Short answer: if you want a focal point and heat in a room without a chimney, an electric fire does the job with no flue, no gas engineer and no annual service. The real choice is the style of fire and whether you want it built into a media wall. Here is how to decide.

The four main types

Wall-mounted fires hang flat on the wall like a TV. They are the quickest win: no building work, a socket nearby and you are done. Good for flats and rooms where floor space is tight.

Inset fires and stoves sit into an existing fireplace opening or a chimney breast. If you have an old gas fire or an open fire you no longer use, this is the neatest replacement.

Floor-standing fireplaces and suites give you the traditional mantel look without the chimney. They come as a complete piece, so there is nothing to build.

Media walls combine a fire, a TV position and shelving or storage into one feature wall. They are the biggest visual change you can make to a living room, and they hide the TV cables at the same time.

What do they cost to run?

Two separate things use power: the flame effect and the heater. The flame effect is LED and uses very little, so you can run it most evenings for pennies. The heater is the expensive part. Most fires heat at around 1 to 2kW. To work out the hourly cost, multiply the kW by the unit rate on your electricity bill. A 2kW heater running for an hour uses 2 units.

The useful thing is that you can have the flames on without the heat, so on a mild night it is ambience only. Most models also have a thermostat so the heater cuts out once the room is warm.

Will it heat the room?

An electric fire is best thought of as top-up heat. It will take the chill off a living room quickly and keep it comfortable, but it is not designed to replace your central heating across the house. If you want it to be the main heat in a room, tell us the room size and we will point you to the right output.

Media walls: what to ask before you commit

What size is the TV now, and next time? Plan the opening for the TV you will own in five years, not the one you have today.

Where are the sockets and aerial point? A media wall can move them, but it is easier to plan from the start.

How wide is the wall? Measure wall to wall and note any radiators, doors or windows. A wall that is too narrow for the design looks squeezed.

Do you want storage? Shelving, cupboards for the boxes and consoles, or a clean minimal look. This changes the design more than anything else.

Why see one in person

Flame effects vary a lot between models. Some look flat and cartoonish, others are genuinely convincing with depth and flicker. Photos and videos rarely do them justice either way. We have Katell fires on display in the showroom so you can see the flame, hear how quiet the heater is and compare styles side by side.

Browse the Katell electric fire collection, or look straight at media wall fireplaces and wall-mounted electric fires. Then come in and see them working.

Paul James Home, inside the Co-op Department Store, Clydebank. Monday to Saturday 9 to 5. 0141 266 0400.