Tired of watching fake fireplace flames dance on a computer over the endless video loop of a roaring fire that provided the warmth for Christmas dinner last year?

Then perhaps it’s time to investigate a more realistic fake fireplace. These days fake fireplaces are available for those who live in apartments, those who reside in homes not suited to real fireplaces and those who just don’t want to carry the wood and scoop out the ashes.

Electric units are the perfect fake fireplaces for those who want the pleasure and benefits of a fire with very few of the burdens. Fake fireplaces fueled by electricity are portable and require no venting of any kind. Just buy it and take it home. Once an electric fake fireplace has been taken out of the box it plugs into the nearest wall outlet. Many options are available on this type of fake fireplace. Some have remote controls and thermostats. There are even fake fireplaces that allow for heat without flame and flame without heat. This feature works nicely for those warm summer nights when you want a fire but the temperature is eighty degrees.

Gel flame fake fireplaces are geared more toward those who want a fireplace but whose homes don’t allow for one. A gel flame fake fireplace uses ceramic logs placed inside a steel firebox. Alcohol in gel form stored in canisters serves as the fuel. This fake fireplace is self contained and requires no chimney or vent. It functions very much like an oven or stove. Clean up and maintenance consist mainly of throwing away the used gel canisters and wiping down the firebox.

Neither of these fake fireplaces produces much heat. The electric fake fireplace puts out warmth roughly equivalent to a strong space heater. A gel flame fake fireplace throws off more energy, from 3,000 to 5,000 BTU. However, the length of the fire is limited by fuel capacity and safety factors to about two and a half or three hours. Still, both fake fireplaces provide a pleasant “fire” complete with flames, embers, crackles and pops. They also cost significantly less than constructing a conventional fireplace. The least expensive models of both styles of fake fireplaces start around $400. Upscale fake fireplaces top out at about $1,200.

Ownership is another way in which fake fireplaces differ from fireplaces which are built into a house. A fake fireplace belongs to the person; it is not a part of the home. When the person moves, the fake fireplace can move right along with him/her.

So, for those who hunger for the warmth and flames of a fireplace but for some reason can’t have one, a fake fireplace may be the answer. It provides heat and fire with little of the burden associated with a traditional fireplace. In addition a fake fireplace is portable, relatively inexpensive and can travel with its owner.