12 Essential BBQ gadgets, accessories, and tools

It’s time. Time to sizzle sausages and load up your burgers. Time to fire up the pizza oven and serve up slice after flame-grilled slice. Time to eat chicken wings and drink cold beer and wine. Time to grill veggies and scoff dripping-with-butter corn on the cob. It’s time to dust off the barbecue and accessories and feast outdoors in the sunshine with your family and friends. Let’s go.

Of course, it’s not just about your barbecue – so we’ve rounded up all the essential bbq tools and accessories you’ll also need for barbie success. And some recipe inspiration to get your senses twitching with anticipation too.

The best tools, gadgets, and accessories for your barbecue

From tongs to aprons, burger presses to marinades, no self-respecting griller can do without a selection of the best grilling items to get summer off to a scorching start, so if you want to know what accessories you need for your grill, take a look at our bbq equipment list.

Best tongs for grilling

OXO Good Grips Barbecue Tools – Grilling Turner and Tong Set – £27.99

Everything about these tools has been really well considered. The turner has a generously sized head so it’s great for flipping burgers, steaks and fillets of fish, and the tongs have scalloped edges to get a better grip of prawns, bangers and veggies. With long handles so you don’t have to get too close to the flames, each tool has a large hanging ring for convenient storage, and is dishwasher safe for easy clean-up once you’ve sizzled all your sausages.

Best BBQ lighter

Looftlighter Hot Air Barbecue Lighter – £69.99

The Looftlighter takes all the effort of lighting your barbecue away, sending out a stream of 600°C air to light charcoal or wood in minutes without the need for firelighters or lighter fluid, which makes it more environmentally friendly too. Not just for barbecues, the Looftlighter also makes light work of lighting open fireplaces, wood burners and fire pits, perfect for cosy nights in or when you’re out and about in your motorhome.

Best heat-proof gloves for grilling

Lakeland Heat Shield Gloves – £16.99

When you’re firing up the barbecue or pizza oven, you’re going to need some reliable heat-resistant gloves. Withstanding up to  a blazing 350°C, this ambidextrous pair are knitted in soft, flexible Meta-Aramid, the same material used to protect firefighters from intense heat. And for extra grip and protection they have silicone pads on the fingers and palms (on both sides).

Best smoke-free fuel for your barbecue                                                              

6 Cobb Smoke-Free Barbecue Cobble Fuel Stones – £17.99

If you’re lucky enough to own a Cobb cooking system, fire it up with these quick-lighting, long-burning smoke-free fuel stones. Easy to store, unlike bulky bags of charcoal, they burn hotter and longer too. Made from a combination of coconut shell, charcoal and corn starch, making use of waste products that would otherwise be thrown out, they can also be used on any small barbecue.

Best utensil set for grilling

Cobb 4-Piece Utensil Set with Storage Roll – £56.99

Any griller worth their salt will need a reliable set of tools for turning, basting and forking. This set from Cobb will do enhance your grilling experience nicely. Including tongs, a fork, a spatula and a basting brush, the sturdy stainless steel set also includes a strong, canvas storage roll, keeping your utensils protected and organised when not in use, and easy to transport too, if you’re taking your barbecue on the road.

Best gadget for making burgers

Quarter Pounder Burger Press with 100 Waxed Discs – £9.99

You could keep your home-made burgers a bit more rustic, but if your prefer them to be evenly shaped, then you need this easy-to-clean, made-for-the-job burger press. It makes 10cm meat, fish or veggie burgers that keep their shape during cooking, and comes with 100 waxed discs to keep them separate before grilling.

Best gadget for making your own sausages

Lakeland Meat Mincer and Sausage Maker – £24.99

If you prefer to know exactly what’s in your sausages and burgers before they go onto your barbecue, then you’d best make your own. Our easy-to-use, easy-to-clean Meat Mincer and Sausage Maker clamps securely onto your work surface via a suction cup, ready for the hopper to be filled with whatever you’re making your bangers and burgers with.

The best meat tenderizing mallet

Lakeland Meat Tenderizer – £6.49

Made from solid beechwood with textured aluminium ends, this traditional-style wooden Meat Tenderizer is perfect for getting your steaks or chicken breasts tender or flatter for easier, quicker cooking on your barbecue. It’s deal for tenderising tougher cuts too.

Best skewers for barbecued corn-on-the-cob

8 Corn on the Cob Skewers – £2.99

Just the job to pick up your cob. Get to grips with your corn on the cob this barbecue season with these handy Corn Skewers. Featuring soft-grip handles, this set of eight stainless steel skewers make it super-easy to pick up and hold hot corn without burning your fingers – just slot them into each end of your cobs once they’ve been cooked and you’re good to go.

Best barbecue cleaning kit

Oven Mate BBQ Clean and Protect Kit – £29.99

Making it easy to get ready for that all-important First Barbecue of the Year (and keeping it pristine for every one after that), Oven Mate’s comprehensive kit will leave your grill clean, shiny and ready for action, every time you want to get your sizzle on.

Best portable BBQ

Cobb Premier Portable Cooking System – £169.99

What’s not to love about the Cobb? Not only is it a highly efficient charcoal barbecue (using long-burning, smoke-free Cobble Stones), it can roast, bake, grill, fry, smoke and make delicious pizza, all with the minimum of effort. It’s easy to use, transport and store, and there are lots of accessories available to help you get more out of it. And there’s even a gas-powered version for extra convenience. Find out more about the Cobb here.

Best outdoor pizza oven

Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven – £299

Barbecues don’t always have to be about burgers and bangers – we’re big fans of an outdoor pizza party too. The Ooni Karu 12 is ideal for anyone with pizzaiolo aspirations. Making pizza in just 60 seconds, it heats up to 500 degrees in 15 minutes, can be used with wood, charcoal or gas, and is portable enough to pack up and take on the road. There are lots of accessories available too.

Food for thought: what are the best foods for grilling?

So you’ve got your grill. You’ve armed yourself with all the essential bbq accessories you might need and you’re ready to cook. But what? Of course, there’s all the old favourites like burgers, sausages and corn-on-the cob, but there’s so much more you can do. Here are a few of our favourites to inspire you to get grilling.

Bring a taste of the Mediterranean to your barbecue with these Barbecued Sardines with Wild Rocket Salsa.

Great for vegetarians and if you want to take a break from meat, these Rosemary Flatbread with Halloumi and Lemon Dressing will get your taste buds tingling.

When you really want to push the barbecue boat, treat your guests to some Langoustines with Chilli & Lime.

Hungry yet? You can find heaps more barbecues recipes on our blog.

Lakeland’s top 5 barbecuing tips to make you a grill champion

1. Use the right fuel – avoid firelighters and other chemical-laced lighters as they may taint your food. Sustainable wood and charcoal are best.
2. Nobody wants an undercooked chicken breast, so make sure your meat is cooked all the way through by using a meat thermometer.
3. Use a grill brush or silicone brush to oil the rack before cooking. It will help to stop things sticking.
4. Clean your barbecue regularly to avoid fat flare-ups. The Oven Mate BBQ Clean & Protect Kit is ideal.
5. If you want to keep food warm on your grill without overcooking it, move the coals to one side of the grill to create a ‘warming’ area.

Food tastes better outside

We hope we’ve inspired you to gather and grill this summer. Whether you’re looking for a grill or pizza oven, accessories or sauces, or new recipe ideas, you’ll find it all on our website and blog.

Happy grilling!