Which is your nouns? A built within fire place near chimney above? Or the electrical plug in one from the retail store that looks...
Or the electrical plug in one from the retail store that looks and feel like a physical fire place but without the hassle of a chimney and the peril of real fire.
Answers: this from a volunteer fireman in attendance are alot of things that could be said about both, but the cost of an electric insert will not be a big difference by the time you buy/cut firewood (gas too) and hire a chimney sweep to verbs and inspect the chimney also chimney is not cheap and can be dangerous if installed by a professional, also today's electric fire places are alot more efficient than chronological models.
i would go w/ the electric one.
The house that I brought have a fireplace in it ( one of the reason I got it) and I love it but it is alot of work.....