I bought this for our fireplace here in Florida.  It has been a rather cold winter so I wanted something that would look nice in the fireplace without having to go to the trouble of starting a real fire.  The other reviews were right on as far as the "crackling fire" sound...nope sounded like tin cans hitting together.  We just turn the sound off.  The glow from the "embers" are not very bright, but the price was right!