Best Fireplace Tongs (Buyer’s Guide)

Fireplace tongs are an accessory that many people neglect to purchase when they buy a fireplace. Fireplace tongs also called fire tools or poker sets, are used for tending a fire and adding logs to the fire. Fireplace tongs come in two main styles: log grabbers and bellows-style tools. Log grabber style fireplace tongs use a pincer-like mechanism to pick up logs from the ground then place them on the hearth of the fireplace or near it so you can easily reach down with your hand and pull it closer. Bellows-style fireplace tools work by using air pressure rather than gravity to move logs around with minimal effort required on your part!

Whether you just built or bought a new fireplace, or you lost your last pair, you’re in need of fireplace tongs. While this may seem like a simple purchase, not all fireplace tongs are the same. You need the best fireplace tongs available that meet your needs.

Best Choice

Rocky Mountain Goods Fireplace tongs will help you adjust logs, feed your fire and control the burn of longs with more precision than a poker. You also don’t have to risk burning your hands by grabbing logs in a risky position. Tongs are a relatively inexpensive way to keep yourself safe while you build and nurture your fire.

Best Selling Fireplace Tongs

It’s widely advised by specialists that every home that regularly burns logs has a sturdy pair of fireplace tongs available. They are useful for placing logs, along with keeping everything safe when the fire is burning.

While they are often used in the placement and moving of logs during the fire, they are also excellent to have on hand in case a log rolls out of the fire. A pair of sturdy tongs can help you quickly grab the log and place it back in the fire.

Begin by deciding what you need out of a pair of fireplace tongs. Perhaps you need lighter tongs that you can fold up. Or maybe you need tongs that can carry the most weight possible. Either way, you need to start by deciding what you need.

Once you have a firm understanding of your needs, it’s time to look over the best fireplace tongs available.

Best Fireplace Tongs Reviews

You might think that you should just grab the cheapest pair of fireplace tongs, or simply go for the one with the best reviews. However, your needs aren’t the same as everyone else’s. You need to determine your precise needs and compare them to what each pair of fireplace tongs can offer you.

Choosing the right one depends on paying attention to reviews. Since you’re buying online, you don’t have the benefit of getting your hands on them, feeling their weight, or talking to an expert salesperson. Instead, you’ll need to rely on a thorough examination of the available information.

Rocky Mountain Goods Firewood Tongs

These fireplace tongs are constructed out of durable wrought iron. They can grab and hold logs up to 12” thick, including logs from the heaviest woods. Tongs are made to be rust-resistant, meaning they’re well suited for indoor and outdoor use. They even come with a lifetime warranty, which means they’ll be replaced by the manufacturer if they break.

Some buyers have reported performance issues, but these reports are few and far between. Those who report issues say that the rivets are too loose and that they don’t hold up to the claim of holding heavy wood. However, most buyers report that they are exactly what they wanted and that they do the job well.
We recommend these fireplace tongs.

Pros:

• They are made out of wrought iron, which is considered by many to be the best material for anything that works with fire
• A rust-resistant coating makes them ideal for indoor or outdoor use
• They are a great length that will work well for most buyers
• These tongs are capable of holding a surprising amount of weight, which has been verified by buyers
• We love the lifetime warranty
• They are manufactured in the United States

Cons:

• They may not be long enough for some uses, so consider your use well before buying
• Circular ends, instead of curved, make it difficult to grab some logs

Stanbroil Outdoor Campfire Fireplace Tongs

These 26-inch long fireplace tongs are crafted out of steel with a powder-coated surface. They are scissor-shaped to help to handle many sizes of logs while your firing is roaring. These fireplace tongs are perfect for adjusting small to medium-sized fires, both in fireplaces and campfires. The Stanbroil fireplace tongs were created with outdoor use in mind, but they can certainly be used indoors.

Buyers have reported that they are perfect for small to medium-sized logs and can place them with precision. That being said, they do struggle when it comes to working with larger logs.
We recommend these for campfires, but there may be a better choice for larger fires.

Pros:

• Steel construction with a powder-coated surface helps them stand up to the elements
• They are sturdily built and will handle small to medium size logs without issue

Cons:

• They do not disclose where they are manufactured
• There is no stated warranty
• They have received bad ratings when it comes to handling larger logs

Uten Log Grabber Fireplace Tongs

These simple steel tongs are ideal for stoves, campfires, and open fires. They have a scissor design to maximize your strength and handle logs with precision. Buyers have reported that these tongs are well constructed and not at all rickety or flimsy. As long as you understand that they’re made for moving burning logs around, you’ll be pleased with them.

