The Best BBQ Tools & Accessories

These bbq tools are the ones we find ourselves using over and over again. Some are exceptionally versatile, in that you can use them on or off the barbecue, and others... not so much, but they make up for it in a myriad of ways. (Myriad of ways = flavour, ease, safety.)

It may seem counterintuitive to put pans on the barbecue, especially since perfect grill marks are such a satisfying sight to behold. But they take grilling to a whole new level. Use a cast iron skillet to sear small vegetables, seafood, and other ingredients that might stick or fall through the grates, like Brussels sprouts and cherry tomatoes. It is much more versatile than a bbq grilling basket, as you can use it indoors on your hob too. Burgers also benefit from the even surface of a pan to seal in the juice and flavour, as well as fatty cuts of meat, like bacon and sausage, that cause flare-ups. A cast iron saucepan lets you make sauces on the grill, putting the barbecue in barbecue sauce. Materials that aren’t cast iron (or carbon steel) cannot take the heat. Our favourite pans for the job are made by Finex, which has ultra-thick casting and coiled stainless steel handles that make them easier to lift off hot surfaces. View all our cast iron cookware.

A charcoal starter, also called a chimney starter, gets lump charcoal hot and at an even temperature from the get-go, ensuring a smooth-sailing bbq experience. The Rosle Charcoal Starter minimises lighting times and has a built-in spark guard, as well as stay-cool nylon handles that protect your hands when you’re pouring out the hot coals, and an adjustable second handle makes the process easier. 

Grilling skewers are ideal for party-friendly pieces of meat, and who doesn’t love a kebab? We carry a range of barbecue skewers, from flexible skewers to ones with diamond-shaped cross sections (which keep ingredients from 'hanging' off the skewer). 

If you’re investing in a high-quality piece of meat, then there’s no worse feeling than cutting into it only to see an uncooked interior. That’s when a thermometer comes in handy. The best meat thermometer for grilling can be used for way more than meat, from cakes to candy-making: the ETI Super Fast Thermapen 4 Digital Thermometer. It takes three seconds to read temperature, has a patented 360° rotating display, and folds for easy storage. We are also big fans of Meater thermometers, which measure the internal and ambient temperatures. They connect to an app that lets you monitor the progress of your cooking (perfect for parties or multi-tasking). 

Protect your hands from burns with insulated, heat-resistant fabric like these BBQ Suede Gloves from Rosle, or the Rosle Premium Knitted Grill Gloves. If using cast iron pans on the grill—or any other time—the Lodge Max Temp Hot Handle Holder is one of the most useful tools you can have around.