The cold season is finally here. With your fireplace working, you’ll not only get to save that extra cost on the air conditioning but also get to enjoy that authentic fireplace vibe to set the ambiance. This all sounds like a good idea, but then comes the baggage of having to chop wood, right? Well, with modern trends, you don’t have to worry about all that. The invention of gas logs has made it easy and fun to enjoy the benefits of having a traditional fireplace without spending too much on real wood.
Gas logs are designed to look as good as wood and are actually cast from actual wood samples. They are then painted by hand to insert details you’d see in natural wood. To make it even more realistic, some go as far as having that charred appearance, with the front-most logs split to give the impression that the fire has been going for hours. Gas feature different designs that will blend easily with your internal home décor. Boasting an efficiency rating of 99% against their wooden counterparts, which have an efficiency of around 70%, these gas logs are surely the better option.
Because gas logs come in so many different varieties and sizes, finding the right one can come as a challenge, especially considering that some come as decorated logs while others come with the whole heating system. To help you find one that is most opportune to your needs, we’ve done our research and compiled a detailed review of the best gas logs out there.
Top 10 Gas Logs of 2019 Reviewed
1. Pine Mountain 6PK 2HR Trad Fire Log
- Burns more efficiently than regular wood
- Releases 80 percent less carbon monoxide
- Can be used in multiple settings
- Some users found them hard to light
- Tend to go out without warning
- Made old wood
Best Mountain Pine Fire Log
The best gas logs are meant to mimic a traditional fireplace without the use of real wood and the resultant smoke and ash. That is exactly what the Pine Mountain 6PK 2HR Trad Fire Log promises to do for you. With this easy-to-install product, you can warm up your house in an efficient, eco-friendly way. The good thing is that you don’t need to spend a lot of time splitting firewood in the yard.
So as you are sure that you are dealing with something as close to the wood as possible, the makers of this product have used recycled hardwood, molasses, and nutshells to make it. The package contains a total of six logs, which are supposed to remain lit for at least two hours.
Whether you want to use it on a campsite, fire pit or fireplace, these logs are easy to use. They are wrapped in paper to make it possible for you to handle them cleanly. Once you light the wrapper, the fire will be started leading to warm air filling your house. Even though it gives you the same kind of fire, these logs produce less carbon monoxide by 80 percent. They leave behind 75 percent less residue.
2. Sure Heat SH18DBNG Sure Heat Seasoned Hickory Dual Burner Vented Gas Log
- Has high-performance embers
- Can fit in any fireplace
- Looks so realistic
- Complaints about the gas line connector
- The logs turn sooty with time
- Reports of the larger log being broken
Best 18-Inch Vented Gas Log
The Sure Heat SH18DBNG is one of the best gas logs you can find out there. It is, basically, a pack of 6 refractory cement logs that have been hand-painted to give them the actual look of wood logs for a fireplace. With this product, it will be hard for you to tell the difference between it and real logs from the forest. That is exactly what gas logs are supposed to do.
But it is not just about the aesthetic appeal of these logs. When the logs burn, they produce realistic embers that twice brighter than real wood embers. It has a U-shaped double burner, which produces enough heat to warm up your home on a cold evening. There is also the connection hardware, shale, grate, and pan. The grate is tiered so that the logs get stacked onto it, just like in real log fire.
The entire setup measures 28 by 15 by 21 inches and can fit in virtually all fireplaces. Once it is in place, you need a match to light it since it doesn’t come with an on/off valve. It is a vented log setup that produces between 50000 BTU and 60000 BTU of heat. Why would you not want to buy it?
3. Sure Heat BRO18NG Sure Heat Burt River Oak Vented Gas Log Set
- Contains eight logs
- Contains high-performance embers
- Can fit all fireplaces
- Has no gas control valve
- Flame burns at the back
- May produce dark soot
Best Oak Vented Gas Log
Sure Heat is undoubtedly one of the standout manufacturers of gas logs. With this particular product, they have maintained the same high standards they are known for and increased the number of logs from 6 to 8. So, the Sure Heat BRO18NG contains 8 cement logs that have been painted to look like oak. Thus, your fireplace will look as realistic as it possibly can.
Like the other products from this manufacturer, the log set has the classy U-shaped dual-burner, which heats the embers to heat your home. Speaking about the embers, they are so realistic that they burn with twice as much heat intensity. You can easily mistake them for real charcoal embers.