A few reviewers reported issues with using them in small, enclosed spaces. Take note that they are 26 inches long, which may be difficult to maneuver inside.

We recommend them for outdoor use or use in larger indoor areas.

Pros:

Made of steel and powder coated, so they’ll hold up in outdoor situations

They are well-reviewed and there are a lot of satisfied customers

Perfect for the job they were made for

Cons:

• They don’t disclose where they are manufactured
• A few buyers have reported rickety construction

Amagabeli Fireplace Log Tongs

These are the heaviest tongs on our list, coming in at 1.61 pounds. They are constructed of heavy-duty wrought iron, which many people prefer over steel for any tool that’s going to interact with fire. One unique feature of these tongs is that they fold up for easy storage. Suited well for indoor and outdoor usage, the manufacturer says that this tong will do great with logs or coals.

The parts are made out of flat metal, which means they need to be held at the appropriate angle for maximum strength. Using them at the wrong angle will make them feel flimsy.

We do not recommend these tongs due to the flat construction. They will require more effort to move the same weight than other tongs that are constructed in a sturdier fashion.

Pros:

• Great for small fires
• Ideal if you want tongs that will easily fold up for storage
• The grabbing end of the tongs is more of a gentle curve

Cons:

• Slim design was focused on storage, not on the strength
• Does not meet the needs of many buyers
• Does not offer a warranty
• They do not open as wide as some buyers would have liked, which makes it hard to grab large logs
  Manufactured in China

Syntrific Fire Tongs

These steel tongs are designed for indoor and outdoor usage. The manufacturer states that they can handle picking up heavy pieces of wood, although buyer reviews seem to challenge that statement. One benefit is that they fold up nicely for storage. These tongs are great for a number of different types of fires, other than large fires or bonfires.

Some buyers have reported that these tongs are flimsy and poorly constructed. This has been stated in multiple reports about these tongs.

We do not recommend these tongs. There are many complaints about the crafting quality.

Pros:

• Constructed from steel and can be used indoor or outdoor
• Open wide enough to grab heavy logs

Cons:

• Multiple buyer complaints about the quality
• No stated warranty
• Multiple reports of the tongs breaking while being used

Fireplace Tongs Buyer’s Guide

We’ve covered our top choices for tongs. We decided on these tongs to give you an example of how we evaluate tongs. Additionally, we wanted to highlight the good versus the bad. You’ll notice that we didn’t recommend every pair of tongs on our list.

Now, let’s look deeper at how you can evaluate these tongs, along with other tongs that you may find. We encourage you to look outside of the pre-selected tongs that we’ve chosen. Your needs may vary and you might discover a pair of tongs elsewhere that you may find intriguing. The following guide will help you evaluate any tongs you find to make sure that you’re getting a great deal.

Fireplace tongs are an accessory that many people neglect to purchase when they buy a fireplace. Fireplace tongs also called fire tools or poker sets, are used for tending a fire and adding logs to the fire. Fireplace tongs come in two main styles: log grabbers and bellows-style tools. Log grabber style fireplace tongs use a pincer-like mechanism to pick up logs from the ground then place them on the hearth of the fireplace or near it so you can easily reach down with your hand and pull it closer. Bellows-style fireplace tools work by using air pressure rather than gravity to move logs around with minimal effort required on your part!

What are Fireplace Tongs

Fireplace tongs can be a tool that is used to successfully hang fire poker, shovel, and other fireplace tools. Fireplace tongs should have an appropriate measurement for the height of your fireplace bars so they work correctly when hung.

Fireplace Tongs are a great way to keep yourself safe from burns while working with flames near you in the home or office.

Fireplace Tongs come in many different shapes and sizes depending on where your fireplace is located in relation to their horizontal or vertical bars. Fireplaces typically have either horizontal or vertical bars which allow you to hang various types of firefighting implements such as pokers, shovels, and even nets meant for catching sparks before they land on the floor below them or someone’s clothing. Fireplace tongs are available in a variety of styles and lengths to make sure you have the appropriate tool for your specific fireplace needs.

How to use Fireplace Tongs

Fireplace Tongs are a tool designed to be used with fireplaces. Fireplace tongs typically come in two varieties: those that have one handle and allow the user to use both hands when handling logs, and those which only have one arm but can be grasped from either side. Fireplace tongs usually also feature an ash scraper at the end of each arm for removing unwanted ashes or soot while tending the fireplace during operation.

