The 15 Best BBQ Accessories Every Griller Should Own

From essential tools to game-changing upgrades, these accessories will take your outdoor cooking to the next level.

Having a great grill is only half the equation. The right accessories can make the difference between a frustrating cooking experience and a smooth, enjoyable one. They can improve your results, expand what you are able to cook, keep you safe, and make cleanup faster and easier.

But with thousands of grilling accessories on the market — from genuinely useful tools to gimmicky gadgets that end up in a drawer — it can be hard to know what is actually worth your money. In this guide, we have compiled the 15 most valuable BBQ accessories that every griller should consider, organized from absolute essentials to advanced upgrades. Whether you are just getting started or looking to round out your setup, this list will help you invest in the tools that truly matter.

The Essentials (Start Here)

These are the accessories that no griller should be without. If you are building your toolkit from scratch, start with these five items.

1. Instant-Read Meat Thermometer

If you buy only one accessory from this entire list, make it a quality instant-read thermometer. Cooking by time and appearance alone is unreliable, and the difference between a perfectly cooked steak and an overcooked one can be just a few degrees.

A good instant-read thermometer gives you an accurate internal temperature reading in two to three seconds, allowing you to pull food off the grill at exactly the right moment. Look for a model with a thin probe tip, a backlit display, and a waterproof body for durability.

For longer cooks like brisket and pork shoulder, consider a leave-in probe thermometer with a wireless receiver or smartphone connectivity. This lets you monitor the internal temperature of your meat without opening the lid, which is critical for maintaining a consistent cooking environment.

2. Long-Handled Tongs

A good pair of long-handled tongs (16 inches or longer) is the tool you will reach for more than any other. They are essential for flipping steaks, turning sausages, moving chicken pieces, and rearranging coals — all while keeping your hands safely away from the heat.

Look for tongs with scalloped or pincer-style tips for a secure grip, a locking mechanism for compact storage, and a comfortable, heat-resistant handle. Stainless steel construction is the most durable and easiest to clean.

3. Grill Brush

Keeping your grill grates clean is essential for food safety, flavor, and preventing sticking. A stiff-bristled grill brush used after every cook (while the grates are still hot) takes only a minute and prevents the buildup of carbonized food residue.

For safety, choose a brush with tightly secured bristles and inspect it regularly for loose wires. Alternatively, consider a bristle-free grill brush or a grill cleaning stone, which eliminate the risk of wire bristles ending up in your food.

4. Chimney Starter (For Charcoal Grillers)

If you cook with charcoal, a chimney starter is an absolute game-changer. It is a metal cylinder that uses newspaper or a fire starter cube to light charcoal quickly and evenly — no lighter fluid needed. Lighter fluid can impart a chemical taste to your food, and a chimney starter eliminates that problem entirely.

Simply fill the chimney with charcoal, place a crumpled newspaper or fire starter underneath, light it, and wait 15 to 20 minutes for the coals to become fully ignited and covered with ash. Then pour them into your grill and you are ready to cook.

5. Heat-Resistant Gloves

Standard oven mitts are not designed for the extreme temperatures of grilling. A pair of heat-resistant grilling gloves rated to at least 500°F (260°C) protects your hands and forearms when handling hot grates, adjusting vents, moving coals, or pulling a hot drip pan.

Look for gloves made from aramid fiber (the same material used in firefighting gear) or silicone-coated fabric for a combination of heat resistance and dexterity. Some gloves are even rated to 900°F or higher, which is useful for kamado and pizza oven cooking.

The Upgrades (Level Up Your Grilling)

Once you have the essentials covered, these accessories will expand your capabilities and improve your results.

6. Grill Basket

A grill basket is a perforated metal pan that sits on top of your grill grates, making it easy to cook small or delicate items that would otherwise fall through — vegetables, shrimp, diced potatoes, sliced fruit, and more.

Look for a basket with raised sides to prevent food from sliding off, and stainless steel construction for durability and easy cleaning. A grill basket with a removable handle is especially convenient, as you can close the grill lid without the handle getting in the way.

7. Cast Iron Griddle or Plancha

A cast iron griddle that sits on top of your grill grates opens up a whole new world of outdoor cooking. Smash burgers, pancakes, eggs, stir-fries, fajitas, and delicate fish fillets all cook beautifully on a flat-top surface.

Cast iron retains heat exceptionally well and develops a natural non-stick seasoning over time. Many grillers find that a griddle becomes their most-used accessory, especially for breakfast cooks and smash burger nights.

