If there's one drawback to gel fuel for fireplaces, it has to be the price of the gel fuel. It can get quite expensive. If you look on the Internet, you might see a lot of people talking about making their own gel fuel at home out of alcohol or other items - one person recommended adding candle wax to the mix. While this might seem like a great idea to save money, it's not.
Here's the problem. The companies that make gel fuel do a lot to make sure that burning it in your home without ventilation is safe for you and your family. You may be able to replicate the sights and sounds that you get when using genuine gel fuel, but are you able to guarantee that it's safe for you and your loved ones?
If you're not a chemist with a lab, gel fuel for your fireplace might be something best left to the professionals. It may be a little pricey, but the safety factor makes it more than worth it. Besides, if you shop around, there's a good chance you can find safe gel fuel at an affordable price. Gel fireplace fuel is a great invention, but if you use it, you want to make sure you use some that has been created and tested rather than trying to create a batch on your own. It might burn like store bought gel fuel, but chances are high it might not be safe, unlike gel fuel you buy from a manufacturer.