstone Onyx should be recessed into the wall only if the no-heat option will be used, as it has its heating element on top of the unit (not in front!). Note also that when Touchstone Onyx is recessed, you will not be able to access the control panel which is on the side of the unit, and you will need to use the remote-control device to control the fireplace.
    ​- If you need the fireplace to be mounted on the surface of the wall, you can use anyone of these fireplaces listed above, whether you choose to use the unit for heating or not.
  • Only Napoleon Allure is equipped with a thermostat and allows you to set a desired temperature. Touchstone Onyx has only high heat, low heat and no-heat options.
  • Only Napoleon Allure allows modifying the color of the flames: orange, blue or both colors.
  • Napoleon Allure comes only with crystal ember, while the Touchstone fireplace comes with both logs and crystals so you can choose the ember type depending on the mood you want to create.  
​
​Clearly, Napoleon Allure is more expensive than the Touchstone Onyx. But, the additional features, such as the thermostat, the ability to use it in both recessed and surface mount modes without having to turn off the heating, the touch display panel in front of the unit, and the variable ember colors justify the higher price.

Selected​  Linear Electric Fireplaces on Amazon

Please click the Amazon US link image below for the fireplace of your choice to see exact price information or to purchase.
​Please Note: For non-US customers, when you click the links below, you will be provided with the Amazon links for your country (such as Canada or UK), if the product is available in your country.
Note:
  • When you get the Touchstone Onyx fireplace shown below, both faux-logs and crystals are included in the purchase, so you can use the type of ember you prefer.
  • Napoleon Allure comes with a crystal ember.
​Note also that when you click the Amazon product links below, you will be getting a choice of additional fireplace sizes whenever other sizes are available.
​

Touchstone Onyx
50-inch Fireplace

Napoleon Allure
50-inch Fireplace
Please Note:

As mentioned above, Touchstone Onyx can not be recessed mounted into the wall and needs to be mounted on the wall like a TV.
​If you'd like a Touchstone fireplace that can be recessed mounted into the wall, you might want to consider the Touchstone Sideline 80004 fireplace described below:
​
  • DESIGNED FOR IN-WALL INSTALLATION: It is 50.4 inches wide, 21.5 inches high, and 5.5 inches deep and designed to be recessed mounted into the wall.
  • REALISTIC LED-GENERATED FLAMES –  The intensity of the blaze depends on the five setting options, from the glow of quiet embers to the warmth of a raging blaze. A built-in sleep timer automatically turns off the fireplace anywhere from 30 minutes to 7.5 hours.
  • LOG SET AND CRYSTAL HEARTH INCLUDED – This electric fireplace set comes with faux fire logs and crystals that replicate the look and feel of a traditional fireplace without the smell, mess, and danger of an open fire. 
  • TWO INNOVATIVE HEAT SETTINGS – Engineered with high and low heat options, you can use this fireplace any time of year. The fireplace can also be operated with flames only, no heat!
  • STYLISHLY MODERN SLIM DESIGN – Combining functionality and state-of-the-art design, this electric fireplace offers a crisp white glass panel encased in a sleek black frame. ​​
Note: If you are looking for a wall mounted electric fireplace of different size and different model than those described and compared above, you can view below all Touchstone and Napoleon wall mounted electric fireplaces  available on Amazon:

If you have not found the Touchstone wall mounted electric fireplace you need among the above offerings, you can view all Touchstone wall mounted electric fireplaces available on Amazon by clicking below:

ALL TOUCHSTONE WALL MOUNTED ELECTRIC FIREPLACES ON AMAZON


If you have not found the Napoleon wall mounted electric fireplace you need among the above offerings, you can view all Napoleon wall mounted electric fireplaces available on Amazon by clicking below:

ALL NAPOLEON WALL MOUNTED ELECTRIC FIREPLACES ON AMAZON

Have you not found yet what you were looking for?
Global Amazon Search

If you have not found what you are looking for among the above offerings, you can still search for it or for ANY OTHER PRODUCT you may need by clicking below and searching for what you need on Amazon.com:


Share Button