Comparison · the media bed
Logs vs crystals vs glass
The stuff sitting under the flame is the cheapest thing that changes how convincing a fireplace looks, and it is usually a separate purchase nobody mentions until after you have ordered.
By Scooter M.Published September 6, 2026Last reviewed September 6, 2026
Disclosure: the buy links below are affiliate links. We earn a commission on Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you. It has never changed a ranking on this site, and every roundup here names a unit we think you should skip. How this site is funded.
The thing that matters more than which one you pick
Whether the bed is lit separately from the flame. Real fires glow from underneath — the hottest, brightest part is at the bottom — so a bright flame sitting above a dark bed inverts the physics and reads as wrong even to people who cannot say why. A cheap crystal bed that is independently lit beats an expensive one that is not.
Check for a separate ember-bed or media-bed control before you spend anything on the media itself. Many units have one and ship with it switched off by default, which means the single most effective improvement available to you may already be in the box and unused.
The three options, and what each actually does
| Media | What it does to the flame | Suits | Where it fails |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logs | Breaks the flame up and gives it something to come from. Needs light underneath to work | Traditional rooms, masonry openings, anywhere the fireplace should look conventional | Flat-lit logs look like moulded plastic. In a linear unit they look out of place entirely |
| Crystals | Scatters and refracts light, producing sparkle and apparent depth | Linear and modern units; rooms with cool color schemes | Can read as jewelry-store rather than fire if over-lit or too blue |
| Glass or pebbles | Similar to crystals but with larger, softer shapes and less sparkle | Modern units where crystals feel too showy | The least fire-like of the three if the bed is not lit at all |
| Driftwood | A middle option — the shape language of logs with a lighter, more contemporary tone | Modern rooms that still want something organic | Shares the log problem: needs under-lighting to avoid reading as a prop |
Quick picks
Ranked. The running cost column is computed from each unit's rated wattage, not quoted from a manufacturer. Tap a row for the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Cost per hour | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Touchstone Sideline Elite 60 (80037)Ships with log, crystal and driftwood media and ten media-bed colors. The unit that lets you actually change your mind. | Having all three options | 27.5¢1,500 W · 5,118 BTU | |
| 2 | R.W.FLAME 60" Ultra-Thin Recessed & Wall-Mount Fireplace12 ember-bed colors across five brightness levels. The bed is lit independently, which matters more than what it is made of. | Lighting the bed rather than changing it | 27.5¢1,500 W · 5,118 BTU | |
| 3 | PuraFlame Klaus 33" Electric Fireplace InsertA resin log raised on a grate above the ember bed, so light gets underneath it. That detail is the whole argument for logs. | A traditional log done properly | 27.5¢1,500 W · 5,118 BTU | |
| 4 | Dimplex Revillusion RLG25 25" Plug-In Log SetA glowing ash mat beneath the logs. Light from under the fuel is what real fires do, and almost nothing at the cheap end reproduces it. | The best log realism available | 27.5¢1,500 W · 5,118 BTU |
#ad Buy links are affiliate links — we earn a commission on Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you, and it never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Running cost is computed at 18.34¢/kWh; see what these actually cost to run.
Match the media to the unit, not to your taste
This is where most people get it wrong. The media bed has to agree with the shape of the fireplace, because the two together are making one argument about what you are looking at.
- Traditional insert in a masonry opening → logs. The whole design is pretending to be a wood fire; crystals contradict it.
- Linear wall unit → crystals or glass. A 60-inch horizontal band of flame with logs in it looks like two products arguing.
- Three-sided or corner unit → crystals or glass. They read from every angle; a log has a front and a back.
- Freestanding stove → logs. Same reasoning as the traditional insert.
- Water vapor → whatever the manufacturer supplies. The mist is doing the work; the bed is secondary.
The purchase nobody mentions
Media is frequently a separate purchase even when the product photography shows it fitted. Touchstone's Sideline 60 listing, for example, notes that logs and crystals complete the look — which is to say they are not necessarily in the box. Check what the specific unit ships with before you budget, because arriving at an empty glass box is a genuinely deflating way to finish an install.
What none of it changes
| Usage | Hours | Heat on (1,500 W) | Flame only (~100 W) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One evening | 4 | $1.10 | $0.07 |
| A week of evenings | 28 | $7.70 | $0.51 |
| A month, 4 hrs a night | 120 | $33.01 | $2.20 |
| A 90-day winter, 4 hrs a night | 360 | $99.04 | $6.60 |
| Per hour | 1 | 27.5¢ | 1.8¢ |
The media bed is purely visual. It draws nothing, changes no heat figure, and costs nothing to run. That is unusual on this site — most of what we write about has an arithmetic consequence — and it is why this is one of the few upgrades we will recommend purely on how it looks.
#1 · Having all three options
Touchstone Sideline Elite 60 (80037)
Ships with log, crystal and driftwood media and ten media-bed colors. The unit that lets you actually change your mind.
Most units commit you to one look. Touchstone lists this one with log, crystals and driftwood media, plus ten media-bed colors and five light intensities alongside six flame colors and three flame speeds.
