The best BBQ tools and grilling gadgets won't instantly make you the next Grill Master, but having the right tools for the task might just make you the neighborhood hero. One thing that we can say with confidence is that there are a lot of junk grilling tools and accessories that are frustrating to use. Quality gadgets make flipping burgers smooth and fast, removing large hunks of meat from the smoker safer, and help ensure that your meals are cooked to the perfect temperature every time.
There are tons of accessories out there from hundreds of manufacturers, many of which have lots of hype behind them but don't measure up when you hit the grill. The only way to find out what is good and what isn't is to go through a whole bunch of options to find products that work the way they should.
How We Picked Our Favorites
Over the years, we've gone through our fair share of tongs, spatulas, spray bottles, and thermometers. We've found a handful of items that we consider to be essentials on the grill, smoker, or barbecue. There are a couple companies out there that make really good products that we can get behind. We've even started selling some of our own grilling tools and gadgets so that you can get top-quality accessories along with the best seasoning blends, sauces, and apparel.
Features We Considered
First and foremost, grill tools need to be comfortable to handle, easy to use, and reliable. We found these factors to be equally important regardless of whether we are looking at grill brushes or thermometers. High-quality materials and attention to quality construction mean that products will last longer and withstand the extreme temperature range encountered when barbecuing. Equipping your grilling arsenal with quality tools is easy when you know what features are important and what products will meet your needs.
Types of Gadgets and Tools You Want
Let's start this off by saying that there are a whole lot of gadgets out there that sound like they would be useful and handy until you use them. We've found that simple is often best, and the most useful tools you want are also some of the simplest.
Bearded Butcher Grill Cleaning Brush
Sooner or later, you'll have to clean that grill. Honestly, we hope it's sooner, and so we put together this ultimate grill cleaning brush that includes a removable head design so you can easily replace the bristles without having to replace the entire brush. The best grill brush with replaceable head cuts down on manufacturing waste, reduces trash in landfills, and prevents you from running the risk of getting loose bristles in your food.
The design starts out with a wide head with a comfortable handle so you can control the brush easily. The looped rear handle also helps prevent fingers from accidentally dragging across a hot grill when you are cleaning. The face of the head has a steel scraper that makes quick work of stuck-on food and doubles for use when cleaning a griddle.
Keeping your grill clean is an essential step in making sure that grilled food tastes good and comes out well. Dirty grills are more likely to stick and they often will leave little bits of burned scraps stuck in your meat. Pick up this grill brush, keep your grill clean, and you'll be well on your way to excellent results.
Bearded Butcher Grilling Spatula
A good spatula is one of the most difficult things to find. It seems silly since it's such a simple tool, but lots of designs are too large, too flimsy, or they are just clunky to use. After throwing away dozens of useless and frustrating spatulas, we went ahead and put out our own design.
You'll notice as soon as you pick it up that the slotted spatula is well-weighted with a thick wooden handle that is comfortable and easy to control. We kept the width of the stainless steel spatula on the medium side to make it more useful on crowded grills. It has a sharp edge the stainless steel blade helps food release from the grill to prevent sticking and tearing.
It seemed like a shame to waste the attractive handle so we decided to add a hanging loop on the end. Then, we realized that instead of a loop, we could add a bottle opener that doubles as a loop. Pop open a drink and hang the best spatula in a handy spot, it's the last one you'll need.
MEATER Plus Digital Wireless Thermometer
We wanted a truly wireless digital meat thermometer and so we started checking out some of the different products out there and there just isn't anything that compares with the MEATER Digital Wireless Thermometer. It combines stylish design with superior accuracy and convenience.
The Plus model features a Bluetooth repeater that extends the wireless range up to 165 feet. You'll use the MEATER app (which is fantastic) to monitor the temperature. The wireless probe features dual probe technology that monitors the internal temperature of your meat and your grill temperature at the same time. It works great for gas grills just as well as it does on a charcoal grill.
Some of the additional features you'll get from MEATER and nowhere else include the Guided Cook System that offers you suggestions to help you get your cooking process right. The Advanced Estimator Algorithm accurately predicts your cook time and even provides you with information about the correct length of time to rest your meat, helping you ensure perfect results.
