The 55 Best Gifts for Grillers, Based on Our Tests

Lodge 10-Inch Carbon Steel Skillet

Orig. $50 $37 at Amazon $45 at Walmart $40 at Home Depot

The Lodge Carbon Steel Skillet brings the craftsmanship of Lodge’s cast iron cookware to this carbon steel skillet. Like Lodge’s cast iron offerings, this skillet comes pre-seasoned with soybean oil and is durable. It cleans with a wash, dry, and oiling, at least with food that doesn’t stick. Stuck-on food is a little tenacious, but we don’t find that too unreasonable for the overall quality and price. In our tests of the best carbon steel pans, we found this skillet holds heat at high or low temperatures, plus it is durable enough for frequent outdoor use.

Garcima Pata Negra Paella Pan

Orig. $52 $40 at Amazon $48 at Wayfair $40 at Walmart

Paella on a grill is an experiential act of cooking, and the Garcima Pata Negra Paella Pan proved itself in our testing as a well-constructed choice for the job. Its professional-grade carbon steel is thicker than many and has excellent heat conductivity. Since it’s carbon, the pan needs some extra maintenance, like seasoning and ensuring it’s completely dry are part of the agreement. The pan accommodates four to six people and fits well over most stove burners, should you choose to cook indoors.

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

View on Thermoworks.com View on Kingarthurbaking.com

We’re hard-pressed to find an easier-to-use, more accurate, faster-responding instant-read thermometer than the Thermapen One. Flip out the probe, and the large, backlit display springs to life. Insert the probe into your food, and it gives you a reading that is accurate within one degree Fahrenheit in about two seconds. The display rotates, orienting itself so you won’t have to read the temperature upside down. The thermometer’s body is in the middle of the road in appearance and comfort, but it does its job extremely well.

RTIC 52-Quart Ultra-Light Cooler

$210 at Amazon $210 at Walmart View on Rticoutdoors.com

The RTIC 52-quart is a high-capacity (78 cans) cooler that will keep your food and drinks cold for a long time. Our extensive tests of the best coolers found very little ice melting over 24 hours while the drinks stayed cold. Food held steady at 32°F despite the hot weather that day. The rope handles make it a little clumsy for one person to carry, but with its large capacity, you may want to ask for help anyway. 

Yeti Hopper Flip 12 Soft Cooler

$250 at Amazon $250 at REI View on Yeti.com

The Hopper is a soft-sided backpack-style cooler, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it's inferior to hard coolers. The Hopper Flip 18 can hold 30 cans without ice or lunch and drinks for a small group. Its shoulder straps make it easy to transport, although we wish it had a little more padding for your shoulders. It’s leakproof (we tested it, along with several other top-rated soft coolers) and tear and puncture-resistant. The rubber and foam insulation is lightweight and keeps drinks cold for days. It’s also easy to clean with just a little dish detergent and water.

L.L.Bean Waterproof Outdoor Blanket

Orig. $69 $50 at L.L.Bean

This isn’t your average picnic blanket. The L.L. Bean Waterproof blanket is fleece on top and nylon on the bottom, with just enough weight to prevent it from flying away in a breeze. Many blankets claim water resistance, but our tests showed this blanket to be dyed-in-the-wool waterproof. It’s thick enough to cushion rocks, roots, and other bumps on the ground, but it easily folds and stows in its tote bag. It’s also stain-resistant; if you get the better of that resistance, it’s machine washable and dryer-safe.

Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper

$17 at Amazon Orig. $17 $16 at Walmart View on Grillartus.com

Nobody likes the cleanup part of grilling. So why not make it easier? The Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper has three cleaning heads that wrap around your grates to gain 360-degree cleaning with each stroke. Three heads also means you cover more surfaces with each stroke. The tightly wound bristles are less prone to shedding, making this a safer grill brush to clean with. Three scraper heads make it easier to scrape stuck-on bits, and the extended handle keeps your hand at a comfortable distance from the heat.

