Once plugged in the heat was immediate. Over time throughout the winter i will give it 5 stars if it heats up the whole family room which is an open concept basement family room. But so far I am really happy with the looks and the size. I didn’t want a small one because I wanted it to look more like a real wood burning stove. The price seems fair as long as the heat continues to function properly. The blower is not loud at all in my opinion. A tv shoe can easily be heard over it as well as a normal conversation. I wish it had a remote however turning it off is simple too. I like that you can adjust the temperature of the heat coming out from the blower. It was very easy to add the bottom legs too. The top is cold to the touch so you can easily put a plant on top of it. I think it will be a good solution to adding just a bit more heat to the basement of home.