You don’t need that giant fork. These 20 grilling tools will actually upgrade your outdoor cooking game | Barbecue

OXO

Grilling Prep And Carry System

from $44.97

One of the biggest hassles of outdoor cooking is constantly darting back into the kitchen for ingredients and supplies. This six-piece prep system keeps everything organized, letting you season, marinate, transport, carve and serve from one kit. Color-coded trays help prevent cross-contamination, while the non-slip cutting board catches juices. When you’re done, everything nests together for easy cleanup.

Weber

Rapidfire Chimney Starter

from $24.99

Charcoal’s biggest drawback is the hassle and wait of lighting it. A chimney starter is the fastest, easiest path to red-hot coals without lighter fluid, which can impart a nasty flavor to food. The Weber Rapidfire’s cone-shaped grate and generous air vents maximize airflow for quick, even ignition, while its durable aluminized steel construction and dual-handle design make it easy to safely pour hot coals into your grill.

OXO

Good Grips 12-in Stainless-Steel Locking Tongs

from $17.95

Skip the oversized barbecue fork and use tongs instead. Oxo’s stainless steel tongs are comfortable, dishwasher-safe and precise enough to grab everything from asparagus spears to steaks without dropping dinner into the coals. Get the 12-in model if you want them to serve double duty in the kitchen, the 16-in version if you need extra reach on larger cookers, or the 19-in grilling tongs if you prefer something burly, including a built-in bottle opener and generous loop for hanging on your grill.

Tablecraft

16-oz Widemouth Squeeze Bottle

$15.26

A squeeze bottle is one of those inexpensive tools you will reach for every time you cook. Fill them with cooking oil, barbecue sauce, salad dressing or homemade marinades for cleaner, more precise application than pouring from the original bottle. The wide-mouth opening makes refilling easy, while the durable bottles are dishwasher-safe and equally useful at the grill, on the stovetop or as condiment dispensers at the table.

Hey Grill Hey

Pitmaster Gloves

from $24.99

Bulky gloves and mitts protect your hands, but they sacrifice dexterity. The Pitmaster gloves combine a waterproof rubber shell with a comfortable, cotton-insulated lining, letting you move hot grill parts, cast-iron cookware and sizzling cuts of meat while remaining flexible enough for slicing, shredding and saucing. When you get them grimy, just toss them in the wash.

Rescue

Ultra Brush

from $49.99

Dipping this brush’s aramid fiber (AKA Kevlar) cleaning head in water creates steam as you scrub hot grill grates, loosening baked-on residue without the risk of wire bristles shaking loose, maybe into your food. A row of stainless steel teeth tackles stubborn buildup between the grates and the brush works just as well on flat-top griddles.

Traeger

XXL BBQ Spatula

from $33.99

Despite its name, a fish spatula is one of the most versatile kitchen tools you can own – perfect for flipping burgers, chicken breasts, vegetables, and yes, fish fillets. But when you need to hoist an entire brisket, pork butt, turkey or spatchcocked chicken, reach for Traeger’s XXL Spatula. Its oversized, 6in x 10-in stainless steel blade supports large cuts without bending, and even doubles as a capable smash burger press.

ThermoWorks

Thermapen One

from $74

Stop guessing a steak’s doneness by poking your palm and measuring it with a Thermapen instead, which delivers an accurate temperature reading in about a second. For longer cooks, a wireless leave-in probe like the two- or four-piece Typhur kit keeps tabs on chicken, roasts and brisket from hundreds of feet away. Once connected to your home’s wifi, it can send alerts to your phone, while its intuitive base lets you set target temperatures without the app.

Nordic Ware Naturals

High Sided Half Sheet Pan with Multi-Task Oven & Cooling Rack

from $35

A rimmed sheet pan is useful for prepping, transporting, and serving food and a wire rack elevates cooked food so the underside stays crisp instead of steaming in its own juices. It’s also ideal for dry-brining larger cuts overnight by promoting airflow in the refrigerator. Nordic Ware’s pure aluminum pan resists warping and heats evenly, while the precision-fit rack supports roasting, broiling, cooling, and glazing. You can pop the rack out and use it on a grill to cook smaller veggies without losing them through the grate.

