Every summer I look forward to firing up the grill for the first cookout of the season. It’s no secret that I love grilled food, whether it’s my grilled chicken sandwich, grilled corn on the cob, or a classic summer staple like hamburgers and hot dogs. Grilling recipes make for quick weeknight dinners and keep your home cool in hot weather (a win-win!), and with the best grilling tools by your side, you can expand your grilling repertoire to include all kinds of grilled delicious food.
I recently got myself a Kamado Joe Classic Joe II, which uses charcoal to add rich, smoky flavors to food, but you can get equally delicious results with a propane grill like the Weber Spirit II E-310, which is the perfect size for families achieve. No matter what grill you use, you also need the best grilling tools to make grilling a breeze.
To get you ready for summer, I’ve compiled a list of 14 of my must-have grilling essentials, including the best grill set, meat thermometer, grill brush, and more.
My top tips:
- Best Meat Thermometer: ThermoPro Digital Meat Thermometer – $16.99 at Amazon
- Best BBQ Set: Weber Precision 3 Piece Grill Set – $46.99 at Amazon
- Best Meat Tenderizer: OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Meat Tenderizer with Blades – $22.95 at Amazon
- Best Pizza Stone: Emile Henry Glazed Pizza Stone – $69.95 at Amazon
- Best grill plate: Blackstone 1813 Portable Flat Griddle – $219.98 at Amazon
- Best Burger Press: Cuisinart Smashed Burger Press – $19.99 at Amazon
Reviews of the best grilling tools
1. Best Meat Thermometer: ThermoPro Digital Meat Thermometer
A good meat thermometer can tell the difference between perfectly grilled protein and tough, overcooked meat. I personally use (and recommend) this ThermoPro digital thermometer, which gives accurate readings in just three or four seconds – because who wants to hold their hand over a hot grill for longer than necessary?
It has a large, backlit display that’s easy to read, and the screen even rotates automatically to adapt to the way you’re holding it. It is super practical and also easy to clean.
2. Best Grill Set: Weber Precision 3 Piece Grill Set
No matter what you’re grilling, there are a few essential tools you need. Everything is included in this grill set from Weber, one of the most trusted brands in the grilling world. I have never been disappointed with their products!
The three-piece set includes a spatula, grill tongs and a pastry brush, all with long handles to keep your hands off the heat. I like that the spatula has beveled edges on all three sides for easy getting under food and that all parts are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
3. Best Meat Tenderizer: OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Blade Meat Tenderizer
The key to making grilled chicken super tender? This easy-to-use tenderizer from OXO has become a real game changer when making my favorite grilled chicken sandwich. The spring press system makes handling less messy and safer for fingers. It also helps the meat absorb the marinade much better. Seriously, you don’t want to skip this step before grilling!
4. Best Pizza Stone: Emile Henry Glazed Pizza Stone
I don’t know about you, but I generally don’t want to crank my oven up to 500 degrees to bake pizza in the summer. Then this pizza stone is for you! It can be used on any type of grill and is safe up to 900 degrees, making it easy to cook homemade cakes in your backyard – no pizza oven required. Try it with my favorite Margherita pizza, which has a simple yeast-free crust and is extra delicious with the smoky flavors from the grill.
5. Best Griddle: Blackstone 1813 Portable Flat Griddle
Smash tacos and burgers are all They are all the rage right now and are super quick and easy to prepare using a flat griddle. This propane-powered model from Blackstone is the perfect compact option when you don’t want another full-size appliance on your deck, while still providing plenty of cooking space for the whole family. My husband has had his eyes on it for a while now too!
The portable griddle has two burners and the lid comes in handy when you want to speed up the cooking process. (It also helps keep the griddle clean when you’re not using it!) In addition to smash burgers, it’s great for making delicate patties — like my salmon quinoa burger, which can fall apart on a regular grill — as well as from Side dishes like mashed potatoes.
6. Best Burger Press: Cuisinart Smashed Burger Press
Speaking of smash burgers, the easiest way to make perfectly flat, slightly crispy patties is with the help of a burger press like this one. Made by Cuisinart (another of my favorite brands), the press is made of cast iron, which gives it a heavy weight and makes it easy to squeeze out burgers, potatoes, and more. Here’s a pro tip for using it: put a piece of parchment paper between the press to make sure it doesn’t stick!
