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Summer is here, and it’s time to fire up the grill. Cooking outside keeps your house cooler and cleaner — and when you use these nine tools and accessories, making yourself one with the flames is a whole lot simpler.
Bambusi meat cutting board
Grill masters will love this “smartly designed” bamboo board, said CNET. Treads on one side of the “sturdy” block help “stabilize slick meats,” and a deep juice groove catches “all that liquid gold for basting or making sauce.” The other side is smooth and great for prep work like chopping vegetables. ($25, Amazon)
Black Diamond Spot 400-R headlamp
Sometimes grilling sessions last into the night, or you want to get started after dark when temperatures drop. Wearing a headlamp ensures you can see what you’re doing and cook safely well after the sun goes down. The Spot 400-R is a “small, powerful and effective” headlamp with a “simple and intuitive” user interface, said GearJunkie. It’s lightweight, rechargeable and can run on low for 225 hours. ($80, Amazon)
GIR silicone basting brush
With its long handle and two types of durable bristles, this basting brush is “perfect” for “applying marinades and sauces while food is on the grill,” said The Strategist. Silicone is highly heat-resistant and also makes cleaning a “breeze.” (starting at $10, Amazon)
Grillaholics grill basket
Throw your diced vegetables in the basket, and let the grill do the work. The stainless steel basket’s “larger perforations” provide “better heat and air circulation” and give veggies more contact with the grate, resulting in “more color and flavor,” said Wirecutter. The basket can also be used for chicken wings, fish and small pieces of meat. ($30, Amazon)
Nordic Ware Naturals baker’s half sheet
Baking sheets aren’t just for cookies and one-pan dinners — they are also the “perfect vessel” for transporting food to and from the grill, said Wirecutter. This half sheet is made of “sturdy” aluminum and has a 1-inch rim you can “grip comfortably with one hand while working fast over the grill.” The galvanized rims also won’t warp, so you can plan on keeping the sheet for years to come. ($33, set of two. Amazon)
Oxo Outdoor Grilling turner and tongs set
Made of stainless steel with nonslip grips, Oxo’s turner and tongs help you flip burgers, rotate hot dogs and even open bottles with ease. Both tools are sturdy, and come with metal loops at the end so you can hang them. The scalloped tongs are especially useful, with extra-long handles that are the “perfect length” and a built-in bottle opener if you want to enjoy a cold beverage grillside, said Serious Eats. ($24, Amazon)
Scrub Daddy BBQ Daddy grill brush
Using a wire-bristle brush to clean your grill is “out,” as the sharp fibers can “dangerously” dislodge, get stuck to grill grates and “end up in your food,” said Food & Wine. The bristle-free BBQ Daddy is made with woven steel-wool mesh, and you just dip it in water, then let the steam of the grill “power” the brush through the “built-up deposits” and “residual gunk.” ($30, Amazon)
Thermapen One meat thermometer
Getting an accurate meat temperature is an important part of grilling, and the Thermapen One meat thermometer offers precise, consistent readings in about one second. You’d be “hard-pressed” to find an “easier-to-use” or “faster-responding” thermometer, said Food & Wine. The large display is backlit and “rotates to orient itself,” so you never have to “read the temperature upside down.” ($80.50, ThermoWorks)
Williams Sonoma mini rub bestsellers set
Kick your dinner’s flavor up several notches. Four of Williams Sonoma’s best-loved rubs are in this sampler, with each blend of spices and seasonings bringing a different point of view to the table. The mildly spicy Potlatch Classic Seasoning combines paprika with chile pepper, while the Smokehouse Rub strikes a savory-sweet balance. Chile Lime Rub pairs bold New Mexican chiles with tart lime, and Butcher’s Rub mixes salt, pepper and garlic with chile flakes, paprika and mustard seed, plus a dash of Worcestershire sauce. ($30, Williams Sonoma)