I am not speaking out against traditional fireplaces. Fireplaces are great. They provide warmth, comfort, and a palpably romantic atmosphere. Many people have emotional attachments to fireplaces, as they often conjure up memories of cozy evenings. And even if your fireplace looks a little drab, you could easily buy and install a fireplace mantel or surround that will immediately add flair to your living room. Even so, I do believe that electric fireplaces are superior to traditional fireplaces in almost every way.

I would like to mention now that artificial fireplaces are not to be confused (though they often are) with the notoriously corny video fireplaces of the past. Quite unlike video fireplaces, which are content to merely transmit an image of fire, artificial fire scenes actually emanate real warmth. An electrically powered fire scene serves as a secondary heater, or even a primary heater in average sized rooms. When it comes down to it, artificial fire scenes are just as capable of proliferating warmth as a real, traditional fire. It may not look absolutely "real" from directly nearby, but from a reasonable distance, say five yards or so, the artificial fire scene looks quite real enough.

Artificial fireplaces, unlike their traditional smoke-spewing counterparts, are quite friendly towards the environment. Because an artificial firebox runs solely on electric power, it releases absolutely no carbon emissions, as opposed to the substantial carbon imprint of real fireplaces. It will not produce smoke, which means that you don't need to worry about inhaling harmful airborne agents and vapors, and an artificial fire scene won't spew smoke into the outside air either. Artificial fireplaces also help preserve natural resources: because they do not rely on wood or coal as fuel, they do not need to consume resources that could be used to achieve other, more practical ends.

Artificial fireboxes are much, much more convenient than traditional fireplaces. A simple and easy installation is required, but after that little task, you don't have much to concern yourself with. No real cleaning is necessary, but it's certainly not a bad idea to dust off the screen once in a while, in the same way that you would clean a computer monitor or a window. Furthermore, you won't need to worry about preparing your fireplace for ignition. Perhaps you can see it now: you come home after work and simply flip a switch, and within moments you enjoy the beauty and comfortable warmth of a "truly false" roaring fire. Perhaps my favorite part is this: with an artificial fireplace, you won't need to clean up that ashy mess the following day!

An electrically powered fireplace is also remarkably convenient for people who live in apartments or homes that don't have chimneys. With this innovation it is possible to enjoy the comfort and visual drama of a good fire, without needing to think about whether your home is properly ventilated, or has a chimney to vent out the smoke and fumes. These artificial fire scenes have the added benefit of ultimately keeping money in your pockets: if you buy an artificial fireplace, you won't ever have to concern yourself with purchasing expensive and fast-burning fuels like firewood and coal. Once your artificial fireplace is properly installed, the only fee you need to worry about is your electric bill. You don't even have to worry about paying for the gas that normal fireplaces require. And once again, because you don't need to clean an electric fire scene, you won't have to fork over the cash to pay for cleaning supplies.

In all likelihood, however, the best and most important feature of artificial fireplaces is their safety value. Because there is no "real" fire, there is no real danger. There is no need for you to sit and monitor your fireplace for dangers, because there is no way an artificial fire can get out of control. You won't even have to worry about furniture, decorations and other items that you wish to place near your artificial fireplace: at worst, anything you decide to put near the fire scene will get especially warm. Without a real fire, there is no burning, no unnecessary inconvenience, and no danger!

In short: simply put, there is a veritable treasure trove of benefits to electric fire scenes that real fireplaces simply do not provide, but an electric fireplace can do everything that a traditional fireplace can do, only better.