The Best Grilling Essentials for Your Next Summer Cookout

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No summer is complete without grilling hamburgers, hot dogs, veggies and whatever else is on your outdoor menu. Whether you’re entertaining at home or planning a getaway elsewhere, it’s the perfect time to step up your grilling game before the hot weather season ends.

If you’re also looking to simplify your grocery shopping ahead of your al fresco cookout, consider some of the best online meal delivery services that offer grill-ready meats and more. For fish lovers, Blue Circle’s seafood subscription box serves up shrimp and salmon sausage grill kits, salmon hot dogs and more sustainable fare, including kid-friendly selections.

And if meat is more your speed, Cuts from former NFL player Jay Cutler and famed butcher Pat Lafrieda, delivers a rotating selection each month, including dry-aged chopped beef, USDA prime black Angus beef bone-in New York strip steak, pork and chicken. Their hand-sliced protein is delivered to your door from New Jersey and can be purchased as a subscription or a gift. You can also try out Omaha Steaks with a variety of cuts, including filet mignon, Wagyu beef and tons of other meat, chicken, pork, seafood and more.

Now that you’ve covered your menu, here are more items you need to help take your grilling game to the next level. From tools to gloves and Bluetooth thermometers, check out some of the best grilling accessories — plus a few grill recommendations — for upgrading your next barbecue below.

1. Yummly Smart Meat Thermometer

Track your sizzle and monitor the temperature while you’re cooking with this Bluetooth-connected meat thermometer, which has a range of up to 150 feet. The stainless steel probe has built-in timers and alerts so you don’t have to worry about when to flip your burger or adjust the heat. It even helps you determine the cooking time for meat, poultry or fish that way you don’t have to guess or stress if the food is ready. It’s also on sale for a limited time. 

2. Aizoam Portable Stainless Steel BBQ Grilling Basket

This Amazon top-rated grilling basket is useful for grilling vegetables, shrimp, fish fillets or whole fish and meats. The lockable grill grate gives you smoked flavor and heat but stops food from falling out of the basket. Keep food from dropping on the grill at your next cookout, plus it comes with a sauce brush, bamboo skewers and heat-resistant gloves so you can safely enjoy it. 

3. Oxo Good Grips Grilling Tools Set

This tongs and turner set from Oxo is ideal for firing up the grill. It includes a durable stainless steel spatula that’s perfect for flipping meat, tongs designed for lifting, non-slip grips to keep your hands steady and a hanging ring for convenient storage. The long handles keep you from getting burned.

4. Rappica BBQ Grill Oven Gloves 

Protect your hands with these water, fire and stain-resistant grill oven gloves made with food-grade neoprene rubber. They’re insulated and have a textured non-slip design so you can handle any wet or greasy items. It’s especially handy for pulled pork and fits loosely so you can work on your BBQ or smoker. The sleeve-style gloves are 14-inches long and protect your arms whether you’re grilling, brewing beer or frying food. 

5. Proud Grill Q-Swiper BBQ Grill Cleaner Set

Keep your grates clean and swipe them down with Proud Grill’s Q-Swiper cleaning set, which comes with a sturdy scrub brush and food contact-safe wipes that cut through grease. It’s safe for stainless steel, cast iron and porcelain-coated grills — just be sure to do the cleaning once your grates have cooled down.

9. Elijah’s Xtreme Regret Hot Sauce

Whether you carry hot sauce in your bag like Beyoncé or need a special kick, check out Elijah’s Xtreme Regret Hot Sauce. Add some heat with this garlic-flavored, hot sauce. It’s guaranteed to make your taste buds might feel like molten lava or make you break into tears, a sweat (or even both). It’s a father and son-created recipe that’s fat-free, gluten-free and vegan-friendly. See what’s behind this highly-rated sauce and get ready for extreme heat. 

10. Skercle Grilling Kabob

Skercle brings a new spin on grilling kebab with its ring-shaped skewers so you can avoid pointy-skewer ends. It’s ideal for kids, who can help you prepare the food and prevent any poking or sharp points. It’s made from food-grade polypropylene and tested by an approved product lab. It’s BPA, lead and phthalate free. Skerkles are designed to be reused and can be washed with hot water, soap or placed in the dishwasher top rack.

11. Savory Spice Licenced to Grill Spice Collection

You can’t forget about the spices when it comes to making your favorite grilled dishes. Savory Spice is a flavorful spice brand that ships to doorsteps nationwide and delivers spice sets perfect for meat or fish. The brand’s Licensed to Grill Spice Collection includes eight seasonings that are perfect for various proteins and veggies. The flavor profiles of the spices range from citrus with California Citrus Rub to sweet, spicy and smoky with the Pearl St. Plank Salmon Rub. The Reel It In Spice Set is designed to enhance seafood, including cedar plank salmon or grilled shrimp. It features four different seasonings for various dishes and cooking styles.

12. Weber Q1200 Liquid Propane Grill

Plan on grilling away from home? Weber’s Q1200 liquid propane grill boasts a stainless steel burner and a porcelain-enamel cast iron cook grate, resulting in mouthwatering meats and veggies in a small footprint. The lid has a convenient outer thermometer and the battery-operated igniter makes it easy to start up quickly. Note that you’ll need a disposable 14.1- or 16.4-ounce propane cylinder, or you can use an adapter hose to connect it to a larger tank.

13. Spark Grills The Essentials Package

Design-minded chefs will delight in cooking up a storm on Spark Grills’ Bluetooth-connected charcoal grill, which satisfied reviewers say “works like an oven but tastes like a BBQ.” This luxe grill features a wide cast iron surface (ideal for the perfect caramelization) that fits about 12 large burgers and a temperature range of 250 to 900°F for “low and slow cooking, mid-temp grilling, high-heat searing and pizza making,” says the brand.

Use the convenient dial to light up the grill and get cooking within 10 minutes (no lighter fluid needed), and monitor your cooking with Spark Grill’s accompanying app. The essentials package includes three charcoal Briqs, a cutting board, temperature probes and a 15-foot power cord.