Best for the safety-conscious: Traeger BAC454 Wooden Grill ScraperBest for hands-on cooking: Homemaxs Extreme Heat-Resistant Grill GlovesBest for campers: OXO Good Grips Grilling Tools SetBest for beginning grillers: OXO Good Grips Grilling ToolsBest for non-smokers: LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker TubeBest for control freaks: Pamxio Meat Thermometer for Cooking
What to consider when shopping for the best grill accessories
No matter what type of grill you use—gas, electric, charcoal or wood—the perfect grill accessory makes the cooking and serving process easier. Look at the grilling equipment you currently own and find new, high-quality upgrades. And discover the essential grill accessories that are missing from your outdoor cooking arsenal. It’s not just about looking cool and feeling professional. The best grilling gear really does make a difference.
Speciality items for specific grills
Utensils like serving forks, spatulas, and tongs work across all types of grills. A good pair of grill gloves doesn’t care if you’re cooking with propane or wood pellets. But there are some grilling tools designed for specific grills. A Weber-grill accessory like a charcoal chimney is useless for a propane grill. Pellet-grill accessories such as a pellet bucket serve no purpose as Weber grill accessories. Know what type of grill you use and find the best add-ons and accessories. Before you buy any accessory such as a rotisserie, pizza stone, griddle top, or smoker, make sure it will fit on your grill. And check that you have the proper space to store it when not in use. For specific pieces of equipment like infrared-sear burners, check with your grill manufacturer. There may be proprietary tools designed to work with your type of grill. And always, always, always read the instructions.
More than kitchen utensils
The tools used for backyard grilling need to be bigger and more substantial than the everyday utensils in the kitchen drawer. A salad fork is a poor substitute for a footlong serving fork. Buying the essential gear as a grilling set or grill kit is a great way to get all the equipment you need. These sets typically include stainless-steel tongs, metal spatula, a carving knife, serving fork, and skewers for kabobs. You may find sets with extra tools, such as poultry shears, so if you’re looking for a very specific tool, check the inventory of a grill set to ensure you get what you want.
Keep your grill and grilling accessories safe, clean and dry
Though grills are designed for outdoor use, they are not immune to the forces of nature. Rain and snow can do serious damage to a grill, which is why they must be covered at all times when not in use. The manufacturer will typically sell a form-fitting cover, but they can be pricey. A third-party cover will be more affordable, but you will need to make adjustments to get a snug fit. To keep the grill surface clean, you will need a good brush or scraper. Wire grill brushes are the standard grill cleaner, but they can be dangerous. A well-made wood scraper can get the job done safely. For your metal utensils, make sure they are clean and dry before storing them and protect them in either a cloth tool belt or sealed carrying case. And for true grill masters, a side table with cabinet storage is a must to raise your backyard space to the level of true outdoor kitchen.
Tools you may have overlooked
How many tools do you need if you’re just cooking hotdogs? More than you think. There are probably a few pieces of gear you may be forgetting, or underestimating. For moving food from the fridge to the grill, and from the grill to the table, you will need a solid serving tray with comfortable handles. Ensure the food is ready for human consumption with a good, accurate meat thermometer. And a flexible, clip-on LED light or headlamp will prevent late night mishaps and potential disaster. Finally, a BBQ apron is more than just a dad joke written on a smock. These grilling aprons keep you clean and the handy pockets give you quick access to spatulas and forks. Plus, everything you grill while wearing an official apron will taste better.
A quick note on grill accessories pricing
Grilling accessories can get pricey. Is there a big difference between a $12 grocery store knife and an $80 BBQ knife? Yes. The more expensive knife will be made of better material, have a better feel, and stay sharper longer. But do you need such a knife? Probably not. The best way to build a grill accessories toolkit is to use the basic equipment and upgrade as needed. If you find yourself struggling with a cheap knife, it may be well worth the investment to get a professional-grade BBQ weapon. But if you’re the typical weekend griller, there’s no need to spend hundreds of dollars on tools you’ll only use a few times a season.
The best grill accessories
How do you start arming yourself with the best grilling accessories? First, make sure you’ve got the basics covered: Utensils, grill gloves, meat thermometer. Then look for the products that will make grilling easier and more efficient. And finally, don’t be afraid to try new grilling tools such as a roaster or smoker. One of the best things about outdoor grilling is experimenting with flavors and food.
