The Best Gifts for Grilling Enthusiasts, According to People Who Grill

Agrill basketcan be placed atop any sort of grill (charcoal, gas, or even wood fire) and filled with loose veggies, shrimp, fries, and so on. This one fromtried-and-truebrand Weber comes in two sizes and can be thrown in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

With enough determination, entire meals can be made on grills — mains, sides, even dessert. That’s why you should give the gift of acarbon-steel pan, which conducts heat beautifully and can easily withstand the high temperatures inside a grill, says chef Jordan Wallace, the culinary director of Denver’sPizzeria Locale.

For more advanced cast-iron users, this Lodge system can be used as a saucepot, a mini Dutch oven, or a ten-inch skillet to fry up eggs, bacon, burgers or a steak. Former Strategist manager of audience engagement Mia Leimkuhler also likes using hersto bake no-knead bread.

Used indoors, thiscast-iron griddleis almost as good as firing up the charcoal outside.A favorite of professional chefs, it can also be set directly on a grill, in order to turn the grates into a flattop.

Le Creuset’s classic enameledcast-iron piecesshould be kept away from grills, but its new outdoor collection is barbecue-friendly and highly giftable. Gaby Dalkin, author ofWhat’s Gaby Cooking: Grilling All the Things, says this skillet in particular is “everything.”

Taryn Solie, creator of grilling blogHot Pan Kitchen, has Anyday’s recently launchedsilicone deli containerson her wish list. “These immediately caught my attention because they’re basically upgraded deli containers designed for prep, storage, freezing, and reheating all in one,” she explains. “I’m constantly storing leftover grilled chicken, pulled pork, sauces, and sides, so having containers that can go from the fridge or freezer straight to reheating is actually really useful.”

These cotton-lined gloves are coated with neoprene rubber and designed for true-blue barbecuers who have to handle hot meat on the smoker — that means they’re waterproof, stainproof, and, most important, greaseproof. They also come recommended by Patrick Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Nashville, who actually prefers them to tongs, especially when working with big cuts of meat, like whole hogs.

It can be challenging to find a pair of grill gloves for petite hands. Award-winning competitive pitmaster and founder ofGirls Can GrillChristie Vanover says these in the small-medium size are ideal for women, with a comfortable fit, good heat protection, and plenty of flexibility for wielding hot tools and trays.

Used to grill the tender, wildly delicious poultry at Philadelphia-based restaurantLaser Wolf, these bricks impart just the right amout of smokiness and have a tunnel through the center to allow for airflow and even cooking. They’re also a more sustainable choice than traditional charcoal because they’re made with wood from rambutan fruit trees, which are a renewable resource.

This is the traditional style of charcoal used for making yakitori. Like the logs above, these have a longer, more rectangular shape and are perfect for building a controlled heat source.

As well as encouraging cheese to melt on top of her burgers, this dome can be used to capture smoke on vegetables and keep food warm when it comes off the grill.

JJGeorge’s old-school, easy-to-use design is suitable for both beginners and lifetime grillers — just screw the torch onto the bottom of a standard butane tank and you’re good to go. Ryan Fey, who makes up half of the comedy culinary teamthe Grill Dads, says this one is the duo’s favorite by far.

A charcoal chimney may seem common, but a lot of people think they can get away with not using one. While that’s technically true, “they’ll be blown away by how much this improves the experience,” says cook and recipe developerLee Kalpakis.

Creating zones for your charcoal allows for more precise grilling. These baskets, which fit snugly into the rounded sides of a classic Weber, ensure that whatever goes directly over them will get hot and charred.

It’s difficult to “low and slow” a piece of protein on a propane grill, but this tube of perforated metal can help. As Fey explains, it allows you to turn basically any grill into a smoker — “put one of these inside, fill it with pellets, shut it, and later on you’ve got smoked salmon.”

Speaking of prep, a plastic cutting board is a must for anyone who grills a lot of meat because best practice is to keep the raw stuff away from wooden boards. While any board will do, Material Kitchen’s colorful ones are my favorite — they’re alsobeloved by many professional cooks.

Quarter sheet pansare extremely useful when grilling, as many experts mentioned. I like how substantial the Great Jones ones feel in the hand — no danger of warping, and the cute colors make them very giftable.

This easy-to-use little gadget will clip onto any grill or smoker and assist you in getting those coals burning fast and evenly. Proudly southern chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois calls it “a fire starter’s best friend.”

This cookbook by legendary chefFrancis Mallmann(who specializes in cooking over a live fire) is maybe not the kind where someone is going to follow each recipe to a T. But as Kalpakis says, “it’s really inspiring and informative — it shows how he does things that are a little outside the box.”

For more straightforward grilling tips and advice, Meathead Goldwyn’s comprehensive grilling book is full of temperature charts and brining know-how.

A heavier-duty, waxed, darkly colored apron is a must when grilling because of all that ash and fat and fire. Hedley & Bennett is achef-favorite brandand even lets youcustomizethis apron with embroidery or a patch to make your recipient feel extra special.

As Strategist contributorJonathan Deutschwrites in our guide to the bestmeat thermometers, predictive thermometers are popular among barbecuers as they are safe to leave inside the meat throughout the cooking process. This one’s the best of the best.

The Grill Dads also love Meater’s more affordable predictivethermometer;Feytells us it’s another one of the tools “we use pretty much every time.”

Ourbest overall hard coolercan keep cans or cuts of meat ice-cold all day (and night, and day again) long. I’m a happy owner of one of these, as is musician andFour Horsemenowner James Murphy, who says its insulation is “bonkers.”