KettlePizza Pro Pizza Oven Kit

$289 at Amazon $330 at Crate & Barrel

This pizza oven kit will transform your gas grill into a pizza oven, which makes it ideal for those who don’t have the space for a dedicated oven. The kit consists of a stone and heat deflector, which radiates heat downward to the top of the pizza. It’s easy to set up, has a large opening, and can accommodate up to a 15-inch pizza. The stone had a few hot spots, which will vary with each gas grill’s unevenness, but that’s the only detractor we could find with this kit during our tests of the best pizza ovens.

YETI Rambler 20 oz Tumbler

$35 at Amazon $31 at REI View on Yeti.com

Yeti’s entry into the insulated tumbler world went as expected. Sure, it seems like an average stainless steel tumbler, but Yeti’s double-wall vacuum insulation keeps your drinks hot or cold for almost a full day. Cold drinks fare better than hot, only gaining 1°F in our testing of the best travel coffee mugs, whereas the hot beverages were still warm but cooled more than the cold drinks gained. The lid fits securely and minimizes spill potential with a molded straw stopper to ensure you won’t randomly lose your straw.

The Good Charcoal Company Premium Hardwood Lump Charcoal

$27 at Walmart $20 at Home Depot $20 at Samsclub.com

This lump charcoal is made from invasive Acacia wood and provides a clean flavor that won’t interfere with your food. It’s relatively quick-lighting, ready to go in about 15 minutes, and you won’t lose any significant volume during the lighting process. Like many premium charcoals, The Good is reusable. Simply cut off the air supply and save the unburned remnants for another day. In our tests of the best charcoal for grilling, we found that this charcoal burns clean, with very little popping and sputtering, and combusts almost completely, leaving little but clean white ash to clean up after cooking.

Messermeister Steak Knife Set

Orig. $70 $50 at Amazon $60 at Walmart View on Shoppremiumoutlets.com

After cooking the perfect steak, cutting it should be a pleasant experience. A good set of steak knives is in order. Our tests of the best steak knives showed the Messermeister Avanta set can hang tough with the big names but at a fraction of the price of some sets. These knives are well balanced with a full-tang design, a wood grip, and an upturned tip that’s particularly useful for cutting bone-in steaks. There’s no case or block for storage with these knives, but at the price, this set presents a great value without one.

YETI Can Insulator

$25 at Amazon $7 at REI $25 at Williams-Sonoma

One might never expect a luxury koozie, but the Colster fits that description. The Colster is a two-piece assembly. There’s a stainless steel body and a locking gasket that screws in place to keep the can secure. It kept drinks cold for two hours or more in our tests, thanks to Yeti’s double-walled insulation, but one of the most noticeable attributes was the lack of condensation. The canister felt smooth and dry in every environment we tested in. The two-piece design makes cleaning quick and easy, either by hand or in a dishwasher. This model holds standard 12-ounce cans, but there is an option for slim cans, and both fit into a car’s cup holder as a bonus. The Colster is a little heavier and bulkier than many koozies, and it’s not a cheap option, but the performance and convenience balanced those factors out.

Made In Carbon Steel Griddle

$169 at Amazon $199 at Walmart View on Madeincookware.com

If you don’t have space for a standalone griddle, you can add one to your grill and turn it into a plancha. The Made In griddle is lightweight carbon steel and comes pre-seasoned, giving it the performance and heat retention of cast iron without the extra heft. It’s also big enough to fit over two burners, so you can set it up for dual-zone cooking, say, to cook eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon simultaneously.

Lodge Cast Iron Grill Press

Orig. $28 $20 at Amazon $37 at Houzz View on Boscovs.com

A grill press is an excellent accessory for a griddle. Getting the perfect crispy-edged smash burger is easy with the help of this three-pound cast iron press. It’s also great for grilled cheese or press-toasting sandwiches. At 6.75 inches, it also fits most cast iron pans, so a griddle isn’t a mandatory pairing here. The coiled spring-type handle disperses heat and is easy on the hands, and the press comes pre-seasoned for durability.