That matters more than a spec sheet suggests, because which media bed suits a room is genuinely hard to predict from a product photo. Being able to swap between a log set and crystals after the unit is on the wall is worth more than another two flame colors.
The con is the usual one for this model: 59.75 by 19.25 by 5.5 inches means the wall gets built out for a flush install, and the heater is the same 1,500 W and 5,118 BTU per hour as the standard Sideline 60 at a fraction of the price.
What it does not do: The same 5 1/2 in depth problem as the standard Sideline 60, and the same 1,500 W heater. Everything the extra money buys is on the front of the unit.
Published specs
- Dimensions:
- 59 3/4 in W x 19 1/4 in H x 5 1/2 in D
- Heat output:
- 5,118 BTU/hr
- Heater:
- 750 W / 1,500 W, thermostat 68-88 °F
- Flame viewing area:
- 56 in x 14 3/8 in
- Flame:
- 6 flame colors, 10 media-bed colors, 5 intensities, 3 speeds
- Coverage:
- Rated by the manufacturer for up to 400 sq ft
- Extras:
- 8-hour timer, WiFi, plug-in or hardwire
What it costs to run
- 27.5¢/hr on full heat
- $99.04 across a 90-day winter at 4 hrs a night
- 5,118 BTU/hr · 12.5 A on a 120 V circuit
Computed at 18.34¢/kWh (EIA, June 2026). Your rate will differ — work out your own.
#ad Touchstone Home Products is not a program we have joined, so we earn nothing here. How this is funded. Price shown on the retailer's page.
Specs from: Touchstone Sideline Elite 60 (80037) product page; Retailer listing — 59 3/4 x 19 1/4 x 5 1/2 in, 5,118 BTU, 56 in flame area.
#2 · Lighting the bed rather than changing it
R.W.FLAME 60" Ultra-Thin Recessed & Wall-Mount Fireplace
12 ember-bed colors across five brightness levels. The bed is lit independently, which matters more than what it is made of.
This unit approaches the problem from the other direction: rather than swapping the media, it lights whatever is there in 12 colors at five brightness levels, independently of the 12 flame colors.
That is the more useful lever. Real fires glow from underneath — the hottest, brightest part of a fire is at the bottom — and a bed that is lit separately reproduces that. A unit with a beautiful crystal bed and no independent bed lighting looks wrong in a way most people cannot articulate.
Cons: 12 colors is more configuration than anyone uses and you will settle on one within a week. The warranty is one year, the shortest in our catalog. And published depth is 3.85 inches while the listing also references 2x6 framing — confirm the rough opening with the brand.
What it does not do: No mantel and no surround. The published depth is 3.85 in, but the manufacturer's own listing also references 2x6 framing — confirm the rough-opening requirement with R.W.FLAME before you cut a 60-inch hole in anything.
Published specs
- Dimensions:
- 60 in L x 18.1 in H x 3.85 in D
- Heater:
- 750 W low / 1,500 W high
- Electrical:
- 120 V AC, 60 Hz
- Coverage:
- Rated by the manufacturer for up to 400 sq ft
- Flame:
- 12 flame colors, 12 ember-bed colors, 5 speeds, 5 brightness levels
- Control:
- Touchscreen panel and remote, adjustable thermostat
- Warranty:
- 1 year
What it costs to run
- 27.5¢/hr on full heat
- $99.04 across a 90-day winter at 4 hrs a night
- 5,118 BTU/hr · 12.5 A on a 120 V circuit
Computed at 18.34¢/kWh (EIA, June 2026). Your rate will differ — work out your own.
#ad We earn a commission on this link at no cost to you. How this is funded. Price shown on the retailer's page.
Specs from: R.W.FLAME 60 in listing — 60 x 18.1 x 3.85 in, 750/1500 W, 120 V, 400 sq ft; R.W.FLAME recessed / wall-mount range page.
#3 · A traditional log done properly
PuraFlame Klaus 33" Electric Fireplace Insert
A resin log raised on a grate above the ember bed, so light gets underneath it. That detail is the whole argument for logs.
Logs only work if light can get under them. A log sitting flat on the floor of a firebox is lit from the front and dark beneath, which reads immediately as an object rather than as something burning. The Klaus raises an 11 13/16 inch resin log on a grate above the ember bed.
Combined with the mesh screen breaking up the light and the three-sided brick interior giving the fire a plausible place to be, these are old-fashioned cues and they do more work than most of what gets marketed as flame technology.
The con is that it is a reflector-generation LED flame, so the usual caveat applies: convincing at night head-on, much less so in daylight or from an angle. The media bed cannot fix that — see what makes a flame look fake.
What it does not do: No trim kit in the base version — an existing masonry opening wider than 33 in leaves a visible gap unless you buy the trim separately.