7. Best Grill Brush: Grill Rescue BBQ Replaceable Scraper
I recommend cleaning your grill every time you use it for the best flavor and to minimize sticking. Rather than using one whose bristles could fall off and end up in your food, my husband likes to use this safer Grill Rescue option. It uses steam to gently remove any residue – all you have to do is preheat your grill, dip the brush in water and watch the grease and dirt wash away. There is even a practical scraper on the front edge for particularly stubborn dirt.
8. Best Grill Basket: Crate & Barrel Square Grill Basket
When you want to grill vegetables, shrimp and other smaller items, a grill basket is your best friend. I particularly like the design of this stainless steel Crate and Barrel model – it’s large enough for multiple servings and inexpensive enough to buy a few to prepare different meals. The perforated holes are also small enough to prevent food from falling through and still give them a nice charcoal.
9. Best Spatula: OXO Good Grips BBQ Spatula
If you’re looking for a new grill spatula, you can’t go wrong with this one from OXO Good Grips. Specially designed for the BBQ, this spatula features a longer handle and double-bend shape for better leverage. Its beveled edges make it easy to pick up burgers and it scores high in my books for being dishwasher friendly!
10. Best Pliers: OXO Good Grips 12-inch stainless steel locking pliers
Heavy-duty grilling tongs are a must for turning steaks or foods like grilled pineapple, and these OXO Good Grips tongs are long enough to keep your hands off the heat as you work. They feature drainage holes to prevent flare-ups when cooking succulent foods, and are strong enough to easily turn large cuts of meat. They also lock so they can be easily tucked away in a kitchen drawer, no matter how full.
11. Best Pastry Brushes: OXO Good Grips Grill Pastry Brush
For baking, you might have a regular pastry brush, but a grill brush is constructed a little differently. This popular OXO model has a much longer handle so you can reach the meat at the back of the grill and features high-heat resistant silicone bristles that apply sauces and marinades in a few quick strokes. It even has an angled head so the bristles rise when you place the brush on the work surface – how clever is that?
12. Best Smart Thermometer: Meater Plus
With the Meater Plus, grilling is practically an uncomplicated affair. This smart meat thermometer syncs with your phone and you can leave it right in your meat as it cooks on the grill (or in the oven!). The probe sends real-time temperature updates and even lets you know when the dish is ready, so you never have to worry about dinner overcooking. The range is 165 feet, so you’ll still get updates from another room, and it’s particularly useful for larger cuts of meat that need to be grilled or smoked for long periods of time that you don’t want to constantly manage.
13. Best Grill Caddy: Mr. Bar-BQ Adjustable Grill Caddy
There are several items I like to have on hand when I’m grilling, including spices and my grilling tools, and instead of carrying them in and out of the house by hand, it’s much easier to store everything in a grill container like this. (It’s also a Excellent handy purchase if you live in a condo and use a community grill!)
This caddy has room for everything – it has a generous compartment for salt, pepper and your favorite condiments, as well as a built-in paper towel holder. The height can be adjusted so that you can hang your grilling utensils on the side. There is a handle on the top for easy transport to your grill station.
14. Best Chimney Starter: Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter
It’s no secret that lighting charcoal is more time-consuming than propane, but with Weber’s Rapidfire Chimney Lighter you’ll be burning your fuel in no time and still achieving that amazing smoke flavor. This chimney starter comes in two sizes and you simply load it in. Place your briquettes inside and then use lighter cubes or newspaper to make a fire underneath. In about 20 minutes your hot charcoal will be ready to use and you can load it into your grill and start grilling.
It’s simple and pretty foolproof and no lighter fluid is required.
Why you can trust me
I’m the author and recipe developer behind Skinnytaste, which offers hundreds of healthy recipes for you and your family (even if you have a picky eater or two). My goal is to create healthier versions of classic foods with uncompromising taste, and that includes many lighter recipes for the grill. I love grilling seasonal, whole foods that you can find at your local grocery store or farmer’s market, and I firmly believe that the best grilling tools can help you expand your grilling skills beyond the basics.
Many of the grills included in this list are products that I personally use and love, as well as highly rated options recommended by professional chefs, grill masters, and home grill enthusiasts.
The prices were correct at the time of publication.