Hedley & Bennett Waxman Apron

$130 at Amazon View on Hedleyandbennett.com

Need a great, long-lived apron that protects you from the heat and splatters of outdoor cooking that won’t be a burden around your neck? The Waxman is made of thick cotton for comfort, with leather straps for durability. As the name suggests, it’s waxed to repel moisture and stains. It’s also got ample pockets for pens, thermometers, towels, and other items you need to keep within easy reach. Never wash this kitchen apron. Blot spills and reapply canvas wax at regular intervals for the longest lifespan.

Pottery Barn Mason Modern Melamine Serving Platter

$20 at Pottery Barn

Outdoor cooking needn’t always be spartan and rustic. Sometimes, you want to dress up your grilled creations. This melamine platter is an adaptation of Pottery Barn’s Mason Modern line, made more practical and safer for outdoor use. At about 18 by 8 inches, this platter provides ample space for vegetables, sliced meats, or even a whole chicken. It’s dishwasher-safe and available in two colors.

Pottery Barn Melamine Dinner Plates

$60 at Pottery Barn

These plates are styled after the vintage speckled enameled tin camping plate design. They have the weight and texture of ceramic plates, though, so they don’t feel flimsy and are heavy enough to stand up to a breeze. They’re dishwasher safe and available in 9 and 11-inch diameters to fit your liking. They’re also available in your choice of blue, white, or charcoal.

Williams Sonoma Grill Prep Trays

$25 at Williams-Sonoma

Keeping your ready-for-the-grill prepped food organized can sometimes be a juggling act. Keeping with the idea of mise en place, a dedicated tray for your raw ingredients is good. But, sometimes, we forget which tray had raw ingredients and which was meant for the cooked product. The Williams Sonoma Grill Prep Trays are stackable and color-coded to minimize chances of cross-contamination. They’re constructed of durable melamine and are dishwasher-safe, too.

Peter Luger Steak Sauce

$13 at Amazon

For those who oppose steak sauce, you might want to skip this one. In a world of cleverly-named, fruity, spicy steak sauces, Peter Luger Steak Sauce just quietly does its thing. There are no flash or garish labels, kind of like its namesake steakhouse. Slightly sweet, a little smoky, with a definite horseradish finish, this sauce is thinner than some of its contemporaries but not watery at all.

Pro tip: This sauce serves double duty during the warmer seasons if you use it to dress some fresh tomatoes and sweet onions for a salad.

Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

$8 at Amazon $11 at Williams-Sonoma $11 at Sur La Table

I’m not ashamed to admit I’m a Maldon evangelist. I use it in desserts, salads, and especially grilled meats and vegetables. Yes, there’s the salty minerality that’s front and center, but the flaked nature of the salt gives a crunchy texture that takes the flavor even further. I like to use it to finish steaks or baked potatoes and enhance other finishing ingredients, like spiced honey. Pack sizes range from an 8.5-ounce box to a 3-pound bucket, and after you explore its uses, you’ll buy it by the bucket.

Grill Armor Gloves Heat-Resistant Oven Gloves

$30 at Amazon View on Grillarmorgloves.com $32 at Ace Hardware

Grill gloves are one of my favorite grilling inventions, right up there with wireless grilling thermometers. Grill gloves allow you more time to linger over a hot grill while arranging food, charcoal, or logs by protecting your hands and wrists from heat, minimizing burn opportunities, and singed arm hair. These Grill Armor gloves got top scores in our tests for their over-the-wrist design and good dexterity and grip, even when greasy. A word of caution: Think of these gloves as useful oven mitts. You can still burn yourself (I have) when touching extremely hot objects like a charcoal chimney or burning logs.

