Gas vs electric vs wood fireplaces

If you like the look of a fireplace, but aren't sure what type is best suited to your home, you'll need to weigh up the pros and cons. 

We’ve summarised the benefits and drawbacks (including the environmental implications) of gas, electric and wood burning stoves to help you decide what's right for you.

Be inspired to make home improvements. Sign up for our Home newsletter – it's free monthly

Summary

Gas stoves are cheap to run and they can give out a lot of heat. They’re also less maintenance than wood burning stoves.

Electric stoves don’t give out as much heat but they are flexible, low maintenance and more health-friendly than the other options. They can mimic the aesthetics of a wood burner for a lower cost, and without the health impacts.

Wood burning stoves are the traditional option, but require a lot of maintenance. There is also increasing concern about their health and environmental impacts.

You can read more in our guide to wood burning stoves: pollution and health impacts

Wood burning stoves

The closest experience to a traditional open fire is to get a wood burning stove. But that authentic experience comes with substantial upfront costs and a detrimental impact on the environment.

Wood burning stove pros

• Aesthetic: Having the aesthetic and ambiance of a real fire is the main draw of a wood stove.
• Heat output: A typical wood burner provides an output between 4 - 6 kW, but can range up into double digits. 

Wood burning stove cons

• Environmental impact: Burning wood produces greenhouse gases and tiny particles of pollution. Not only does this contribute to climate change, it has toxic effects on the local environment. According to a report released in 2021 by the European Environmental Bureau, one Ecodesign-compliant wood burning stove releases the same amount of particulate matter per hour as 18 newer diesel cars or six modern heavy goods vehicles. 
• Health impact: A recent review of current research has linked pollution from stoves to conditions such as heart and lung disease, diabetes and dementia.
• Wood storage: You’ll need plenty of room to store fuel, especially if you'll be burning logs and you're planning to dry them out yourself.
• Preparation: Wood burning stoves can take time to light and most need the ash cleaned out before each use.
• Maintenance: As with most gas fires and stoves, you’ll need to get your chimney cleaned regularly (at least once a year).
• Installation: You’ll need to get a professional to install your stove to make sure it meets building regulations.
• Buying and installation cost: Wood burning stoves start at around £400, which is significantly higher than the cost of gas or electric equivalents.
• Risk of fines: If you use your stove improperly, councils have the power to fine you up to £1,000. 

Read more in our guide to wood burner fines and regulations

Gas fires and stoves

Gas fires and stoves come in a wide variety of styles and pump out plenty of heat at a relatively low cost. 

But the downside is that they need regular maintenance and monitoring – and they rely on burning fossil fuels. 

Gas fire pros

• Running cost: Using gas to heat your home is cheaper than using electricity (and much less hassle than buying and storing logs). Though you'll see your gas bills go up if you regularly use a gas stove as well as your central heating.
• Heat output: Gas fires and stoves can provide outputs of up to 6kW, about three times as much as electric fires.
• Efficiency: Gas appliances can be up to 90% efficient, meaning they don’t require a lot of fuel to generate heat. They are generally more efficient than wood burners. 
• You don't need a chimney: You can now buy ‘balanced flue’ fires, which are vented through an external wall, or even flueless models.

Gas fire cons

• Environmental impact: Burning fossil fuels is a significant driver of climate change. Moreover, burning gas releases nitrogen dioxide, a form of air pollution which is particularly dangerous for people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Installation cost: Your fire must be installed by a registered Gas Safe engineer, and it will require annual servicing. 
• Carbon monoxide risk: You should already have a carbon monoxide detector to protect yourself against the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you don't, it's imperative that you fit one if intending to buy a gas stove. If you live in Scotland, you are legally obliged to have one. 
• Maintenance: Your chimney will need to be cleaned once or twice a year unless you have a flueless appliance.
• Limited flexibility: Most styles of gas fire will need to be placed within a chimney breast or against an outside wall so they can be vented.

Find out more about how to buy a gas fire or stove

Electric fires and stoves

If you’re looking for flexibility and minimal maintenance, consider an electric fire or stove. Just be aware that the running costs can be high, and electric fires and stoves don't generate enormous amounts of heat. 

