I was a little skeptical about buying an electric fireplace.  Would it look cheap and tacky?  Would it actually heat the room?  But my fears were put to rest when it arrived.  My fiance was able to put it together within 45 minutes, and despite it being rather heavy, the process was easy.  The wood is quite good quality, and the color is rich.  The "burning log" brightness can be adjusted and is realistic enough, as are the pleasantly dancing flames.  Our living room is rather small, so while the room was never what you'd call hot, this heater did take the winter chill off nicely.  All together, the look and functionality is just what we were looking for, and we have gotten many compliments on it.  I would certainly recommend it.