To light these logs, you need to use a match. That’s because it doesn’t come equipped with a lighting valve. Since measures 28 by 15 by 21 inches, this product can fit in all types of fireplaces. However, you need to have an open but working flue. Other contents of the package include the connection hardware, shale, grate, and pan. When putting on the grate, the logs get stacked together just like a real log fire.
4. Barton Ceramic Wood Fireplace Decoration
- Can be used in different types of fireplaces
- Produces no toxins
- Can be stacked to achieve any design
- May not be completely fire-resistant
- Produces a light foam
- Changes color after burning
Best Ceramic Birch Wood Fireplace Log
Are you looking for the perfect gas logs to use in a fire pit or fireplace? The Barton Ceramic Wood Fireplace Decoration is a ceramic recreation of birch logs, to make your fireplace as realistic as possible. They are a total of six logs, which you can arrange depending on the hind of design you wish to achieve. Since there is no grate, you can arrange the logs any way you want. Even the random placement of the logs is bound to achieve great results.
These logs may not produce a fire themselves but they can complement other gas logs already installed in the fireplace. You can also use them together with lava rocks, fire starters, glowing embers, crackle flame fire logs, or fire starters. If your fireplace looked realistic, it will look even better with the use of these logs.
What the logs do is to produce a natural glow while burning clean. Unlike real wood, they don’t produce smoke or ash. You can use these logs in all types of fireplaces including indoor gas fireplaces, outdoor gas fireplaces, and vented gas fireplaces. However, their compatibility transcends gas-powered fireplaces and goes further to propane fireplaces, electric fireplace inserts, standard fire pits, and fake fireplaces.
5. Peterson Real Fyre 24-Inch Split Oak Log Set
- Hand-painted and realistic looking
- Have steel reinforcements
- Come with a remote control
- For indoor use only
- Makes the fireplace noisy
- May produce high levels of carbon monoxide
Best Oak Gas Log Set
An indoor fireplace is the best way to provide warmth to your living room. Whether it is winter or the other seasons, you need a realistic-looking fire to heat your home’s interior. If it is a gas log fire, it should be as realistic looking as possible. That’s exactly what the manufacturers of Peterson Real Fyre hope to achieve through the design of this product. What they have is a set of ceramic logs that have been meticulously painted by hand to look like natural wood.
These refractory ceramic logs are steel-reinforced to give them greater integrity. Thus, you shouldn’t be afraid of your logs falling apart in the middle of a fire. The split pieces and the log ends have a different color from that of the bark. They look very much like real pieces of split wood.
With this set of logs, you can create virtually any design you wish, given that they have no grate, which you can use. They come with remote control, which, once you hold in your hands, you can use to control the fire from anywhere in the room.
6. Regal Flame 10-Piece Set Of Ceramic Wood Large Gas Fireplace Logs
- A set of carefully sculpted gas logs
- Can be used in all types of fireplaces
- Rarely produce fumes or ashes
- Logs might not be long enough
- On first lighting, they smell like fuel
- Reports about poor design
Best Ceramic Gas Log for Large Fireplaces
Sometimes, you will only be able to impress by using life-size logs in your fireplace or fire pit. This particular product is composed of a total of 10 ceramic gas logs that are big enough to appear real. These logs are not randomly shaped. Rather, they are crafted with care to ensure that you have a set of perfect-looking gas logs.
The gas logs are designed with a burning system that releases a flame without any sort of smoke or residue. Thus, they are an eco-friendly set of fire logs. You have no reason to worry about these gas logs filling your house with toxic carbon monoxide. The logs won’t harm your pets and kids since they cool off fast enough. With these logs, you do not have to worry about the type of fireplace you have. They work perfectly in an indoor gas fireplace, ventless gas fireplace, outdoor gas fireplace, and so on.
If you are looking for a set of gas logs that will make your fireplace look realistic, buy this product. Once they start burning, they will produce red and orange spots to make it as realistic as possible. So, they are great compliments for crackle flame fire logs, existing gas logs, and fire logs.