Published specs
- Heater:
- 750 W / 1,500 W, two settings
- Width:
- 33 1/16 in
- Height:
- 25 9/16 in
- Flame:
- LED, three intensity settings, runs with heat off
- Front:
- Glass door, mesh screen, three-sided brick interior
- Log:
- Resin cast log, 11 13/16 in high, on a grate over the ember bed
What it costs to run
- 27.5¢/hr on full heat
- $99.04 across a 90-day winter at 4 hrs a night
- 5,118 BTU/hr · 12.5 A on a 120 V circuit
Computed at 18.34¢/kWh (EIA, June 2026). Your rate will differ — work out your own.
#ad We earn a commission on this link at no cost to you. How this is funded. Price shown on the retailer's page.
Specs from: PuraFlame Klaus insert listing (specifications and dimensions); Walmart product listing — 750/1500 W rating confirmed.
#4 · The best log realism available
Dimplex Revillusion RLG25 25" Plug-In Log Set
A glowing ash mat beneath the logs. Light from under the fuel is what real fires do, and almost nothing at the cheap end reproduces it.
The ash mat is the feature. Rather than lighting the log from the front, Revillusion puts a glowing ember layer underneath it, which is where the light in a real fire actually comes from. It is the single most convincing thing a log-based unit can do.
Published as 25.625 by 19 by 13 inches, 25 pounds, 1,500 W at 120 V and 12.5 A, 5,118 BTU per hour, 400 square feet, plug-in with a multi-function remote.
Two cons. It is 13 inches deep, which rules out shallow fireboxes and is deeper than plenty of full inserts. And it is a log set, so you are committed — there is no crystal option on a product whose entire design is the logs and the ash beneath them.
What it does not do: At 13 in deep it needs a genuinely deep firebox — considerably more than the shallow log sets it competes with. No enclosure or trim; the existing masonry stays visible around it.
Published specs
- Dimensions:
- 25.625 in W x 19 in H x 13 in D
- Weight:
- 25 lb
- Electrical:
- 120 V, 12.5 A, 1,500 W
- Heat output:
- 5,118 BTU/hr
- Heater:
- Fan-forced ceramic
- Coverage:
- Rated by the manufacturer for up to 400 sq ft
- Wiring:
- Plug-in
- Flame:
- LED, with a glowing ash mat under the logs
What it costs to run
- 27.5¢/hr on full heat
- $99.04 across a 90-day winter at 4 hrs a night
- 5,118 BTU/hr · 12.5 A on a 120 V circuit
Computed at 18.34¢/kWh (EIA, June 2026). Your rate will differ — work out your own.
#ad We earn a commission on this link at no cost to you. How this is funded. Price shown on the retailer's page.
Specs from: Dimplex Revillusion RLG25 product page — dimensions, 1,500 W, 5,118 BTU, 400 sq ft; Dimplex RLG25 owner's manual.
Questions people actually ask
Which is better in an electric fireplace, logs or crystals?
Neither is better in general — they suit different units. Logs belong in traditional inserts and stoves where the design is imitating a wood fire; crystals and glass belong in linear and modern units where logs would look out of place. What matters more than the choice is whether the bed is lit separately from the flame.
Do electric fireplaces come with the media included?
Sometimes, and frequently not. Logs and crystals are often a separate purchase even when the product photography shows them fitted. Check the specific unit's listing before you budget.
Can I change the media bed later?
On most units, yes — the media sits in a tray and lifts out. Some units are supplied with more than one option; Touchstone lists log, crystals and driftwood for the Sideline Elite 60, for example. Check whether the unit accepts third-party media before buying any.
Does the media bed affect heat output?
No. It is purely visual and draws no power. Every plug-in unit stays at 1,500 W and about 5,118 BTU per hour whatever is in the tray.
Why does my log set look fake?
Most often because the log is lit from the front with nothing underneath it. Real fires glow from below, so a log raised on a grate over a lit ember bed, or sitting on a glowing ash mat, reads far more convincingly than one lying flat on a dark floor.
Sources
Every figure on this page is either taken from one of these documents or computed from a formula shown on the page. Nothing here is recalled from memory.
- Touchstone Sideline Elite 60 (80037) product page — 59.75 x 19.25 x 5.5 in, 5,118 BTU, 750/1500 W
- Touchstone Sideline 60 (80011) product page — 60 x 21.5 x 5.5 in, 5,000 BTU, 400 sq ft
- R.W.FLAME 60 in recessed / wall-mount listing — 60 x 18.1 x 3.85 in, 750/1500 W, 120 V
- PuraFlame Klaus 33 in insert — 750/1500 W, dimensions
- Dimplex Revillusion RLG25 log set — 25.625 x 19 x 13 in, 1,500 W, 120 V, 12.5 A, 5,118 BTU
- EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.3 — US residential average, June 2026
Read next
- What makes a flame look fake
Six tells with physical causes — and the three you can fix in a minute with the remote.
- Flame technology explained
The four flame mechanisms, how each physically works, and the exact conditions where each one gives itself away.
- Electric log sets vs fireplace inserts
One leaves your firebox visible, one covers it. Depth, effort and cost compared, with the units that suit each.
- Do electric fireplaces look cheap?
Yes, in predictable conditions. What causes it, which rooms make it worse, and what genuinely fixes it.