COVER FEATURE
Then there is the growing demand for choice at the fire. Thermo Fires manufactures combination wood-and-gas braais, bringing together the convenience of gas and the atmosphere and flavour associated with wood or charcoal.
The company also offers spit-braai configurations, including heavy-duty rotisserie options. This makes it possible to design an entertainment setup around everything from quick weeknight grilling to long, slow Sunday cooking.
Material matters
Material choice is equally important, particularly in a product expected to withstand heat, ash, grease, and years of use. Thermo Fires offers units in mild steel, 3CR12, and stainless steel, as well as combinations of materials. Its stainless-steel options include 304 stainless steel, while customers can specify different facade materials to suit environmental conditions or design requirements.
Beyond durability, this creates considerable aesthetic freedom. Black steel can feel bold and architectural, while brushed stainless steel gives a more polished, contemporary appearance to an installation.
Perhaps the most useful part of the Thermo Fires offering is its approach to existing braai spaces. Not every renovation should begin with a demolition hammer. The company manufactures insert braais designed to fit existing brick openings, reducing the need to break out and rebuild masonry simply to accommodate a standard-sized product.
Customers can choose complete inserts, simpler ashpan or table-braai configurations, different door styles, and various materials. Thermo Frames can also add frames and doors to existing brick braais, thereby giving an older installation a cleaner, more finished appearance.
The same practical thinking extends to replacement parts and accessories. Thermo Fires supplies coalmakers, ashpans, grids, braai tools, rotisserie components, and custom-made grids, among other items.
That matters because a quality braai should be maintainable. Replacing individual working components instead of the entire installation can extend the braai’ s useful life and keep a well-designed entertainment area functioning as intended.
Thermo Fires also backs its workmanship with a 20-year warranty, reflecting the emphasis it places on manufacturing quality. The business operates from Brackenfell Industria in the Western Cape, where it designs and manufactures its braais locally.
Ultimately, the appeal of a Thermo Fires braai lies less in any single feature than in the breadth of possibilities. Built-in or freestanding, mild steel or stainless, woodfired or combined with gas, standard or completely bespoke, the range recognises that the best braai is the one that fits the home, the architecture, and the people gathered around it.
In a country where the fire is so often where conversation begins, that is a design philosophy that makes sense.
Contact information(+ 27 21) 981 1988 info @ thermofires. co. za
www. tobuild. co. za | spring 2026 13