Spicewalla 10 Pack Ultimate BBQ Collection

$60 at Amazon View on Spicewallabrand.com

Rubs are a fantastic way to infuse flavor directly into your grilled food. With two ways to go about getting them: make your own or navigate the heavily populated retail field, and the choices can be intimidating. This 10-pack from Spicewalla can be a good entry point to explore which flavors you like with certain meats or vegetables and lets you explore various regional and cultural styles of barbecue and seasoning without having to cross your fingers and hope you picked a good one.

Dyna-Glo Universal Rotisserie Kit

Orig. $50 $39 at Amazon $74 at Walmart $83 at Home Depot

Slowly rotating chicken or porchetta over your grill gives your food tenderness and a crispy texture that can’t be obtained via direct heat. The Dyna-Glo Universal Deluxe Rotisserie Kit works with almost any gas grill up to 32 inches wide, allowing you to rotate your food and utilize the ambient heat of your grill. No more waiting in line at the grocery store deli for your rotisserie chicken — this attachment makes even weeknight rotisserie an option.

OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer

$12 at Amazon $12 at Oxo $12 at Macy's

Sometimes, you need thin cuts of meat for grilling, like in the case of shawarma or paillards. Trying to slice your meat that thinly is a frustrating experience, at best, and a meat pounder can relieve that stress. Lightly tenderizing your meat is a good means of allowing marinade to permeate it, too. The OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer took best in show in our tests, thanks to its angled head, balanced handle, and toothed and smooth surfaces. The OXO Meat Tenderizer made quick work of chicken and pork mainly due to the ability to make an even, forceful swing that allowed precision contact with the meat.

Saber Select Stainless 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill

$850 at Williams-Sonoma $849 at Lowe's View on Sabergrills.com

The Saber Select 3-Burner grill scored a perfect 5/5 in our tests. It’s a spacious grill for the price, with 575 square inches of primary and secondary grilling space and some of the largest side tables we’ve worked with. This grill has removable infrared plates, which allowed us to switch between high-heat searing and open-top grilling easily. Speaking of searing, the Saber Select gave some of the most impressive grill marks we’ve ever seen, even going back to previous tests. The best part is the Saber offers these features and performance at an accessible price.

Char-Broil 463365124 Pro Series 3 Burner Gas Grill

Orig. $549 $516 at Amazon $471 at Wayfair View on Walmart

Space, budget, or general lack of desire are compelling reasons to consider something other than a gigantic grill. For those looking for a more compact gas grill that still allows multi-zone cooking, the Char-Broil model 463365124 was our Best Value pick from our gas grill tests. The Char-Broil delivered excellent results after we learned it typically ran a little hotter than the thermometer indicated. It had infrared plates for searing that minimized flare-ups and a swappable griddle top that allowed plancha-style cooking or even a surface for making pancakes outdoors. 

Weber Smokefire EX4 Pellet Grill

$864 at Amazon $1,099 at Walmart View on Weber.com

The best pellet grills combine the cooking and searing capabilities of a grill with the slow-cooking capacity of a smoker. In our testing, we grilled burgers and smoked flank steak and pork butts for up to 11 hours, and the EX4 aced every test. Like most pellet grills, it takes the guesswork out of grilling or smoking. You set the time and temperature via the LCD control panel, fill it with pellets, and the EX4 takes the wheel from there. There’s also wireless app integration, so you don’t have to stick near the grill to monitor the heat or need for more fuel.

Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill

Orig. $233 $190 at Amazon $219 at Ace Hardware $220 at Farmandfleet.com

Let’s step away from gas grills and the gadgetry of pellet grills for a moment. The original kettle grill still took top ratings in our charcoal grill tests, even though the design is 70 years old. There are zero frills to this grill, but that’s part of the beauty of it. It performed equally well in our high-heat searing and slow-cooking tests. That performance is in no small part due to the top and bottom baffle system that creates excellent convection throughout the domed design.