Fireplace Tongs are tools designed specifically for use on fireplaces – they’re either long enough to reach across most open fires without bending down too far (with handles) or tall enough that you don’t need to kneel your entire body over them as they burn (with one arm). Fireplace Tongs usually feature a scraper on the end of each handle/arm to remove ash and soot from open fires.

The most popular Fireplace Tongs are those with two handles that can be used by both hands as you tend logs or embers in your fireplace. Fireplace tongs should come up just past chest height when standing upright (so make sure that’s tall enough for your needs), but there is also such thing as “broom” style Fireplace Tongs which have only one long, tapered arm – these will often need to be grasped from either side instead of using them like traditional Fireplace Tongs would allow.

Types of Fireplace Tongs and their uses

Fireplace Tongs come in many different varieties and are used for a variety of purposes, including gathering logs from the ground or placing logs on an open fire. Fireplace Tongs can be divided into two general types:

• Log Grabs (aka Fire Rakes) – Used to grab pieces of wood that have been pushed off the grate by other burning material.
• Fire Pokers/Poker Sets – Used to poke at the debris on the top layer of coals after they’ve cooled down.
• The Fireplace Tongs you will need depends on the type of fireplace you have.

The benefits of using Fireplace Tongs

Fireplace Tongs are an easy way to keep your fireplace tidy. Fireplace Tongs can be used for a variety of tasks, including controlling the flow of logs and creating small fires in fireplaces with inadequate ventilation or chimneys. Fireplace tongs come in various shapes, sizes, and materials.

There are two main types: long-handled Fireplace Tongs (which generally has a metal head) that you use from outside the house; short handle Fireplace Tongs (with no metal head), which is usually set on top of the grate inside the fireplace opening so it’s easier to get close to things like embers or ashes when using them.

• Long Handle Fireplace Tongues have one end that is angled, with a claw-like head that’s used to grab logs and move them around. Fireplace Tongs are not designed for handling hot logs or embers outside the fireplace grate.
• Fireplace tongs can be made from various materials including stainless steel, bronze, cast iron, copper alloy (brass), and aluminum; some metals tend to conduct heat more than others so this could affect your choice of material depending on what you want Fireplace Tongues for. Stainless steel is generally considered best suited as it doesn’t rust easily when exposed to moisture like other metal types and they’re lightweight too.

Why you should have a pair of Fireplace Tongs in your home

Fireplaces are a great way to create a cozy atmosphere in your home, but they can be difficult to keep open. Fireplace tongs make it easy for you to put logs into the fire without getting too close or burning yourself on the hot metal of the fireplace grate.

Fireplace tongs also allow you to easily place kindling onto the embers before blowing air from bellows up through them and starting a new fire. They’re perfect for someone who wants an authentic rustic feel inside their living room when there is no wood stove present.

Fireplace tongs are perfect for protecting your hands from the heat of coals when they’re not in use. They can also be used to move logs around on a fire that’s burning too quickly or slowly, which is an important thing for people who enjoy building fires by themselves.

Fireplace Tongs make it possible to place kindling and logs into the fireplace without hurting yourself with hot metal. Fireplace tongs help protect you while using the grate as well because there will never be any need to touch them with your bare hand again! Fireplace Tongs are good for those who want an authentic rustic feel inside their living room but don’t have a wood stove present within it.

Where to buy the best quality fireplace tools on the market today?

Fireplace tongs are a great tool for picking up logs to place in the fireplace. You should be able to find them at your local hardware store or home improvement shop and prices can range from $25-$40 on average. It is important that you read the instructions before using fire tools so as not to damage any of the surfaces around your fireplace such as brick, wood paneling, etc. Fireplace tongs typically come with hooks on each side which will allow you to hang them up after use if desired but it’s also recommended that they stay nearby in case more fuel needs adding during an evening gathering.

Different uses for Fireplace Tongs

Fireplace Tongs are not just for picking up logs and kindling. Fireplace tongs will also be used in the winter to pick up ice cubes, or even a snowball from off of your front step! Fireplace tongs can be an essential household tool that is often overlooked because it only gets taken out during those cold months when you want to build a fire. But there are so many other uses for fireplace tongs than one would think; which makes them worth taking the time to buy good ones.

The most common use people have their Fire Tongs for is lifting hot logs into place on top of embers, as well as moving coals around and blowing ash away with minimal risk of burning yourself. These tools come with a long handle to make it easy to reach into the fire and grab logs from either side. Fireplace tongs are also useful for reaching up and grabbing a hot log, carrying several logs at once without having them fall on the ground or spilling ashes everywhere, picking up kindling that is off in an awkward spot so you don’t have to go all over the place searching for sticks of wood – Fireplace Tongs can do most of these jobs with ease!

