Product images: Amazon listings

Touchstone Forte 40" Smart Review

Name: Touchstone Forte 40" Smart
Brand: Touchstone
SKU: B00LI6A7J4

7.0Good · out of 10Rated from the listing's specs, no buyer reviews yet

A 40-inch width, a 1,500 W heater and 30 flame color combinations: the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart covers what matters most in a recessed or wall-mounted fireplace. This Touchstone recessed or wall-mounted fireplace suits running the fireplace from the sofa or your phone, and its sibling listing, the Touchstone Sideline 60" Smart, holds #1 in our built-in electric fireplace insert ranking.

Variants of this model

Each variant has its own page with its price and specs.

Touchstone Sideline 60" Smart · 60 Inches · 9.5/10
Touchstone Sideline 36" Smart · 36 Inches · 7.0/10
Touchstone Sideline 40" Smart · 40 Inches · 7.0/10
Touchstone Sideline 45" Smart · 45 Inches · 7.0/10
Touchstone Sideline 72" Smart · 72 Inches · 6.9/10
Touchstone Sideline 80004 50" · 50 Inches · 6.5/10

Price$549Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

Check the price on Amazon ↗Affiliate link · price and stock on Amazon

Compare side by side ↗

Specifications

Brand	Touchstone
Category	Built-in & wall-mounted inserts
Stated width	40 in
Heater output	1500 W
Supply voltage	120 V
Installation type	Recessed (in-wall)
Flame colors	30 color combinations
Controls	Remote, app / Alexa
Thermostat	Stated in the listing
Timer	Stated in the listing
Media	Log set, crystals
ASIN	B00LI6A7J4

Full listing title: Touchstone Smart Electric Fireplace-The Forte 40" Recessed Mounted-30 Realistic Ember Color/Flame Options-1,500W Heater w/Thermostat-Black-Log & Crystal Hearth Options-Alexa/WiFi Enabled

Listing evidence

Stated width	40" Exact listing
Heater output	1,500W Exact listing
Supply voltage	120V Exact listing
Installation type	Recessed Exact listing

Updated October 2026

Exact listing, ASIN B00LI6A7J4

Rating from a published formula

Compared with similar inserts

The two recessed or wall-mounted fireplaces closest to it on our rating, with a dated price.

Compare side by side ↗

Touchstone Forte 40" Smart

7.0Good · out of 10$549 Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

Stated: 40 in wide · 1,500 W heater · Recessed (in-wall)
Built-in & wall-mounted inserts

This product ↑

Dimplex IgniteXL 100" Driftwood Kit

7.0Good · out of 10$4,199.99 Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

Stated: 100 in wide · Recessed (in-wall)
Built-in & wall-mounted inserts

See the review ↗

Dimplex IgniteXL 60" (XLF60)

7.0Good · out of 10$3,040 Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

Stated: 60 in wide · Recessed (in-wall)
158 buyer reviews
Built-in & wall-mounted inserts

See the review ↗

Heater output, per the listing

The heat the listing states. Plenty to take the chill off the room you sit in; how far it reaches depends on your insulation, windows and ceiling, and our supplemental heat planner turns your room into a rough answer.

What it has going for it

What changes in your evenings

40 in wide, per the listing. A compact size for a narrow wall, a bedroom or a study. Check in the installation drawing whether the figure is the frame or the viewing area, then hold it against your wall cavity.

1,500 W. Supplemental heat for the room you sit in: it takes the edge off a cold evening while the furnace stays turned down. Real coverage depends on your insulation, windows and ceiling height. Our supplemental heat planner puts it in numbers for your room.

30 color combinations. Classic orange for winter evenings, something bolder when friends are over, or just the embers glowing behind a movie. How real each setting looks is for your eyes to judge in the photos and videos; the count is the seller's. Our flame effects guide sorts the settings you'll use from the ones you'll forget.

Living room or bedroom?

For the living room, all those flame colors are made for showing off when friends come round. The app or Alexa can start the fire before you are even home.

For a bedroom or a study, at 40 in wide it fits a bedroom wall or a study. The timer switches it off after you fall asleep. The thermostat holds the temperature instead of baking the room.

On balance it is happiest in a bedroom, a study or a cosy corner.

Great for you if…

You have a narrow wall or a bedroom to warm up
You want the chill off one room on cold evenings
You like to change the mood of the room

Skip it if…

You want the flame on its own in summer: the listing we read doesn't say the flame runs without heat
You want it to replace your heating: it is supplemental heat for one room
You'd rather wait for buyer reviews: none are captured for this listing yet

What Touchstone promises

The seller states, word for word, in the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart listing:

The Forte’s 5 flame settings radiate a soft ember glow up to an intense blaze.
Recommended minimum of 8” of space between the top of the fireplace and your TV, mantel, picture ceiling.
The Forte comes with a 6-foot power cord for a 110-120V outlet.
Front facing heater vents allow you to position the Forte just 8” under a flat screen TV.
We recommend 8 inches of space between your fireplace & TV.

Hold these against the manual of the exact model before you order.

Size, power and what's in the box

What the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart listing names:

40 in wide
Recessed or wall-mounted
Heater: 1,500 W
120 V supply
Hardwire option mentioned
Remote, app and Alexa

What the listing names with it: Remote control, Log set, Crystal media, 6 ft power cord.

Tick them off on delivery day, before the cardboard goes out.

Check the opening, the depth and the outlet against your wall before you order.

Price and cost per inch of width

$549 Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

At the price on Sep 30, 2026, each stated inch of width costs about $14. That puts it around the middle of the 117 inserts we have a price for.

Cost per inch is only a rough yardstick: the heater, the flame options and the build count as much as the width.

The button opens the exact listing (ASIN B00LI6A7J4), where today's price, stock and seller apply. Sizes and bundles of the same family often sit at different prices.

