Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace review – Cozy retro vibes

REVIEW – It was 18ºF until about noon today, and now it’s a sweltering 26ºF. Winter temperatures are already here in southern Indiana. The first word that comes to mind is brrrrr! I don’t like being cold, and to prove it, I wear a sweater 365 days of the year. When I was offered the  Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace for review, I was happy to accept it. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace (model M1806) is a retro-styled heater that looks like a classic fireplace with a mantel.

What’s in the box?

• Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace (model M1806)
• Remote control
• User manual

Specs

Design and features

The Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace is constructed of birch wood that has been stained to look like a dark oak. You can also get it in a painted white version.

Below the 25-inch wide mantel is the heat register and a door that hides the manual controls. Then at the bottom is the glass front with the faux logs behind it.

Here’s a view of the back of the fireplace.

The Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace isn’t heavy, but it’s more than I wanted to carry down the stairs, so I put the WORX Aerocart to good use to help me roll it around the house to our basement’s French doors.

I set it in place, plugged in the cord, flipped the power switch on the control panel, and enjoyed the realistic look of a burning fireplace while it heated the room.

A small remote is included with the Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace which is nice because it allows me to turn the heater off from the comfort of the LazyBoy loveseat recliner. The remote has all the same controls as the control panel on the heater itself.

The Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace has seven levels of flame brightness that you can adjust. You can even use the fireplace just for the flames and no heat if you like.

It also has two heat levels that they call Heater I and Heater II. For Heater I, it is a max of 750W, and for Heater II it is a max of 1500W. I used an IR thermometer to try to get a heat level reading and this is what I came up with. The thing about the two heat settings is that you don’t really know visually which one is turned on at a given time unless you open the door over the control panel on the fireplace.

See it in action

While the heater is on, it does generate some noise. The specs claim that it is <40dB but when I used my phone and a noise level app, it reported more like 50dB. Is it annoyingly loud? No. But you can hear it.

One big thing missing from the Kismile fireplace is the ability to set the temperature level. There’s no auto-off feature when the heater reaches a customized temp. This is a big oversight in my opinion. My IR heater that we purchased over 15 years ago has that feature as does a cheaper Dreo space heater that I use in my office. So, that is a disappointment.

The Kismile does heat the room well though and the ambiance that it provides is nice especially now during the holidays. Too bad it’s not life-size so that I could hang stockings on it 😉

What I like

• Well made
• Comes with a remote

What I’d change

• No way to set the temperature for auto on/off function

Final thoughts

The Kismile 25” Electric Fireplace is a well-made electric heater that has a vintage style that provides a cozy atmosphere to any room, both in warmth and style. It is easy to control, but that control is missing a vital feature (in my opinion) with the lack of a temperature setting that will turn the heater on and off to keep the temperature steady. For this reason, it’s hard for me to recommend the Kismile even though I like how it looks and heats.

Price: $299.99
Where to buy: Kismile
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Kismile.