While we’re on the topic of insulation, here’s a good koozie to keep a can of White Claw cold even as it sits next to a pile of smoldering coals. BrüMate’sstainless-steel design comes recommended by my fellow Strategist writerDominique Pariso.

Aheadlampisn’t something you’d necessarily think you need when grilling, but it’s actually one of the most useful accessories for when you start cooking in the daylight, it suddenly gets dark out, and your food isn’t ready. “I havestring lightsup where I grill,” Kalpakis says, “but being able to focus in and have that precision is really important.”

A great addition to your griller’s cast-iron pan, a cast iron grill press can be used for smash burgers, grilled cheeses, spatchcocked chicken. Or anything else that could benefit from being weighed down over the heat.

GIR is ourexperts’ preferred brandwhen it comes to spatulas — and its silicone brushes are just as durable. This one is perfect for applying marinades and sauces while food is on the grill because of the long handle and heat-resistant silicone (which also makes it a breeze to clean).

Fire and skin really shouldn’t mix, but this thick, oil-based salve, made with olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, and pomegranate-seed oil, can help soothe. It’s a favorite of Kalpakis, who found replaced her regularmoisturizerwith it after repeated grilling started to take a toll on herfaceandhands.

If they’re always hosting outside with disposable dinnerware (or feel nervous about setting the outdoor table with their good pieces), gift them a set of melamine plates that can take wear and tear. Not only are they better for the environment, butwe foundthat the material doesn’t break when dropped.

When I asked the team at meat-delivery marketplaceCrowd Cowwhat they’d all buy for someone who spends a lot of time around the grill, they pointed me to Anova’s extra-precise vacuum sealer, which they say makes transporting meats to the park or lake “clean, easy, and safe.” It also makes marinading a breeze.

Heritage Foods is the gold standard in ethical, ancient-breed livestock meats.Novelistand Strategist contributorIvy Pochodacalls this single-bone rib-eye Roast “just the right size for a celebratory dinner” — that, if you’re lucky, the griller in your life will share with you.

There’s no griller on earth who wouldn’t want to receive a box of Snake River Farms beef.Many famous food people (Thomas Keller, Alison Roman) are fans, so this pack is one to splurge on if the griller you’re buying for is particularlyhard to impress.

Good steak needs so little to shine: just salt, pepper, andolive oil. Consider using something special for that last ingredient, like this bottle from Frantoio Grove, which Emily Lycopolus, olive-oil sommelier and author ofThe Olive Oil and Vinegar Lover’s Cookbook, calls her “steak oil.”

As for dispensing that olive oil, photographer (and proficient griller)Todd Selbyuses and recommends these design-y sprayer bottles. They have a nice matte sheen to them, he says, “so they kind of look fancy.”

While this heirloom grinder will be appreciated in any kitchen — we’ve noticed that it’spopular among theBon Appetitelite— a high degree of adjustability makes it particularly useful for grillers fussing over an open flame. On the high setting, “every twist throws about ten times the amount of pepper onto whatever product you have it aimed at, similar to dusting by hand,”Brine New York Cityexecutive chef Joseph LoNigro explains.

The sweetness of this syrup is what makes it an excellent addition to a barbecue tool kit. “Grillmasters use it at the base of marinades, where it tenderizes meat and its mildly tart and subtle flavor blends in with wood smoke,” explains writer Hugh Merwin.

Every griller worth their, er, salt knows that meat has to be brined for best results. For those purposes, “I’m all about the Hakata Sel De Mer Roti,” says Nick Korbee, the chef atEgg Shopin New York. “It’s harvested in Mexico and Australia, then imported to Japan where it’s mixed with Japanese seawater before being dehydrated at a high temperature and roasted again.”

As mentioned in Steve Albini’sGrub Street Diet, here’s the rub that he called “absolutely essential for a kitchen that cooks meat” — if there’s a home chef in your life who also has a vinyl collection, they’ll likely get a kick out of this.

The Spice House, which we’ve written abouta coupleof timesbefore, sells a quartet of smoky, tangy, and peppery blends meant to complement meats, whether used in a dry rub or a marinade.

Whether swirled in a dip to go alongside smoky vegetables or used in a marinade for meats, this funky, salty condiment packs a lot of flavor.

Bachan’s Japanese barbecue sauces will give them a quick and delicious marinade for meats and fish, but they also work well as a sauce to drizzle on after food has hit the grates. Tell them to try the yuzu flavor brushed over grilled shrimp or the hot and spicy bottle with charred corn.

People who love grilling likely already have at least one proper grill on which to do it. But true obsessives know that different equipment can yield different results, and The Big Green Egg is one of those grills that real heads (includingTayari JonesandNick Offerman) geek out over.

Thislarge yakitori grillis ideal for those in a tight space. It’s the perfect size for a couple of steaks, and holds heat like a champ.

As Strategist contributor Steven John writes in his guide to the bestpellet grills, the Traeger 780 “is expensive, but it’s also exquisite.”

We found this smoker on a long hunt for the best, not-too-massive city grill. As Myron Mixon, thewinningest man in barbecue, explains, “The truth is, everything that someone would want to barbecue you can cook with the Masterbuilt smoker, and it’s much more delicious.”

This mini-Weber is perfect for the person in your life who doesn’t have a lot of room — it can fit easily on a small patio or balcony. Mark Jenner, editor-in-chief of barbecue siteFood Fire Friends, says that, even though it’s small, “you can set up two-zone grilling, banking coals to one side, more easily.