Electric fire pros

• Buying and installation cost: Electric fires and stoves start at less than £100 (for basic models) – whereas you might pay £200 for a gas stove and at least £400 for a wood burning stove.
• Flexibility: You can place electric fires anywhere there is a plug point. You can even use an electric fire within a fireplace, or set it in a chimney breast.
• Maintenance: Electric fires don’t produce ash or require a chimney (which would need regular cleaning).
• Efficiency: Electric fires are 100% efficient – all the heat that's generated goes into your room. None of the heat is lost in a chimney or flue, unlike other options.
• Convenience: Some models can be operated by remote control, which is helpful if you have limited mobility.

Electric fire cons

• Running cost: As electricity is a much more expensive fuel than gas or wood, these stoves are more expensive to run than an equivalent size gas or wood burning stove.
• Heat output: Most electric fires and stoves are limited to just 2kW output or less, which is significantly lower than the range available from gas and wood burning appliances.
• Less realistic: You won't get a realistic flame effect from an electric fire unless you’re willing to spend a lot of money on a high-end model. 

Find out more about how to buy an electric fire or stove

Installation and running costs compared

Wood burning stoves

Installation costs: To understand how much it costs to buy and install a typical log burner, we consulted the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS). They estimate the prices of different home improvement projects using standarised models of cost projections. 

Log in or join Which? to find out how much they estimate it will cost to buy and install a 4kW wood burner. 

Running costs: According to Direct Stoves, if you own a 4kW stove and you use it on most evenings and weekends between October and April, then you will burn roughly 3 cubic metres of firewood per year. 

Expect to pay upwards of £350 for this amount of wood. 

Gas stoves

Installation costs: To estimate how much the average person spends on a gas stove, in November 2024 we asked 39 Which? readers who bought a gas stove in the last 5 years about how much they spent buying and installing their unit. 

Log in or join Which? to see what they said. 

Running costs: Based on the current Ofgem gas price cap (6.2p per kWh from October-December 2024, and 6.3p per kW from January 2025), we estimate that you will spend roughly £200 per year running a 5kW gas stove if you use it on evenings and weekends between October and April. 

You can read more about how we reached this figure (and our reader research) in our guide to buying a gas fire.

Electric stoves

Installation costs:  Similar to gas stoves, in November 2024, we surveyed 122 Which? readers who bought an electric stove in the last 5 years to find out how much the typical person spends on their unit. 

Log in or join Which? to see what they said.

Running costs: Based on the Ofgem price cap for electricity (24.5p per kWh from October-December 2024, and 24.9p from January 2025), we estimate that you will spend roughly £250 to use a 2kW stove on evenings and weekends between October and April. You can read more about this estimate and our research in our guide to buying an electric fireplace.

Converting your fireplace

Convert a wood fireplace to gas or electric

It is easiest to convert from a wood fireplace to another stove type because a wood burner requires a good venting system. 

If you want to install a gas fire, you can install it into the same system without much structural work (e.g., rebuilding a chimney). However, this job will still require a professional. 

Flueless gas fires and electric fireplaces can be installed almost anywhere, as they do not require venting to the outdoors. You could install these into your existing hearth if you wanted to keep the illusion of a real fire. 

Convert a gas fireplace to wood or electric

If you have a conventional gas fire (i.e., with a chimney in good working order), you will be able to install a wood fire into this set-up relatively easily - although you will still have to use a professional. 

However, the venting systems for other gas fires (balanced flue and flueless) are not appropriate for wood burners. As such, you will need to start from scratch with your wood burner installation - with building a chimney or flue. 

You can easily install an electric fire in place of a gas fire, provided there is a plug socket nearby. 

Convert an electric fireplace to wood or gas

If you have an exisiting electric fire, it is unlikely that you have an existing venting system. 

The only fire you will be able to install without structural work is a flueless gas fire. All other options will require that you create a venting system to the outdoors - and, again, all work will need to be undertaken by a professional. 

Use Which? Trusted Traders to help find a Gas Safe engineer or a wood burner expert near you.