Grate vs V shape vs ? for inside firebox?

[jdoyle112]

Hello everyone, I'm looking for recommendations for inside of a square firebox. It seems like people either do a standard grate, are a V shape with steel plates where the logs sit at the top and charcoal sits at the bottom. Hoping some of you can weigh in on which you prefer. Thanks!

 

[Chasdev]

Interesting subject for sure.
I've seen master smokers use no grate or grid at all and let the sticks stand in the coal base.
Franklin does it this way and he stands the sticks up so only the bottom sits in the coals.
Also famous joints in Lockhart Tx like Kreuz and Blacks that use long cinder block cookers with the fire at one end also just make a teepee shape out of sticks and let them burn and add one or two sticks tilted against the cooker inlet door when needed so they again have only the butt end in the coals.