Best for the safety-conscious: Traeger Grills BAC454 Wooden Grill Scraper
Why should you ditch the metal wire grill brush? Those tiny wire bristles can break off, stick onto the grill, and wind up in your food, which winds up in your body, which winds up in the hospital. A wooden scraper is the safe solution. Bring the grill up to heat, and the wooden Traeger grill accessory can grind away all the nasty fat buildup and BBQ residue. The Traeger Grills Wooden Grill Scraper is a 10-inch long, solid piece of rosewood. The ridged edge is designed for Traeger grills, but will work wonderfully on just about any grill top. The leather loop makes it easy to store. And it looks much nicer and less menacing than the rusty wire scrubbers.
Best for hands-on cooking: Homemaxs Extreme Heat-Resistant Grill Gloves
For backyard BBQ, you need a dependable pair of grill gloves. These heat-resistant grill gloves can withstand temperatures up to 1,472 degrees Fahrenheit, more than enough protection for safe meat management. The gloves feel great and aren’t too big and bulky. You can easily use all five fingers and have enough pressure sensitivity to handle knives and tongs safely. The wrist guard is made of breathable material to prevent sweaty arms. And the food-grade, non-slip silicone surface makes it easy to carry trays and bowls off a heat source. Perfect for the whole family, the gloves are great for grilling or making holiday cookies without burning yourself.
Great for camping: OXO Good Grips Grilling Tools Set
If you’re cooking on a small charcoal grill in a stadium parking lot or using a camping grill in the great outdoors, don’t forget to bring along the right equipment. This basic set of grilling tools is easy to store and carry in a backpack. Plus, the tools themselves are strong and hold up well against a rowdy tailgate party or arduous camping expedition. The set includes the essentials: Spatula and tongs. And that’s really all you’ll need for on-the-go cooking. These OXO Good Grip tools are comfortable, must-have grilling utensils. For barebones grilling, this set gives you what you need.
Great for beginners: OXO Good Grips Grilling Tools
The OXO Good Grips Tool Rest works as a safe space for tongs and a spatula. Set it up next to your grill on a side table and give your tongs a clean, heat-resistant place to rest. No more fumbling for your utensils dangling from pegs, the silicon mat lays flat and ensures the tools won’t go toppling into the grass or pool. Use the mat next to your outdoor grill or inside next to the stove for greater control and organization during any cooking project. This is an often ignored product that should be part of every grill master’s kit.
Best smoker tube: LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube
If you want to add smoky flavor to your food, but aren’t ready to invest in a full-blown meat smoker, the LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube turns your current grill into a powerful smoke machine. Load wood pellets into the tube and simply rest the tube inside your grill to cover your meats and vegetables with a thick coating of flavorful smoke. Use any wood pellets you’d like: Apple, hickory, cherry, mesquite, pecan… or whatever else you find. This inexpensive, 12-inch metal tube is a fantastic way to experiment with flavors for steak, pork, and anything else that fits on your grill. It can smoke for up to 5 hours and couldn’t be easier to clean and store. It’s one of the cheapest, and simplest ways to add flavor to your meal.
Best for control freaks: Pamxio Meat Thermometer for Cooking
The Pamxio meat thermometer is an easy-to-read and accurate way to measure food temperature. The clear display looks good even at night, and the magnetic back conveniently attaches to ovens or grill tops. It runs on two AAA batteries. Best of all, it’s user-friendly. The controls are straightforward; from setting alarms and countdowns to selecting the optimal temperature, everything is intuitive. It can measure heat up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit and is accurate to within a degree. If you’re smoking, roasting, frying, or grilling, this is the best meat thermometer for all of your outdoor cooking needs.
The final word on the best grill accessories
You need a great spatula, a strong pair of tongs, a comfortable serving fork, and a safe way to clean your grill. Don’t forget about a meat thermometer and grill gloves for perfect cooking control. From there, add the accessories you think will be the most useful and fun for your specific grilling needs. A smoker is a cheap way to bring flavor to the party. A rotisserie adds more cooking options to your grill. A cast-iron burger press can heat burgers evenly. It all depends on what you want and how much you’re willing to spend. But armed with the essentials, there’s no reason your backyard gathering can’t be the cookout event of the year.
