With summer almost here, prepare for grilling season by upgrading your accessories. If you’re not sure where to begin, start with tools that make grilling easier. You could benefit from high-tech scrubbers to help you clean, for example, or snag a caddy to keep your tools on hand. You can also upgrade areas around your grill to provide a more comfortable experience for guests. A mini-fridge for your patio is excellent for this. If you’re still unsure, kick-start your thoughts with our collection of must-have accessories below.
In this article: Arlmont & Co. Saaba Outdoor Grill Cart, Blackstone Cast-Iron XL Griddle Press and Cuisinart Sauce Pot and Basting Brush Set
Another way to help decide what accessories to get is to break everything down into the following categories. If any category isn’t up to snuff, upgrade it.
The first, smallest and most important category is safety. It includes fire-resistant gloves and fire extinguishers. If any part of your grilling setup invites doubt as to how safe it is, upgrade it immediately.
Next are grilling tools. These are what you need to do the physical act of cooking, and include spatulas, tongs and forks. It also includes smaller gear necessary for certain recipes, such as skewers for kebabs, and alternate cooking surfaces such as griddles and skillets.
Storage and organization covers everything that makes grilling simpler. This means extra side tables, for example, or storage caddies.
Finally is guest experience. If you don’t grill for friends and family, you can skip this category. It includes flags to stick in food to track who is eating what, or mini-fridges for the patio so people don’t have to trek in and out of the home.
Arlmont & Co. Saaba Outdoor Grill Cart
Even the largest grills with the most side table space aren’t enough to cook up a true feast. To do that, you need the extra help a separate side table provides. This one has wheels so you can stash it easily when not needed.
Some foods that taste amazing grilled are too small or delicate to put on the grill without help. Enter this grilling basket, which locks your food into place so you can focus on bringing out its flavors. It has a handle for easy flipping. The basket's dimensions are 12.5 by 9.5 by 2 inches.
Greatly expand the amount of tools and other items you can keep on hand by your grill with this caddy. It hangs on the edge of a side table and adds space for two bottles, has two large hollows to stash anything and six hooks to hang tools like spatulas.
Blackstone Cast-Iron XL Griddle Press
Some grilled foods, such as sandwiches and smash burgers, need a good stiff press to ensure they’re cooked optimally. This press has a heat-resistant handle with rubber so you can press safely. You can also set it on foods that tend to curl up to keep them flat.
You’re not grilling unless you’re enjoying your favorite ice-cold beverage while you cook. Stash this mini-fridge outside with your patio furniture so you and your guests can enjoy the afternoon together. It has a bottle opener on its side and a small freezer section.
Le Creuset Alpine Outdoor Collection Skillet
This cast-iron skillet was made for cooking over an open fire, which is all grilling really is. It’s made of high-quality enameled cast iron that develops a patina over time, and it’s safe for use in temperatures up to 842 degrees. It’s dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
Cuisinart 36-Piece Backyard BBQ Grill Tool Set
This complete grilling set includes everything you need to get started and some extra accessories worth having. This includes a spatula, fork, tongs, basting brush, six steel skewers, eight corn holders and 10 burger flags. It also comes with a recipe book and a case to hold everything.
Cuisinart Sauce Pot and Basting Brush Set
Basting is a tried-and-true method of infusing your foods with maximum flavor. This set includes a silicone-tipped brush with an attached lid that also doubles as a heat shield when basting. The cup has a handle and holds up to 16 fluid ounces.
Rianclud Silicone Griddle Tools Mat
You slap this accessory down on one of your grill’s side tables to provide more grip, stopping your spatula and such from getting knocked off by an errant hand. It also makes cleanup easier and faster. It comes in gray or orange.
Grillbot Automatic Grill-Cleaning Robot
Never scrub your grill clean again with this cleaner bot. It uses three brushes, each on its own motor, that rotate to scrub for you. Its speed and direction are controlled by its computer, and a timer lets you leave it behind without worrying about damage.
If you don’t have a patio or other safe place to put a grill, use this mat to create one. It’s made of fiberglass for durability and heat-resistance. It comes in three sizes: 39 by 50 inches, 39 by 65 inches and 48 by 60 inches.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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