The TGR: A Tapered Grate Heater Shaped Like Your Fireplace

Here's something most folks don't notice until they measure: most fireboxes are wider at the front than at the back. A square grate in a tapered firebox leaves gaps at the corners, and that's heat left on the table.

The TGR tapers to match. It's wider in front and narrower behind, so more tubes fit and more steel meets the fire.

If you're just starting out, the Hard Times Heater (HTH) is the easy first step. When you're ready for a full grate in a tapered firebox, the TGR is the one.

Why taper matters

An open fireplace is an air leak. Warm room air rides up the chimney, and cold air sneaks in behind it. A grate heater catches the fire's heat and blows heated air back into the room. The more tube surface sits in the fire, the more heat you catch.

In a tapered firebox, a straight grate has to be sized to the narrow back wall. That leaves the wider front empty. The TGR follows your side walls, so the tubes fill the firebox instead of leaving corners bare.

A wide front and a narrow back? The TGR's shaped for that.

How the TGR works

The tubes lean forward about 70 degrees, so you size the TGR to your bottom depth. Room air goes in, tumbles through the hot tubes in the coal zone, and blows out warm. That turbulent flow picks up more heat than a smooth pass would. The tubes are blower-cooled by 120mm AC fans rated at 100+ CFM each, so the steel doesn't glow and burn away.

Tube counts by width:

• 14TGR: 7 tubes (14" wide in front, 12" in back)
• 16TGR: 8 tubes
• 20TGR: 10 tubes
• 24TGR: 12 tubes
• 30TGR: 15 tubes
• 36TGR: 18 tubes

They all use 1" round tube, and the tube length follows the TD you pick: 14TD, 16TD, 20TD or 24TD. The legs add 3" of adjustable height. The TGR works in masonry and zero-clearance fireplaces, and with gas logs or gas starters.

It's fully welded, designed by an aerospace engineer, and built in Texas. We've been family operated since 2000.

How to size one

Measure the full opening: front width, back width, height, and depth at the bottom and the top. Our fireplace dimensions guide shows where each one goes.

• If your back width is clearly narrower than your front width, you've got a tapered firebox, and the TGR fits it.
• Use your bottom depth to pick the TD, since the tubes lean forward.
• If you have glass doors, choose a depth that fits behind the shut doors.

If your firebox is closer to square, the straight GR may suit you better. For a big room and a long winter, the DGR adds a second row of tubes. And if your fireplace doesn't match any size, Pre-Order means your heater is built to fit your fireplace.

Options

• Finish: seasoned steel is the default, like a cast iron pan. Paint is a custom option.
• Variable speed: variable speed fan control is a custom option.
• Ash tray: a lift-out ash tray is an option on the TGR, GR and DGR.

Caring for it

Keep the fans clear of dust so the air keeps moving. At the end of the season, once the steel is cold, rub it down with cooking oil, like a cast iron pan. It darkens toward a gun-blue patina over time.

Got a welder?

The TGR qualifies for the DIY kit, which is 35% off the ready-built heater for folks with a welder and metalworking skills. See how it works on our DIY kit page.