Pros and cons: a wood stove or gas fireplace?
Can you already see yourself sitting comfortably in front of your stove on a cold winter’s day? Before you buy a stove or fireplace, you first have to make an important decision: do you want to heat with gas or wood?
So first, think carefully about what function a fireplace has for you: does the authenticity of a real wood fire prevail or rather atmosphere and coziness? Gas and wood each have their own advantages and disadvantages. We list them for you.
Authentic wood stove
Woodstove pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Authentic warmth | The storage capacity required for wood |
| Lively flames | Need more maintenance |
| More experience: wood smell and crackling sound | More risk of chimney fire |
A wood fire brings authentic warmth and experience: the smell, the crackling sound, a lively play of flames. But you do have to process and store wood. It is important to keep the wood dry. In addition, you should regularly refill a wood-burning stove. So there is some work involved. You also have more work in terms of maintenance. Regular maintenance is important for both your stove and chimney. This reduces the risk of a chimney fire.
Are you buying a wood-burning stove? Be sure to pay attention to fire safety and ease of use. Is there a handy handle on the door so that you can easily open your stove? Is the ash pan large enough? What about maintenance? The control of the air supply is also important. Nowadays, there are wood-burning stoves with automatic air regulation or even with a programmable ignition. This is not only better for your comfort but also for efficiency and the environment.
Modern gas fireplace
Gas fireplace pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| User and maintenance-friendly | Less authentic flames |
| No need to store wood | Less experience: no wood smell |
| Less risk of chimney fire | |
| Flexible placement |
You don’t smell or hear wood crackling with a gas fireplace, but you do enjoy more ease of use. For example, you never have to take care of the supply of wood. A gas fire is easy and safe to use and can be brought up to temperature quickly. Nowadays, remote controls or apps exist to set the heat output and the flame pattern yourself. Thanks to these modern techniques, the flames look more and more like a real wood fire.
In principle, you can install a gas fireplace wherever you want: built into a wall, or you can opt for a free-standing model. You also have the choice of having a view of the flames from two or three sides. This way, you can enjoy one fireplace from several rooms.