Big Green Egg Grill

$1,100 at Ace Hardware

Kamado grills are known for their versatility and fuel efficiency. When we tested kamado grills, the clear winner was the Big Green Egg. After familiarizing ourselves with the Egg’s damper system, we found it an excellent grill for beginners and experienced grillers alike. We used the Big Green Egg for slow-smoking and searing and found it gave great results in both areas. Chicken wings were moist with a good skin snap and mild charcoal flavor in 75 minutes, and the steaks we tested charred nicely in nine minutes. Along the way, we only had to add minimal amounts of charcoal to keep the grill performing at low and high temperatures.

Dyna-Glo Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill

$517 at Amazon $1,054 at Walmart $562 at Lowe's

We spent 50 hours testing charcoal smokers and were surprised this beast of a smoker was so easy to use. It has easy access to the firebox and the smoker chamber, with sliding racks in the smoke chamber that make loading and unloading food a pleasant experience. The damper system that creates convection in the smoker is highly responsive to adjustments, and a beginner smoker will have no problem adapting to its use. At the same time, more experienced smokers will be pleased with the results.

Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker

Orig. $320 $300 at Amazon $874 at Walmart $380 at Basspro.com

With an electric smoker, you probably won’t achieve the same results as a real, fire-burning smoker, like deep bark development and mellow smoke flavor. But electric smokers are good in cases where you can’t operate a charcoal or wood smoker safely or don’t want to continually monitor your fire. With a digital display and controls to set the time and cook temperature, the Masterbuilt is a great representation of an electric smoker. This smoker held its temperature and smoke well in our tests, developing a mild but prominent smoke flavor in the foods we cooked.

Camp Chef 24-Inch Vertical Gas Smoker

$440 at Amazon View on Bbqguys.com

As with electric smokers, you can get good smoke flavor from a gas smoker but won’t get the depth and bark development one expects from wood smoking. The Smoke Vault is a very beginner-friendly smoker – with an asterisk. Although it’s easy to operate, we advise taking some time to familiarize yourself with the baffle system, as they’re sometimes almost too responsive. Smokers leave very little mess behind to clean after cooking. It has a large cooking capacity, and barbecuers of all levels will enjoy cooking with the Smoke Vault.

ThermoWorks ChefAlarm

View on Thermoworks.com

The ChefAlarm fills a need that an instant-read thermometer can’t perform. Where an instant-read is meant for quick spot-checking food as it cooks, the ChefAlarm monitors the cooking throughout the process. Simply insert the probe and attach it to the base unit. The ChefAlarm displays the current temperature and the time remaining and sends audible high/low-temperature alerts when the food is done. This thermometer got top scores in our meat thermometer tests for its accuracy (within fractions of a degree) and its built-in functional settings.

Made In The Butcher Block

$129 at Amazon View on Madeincookware.com

After grilling meat but before carving, it’s time to let it rest. Juices flow out while the meat rests, and a good carving board helps keep those juices from pooling under the meat and under control until you’re ready to carve. The Butcher Block from Made In has plenty of room for resting or carving, according to our tests. At 8 pounds and 17.75 by 11.75 by 1.6 inches, the Butcher Block is a formidable slab of wood that’s stable for cutting on, and all signs point to excellent longevity with proper care. Handles on the edges make this large board easier to move between the counter and sink for cleanup, and its grooves and juice wells serve double duty: they’re great for catching crumbs from slicing bread, too.

Le Creuset Signature Square Skillet Grill Pan

$218 at Amazon $225 at Williams-Sonoma $225 at Nordstrom

The Le Creuset grill pan is a great choice for moving the grilling inside. Its enameled cast iron construction will make this a functional and visually appealing heirloom piece for your kitchen. In our tests of the best grill pans, we liked the size of the grilling ribs that allow for good sear and grill marks while channeling away any grease or liquid. The sides are high enough to minimize spatters and have molded spouts to pour off any accumulated fat at cleanup. I keep one of these in my kitchen and have for years. It’s perfect for indoor grilling and, important to me, cleans up easily.

