Ventless electric fireplaces are becoming quite popular. Not only can they save money by heating a small area in use instead of heating the whole house, electric fireplaces create an elegant look in any room. They come in several sizes and styles to fit almost anywhere you would want one. The real benefits of ventless electric fireplaces are ambiance and convenience.
They can be small; quite a bit smaller than a real fireplace, but that's a benefit to those who would not have room for a fireplace anyway. The small ones (and some of the larger ones) can be moved easily from location to location. The large ones can be more or less permanently installed wherever you want it.
Since electric fireplaces require no chimney or other vent, they're very easy to install (as in "plug it in") and if you change your mind, they're easy to move, or even to remove.
You will have to buy the log set (they're usually ceramic) separately from the fireplace, so the total cost can be quite high for an area heater, but check some different companies and you'll find a wide range of prices, from around $ 300 to $ 1000 and well over that.
The biggest problem of electric ventless fireplaces is that codes and regulations do not permit any electric heater over 1500 watts, so the heat output is limited. No matter how large the fireplace, if it's electric, you will not get toasty warm from it in a large room if it's cold outside.