Gas stoves, inserts, and fireplaces provide most of the joys of a wood burning without the hassles of actually having to cut any.
Gas flame quality has improved to the point where one often needs to look twice to determine if it is a wood or gas fire.
Gas heat outputs also rival their wood counterparts with up to 47000 btu's of continuous heat output and even more flexible placement choices due to favorable clearances and multiple venting options.