7. 3GPlus Birch Ceramic Wood Gas Fireplace Logs
- Designed to look like real birch logs
- Eco-friendly since they produce no fumes or ash
- Come with a one-year warranty
- Not completely fire-resistant
- Produces a light foam
- Changes color after burning
Best Fireplace Logs Sets for Gas Inserts
Here is another set of gas logs designed like real birch logs. They are ceramic pieces, which have been meticulously painted to make them as realistic as possible. When placed in the fireplace, they even produce red and orange spots just like real wood. You will need time to convince a visitor to your home that he or she isn’t looking at actual birch logs.
The good thing with the 3GPlus logs is that they burn clean and hardly produce any ash or fumes. They are also safe to handle, given that they cool off very fast. Did you know that you can use these logs in virtually all kinds of fireplaces? That includes vent-less gas fireplaces, indoor gas fireplaces, outdoor gas fireplaces, and so on. You can place them anywhere you have a fireplace.
In the package, you will get a total of 5 life-sized ceramic gas logs. You can arrange them anyhow, depending on the design you wish to achieve. There are three 8.5-inch logs, one 14.5-inch log, and one 16.3-inch log. They are life-size, so they look like the real thing.
8. VFDM30LBN CERAMIC FIBER BURNER
- A realistic looking set of ceramic gas logs
- Eco-friendly
- The BTU is adjustable
- Cannot be installed without a flexible gas line
- Has no remote control
- Not suitable for a variety of fireplaces
Best Vent-Free Fiber Gas Logs
This gas log set from Empire Comfort Systems is made with vividly clear wood grain as well as bark that looks as realistic as possible. All the details included are done by a dedicated team of artists employed by the company to do just that. They look so realistic, you can easily mistake them for the real thing. But that’s what gas logs are all about, isn’t it?
With this product, it is easy to adjust the BTU output. It has a control know, which you can use to adjust the height of the flame. Thus, you get to determine just how much heat you want to get from the fireplace. On an extremely cold night, you can turn the knob and release maximum heat. However, when it is a little bit warm, a lower heat level will be desirable.
Another thing you will love about these gas logs is that they are eco-friendly. They are a sure way of helping you reduce your carbon footprint. The logs burn cleanly, produce less carbon monoxide, and zero ash. To properly install them in your fireplace, you will need a flexible gas line.
9. Stanbroil Fireplace 10-Piece Set Of Ceramic Wood Logs
- Small-sized, great for small fireplaces
- Looks and burns realistically
- An eco-friendly set of ceramic logs
- Some users have called it “junk”
- They are costly
- Made from cheap ceramics
Best Ceramic Wood Gas Logs
If you have a small fireplace, you need a set of smaller ceramic logs to complete the whole set-up. In that case, you may want to try the Stanbroil Fireplace 10-Piece Set of Ceramic Wood logs. It is a set of 7 logs and 3 pine cones. The length of the logs ranges from 3 to 8 inches. Three are 3-inch, two 6-inch, two 7-inch, and three 8-inch. The thickness ranges from 1 ½ to 2 inches.
With these logs, you would think you are burning the real thing. The details are so well-crafted that they look like pine in color and texture. When they burn, the logs even give red and orange spots just like real wood. All that without producing smoke or leaving behind a residue in the form of ash. As such, you can put these together with the other eco-friendly gas logs we have already looked at. Since they cool quickly, they won’t endanger your lives in any way.
To reiterate, this set of gas logs is meant for a small fireplace. But that doesn’t mean they can’t fit in a relatively larger fireplace or elsewhere in your house. Whether you choose to buy these ceramic logs or not depends on what you want.
10. Emberglow Savannah Oak 18-Inch Vent-Free Propane Gas Fireplace Logs
- A vent-free system that keeps heat inside the home
- Logs look realistic
- Comes with a remote control
- Complaints about the set of logs not flaming
- You have to buy AAA batteries for the remote
- Smells on first use
Best Vent-Free Propane Gas Log
Some of the gas logs we have looked at, so far, are made to have the natural colors of certain types of wood such as birch and pine. When burning in the fireplace, they remain as natural-looking as they were, which might not be very realistic. The Emberglow Savannah gas logs are designed to have the natural look of oak. The black color makes them look like they are partially burned, which is very realistic.
These logs feature a vent-free design that is enclosed enough to keep heat inside your home. If you have used a vented fireplace, you would know the difference being vent-less makes. In short, the heat produced at the fireplace circulates inside your home and not outside in exchange for cold air.
If you are busy watching TV or engaged in another business, you can simply control the level of heat using a convenient remote control. No need to walk over to the fireplace to turn a knob. The remote control operates on 3 AAA batteries, which you have to buy separately.
