We just put the Ashton Grand Media Electric fireplace together, and turned it on. So far, we love it!  I looked at dozens of fireplaces before making this purchase, and decided on this one due to the near five star rating. 
First off it was packaged perfectly. Everything was there and the directions were easy to follow. I did it mostly by myself in one evening with my husband helping with some of the heavier pieces. It went together without problems and there were no damaged pieces.
It's quite impressive in size with lots of shelving.  
We find the "Real Flame" brand fireplace quite realistic for electric. The heater worked nicely with a quiet blower.  We will see how it heats when the temperature drops. I plan to update my post after I've used it for a while. 
Thanks to all the kind Reviewers who helped me decide on this purchase! :)