Pros of using Fireplace Tongs

• Fireplace tongs are a convenient, cost-effective way of keeping your fireplace clean and safe.
• Fireplace tongs can also be used to feed logs into the fire without having to open the screen or go near any hot surfaces.
• Fireplace tongs can also be used to remove hot embers or ashes that fall through the grate and land on your floor.

NOTE: Fireplace Tongs are not just for logs. They have many uses, such as removing hot embers from a fireplace without having to get near any flames.

Cons of using Fireplace Tongs

Fireplace tongs are not as durable as other fireplace tools and can sometimes break. This means that they may need to be replaced more often than some of the other tools you might use with your fire, such as poker or shovel. Fireplace tongs also cannot get into corners or in between logs like some of the different types of shovels on this list because it is too short for those tasks. They are best used when picking up logs and kindling from a pile next to your fireplace so that you do not have to bend over for long periods at a time during cold winter evenings.

Fireplace Tongs and Poker Comparison

Fireplace tongs are like poker in that they can be used to move logs around inside the fireplace or stove. Fireplace Tongs differ from pokers, however, because they are made for grabbing and moving logs while keeping them at arm’s length. Fireplace Tongs also have different ends: one end has a scooping spoon-looking device attached to it; the other is more of a claw shape with three fingers sticking out forward.

If you’re not looking for Fireplace Tongs specifically but want something similar enough (like fireplace tools), check out this blog post about buying Fire Tools such as Log Lifters, Tote Hooks, and Fire Paddles. The same advice applies!

Fireplace Tongs and Shovel Comparison

Fireplace tongs are tools designed to be used with a fireplace shovel for picking up logs or embers off of the fireplace floor. Fireplace tongs can also be useful in instances when it is difficult to use a broom, such as when there are hot coals on top of dirt and ash that cannot easily be swept away. Fireplace tongs come in two main styles: long-handled and poker style. The length of the handle will largely determine which type will work best for you – if you have any flexibility issues or trouble bending over at all, then choose an adjustable model so that you don’t sacrifice functionality by being unable to reach down into your firebox safely without experiencing pain.

Decide on Your Budget

Another way to phrase this would be, “how important are fireplace tongs to you?” You should decide before you start shopping exactly how important a good pair of tongs are to your life.
If you often find yourself in front of a fire, a good pair of tongs is a great choice for increasing your safety and fire-making abilities.

Alternatively, if you’re only interested in tongs for the rare occasion when you make a fire, your budget might be substantially less.

Whichever situation describes you, you should decide on how much you want to spend early on so that you can eliminate tongs that are outside of your budget.

Consider the Material of the Fireplace Tong

As you may have noticed, fireplace tongs are primarily crafted out of steel or wrought iron. Steel can stand up to the elements a little better, however, wrought iron is often coated with rust-resistant material to combat the elements.

There is much debate in the outdoor community about whether or not you should buy wrought iron or steel tools for your fire, including tongs. Most of the advice tends to go lean towards deciding what types of fires you’ll be burning. If most of your fires will be outdoors, go with steel tongs. If you have an indoor fireplace, wrought iron is likely better.

While we don’t have any stainless steel tongs on this list, they do exist. This is widely considered the best material for tongs. They are strong, durable, and require no maintenance. However, you’ll pay a premium for stainless steel.

Decide on the Best Design of Fireplace Tong for Your Needs

There are two distinct types of tongs available: scissor type and pincer type. Every pair of fireplace tongs that we selected area the scissor style of tongs. That is not the only option, it’s just the most versatile option. However, many consider the pincer type to be more durable. They are certainly better suited for dealing with heavier longs.

While the scissor design provides versatility, there’s also more hinges, which opens up more opportunity for failure. Pincer-type tongs are far from perfect, however. Pincer-type tongs need to be opened extremely wide to be able to grip a log. Meanwhile, a scissor-type tong can open much easier due to its design.

When buying fireplace tongs, pay attention to the shape of the tongs at the grabbing end. Many buyers complain that they bought tongs that are too round on the grabbing end. This is because if the tongs are too round, they won’t work for oddly shaped longs. The ideal shape of the grabbing edge is slightly curved in a circular fashion, but not perfect circles.

Decide Which Length You Need

You may have noticed that all of the fireplace tongs that we selected are 26 inches. We did this because we believe this is the ideal length for fireplace tongs. A 26-inch pair of tongs will get you deep enough in the fire without sacrificing strength.

