Ameriwood Home Chicago Fireplace TV Stand Review

Ameriwood Home Chicago Fireplace TV Stand For TV’s Up To 50” Inch Review (Full)

This product is available for both 50” inch TV’s and 65” inch. For the purpose of this review, we will be focusing on the 50” inch version, which comes in an espresso, black, dove gray, rustic gray, and natural wood finish.

Description

The Ameriwood Home Chicago Electric Fireplace TV Stand is a combination TV console and electric fireplace with storage shelving. Perfect for gaming consoles, large flat screen TV’s, and DVD storage, this espresso-colored TV Console and fireplace unit can also add warmth and ambiance to any small room in your home.

Featuring a LED light source with up to 50, 000 hours of life, the fireplace warms rooms up to 400 square feet simply by plugging in. With 3 flame settings, and a temperature range between 64 - 82 degrees Fahrenheit, the 4500 BTU’s of heat can effectively keep you warm on those colder days of the year.

The molding details and traditional style design is sure to complement your living room, family room or sitting room’s décor. Two adults are recommended to complete the assembly, which takes approximately 1 hr according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Now let’s dive into the review in more detail.

Construction Quality

Constructed of particleboard and medium density fiberboard, this isn’t the most durable piece of furniture you can find on the market. Particleboard is essentially inexpensive, compressed wastewood. Medium density fiberboard (MDF), however, is considered of superior quality because it resists chipping and tearing better than particleboard.

Of course, the use of particleboard and MDF for the shelving and storage components makes sense for the Ameriwood Home Chicago Electric Fireplace TV Stand. Oak, elm or chestnut, for example, would be considerably more expensive, heavier, and more costly to maintain.

The electric fireplace is constructed of metal, measuring 24” inches by 19” inches. It’s literally a metal firebox that plugs into any standard electrical outlet, so there’s no need for any professional installation. Since there’s no fire, no added ventilation is required either.

Assembly

According to the manufacturer, assembly should take approximately 1 hr for 2 people. You’ll need a power drill or power screwdriver, however, if you plan to finish the assembly quickly. All the parts are labelled in the instructions, but some of the illustrations and diagrams don’t do much to clarify the steps required for assembly.

There are quite a few screws to lock into place. Losing or missing one can pose a significant problem to your assembly. More troubling however, is the report of misaligned screw holes, panels that are cut inaccurately, and blemishes on the espresso-colored wood grain finish. If you plan to order the Ameriwood Home Chicago Electric Fireplace TV Stand online, buyer beware.

Design

There’s no denying that, when assembled properly, the Ameriwood Electric Fireplace TV Stand is an attractive piece of furniture. There’s an understated, elegant appeal to the design that easily brings a small room together.

The espresso color and wood-grain finish are elegant and neutral enough to complement most color schemes. As far as style, the Ameriwood favors a traditional style with tasteful molding details. 

Heating Capacity

The TV Console Fireplace generates 4,500 BTU’s of electrical generated heat. It’s basically similar to a small space heater, with about the same BTU power. Switches on the front adjust the temperature. You can use it to add additional warmth to a large room, or increase the comfort level of a small room. The ideal size is a 400 sq ft. room.

Even with the fireplace at the highest setting, though, the heat is not enough to work as your primary source. In other words, you won’t be able to turn off your central heating and use the fireplace instead. You can, however, lower the thermostat in your home while the Fireplace is on.

In a poorly insulated space, this fireplace would not be sufficient to keep you warm in very cold conditions. If you’re looking for a TV Console Fireplace to use in a drafty basement larger than 400 sq ft, you’ll need something with much a higher BTU output. A propane or gas fireplace would be a better option.

Looking for a quality electric fireplace? You may also be interested in more reviews of the 10 best electric fireplaces of this year!

Storage Capacity

At nearly 4ft in width, it’s smaller than a double-sided dresser but wide enough to accommodate plenty of shelving for DVD’s, your gamebox, speakers, and other entertainment devices. The height is close to 3 ft, so you’ll easily have enough clearance to mount a large 50” inch screen TV. It also features easy-access storage shelves behind 2 glass doors. It’s the perfect place to keep your Blu-Ray, books and remotes stored conveniently.

Maintenance

With regular, weekly dusting and cleaning, this TV stand console and fireplace should last you several years. The wood finishing on the Ameriwood Home Chicago Fireplace has a laminate layer for added protection against chipping and wear. You can clean it by wiping it down gently with a dry lint-free cloth.

Can you use a cleaning spray? A damp cloth may be used sparingly to remove any blemishes. As always, read the instructions and warnings before applying cleaning products to your furniture.