AnBaiMei 17 Inch Heavy Duty Fireplace Grate, Small Fire Wood Log Burning Rack Holder with 6 Support Bars for Indoor Outdoor Fire Place Accessories, Wrought Iron Firewood Stove Insert, Black

Why I swapped in the AnBaiMei 17-inch grate

I swapped my aging cast-iron grate for the AnBaiMei 17-inch grate to see if a compact, steel-bar design could improve airflow and hold up to regular use. After a few weeks of evening fires in a small masonry fireplace—and a weekend test in a patio fire pit—I’m impressed by how such a simple change improved burn quality and stability, with a few caveats worth noting.

Build and design

This grate is built from flat steel bars rather than cast iron, with six 1.18-inch-wide crossbars supported by four legs. The wider bars matter. On many small grates, 3/4-inch stock flexes and allows smaller splits to drop through too easily. The AnBaiMei’s bars are noticeably wider, which spreads weight better, catches embers, and keeps small pieces perched where they can actually burn. The spacing between bars is tight enough that I didn’t lose kindling prematurely, yet open enough for ash to fall and air to circulate.

At 17 inches, this is a compact piece intended for small fireplaces or as a functional insert for a fire pit. The four-leg base keeps the frame planted, and it elevates wood about 3 inches off the floor—enough to promote active airflow under the load without lifting the stack so high that heat bypasses the room.

Assembly and first setup

Assembly is straightforward: the support bars clamp onto two base rails with a pair of long bolts, and the legs fasten in with simple hardware. It took me around ten minutes with the included tools. All the holes aligned, and the final frame felt tight once cinched down.

One tip: after the first hot burn, metal expands and settles. I rechecked and snugged the bolts the next morning, and they haven’t budged since. That’s typical for bolted bar grates and takes a minute to do.

The grate arrives coated in a matte black, high-temp paint. That’s good for shipping and initial appearance, but like most fireplace coatings, expect some burn-off on the first few fires. I got a faint smell during the first hot session—open your damper fully and crack a nearby window—and a few small patches of paint turned gray. This is cosmetic and normal for painted steel in a firebox.

Performance in the fireplace

The most immediate improvement was airflow. Elevating the wood a bit higher and using a bar grate with consistent gaps encouraged a steady draft from underneath. It made top-down fire starts almost foolproof, and even standard teepee stacks ignited more evenly. I noticed:

• Faster, cleaner starts with less smoke spillage.
• Less babysitting—once a coal bed formed, the fire held well as fresh splits caught quickly.
• Minimal rollouts; the six bars create a slight cradle that keeps rounds from wandering.

The grate retains enough ash between the bars to build a hot base without choking the fire. As the burn progressed, embers stayed in contact with the underside of logs, which helps maintain consistent heat. If you’ve been battling sluggish, sooty fires, this small design change pays dividends.

Outdoor fire pit test

In a 22-inch round fire pit, the grate elevated logs just enough to reduce smoldering and improve oxygen supply in still air. The four legs kept it stable on a slightly uneven surface. I wouldn’t leave it outside permanently—steel plus moisture equals rust over time—but for occasional pit use it’s a handy airflow upgrade that’s easy to carry and clean.

Durability and heat resistance

Steel bar grates and cast iron age differently. Cast iron is brittle but holds heat well; steel is more springy and resists shock. After multiple long burns, I saw light discoloration, a bit of paint flaking at the hottest points, and no structural warping. The bars remained straight and the legs stayed true.

If you push constant high-heat, roaring fires (think big, dense hardwood loads, night after night), any painted steel grate will show cosmetic wear, and some gradual bowing is possible over time. That’s not a knock on this unit specifically; it’s the reality of bar grates across the board. A quick wire-brush and a refresh with stove-black or high-temp paint in the off-season will keep it looking tidy if aesthetics matter to you.

Sizing and fit

Measure your firebox opening and depth before buying. The 17-inch width is ideal for smaller fireplaces where standard 21-inch grates crowd the sides or sit too close to the firebrick. In my compact masonry box, this size left comfortable clearance for air to move around the load and for me to maneuver a poker without knocking the grate.

For larger rooms or big, overnight log rounds, this grate will feel small. It shines with split logs up to mid-size and is especially good for those who burn mostly mixed hardwood splits and kindling. The tighter bar spacing keeps smaller pieces from tumbling through prematurely, which is a common frustration with bigger, more open grates.

Day-to-day use

Practical notes from normal use:

• Stability: The four-footed stance doesn’t rock, even when shifting logs with a poker.
• Ash management: Enough drops through to keep airflow, but you’ll still develop a warm ember bed. I clean out the firebox every few burns to avoid choking the draft.
• Smell and finish: Expect a light curing odor during the first hot burn, and some paint fade at hotspots. After that, odors diminished to zero in my setup.
• Maintenance: Check the hardware after your first couple of fires. If you use it outdoors, store it dry or cover it to reduce rust.
• Coal or pellet use: Not the right tool. For coal, you’d want a cast grate with tighter slots; for pellets, a dedicated basket.

What it improves—and what it doesn’t

The AnBaiMei 17-inch grate made my small fireplace more efficient and easier to manage. Airflow improved, kindling stayed put, and the burn felt more predictable from start to finish. It won’t transform a poor chimney draft or fix wet wood—no grate can—but it does help good fuel burn cleaner with less fuss.

The one area where expectations should be calibrated is the finish. High-temp paint is not a force field. It protects well enough for handling and early use, but flames will mark it. If you want a grate that looks showroom-black after dozens of fires, you’ll either be touching it up periodically or shopping for heavy cast iron that still discolors with heat.

Pros and cons

Pros
- Wide, flat steel bars support small splits and prevent drop-through
- Strong four-leg stance with good elevation for airflow
- Easy, 10-minute assembly; hardware fits well
- Compact size suits small fireplaces and doubles for fire pits
- Predictable burns, fewer rollouts, faster starts

Cons
- High-temp paint will discolor and may flake at hotspots
- Bolted construction benefits from a post-burn retighten
- Too small for big, overnight log loads
- Not designed for coal

Recommendation

I recommend the AnBaiMei 17-inch grate for anyone with a smaller fireplace (or a modest fire pit) who wants a sturdy, budget-friendly bar grate that meaningfully improves airflow and burn consistency. The wider bars and thoughtful spacing make everyday fires easier to start and maintain, and the four-leg design feels stable and durable for regular use. You should expect cosmetic wear on the finish after your first few hot fires and be willing to give the bolts a quick check early on. If you need a large, heirloom-grade cast iron piece for heavy-duty, high-heat, coal-capable burning, this isn’t it. But for compact wood-burning setups, it hits the right balance of performance, simplicity, and value.