The Best BBQ and Grilling Tools You Need
Grilling can be a gear-heavy undertaking. Some necessary and useful— but much of them are unnecessary and at times redundant. However, it is still essential to have the finest grilling equipment to get the job done the right way.
We’re here to wade through a sea of grilling essentials and narrow them down to the most important for summer grilling (or for all season-grilling). Here are the essentials and equipment you should consider using so you can have a pleasant grilling and BBQ session.
1. The quickest way to grill
There will always be a fierce debate about what to barbecue or grill. Hotdogs or hamburgers? Lobster rolls or grilled lamb? Then there's the mother of all questions. Will you be grilling over propane or charcoal?
Let us answer that for you. The answer is none of the above. We recommend Davis & Waddell's 2 in 1 Electric BBQ and Indoor Grill. It goes without saying but the most crucial part of grilling is to have a really good grill. Easy to use, quick to grill, adaptable to any season, easy to carry around and easy to clean and store away.
This grill measures 50cm x 27cm x 97cm when it's extended. Without the stand, it measures 50cm x 27cm x 16cm. What's even better is that it has built-in temperature control so you can achieve the perfect grill.
Need to drain out the fat, no problem, it has an angled grill plate that can drain it out. Who says grilling can't be healthy?
Buy Now: Davis & Waddell's 2 in 1 Electric BBQ and Indoor Grill.
2. Keep your grilled fish carefully contained
Is grilled fish your family’s favourite dish? Perhaps a couple of fresh mackerel topped with salt and pepper, some slices of lemon and a variety of fresh herbs from the garden. We know that these will make the family happy.
That said, we can all agree that grilling fish can be a pain; at least much more than grilling beef or chicken. Fish skin is so much easier to stick to the grill grates and delicate flesh flakes off. At times, you may even lose them in the burning grill. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to use a grill basket if you need to flip the fish.
It’s convenient even when you have a beer in one hand. That way you won’t have to maneuver with two spatulas and risk burning your hands and lose half the fish altogether. This gill basket is also super flexible as it can conform to different types of food thickness, like chicken or beef.
Buy Now: Maverick Flexible BBQ Grilling Basket
3. The ultimate stainless steel BBQ utensil Set
We love that Maverick came out with this 18pc BBQ toolset. It has everything you need in one casing which makes it very convenient for anyone in the family to use and find any time.
It’s pretty impressive to have 18 pieces of BBQ utensils at $49.95 which is a reasonable price.
All 18pc are made from high-quality stainless steel and because of that, each BBQ utensil is rot-resistant even after many cycles of use, especially after being exposed to seasonal weather and grease. Each one has a good head size, not too small that it’s hard to flip over a large piece of meat and yet not very large where you can get clumsy operating on a crowded grill.
Buy Now: Maverick 18pc BBQ Tool Set in Aluminium Case
|4. Maximise the number of slabs to grill at one go
Prepping pork ribs using a BBQ rib rack help maximise the number of slabs you can grill at one go. The good thing about the rib rack is that it keeps the meat further away from the cooking source to allow it for slower and more sustained cooking.
Rib meat is naturally tougher than many other cuts, so having a rib rack helps a lot. Since rib meat is tough, it’s important to allow low and slow cooking time to create an infusion of smoky flavours, in this case, is important when you want to achieve that tender and flavourful texture and taste.
Most rib rack holds 2 slabs but Maverick’s BBQ rib rack holds up to 4 slabs and its vertical structure is great at creating extra space on the BBQ so you can cook other foods at the same time. It makes basting before and during grilling so much easier too.
Buy Now: Maverick's BBQ rib rack
|5. Easy to handle skewers
Grilling meat, seafood or vegetables on skewers are a convenient way of cooking. Skewers made from stainless steel with a flattened edge helps prevent food from spinning around during the flipping process.
Ideally, you’ll want skewers with a good sharp tip so you won’t struggle to pierce through tougher cuts of meat or vegetable. The one last detail we feel is crucial and where most people would not think of is the handle. The handle has to be well designed and so you won’t struggle to grab ahold of the skewers, either with your gloved hands or a pair of tongs.
The IconChef BBQ skewer set of 5 has all the above. Get this, it has a heat resistant handle and slider to protect your hands from getting burnt throughout the grilling session.
Buy Now: IconChef BBQ Skewers Set of 5
|6. Keep track of your meat temperature
If you’re looking to keep things simple or perhaps you don’t own an electric grill that tells you your meat temperature, we recommend the MasterPro Deluxe Large Meat Thermometer that has a range of 54°C to 88°C.
Buy Now: MasterPro Deluxe Large Meat Thermometer
|7. Get that lacquered look on your grilled rib
The secret to making your rib taste amazing is by applying multiple layers of flavour. The Maverick basting bowl and brush is the perfect tool for you to do just that. Use it to marinade the base layer of your rib. Or while cooking, you can use the basting bowl and brush to apply a layer to keep the ribs moist. You can also use it to apply the barbecue sauce to get the lacquer or glazed look.
Buy Now: Maverick Basting Bowl & Brush
|8. A clean grill will make for optimum taste and flavour
Cleaning your grill is an essential part of grilling. Dirty grills will affect the taste of your food if not cleaned properly. A key point to note is that grill brushes with loose steel bristles may break off and find it’s way into your food. With Bolsa’s innovative scrubbing gloves, you’ll never have to worry about that happening.
The soft bristles are made with high-quality silicone. Simply slip on the gloves and use it to clean stainless steel grill grates. What’s neat is that while you use it to get rid of dirt and grime on the grates, the dimpled interior texture will hold your grip whilst scrubbing. Effortless cleaning.
Always remember to scrub before you start the grill and after you’re done the grilling.
Buy Now: Bolsa Scrubbing Gloves
|9. Keep your meat moist and free of creosote
The trick to seeing the true colour of your meat is to keep it moist consistently while grilling. A trick we like to use is by keeping a spray bottle filled with apple cider vinegar (water or a different vinegar works fine, too). It comes in super handy while grilling, especially when you're smoking meat. Not only will it keep the meat moist, but it will also get rid of creosote, bringing out the real colours of your meat.
You can even use it to tamp down any grill blaze and it’s simple to use and an affordable spray bottle that has a built-in juicer.
Buy Now: Full Circle Come Clean Natural Cleaning Single Bottle
|10. Get your charcoal going
If you’re using a charcoal griller or a BBQ pit, you need to light up that charcoal and get the fire going. Instead of using the newspaper, use Gibson’s BBQ Wrench Lighter. It has a telescoping nozzle making it long enough to light up, easy to trigger the starter and you definitely won’t have to worry about singing the hairs on your hand when the paper ignites. It’s also refillable which means less plastic and less trash in the landfill.
It is child-resistant and is in the shape of a wrench.
Buy Now: Gibson's BBQ Wrench Lighter
Want to find more BBQ and grilling tools? Browse our BBQ Tool Category by clicking below:
Next Read: Our 4 mouthwatering recipes for an Aussie Barbecue