Longer tongs are safer than shorter tongs. A 26-inch tong is long enough for most fires. That being said, if you will be regularly working with larger fires, you may want to look for a longer set of tongs.

Read and Evaluate Reviews

If you deviate from our list and search out other fireplace tongs, you’ll quickly discover that there are seemingly endless options. When it comes to evaluating any tongs that catch your eye, one of the best things you can do is to consider the reviews and ratings made by verified purchasers.

Don’t put all your faith just in the claims being made by the manufacturer of the product. Read through a good amount of reviews, see what they liked, what they disliked, and think about if they were using the tongs in the same way that you will be.

Go for Tongs with a Warranty

Warranties speak volumes about a company’s dedication to its product. Only one of the tongs we found offers a lifetime replacement warranty, and that’s one reason why they earned the top spot on our list.

While many online stores will offer a 30-day replacement option with any purchase, a warranty offers an extra layer of protection in case the tongs break unexpectedly.

Accessors You May Want to Purchase

Fireplace tongs are often considered the most important of the various tools you can buy for your fireplace. However, there are other accessories that will work well with your fireplace tongs to help create a safe, enjoyable fireplace experience.

A fire poker. You may not be able to pick up anything with a poker, but it’s still an excellent addition to your fire tool kit. You can use tongs to place longs into the fire, and then push them precisely into place with the poker. Pokers and tongs make a great team, consider grabbing a poker if you don’t already have one.

Fire gloves. Protecting yourself when working with fire is absolutely necessary. Even with tongs and a poker, all it takes is a few rogue sparks to burn your skin. One of the best ways to do keep yourself protected is with a simple pair of gloves that are rated for use with fire. You don’t need to go out and buy expensive fireproof gloves. A simple pair of thick leather gloves will do plenty to keep you protected.

Firestarters. Depending on how you like to build fires, you may want to pick up some fire starters and keep them with your fire kit. There are many different types of fire starters these days that go way beyond simply using lighter fluid or gasoline to get things moving. In fact, there are several types of environmentally friendly materials, such as recycled paper, sawdust, or waste textile fibers. You can buy each of these types of fire starters and many online stores, and they’re specifically made as fire starters.

Frequently Asked Questions

As we were comparing the different tongs, we noticed some similarities in the questions people ask. Below you’ll find the top five frequently asked questions that we saw, and their answers.

Are 26 inch tongs too large for indoor fireplaces?

Most fireplace tongs are 26 inches long. That is often too large for indoor use, even though they will work perfectly if you have space. Unfortunately, there is not a simple yes or no to this question. It will depend on the specific dimensions of the room that contains the fire. A small wood stove in a wood cabin would likely benefit from smaller tongs that are built specifically for that size. If you’re going to buy any of the tongs on this list, make sure that you have plenty of space. Otherwise, you’ll end up struggling to maneuver the tongs around your room. Since you’ll be dealing with flaming logs, this could potentially result in a dangerous situation.

Will the tongs conduct heat and burn my hands?

Any tongs you buy will conduct heat if they’re left in the fire. However, for feeding the fire with longs or adjusting burning logs, you won’t feel the heat on your hands with any of the tongs on this list. You just need to make sure that you don’t leave the tongs in the fire, and you’ll be fine.

Will I have to assemble my tongs?

Perhaps some tongs require assembly, but we’ve chosen tongs that come fully assembled and ready to use. You’ll be ready to start your first fire right as you open up the packaging.

Can I use any types of tongs with one hand?

A surprising amount of people ask if there are any tongs that can be used with one hand. The only tongs that only require one hand are quite small and usually for cooking. These tongs are for handling longs and will require two hands and plenty of focus and concentration.

Can I use tongs with charcoal briquette?

We do not recommend any tongs on this list for handling charcoal briquette. Charcoal briquette is quite small compared to the longs that these tongs were built to handle. You would need to buy specialty tongs if you play on using them for charcoal briquette.

Final Thoughts on Buying

Fireplace tongs come in many different shapes and sizes. You’ll need to thoroughly examine your own needs before you start looking at the different tongs on your list. We would suggest the Rocky Mountain Goods Firewood Tongs Wrought Iron 26” Log Grabber.
If you’ll be using them outside, go for steel. If you’re looking to handle charcoal, you’ll need specialty tongs. Think about the space where the fire will be as well, you need plenty of room to maneuver the tongs on this list.
Now, you’re ready to buy the perfect tongs for your needs.