Wusthof Classic Boning Knife

$115 at Amazon $115 at Williams-Sonoma View on Wusthof.com

One might think of a carving knife as the best tool for carving a chicken after it comes off the grill, but a boning knife provides better precision and allows you to get closer to the bone when carving and slides between leg and wing joints far more easily. Wüsthof’s classic European design and high-quality forged stainless steel made this boning knife our top pick. The thin blade is excellent for seaming meat for kebabs or removing tenderloins from pork ribs, too. 

Middleton Made Knives Echo 8 Inch Chef Knife

$240 at Amazon

Sometimes, you want a pretty and good knife, despite what I said about boning knives. Middleton Made Knives are hand-made in South Carolina out of quality steel, with a full tang and very comfortable grip. A curved divot at the back of the blade adds extra comfort for your index finger when slicing or chopping. I’ve used this knife in a professional setting for years, and it keeps an edge, re-sharpens easily, and is easy on your hands. With proper care, this is a generational heirloom knife that also happens to be extremely functional. 

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

Orig. $28 $26 at Amazon $26 at Target $40 at Walmart

I’ve used several chimney starters that look like the Rapidfire, but they don’t perform like it. It’s easy to dismiss a chimney starter as an aluminum tube with no particular merits, but that would be an incorrect assumption. Airflow is key, and that idea is first and foremost in Rapidfire’s design. Holes at the bottom give you access to your starter paper, which goes upward to a conical base, and these two features form an updraft to ignite the charcoal further up the chimney. The results are measurable; the Rapidfire gets you cooking faster than its imitators.

Le Creuset Le Creuset Cast Iron Grill Basket

$160 at Amazon $160 at Williams-Sonoma $160 at Nordstrom

I’m not regularly a fan of grill baskets for a simple reason: They’re easily overcrowded, and food doesn’t evenly touch the cooking surface, leaving that which isn’t in direct contact to steam while the rest of the food grills. This cast iron grill pan from Le Creuset is large enough to allow food for three to four people to make direct contact with the cooking surface, and the holes in the bottom provide channels for smokey flavor to permeate the food. Enameled cast iron construction means even heat distribution and retention, and the molded handles make picking the basket up or moving it easy — even when wearing grill gloves. 

Permasteel Grill Lights 2-Pack

Orig. $25 $24 at Amazon $16 at Wayfair View on Bed Bath & Beyond

Grilling doesn't have to stop when the sun goes down; good grill lights make the job easier and safer in low-light conditions. I tested a few grill lights, and I'd recommend the Permasteel to almost anyone. The magnetic base will stick to almost any metal surface, and the gooseneck allows you to aim the light in any direction without changing the base's location. Sold in a set of two, the cluster of 9 LED lights gives ample light in almost any situation.

How To Grill Everything

Orig. $40 $17 at Amazon $21 at Target $17 at Walmart

Reality check time: Most people, pros included, don’t know what they’re doing with a grill but won’t admit it. The difference is pros secretly consult cookbooks and experts to figure out the finer points of the craft. So, without bruising egos, you can slide them a quality grilling cookbook to help them further explore their capabilities. I like this book because it’s about grilling and doesn’t wander into other territories that require additional appliances or equipment. Author Mark Bittman is excellent at breaking down theory into easily-followable directions.

Blackstone 1554 Cooking 4 Burner Flat Top Gas Grill

Orig. $401 $371 at Amazon $496 at Walmart Orig. $700 $450 at Dick's

I’ve often viewed griddles as restrictive pieces of equipment — great for special purposes, but other cooking means can do jobs outside of those purposes better. That’s a lack of vision on my part, I’ll admit. A griddle can sear meat, saute vegetables, make lacy-edged smash burgers, and cook an entire breakfast, just to name a few. This four-burner, 36-inch gas griddle from Blackstone was our top pick because of its size and versatility. Versatility comes from four independently controlled burners that allow different heat ranges across the sizable griddle top. There are also two side tables, an under-shelf for storage, an easy-to-clean grease trap, and wheels for easy movement.

