Purchased the Ashley electric fireplace by Real Flame to give my living room some character. My home was built in the 50's with no fireplace??? Living in So Cal you probably don't need a fireplace for heating but what is a home with out one. I researched online and found that this style would best fit my homes decor. Most of the reviews regarding quality of the unit were right on par. This unit is constructed very well. The material is based on composite and wood veneers. The mantle was solid wood and the rest of the unit was composite material with a real wood veneer on both sides. The heater box works well, good quality and gives off the appearance of a burning flame about as real that your going to get from an electric fireplace. You can hear the heater blowing when on and the hum of the unit, so no real fire crackle here and don't expect this to heat the entire house. I got the electric unit for around $*** shipped with a ***% coupon, I've seen the price on this unit as high as $***. To finish the unit I built up a hearth from granite tiles that raised it up about 6" to give it a more profound appearance. This unit will fit flush to wall but you will need to remove base boards to do so. Overall very satisfied with the unit thus far!