When you really think about it long and hard (like we just did for three or four seconds), a grill is every grown-up kid’s dream — a toy that’s both food and fire related. And like all awesome toys, grills come with a whole set of othertoys that make it even more fun. So, whether you’re looking for Father’s Day gift ideas or just want to fire up your charcoal beast for a backyard barbecue this weekend, we’ve unearthed 26 of the most incredible grilling tools and gadgets.
1. PizzaQue Pizza Stone ($90): We wants it. We needs it. We gotsta have this smart pizza stone.
2. Squid Bottle Baster ($15): Googly eyes are just the best. They turn a simple basting brush into a little squid so cute we just want to squeeze him.
3. Grill Station ($25): This handy kit of containers keeps your raw food separate from cooked, so that you can reduce contamination and keep your cooking areas uncluttered. The set comes with a bonus tool caddy for your spatulas, meat thermometer and/or beers.
4. Getaway On-The-Go BBQ Kit ($60): Do you like to grill and run? This kit has everything you need to host a pop-up ‘cue anytime, anywhere.
5. Stuffed Burger Press ($15): With a little ground beef and a lot of American cheese, Minnesota’s infamous “Jucy Lucy” stuffed burgers can now be had in your backyard. Ready your mouf.
6. Himalayan Salt Block ($35): Nope, it’s not a huge, beautiful quartz paperweight. It’s a solid salty slab for eats. This pretty pink rock conducts heat and is surprisingly versatile (try shrimp on this barbie!). Plus, it’s a no-waste product. As it thins and cracks over time, you can eventually crumble the leftovers to fill your salt box.
7. Vintage Meat Markers ($28): This product is all 1950s kitsch, and we love it! As the slogan says, “Give your guests a real treat. Put these in their chunks of meat.”
8. GrillFella ($39): A stunning copper finish on this grill basket makes it a looker for sure and ideal for evenly cooking multiple types of food at once, helping maintain perfect done-ness all around. The dividers are customizable, so you can take ’em or leave ’em, depending on what’s for dinner.
9. Grill Gloves ($35): These gloves are not only necessary for the grill, but absolutely a game-changer for your hairstyling routine. No more curling iron burns.
10. Backyard Umbrella Condiment Set ($11): The cuteness of this condiment caddy is too much. Just way too much.
11. Ivation Long-Range Meat Thermometer ($89): A good meat thermometer will change your life. We took a grill cooking class recently and the instructor recommended this one. It’s pricey, but it acts as a brain for your BBQ (or oven), monitoring temperature from up to 300 feet away, alerting you when the temp drops or rises and even stores your meat settings for the next time. Finally we can stop googling “how long to cook a medium rare steak” every time we break out the beef.
12. De-Skewer Tool ($30): Kabobs are delicious, but come with a price — charred fingers and/or accidentally flinging the contents of the kabob across the room while trying to work them off of the stick. Enter the De-Skewer, which gets all the goods off in one easy motion.
13. Grill Accessory Organizer ($40): A thing for your things!
15. Butcher’s Diagram Platter ($30): The Etsy artist who made this sketched platter also has a beef, fish and pork version if you prefer a different cut of meat!
16. Popcorn Grill Pan ($8): Orville better watch out.
17. Smoker Box ($40): Want the convenience of gas grilling, but the smoky flavor of charcoal or wood chips? This box is so hot right now.
19. Steak Branding Iron ($9): At only nine bones, you can’t afford not to buy this cute moose branding iron.
20. Grill Light ($40): If you’re anything like us, you wait until you’re starving and the stars are out before you fire up the coals… so let’s all follow the light.
21. Old-Fashioned Waffle Iron ($20): We will stop at nothing until we eat several BBQ rib sandwiches with waffles as buns.
22. Double-Barrel Beer Can Chicken Cooker ($25): Double your beers, double your whole chickens, quadruple your fun.
23. Basting Brush and Pot ($40): Oh, we love 2-in-1 products. This one is lovely, right?
24. Grillbot ($129): DJ Roomba has a pal, and his name is Grillbot. This robot friend will clean your grill in no time. He’s available for pre-order now.
25. S’more To Love ($20): Is it possible to fall in love with a grill basket? If so, we’re really into this one, and we want s’more.
26. Looftlighter Electric Firestarter ($80): You’re probably ready to get grillin’ right this second. This curling iron-type contraption will start you (and those coals) up.
Do you have another genius barbecue tool to share? Get all up in our grill in the comments below!