What is the reason for the popularity of Real-Fyre? Americans appreciate convenience; in fact, they honor convenience. Convenience motivated the development of gas logs, and is probably one of the strongest reasons for installing a gas system. Most of the manual chores involved in building a fire become unnecessary: lugging firewood from the shed, stoking the fire, and cleaning soot are eliminated. Convenience is further increased by the system's ability to start a fire at the flick of a switch. Real-Fyre systems are available with seven different switches, ranging from a wall timer to an infrared pine cone remote.

An infrared pine cone remote? (Yes, the remote is molded like a pine cone, which is an eloquent reminder not to leave it on the sofa.) The designers have integrated the shape of the remote control into the fire log system. This detail is extremely corny, but it also points to the overall charm of Real-Fyre Gas Logs: they have been altered very little since their post-war introduction, when family and wholesome pursuits were not subjected to the scrutiny of irony. And unlike many retro products that went into hiding and are now being re-launched, Real Fyre logs have maintained a stable market presence. Their appeal in this image-appropriating, knowing era may be attributed to their steadfast yet innocent quality, and we can wink at the remote control's "decorator touch."

In fact, the Peterson Company offers thirty different styles of ceramic logs, all of which are available in varying lengths. The splendor of choices is simultaneously gratifying and a little humorous: the wide selection allows the customer to select a set of logs that best expresses the aesthetic of house and homeowner. This element of choice is extremely important to the American consumer, who is champion in conflating physical appearance and brand identity with actual identity, even when choosing between different kinds of fake wood. And this brings us to one of the biggest challenges for Real-Fyre: designing ceramic logs that duplicate the appearance of real wood.

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