Bearded Butcher Carnivore Heat and Cut Resistant Gloves
The first time that we used heat-resistant gloves while smoking meat, they changed the way we cook. Now, we don't even fire up the grill until we know where our favorite gloves are first. They've saved our fingers from accidents more times than we can count.
Back in the day, we had a pair for grilling and a different type when we were using knives and it was kind of annoying. So we went ahead and had our two favorite designs made up into one set of gloves. Then we had our awesome Carnivore logo printed on them so everyone will know what you are about.
Our gloves are made from a unique aramid fiber material that carries the highest rating for cut resistance and will withstand temperatures up to 1,472 degrees. They are four times stronger than leather, and unlike those welding gloves we tried out a few summers ago, they offer plenty of flexibility for picking up hot grill grates, handling potatoes, or shucking oysters.
Weber RapidFire Charcoal Chimney Starter
A charcoal chimney starter is the most efficient and convenient way to ignite lump charcoal when you are grilling or smoking. While these are simple devices, the RapidFire has some advantages that we've found to be rather useful.
Most chimney starters have a flat plate near the bottom that the charcoal rests against. This design uses a conically-shaped wire assembly to hold the charcoal. The design helps the charcoal light faster and more thoroughly for perfect hot coals every time.
We also like the handle assembly that provides additional support to the body of the chimney so that even after tons of use, the handle remains firmly attached. The durable stainless steel heat shield is oversized, but we still recommend grabbing our heat-resistant gloves when handling a chimney starter.
Char-Broil Vegetable Basket
Adding the flavor of a good hardwood fire to your veggies is one of the best ways to enjoy them. But lots of veggies are very uncooperative when it comes to getting them to stay on the grill. If you've ever watched as your beautiful asparagus spears fall through the grill, this is the accessory you need.
Most of the vegetable baskets you'll find have a long handle, which seem to be inconvenient in our experience. The clamshell design not only holds even the smallest of veggies in place, but it is also the perfect size to place in the grill, in the oven, or in the smoker without the handle being in the way or melting. This is another accessory that is best used in combination with our heat-resistant gloves.
It works as well for okra as it does for hot dogs, shrimp, and fish fillets. We've even used it to sear smoked pulled pork leftovers. It has a diamond pattern and is coated with a heat-resistant coating that also makes it easy to clean.
OXO Good Grips Tongs
Good tongs used to be hard to come by until we found these heavy-duty stainless steel tongs from OXO Good Grips. The scalloped head helps grip thick steaks and the heat-resistant handles provide a better grip than bare metal designs.
We like the range and tension of these tongs. They feel sturdy but aren't so difficult to use that your hand will wear out by the time you've flipped all those chicken wings. We've tried them out with whole chickens, pork butt roasts, and tri-tips and found them to be plenty strong enough.
The locking feature is a handy way to secure the tongs so that they are easy to store and the locking tab doubles as a hanging loop. The soft rubberized lock is also comfortable to use when your hands are messy.
Mr. Bar-B-Q Organizer
One of the things that always sucks is when you are right in the middle of grilling and you realize that you need a bottle of sauce, your favorite Bearded Butcher seasoning, or a paper towel. Well, Mr. Bar-B-Q solved the problem with this handy and portable caddy that has enough room to store your favorite barbecue sauce, a silicone basting brush, grill mats, and other bits of your grill tool set so you have what you need at hand.
We really like the all-metal construction and the unique sliding paper towel rack that makes it easy to prevent the roll from unraveling in the breeze. Adjustable hooks give you a spot to hang your tongs or spatula.
The smaller size of this rack makes it ideal for easy transportation. You can load it up in the kitchen and carry it to the grill with all the basics you need. We think this is one of those simple accessories that you'll realize you needed without knowing that you needed it.
Final Thoughts
Arming yourself with some of the top grill accessories will make your next cook-off more successful and more enjoyable, giving you the space to do a good job whether you are grilling some thick steaks or chicken wings. We spend a lot of time on our grills and smokers, and we've found that this batch of gadgets and accessories will meet the majority of your grilling needs.
The Bearded Butchers are dedicated to providing as much information as we possibly can to help you understand how to best process and prepare meats of all kinds. To help you, we maintain a blog and YouTube channel with lots of free, high-quality information. The Bearded Butchers and Beardedbutchers.com are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This means that The Bearded Butchers may receive a commission if you click on a link above and make a purchase on Amazon.com.