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Baking Pan

Orig. $75 $60 at Amazon

When we tested pizza stones, our top choice for use on the grill was this multi-use baking pan from Lodge. But, good news for folks who prefer multipurpose tools: This baking pan is useful beyond pizza, whether it’s for roasting vegetables and searing steaks or used as a plancha. The loop handles make,lifting and moving the pan easy, and the pre-seasoned cast iron provides a nonstick surface that will last a long time with routine maintenance.

Meater Plus with Bluetooth Repeater

$100 at Amazon $100 at Target View on Bbqguys.com

The name doesn’t immediately reveal the MEATER Plus’s purpose, but it’s a wireless, Bluetooth-connected meat thermometer that we’ve tested and love. Its two-sided probe measures the internal temperature of the food you're cooking and the ambient temperature of your oven or grill, reporting those back to an app on your phone. It’s quite accurate but wavers a little when approaching the meat end’s 212°F upper limit. The other end measures up to 572°F to help monitor your cooking temperature. The app is very feature-rich, with plenty of presets for different meat types, and should appeal greatly to the gadget-oriented griller.

Nomad Grill & Smoker

View on Bespokepost.com

The NOMAD’s modern design should strongly appeal to those who want to pull off their “International Person of Mystery” dreams. At first glance, the NOMAD looks like an ultra-modern briefcase, but you’ll find a versatile portable grill after opening. The NOMAD can function in two modes: as a closed-top grill, or you can use it in an open, hibachi-style mode. When we tested the NOMAD, we found that the baffle system provided excellent heat control in closed-top cooking, and the firebox had excellent heat retention. The exterior design dissipates heat radiating to the outside, keeping it cool to the touch.

OXO Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board

$33 at Amazon $19 at Sur La Table $33 at Kohls.com

Home cooks and outdoor cooking folks are often denied a necessity of cooking: a usefully large cutting board. Yes, you can use a small cutting board to prep some burger toppings, but have you ever tried to slice a brisket on one? This board from OXO measures 14.34 by 21.11 inches — large enough for most home or backyard cooking tasks — and features a juice reservoir that’s great for catching meat juices or collecting tomato juice that would otherwise run all over your countertop. Non-slip grips are also a big selling point, as they kept the board from dangerously slipping when we tested it by breaking down whole chickens.

Scrub Daddy BBQ Daddy

$37 at Amazon $30 at Home Depot

Old-school wire-bristle grill brushes are out. They dangerously shed bristles when they wear out that hide on your grill grates and can end up in your food. The BBQ Daddy forgoes the bristles in favor of a woven steel wool mesh, which isn’t the greatest stand-alone grill cleaner — until you add water and power off residual gunk with steam power. Dunk the BBQ Daddy in water, and it powers through built-up deposits on your grill. It’s got a rigid cleaning head for scraping tough-to-clean bits, and the handle reverses to give more leverage for your desired angle.

Outset Cast Iron Oyster Grill Pan

Orig. $42 $39 at Amazon $39 at Wayfair View on Webstaurantstore.com

I love grilled oysters, but they sometimes don’t have an amenable shape for laying flat on the grill. Oysters can rock, and gravity can pull them to one side, dumping their precious liquor into the flames. With this Oyster Grill Pan from Outset, you can place your whole or shucked oysters — a dozen at a time — into the pre-formed slots and grill them without losing the liquor. This pre-seasoned cast iron pan is also suitable for the oven, and you can use it to create uniquely shaped baked goods when not grilling.

