I have to start this out by saying there was a slight issue with the first fireplace the seller sent. It was immediately replaced and rectified. Kudos to the customer service department. I was amazed when the delivery service showed up at my door the day after the exchange request. I have two other electric fireplaces and they all have their differences in terms of their approach to the look of the flame. This is actually replacing one I purchased last year and was very dissatisfied with due to a very fake looking flame appearance . This has a vivid, fairly realistic flame, the color of which can be adjusted several colors and combinations. I think the orange/red flame is the most realistic but that's an individual decision. The flame bed color can also be adjusted to suit. The background light can be adjusted to your favorite degree of luminosity although I wish there was more latitude. The flame effect is a little higher than I think it would realistically appear. I have a gas burning fireplace for reference. The remote that comes with this is similar in size to a TV remote so it's hard to misplace. The remote however takes second place to the fact that this is Alexa compatible which is a major benefit. It can be turned on and off and some functions can be controlled by Alexa as well. The only complaint I have is the memory seems to be limited. It doesn't hold the settings except for flame color when turned on and off. Interestingly enough though, if you have the heat on when you shut it off it will come back on when you turn on the fireplace. In summary, despite some flaws, for the price this is a well designed and multi-featured product.