How to Choose The Best Gas Log – The Ultimate Buying Guide
There are many reasons for people choosing to buy gas logs over other types of fireplaces. For instance, the gas logs are space-saving. They aren’t as bulky and easy to operate. Even a small child can change the heat intensity from one level to another. Also, you won’t have to buy wood logs, which can be a nuisance because they produce smoke and ash. With the best gas logs, it is easier to start and put off a fire.
Some of the logs come with a thermostat functionality, which enables you to choose a temperature level at which you want it to operate. You may also place in any room in the house, without having to disrupt anything.
So, you want to buy a set of gas logs but you have no idea what to look for? There are many people like you, who may not have an idea about what to look for in a set of gas logs. That is why we have come up with this buying guide. It will help experienced as well as newbie buyers to know what to look for.
Type Of Gas Logs
There are two main types of gas logs you may buy for installation in your fireplace. They include the following:
- Vented Gas Logs: Vented gas log sets are designed to be as realistic as possible. For instance, you will notice the flames swirling wiggling around the ceramic logs and dancing between them. As such, the damper needs to be constantly open and the flue system operating at its best. Just like for the vented gas insert fireplace, you will require to install intake and exhaust pipes. To prevent cold air from coming into the house, you will have to install some glass screens. The screens will also prevent hot air from escaping out of your home.
- Vent-Less Logs: Vent gas logs are great when it comes to heating the entire room and maintaining its warmth. Only that the fire may appear more unnatural than usual. The flames usually pass through cutouts in between the logs. Some may have a remote to help you regulate the level of heat from a distance. Thus you can choose a larger flame if you want more heat and a smaller one accordingly. The good thing with ventless logs is that they ensure that all the heat remains inside the room.
- Direct Vent Systems: These systems usually have a large viewing area, which makes the fire visible to everyone in the room. You may use propane or natural gas to provide fuel to these systems. Most of them come with dual burners with adjustable heat output. Unlike ventless gas logs, these particular systems have more realistic fires.
Size Of Gas Logs
Before you pick a set of gas logs, you should ensure that it will fit inside your fireplace. In a simple process, you will be able to measure your fireplace to know the length of the gas logs you need to buy.
You will need to measure the front width, back width, depth, front height, and back height of your fireplace. Record these measurements and carry them with you as you shop around you the perfect gas logs.
Does It Complement Your Home Décor?
When you buy gas logs, you are not just getting a source of heat for your home. It also plays an important role in complementing or enhancing your home décor. So, the set of gas logs you choose should be able to do just that. Luckily, you will find a range of gas log styles on the market.
Some have decorations depicting oak. Others mimic pine or birch. You can choose birch logs if you mostly have white or cream-colored walls in your home. If they are brown, pine or oak will do just fine.
Methods Of Starting And Controlling Fire
- Match Light: Matchlight is recommended for gas logs that use natural light only. In such a system, you will have only the burner and logs. To ignite the fire, place a match close to the burner and turn on the gas. You can control the height of the flame and heat level by turning the gas up or down using the key valve.
- Manual Safety Pilot: Such a system has a manually-lighted safety pilot that remains lit all through. It is also known as a standing pilot and looks like the pilot in water heaters. To turn the burner on/off, simply reach inside the burner and turn the control knob. The system doesn’t come with a remote control to use.
- Remote control: Some gas logs have a pilot valve that can be remote-controlled. Using the remote, you can control the level of the fire from a distance. If you want it reduced, the remote will help you to do that simply and easily.
Natural Gas Or Liquid Propane?
Two types of fuel that can be used with gas logs. It is either natural gas or liquid propane. If there is a line already installed in your fireplace, you would already have an idea of the fuel to use. Where there is no line, you will have to make up your mind the type of fuel you want to use.
It is important to be clear about the fuel the gas logs you intend to buy are already using. It is also important to check the type of gas for which plumbing has already been done in your home.
Conclusion
Have you decided on what set of gas logs you want to buy? After reading the reviews above, you have an idea of what you are looking at. Whatever your choice, make sure that the logs are perfect for your fireplace. If it is a small fireplace, choose logs that have been designed for such a space. For larger fireplaces, you may want large logs. Here, the price doesn’t play a very important role. It is the functionality that matters.