We’ve all seen portable electric fireplaces…if you were a kid in the 1970’s, like me, you may have even had one in the rec room. They gave off heat, but were no substitute for the beckoning flame of a real, honest-to-goodness fire.

Convenience Of A Portable Fireplace

Ventless portable fireplaces, on the other hand, are fireplaces that actually let you enjoy a real flame…wthout needing a chimney, a vent, or a gas or electrical hook up. These fireplaces use an alcohol-based gel to create vibrant yellow and orange flames that burn clean, produce no smoke or fumes, and are environmentally friendly.

Here’s how it works. Within the fireplace frame, a steel box holds a set of ceramic logs. You place one to three cannisters of the gel fuel behind the logs, where they can’t be seen, and light them. Presto…you’ve got a fireplace! Many gel fuels contain a ’secret ingredient’ that makes it snap, crackle and pop so it really feels like you are sitting on front of an old fashioned fireplace. Some companies even offer scented accessories that can be burned at the same time, and give off that cozy, wood-burning fire smell.

There are different types of gels. Some are made from ethanol alcohol (from sugar cane) and burn mainly into water, which has the added bonus of humidifying dry winter rooms. Others contain Isopropyl alcohol, which releases a small amount of carbon dioxide…the same gas we release when we breathe. Since no real wood is burning, there is no worry about carbon monoxide emissions either.

Not only are they easy to light, but to extinguish as well. Some cannisters come with magnetic lids and lid holders, so you just reach in and pop the top back on the cannister when it’s time to go to bed. Other models have a manual lever or hook shut-off,which allows you to slide a damper over the canisters to put them out. The gels usually last between 2-3 hours and are re-lightable, so you can use the same canister over and over until it’s gone.

Portable Fireplace Heat

What about heat? While a ventless portable fireplace certainly adds to the warmth of a room, it is not meant to replace your usual heat source. In general, a can of alcohol gel will give off about 3500 BTU’s of warmth…so if you have a few going, it’ll be enough to see you through a winter power outage.

Ventless portable fireplaces can be moved from room to room, even after you have put them together, so redecorating or renovation projects are no worry. Even better…if you move, your fireplace comes along with you! Finally, us poor folk living in high-rises can snuggle up and enjoy the homey comfort of a genuine fireplace…without having to chop wood or hook up a gas line.