A better fit for your room?

Want a wider fire for a bigger wall? The Xbeauty 60" Recessed and Wall Mounted (9.3/10) states 60 in.

Want the flame without the heat in summer? The Dimplex Prism 50" Wall-Mount (7.6/10) states a flame-only mode.

Our take

The verdict

Our favourite thing about the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart is a 40-inch width, closely followed by a 1,500 W heater. No buyer reviews yet, so the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart has to win you over on paper. The catch with the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart: no flame-only mode in the listing, while most picks here state one. We'd pick the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart if you have a narrow wall or a bedroom to warm up; otherwise, put it next to the Dimplex IgniteXL 100" Driftwood Kit first.

Check the price on Amazon ↗Affiliate link · price and stock on AmazonAll built-in & wall-mounted inserts →

Living with it

Delivery day

A big, flat box with glass inside: open it with two people and check the front before the cardboard goes out.

The first evening

Run through the flame colors once, then settle on the one that suits the room. The 1,500 W heater takes the chill off the room you sit in.

Day to day

The remote on the sofa arm, the thermostat set once, the timer for bedtime, and a quick dust of the glass now and then. Our maintenance guide has the rest.

Summer

Check whether the flame can run without the heater; the listing we read doesn't say so.

The one thing we'd check first

One thing to settle before the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart ships: check your wall, because the 40-inch figure has to match your opening, and a listing width can mean the frame or just the viewing area.

Before you buy

Your wall

Draw the opening on the wall with painter's tape at the real size, step back, and check it against the installation drawing. Our recessed installation guide lists the clearances to ask about.

The outlet

120 V, per the listing. Pick the outlet before you pick the finish: a free one close by, nothing heavy on the same circuit, and no extension cord. Our power requirements guide lists the questions to ask.

Heat for your room

1,500 W stated. Treat it as supplemental heat for one room. Our supplemental heat planner turns your square footage into a rough answer.

Delivery and install

Glass-fronted inserts are big, flat boxes: plan two people for the unboxing, and decide early who frames the wall. Our built-in vs wall-mounted guide weighs recessed against wall-mounted.

How it compares

How the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart stacks up against the closest alternative, the Dimplex IgniteXL 100" Driftwood Kit.

Criterion	Touchstone Forte 40" Smart	Dimplex IgniteXL 100" Driftwood Kit
Our rating	7.0/10	7.0/10
Width	40 in	100 in
Heater	1,500 W	2,500 W / 8,530 BTU
Flame colors	30 combos	Not stated
App / Alexa	Stated	Not stated

Both score 7.0/10. The Dimplex IgniteXL 100" Driftwood Kit adds a wider unit (100 in) and more stated heat (2,500 W / 8,530 BTU), while the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart brings more flame colors (30) and app or voice control.

Compare side by side ↗See the Dimplex IgniteXL 100" Driftwood Kit review →

The score in detail

How we rated it

Spec-based rating on a 4.5–8.5 scale: 4.5 + average of the 4 criteria × 0.4. Capped at 8.5 because no customer evidence is included.

Key specifications

7 / 10

Build, warranty & certifications

4 / 10

Listing documentation

7 / 10

Fit & compatibility

7 / 10

This product has no captured buyer-review record yet, so its rating comes from the documented listing alone: four criteria scored out of 10 (key specifications; build, warranty and certifications; listing documentation; fit and compatibility), placed on a 4.5–8.5 scale. Read the full methodology.

Read the methodology →

Frequently asked questions

Is the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart any good?

We rate it 7.0/10 (good). The rating comes from its documented listing alone, as no customer-review record is captured yet.

What size and heater output does the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart state?

Its listing states a 40-inch width, a 1,500 W heater output, a 120 V supply and recessed (in-wall) installation. Those are the maker's figures, so check in the installation drawing whether the width means the frame, the firebox or the opening. Our supplemental heat planner puts 1,500 W in context for your room.

What power supply does the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart need?

The listing states 120 V and a 1,500 W heater. Read the supply, plug and circuit conditions on the exact listing and in the manual before you order, and never run a heater on an extension cord or a shared power strip. Anything beyond an existing standard outlet, hardwiring or 240 V included, is a job for a licensed electrician.

What do you get with the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart?

Its listing states a 40-inch width, a 1,500 W heater, 30 flame color combinations, Alexa and app control, a thermostat and logs and crystals to switch between. Those are the seller's figures; for how real the flames look in a living room and how loud the fan runs at night, the buyer reviews are the better guide.

What should I check before ordering the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart?

Your wall: draw the opening on the wall with painter's tape at the real size, step back, and check it against the installation drawing. Our recessed installation guide lists the clearances to ask about. The outlet: 120 V, per the listing. Pick the outlet before you pick the finish: a free one close by, nothing heavy on the same circuit, and no extension cord. Our power requirements guide lists the questions to ask. Heat for your room: 1,500 W stated. Treat it as supplemental heat for one room. Our supplemental heat planner turns your square footage into a rough answer. Delivery and install: glass-fronted inserts are big, flat boxes: plan two people for the unboxing, and decide early who frames the wall. Our built-in vs wall-mounted guide weighs recessed against wall-mounted.

Where can I buy the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart?

We link to the exact listing on Amazon, where today's price, stock and seller apply. It is an affiliate link, and it has no effect on the rating.

Keep comparing

If the Touchstone Forte 40" Smart hasn't sold you yet, see where it ranks, read the guides that feature it or browse all built-in & wall-mounted inserts.

Read this before you buy

Built-in vs wall-mounted electric fireplaces →Planning a recessed electric fireplace →Electric fireplace power requirements explained →

Built-in & wall-mounted inserts ↗All Touchstone products Comparison tool All product reviews