Made In

Grill Press

from $79

A heavy grill press is the easiest way to maximize contact between food and a hot griddle, creating crispier bacon and smash burgers with deeply browned, lacy edges. Weighing nearly two pounds, Made In’s stainless steel press applies even pressure without much effort. The raised handle keeps your hand away from the heat, while the leather sleeve provides a comfortable grip.

Drip EZ

EZ 3-Piece Prep Tub Set

from $124.99

Before you can smoke a great barbecue, you have to trim meat and coat it with rub – a messy job with briskets, pork shoulders and ribs. These collapsible Drip EZ tubs contain the mess, then fold flat for easy storage. The base of each tub doubles as a cutting board, while the vats can serve as an ice-filled cooler, a prep trash bin or even a serving bowl for messy favorites such as sauced chicken wings.

Oklahoma Joe’s

Workstation DLX Prep & Storage Cart

from $399.95

With a 900-sq in stainless steel prep surface, this cart gives you countertop-caliber room to prep, season and organize. Locking casters let you roll it exactly where you need it, then tuck it away when the season ends. Built-in storage, fuel bins and cleanup features keep the entire cook efficient and contained.

Oxo

6-Piece Grilling Skewer Set

from $17.99

Try flipping a kebab speared with cheap, round bamboo skewers, and you’ll find it spinning in place like beads on a necklace. OXO’s flat stainless steel skewers keep food locked in like players on a foosball table, so every chunk rotates when you want it to. Their sharp tips easily thread through food and their wide handles are easy to grip with tongs. When you’re done, they nest together for compact storage.

OXO

OXO Grilling Basting Pot and Brush Set

from $34.95

This stainless-steel sauce pot holds 18oz of barbecue sauce, marinade, melted butter or glaze, keeping plenty within reach during long cooks. The silicone lid helps protect the contents from bugs, while the angled silicone basting brush loads up with sauce and keeps messy drips off your work surface. It’s equally handy for glazing ribs, basting chicken or buttering corn on the cob.

Amazon

Competition BBQ Spritz Bottle

from $27.99

A spritz bottle is one of the simplest ways to improve smoked barbecue. During long cooks, a light mist of water, cider vinegar or apple juice helps keep the surface from drying out and encourages smoke to cling to the wet and cooler meat. Oklahoma Joe’s 1.2-liter bottle holds enough liquid for an all-day smoke and delivers a consistent, controlled spray.

Weber

Deluxe Grilling Basket

from $24.99

A grilling basket is the easiest way to cook vegetables (or small protein like shrimp) without sacrificing them to the fire. It keeps asparagus, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and other delicate ingredients from slipping through the grates while still exposing them to smoky, direct heat. Weber’s version is durable enough to use over hot charcoal, easy to grip with gloves and can even double as a colander for rinsing produce.

Weber

Char-Baskets

from $19.99

Charcoal baskets make one of the most useful grilling techniques – two-zone cooking – almost effortless. They hold lit coals neatly to one side of a kettle grill, creating separate heat zones for everything from reverse-seared steaks to whole chickens and racks of ribs. Weber’s aluminized steel baskets fit kettles from 18in to 26in, and make charcoal placement easier and more consistent.

Blackstone

Medium Square Basting Dome

from $44.99

A dome traps heat and steam, helping food cook faster while making a griddle even more versatile. It’s equally useful on a grill, where it quickly melts cheese over burgers or helps finish thicker cuts without drying them out. Blackstone’s stainless steel cover is built sturdy enough for everyday use and its heat-resistant handle stays cool enough to reposition safely while cooking.

Napoleon

Expandable Rib Holder

$27.99

This stainless steel expandable rib rack lets you cook anywhere from one to six racks of ribs at once, adjusting to your grill space as needed. It fits cart-style barbecues and kettle grills, goes in the dishwasher when you’re done and folds down tightly for storage.

Lodge

8-in Carbon Steel

from $38.75

If you’re new to carbon steel, this inexpensive Lodge is the perfect tool to learn about this durable favorite of pro chefs. Lightweight yet tough, it heats quickly and evenly for reliable searing and frying. Pre-seasoned with vegetable oil for an easy-release surface, it’s ready to use on any heat source – from induction stovetops to grills, campfires or charcoal setups – without having to baby it like Teflon.