8. Basting Brush and Mop

For applying marinades, glazes, and BBQ sauces during cooking, a silicone basting brush is essential. Silicone bristles are heat-resistant, easy to clean, and do not shed like traditional bristle brushes.

For larger cuts like brisket and ribs, a BBQ mop (a small cotton mop head on a handle) allows you to apply thin layers of mop sauce or spritz quickly and evenly without disturbing the bark.

9. Drip Pans

Disposable aluminum drip pans or a reusable stainless steel drip pan serve multiple purposes. Placed under your food during indirect cooking, they catch dripping fat and juices, preventing flare-ups and keeping your grill cleaner. They can also be filled with water, beer, or apple juice to add moisture to the cooking environment during long smokes.

Drip pans are inexpensive and make cleanup significantly easier. Keep a stack on hand and you will use them constantly.

10. Grill Light

If you grill in the evening or during the shorter days of fall and winter, a grill light is a simple but invaluable accessory. LED grill lights clip onto your grill handle or mount magnetically to the side shelf, illuminating the cooking surface so you can see what you are doing.

Look for a model with adjustable brightness, a flexible neck for positioning, and weather-resistant construction.

The Advanced Gear (For Serious Grillers)

These accessories are for grillers who want to push their outdoor cooking to the highest level.

11. Wireless Meat Thermometer System

A step up from a basic instant-read thermometer, a wireless meat thermometer system includes multiple probes that stay in your meat throughout the cook, transmitting real-time temperature data to a receiver or your smartphone.

Many systems include ambient temperature probes as well, so you can monitor both the internal temperature of your meat and the temperature inside your grill or smoker. Some models offer Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to check on your cook from anywhere — the grocery store, the couch, or even bed during an overnight brisket smoke.

12. Pizza Stone or Pizza Oven Attachment

Grilled pizza is a revelation — the high heat of a grill produces a crispy, charred crust that is difficult to achieve in a home oven. A cordierite pizza stone placed on your grill grates absorbs and radiates heat evenly, mimicking the floor of a traditional pizza oven.

For even better results, some grills offer pizza oven attachments that create a dome of intense heat around the pizza, cooking it in just a few minutes. If you love pizza, this accessory is worth every penny.

13. Rotisserie Kit

A rotisserie kit mounts a motorized spit across your grill, slowly rotating whole chickens, roasts, and other large cuts as they cook. The constant rotation bastes the meat in its own juices, producing incredibly moist, evenly cooked results with crispy, golden skin.

Many gas grills come with rotisserie-ready mounting brackets, and aftermarket kits are available for most popular grill models. Once you try a rotisserie chicken off your own grill, you may never buy a store-bought rotisserie chicken again.

14. Smoking Tubes and Boxes

If you own a gas grill but want to add smoke flavor to your food, a smoker box or smoking tube is the answer. Fill a stainless steel smoker box with wood chips and place it directly on the burner or heat deflector. As it heats up, the chips smolder and produce smoke that flavors your food.

Pellet smoking tubes work similarly but burn wood pellets instead of chips, producing a longer, more consistent smoke. They are also great for cold smoking cheese, nuts, and fish on any type of grill.

15. Grill Cover

Last but absolutely not least, a quality grill cover is essential for protecting your investment. Exposure to rain, snow, UV rays, pollen, and bird droppings accelerates rust and deterioration. A well-fitting, waterproof cover keeps your grill clean and protected between cooks.

Look for a cover made from heavy-duty polyester or vinyl with UV-resistant coating, ventilation to prevent moisture buildup, and secure straps or elastic hems to keep it in place during wind.

Accessory Quick Reference

Accessory	Priority	Best For
Instant-read thermometer	Essential	All grillers
Long-handled tongs	Essential	All grillers
Grill brush	Essential	All grillers
Chimney starter	Essential	Charcoal grillers
Heat-resistant gloves	Essential	All grillers
Grill basket	Upgrade	Vegetable and seafood lovers
Cast iron griddle	Upgrade	Smash burgers, breakfast
Basting brush/mop	Upgrade	Sauced and glazed meats
Drip pans	Upgrade	Indirect cooking and smoking
Grill light	Upgrade	Evening grilling
Wireless thermometer	Advanced	Long smokes, precision cooking
Pizza stone	Advanced	Pizza lovers
Rotisserie kit	Advanced	Whole chickens and roasts
Smoking tube/box	Advanced	Adding smoke to gas grills
Grill cover	Essential	Protecting your investment

Final Thoughts

You do not need to buy everything on this list at once. Start with the essentials, add upgrades as your skills and interests grow, and invest in advanced gear when you are ready to explore new techniques. The most important thing is to get out there and cook — the best accessory is always practice.