We’ve written the pairwise duels (gas-wood, and the type-decision guide); this is the full tournament in one table-of-words, six rounds, three contenders, no diplomatic ties.
Round 1: installation cost
Electric wins by a mile (outlet, done), gas mid (appliance + venting + line, the four-part breakdown), wood highest where construction’s involved (chase or masonry money), unless you already own the chimney, which flips wood to cheapest.
Round 2: running cost
Genuinely close and rate-dependent: electric meters per kWh (the math), gas per therm (that math), wood from free (own harvest) to premium (delivered cords). Per useful BTU, sealed gas and electric trade the lead at Texas utility rates; open wood loses on efficiency, free fuel forgives it.
Round 3: real heat
Gas sealed units and wood inserts win, genuine zone heating. Electric: 1.5kW space-heater class. Open wood: the 10% story, ambiance wearing a heater costume.
Round 4: maintenance load
Electric: none. Gas: one annual service. Wood: the full calendar, sweeps, inspections, fuel pipeline. Clean gradient, price it into ownership honestly.
Round 5: the outage (Texas round)
Wood wins absolutely, burns grid-free. Gas: partial credit (lights, loses blowers). Electric: dark rectangle. Post-2021, this round carries real weight in every DFW decision we see.
Round 6: flame honesty
Wood is fire. Gas is real flame, domesticated. Electric is the picture of flame. Not a criticism of any, but the buyer who confuses columns here writes the unhappy reviews in all three categories.