Weber Burger Press

Orig. $17 $16 at Amazon $16 at Walmart View on Weber.com

If the griller in your life entertains regularly and loves burgers, this press takes some of the prep work out of the picture. Forming meat or plant-based burgers can be a tedious, time-consuming process. I know, I used to prep at least 80 per night in my restaurants. This simple tool allows you to pop your burger meat (or plant-based variety) into the mold, and then you press down. The result is an evenly-formed, pre-dimpled patty ready for the grill. Even cooking and non-puffing burgers are easy with this simple press.

Weber Taco Rack

View on Walmart $30 at Home Depot View on Weber.com

The idea of a taco rack may seem superfluous, but I’ve met great frustration trying to make multiple tacos at once due to space constraints. Laying out tortillas before filling them eats up real estate quickly, and I often find myself limited to making a few at a time while the freshly-made tortillas rapidly cool and lose texture. This rack allows you to fold six tortillas and fill them with ingredients straight from the grill or from the carving board. It also has space to store two dishes of salsa. This rack is far from the most vital grilling equipment, but when you’ve covered the necessities, little tools like this rack make grilling more enjoyable. 

ButcherBox Subscription

View on Butcherbox.com

It’s easy to fall into a rut when it comes to grilling. What’s in the grocery store is what goes on the grill. With a subscription to Butcher Box, our pick for the best overall subscription service, new proteins arrive at your doorstep to try on the grill and shake up the normal routine. Three subscription levels allow you to select a plan that works for you to get the meat and seafood of your liking. The options are flexible, it’s easy to adjust or cancel your subscription, and (very important to me) Butcher Box maintains high animal welfare standards.

Burlap & Barrel Burlap & Barrel Shark Tank Collection

$30 at Amazon View on Burlapandbarrel.com

It’s as easy to get into the same old, same old with your grilling spices as it is with proteins. Explore some new yet familiar flavors with a low investment in this collection of spices from Burlap & Barrel. The set contains Royal Cinnamon from the mountains of Vietnam, fragrant Wild Mountain Cumin from the Hindu Kush, Black Lime, and Zanzibar peppercorns from Tanzania. These flavors are familiar, but the specificity of variety and sourcing brings previously unencountered nuance to the table that lends vibrance and diversity to your grilling.

ENZO Bold Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

View on Enzostable.com View on Hivebrands.com

I spent a lot of time cooking Central Italian food as a chef. I learned through experience that sometimes the difference between a good bit of grilled meat, fish, or vegetables and a great one was the right amount of salt and some good olive oil to finish the dish. This California organic, estate-grown oil has buttery, grassy, and nutty flavors with a spicy pepper finish. A slight drizzle can intensify the natural grilled flavors of your food and amplify the entire dish.

Spiceology Set of 12 Gourmet BBQ Spice Rubs

$72 at Amazon

I’ve always been a proponent of making spice rubs and mixes, but that’s a little elitist. First, I’ve got deep knowledge of individual ingredients, and second, I used to have a deep spice library to pull from in my restaurant kitchen. I’ve relaxed that view these days because I don’t have the room to store three types of sumac in my home kitchen. Then there’s the cost of such a collection of herbs and spices. Spiceology’s 12-rub set made our list of favorite rubs mainly because of its diversity. You can stay more straightforward, like the Cowboy Crust with sugar, mustard seed, and espresso, or you can venture into more adventurous flavors, like the Black & Bleu with Cajun spices and dried bleu cheese.

Bachan's Japanese Barbecue Sauce Variety Pack

$24 at Amazon

Let’s just take the battle of regional American barbecue sauce styles off the table. Nobody will win that argument because they’re all good. Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce is an entirely different style, loaded with ginger, garlic, scallion, and soy. It has a deep umami flavor in a tomato base balanced with mirin, koji, and rice vinegar. It’s sweet and tart, like many American sauces, but the depth of the other ingredients takes the flavors in a distinct direction. It’s thinner than many barbecue sauces, making it easy to drizzle directly onto food or serve as a marinade base. Just mind the sugar content and keep the cooking heat low so the sugar won’t scorch.