Gas Stoves, Fireplaces and Inserts

Gas heaters split by how they vent. A direct-vent unit draws outside air and sends its exhaust out through a sealed pipe, leaving room air alone. A vent-free unit burns room air and keeps its heat and exhaust in the room, so its manual sets a minimum room size for its BTU rating and an oxygen-depletion sensor shuts it off if oxygen drops; some local codes restrict vent-free heaters.

Each heater is built for natural gas, propane or both (dual fuel). At full fire a heater burns its BTU rating divided by 1,036 in cubic feet of natural gas an hour, or divided by 91,452 in gallons of propane (EIA heat contents); our product pages work it out.

Many gas stoves light with a piezo or battery igniter and a standing pilot, so they keep heating in a power cut.

What are you heating?

Check before you order

• Match the fuel. Never connect a heater to a fuel it isn't set for; dual-fuel models switch as the manual describes.
• Keep CO alarms installed. CPSC advises battery or battery-backup carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas.

gas stove or fireplace chart

Figures are the makers' own, quoted with their conditions on each product page. Prices change; each product page links to the current price.