Wood-burning
Pros: Nothing beats the sound, smell and sight of a crackling fire in a traditional fireplace, transforming your home into the rustic retreat of your dreams.
Cons: Maintenance — there’s the acquiring and chopping of wood, the ash and soot cleanup, plus regular servicing and inspections by a chimney sweep.
Gas
Pros: With the click of a button, you’ve got instant coziness and warmth.
Cons: It can add too much warmth, requiring you to turn it off after the room has been sufficiently heated and losing the ambience. And, if you need to add a gas line, it can be costly to install.
Electric
Pros: If you have a spare outlet, you can have an electric fireplace, the most affordable and easy-to-maintain pick of the bunch.
Cons: They don’t produce as much heat as gas, and the virtual flames don’t have nearly the same visual impact as the real deal, or even gas options.