Find that perfect item for the person in your life who loves grilling, smoking, and BBQ. You’ll find 25+ grill gift ideas for beginnings and pros alike!
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BBQ, Smoker, and Grill Gift Ideas
With Father’s Day just over a week away, it’s time to make sure you’re ready with the perfect gift! Joelle’s father has many passions, but one of the most enduring has been his love of grilling and smoking. So in his honor, we thought we’d help out those of you with fathers who share similar interests with this list of 25+ (we’ll keep this updated as we discover and use new gadgets and accessories) perfect grill gifts for the BBQ pit master or smoker guru in your life! Happy gifting, everyone!
Weber Kettle Grill, Pit Barrel Smoker, Big Green Egg
No grill-loving dad can get very far without a grill or a smoker! These three grill/smokers are great choices; we or our friends and family use them regularly and highly recommend them. The Weber Kettle Grill is a standard in the industry and a trusted brand. We have a kettle grill and love it; you can grill or smoke on it, and cleanup and storage is simple. It’s a great grill for the price and will serve you well for years. The Big Green Egg (not pictured) is a high-end ceramic grill that is great for smoking, too. While not sold online, their website is very helpful and lists area dealers. The ceramic helps keep temperature even for long periods, gives a good even heat that is pretty easy to control, and can ramp up to high heats for searing steaks and such. They are incredible grills for doing a variety of cooks. The Pit Barrel Smokers are great, affordable smokers that will give you great results and are simple to use. You can use the grate to set meat on or use the hooks to hang food from, giving you a lot of extra smoking space.
Charcoal Chimney Starter
For getting charcoal started before you cook, this Chimney Fire Starter works wonderfully. Just load it up with charcoal and light the bottom. The airflow moves the flame upward and will light all of your coals in a short amount of time. For even better results you can use a fire starter
in the bottom of the chimney. Then just dump the charcoal into your grill and you’re ready to go! Using this will knock time off of your grill prep and get much more even coals throughout.
Jalapeno Grill Rack
Who doesn’t love jalapeño poppers? Well with this Jalapeno Grill Rack you can make your own! Core out your peppers, fill them with whatever you’d like, and then stand them up in this grill rack. Pop it out on the grill and you’ll have delicious stuffed jalapeños. We recommend them with a spiced cream cheese filling and then wrapped with bacon.
Cedar Grilling Planks
If you’ve never tried Cedar Plank grilled salmon, you’re missing out. Pick up these planks for Dad, and he can enjoy wonderfully grilled seafood, veggies, and more. The planks impart amazing flavor into the food and help ensure a more even cook. They’re easy to use and can just be discarded when you’re done using them for easy cleanup.
Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer
For anyone who grills (or cooks for that matter), a reliable thermometer is a must. This Thermapen is easy to use and gives an incredibly fast reading. Eliminate the need to wait around while the thermometer settles on a temp and get one that will read instantly. It’s not just for grilling either; we frequently use it cooking chicken, pork, and more in the oven.
Meat Shredding Claws
Does Dad love to make pulled pork or shredded chicken but hate how long it takes to process all of the meat? Grab him a set of these Meat Claws to make it easier and faster. We love these Meat Claws With Handles as they do a superb job and keep your hands away from the hot meat, especially in tight spaces like crockpots. For a great recipe that’s perfect for these claws, check out our Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Charcoal Starters
Charcoal Starters are a great way to start up your grill quickly and easily. These are all natural, so you don’t have to worry about putting chemicals and such into your food, and they won’t release noxious odors. Set them on top of your charcoal, light them up, and sit back while they do all the work. Or better yet, pair these with the charcoal chimney starter from above and get a simple, fast grill fire going.
Shun Knives
If you prep meat at all, having a good set of knives will greatly expedite the process. We love our Shun Knives and would highly recommend them to everyone (Joelle’s parents use them, too, and love them). They are sharp, easy to handle, and cut through meat, fat, etc with ease. Pick up a set of these and spend less time prepping and more time cooking and eating. A Boning Knife is a great gift for a dad who loves barbecuing or smoking meat.
Grill Basket
What goes better with grilled or smoked meats than grilled vegetables? Grab a Grill Basket to make veggies and sides quick and simple. Prep up mushrooms, peppers, onions, and more, then toss them in the basket and place them out on the grill. You won’t have to worry about losing food through the grates, and they’re easy to stir, season, and work with.
Beer Can Chicken Roaster Rack
Cooking whole chickens on the grill or smoker can be a challenge, but with this Chicken Roaster Rack it doesn’t have to be! Grab one for Dad, and help him take his chicken to the next level. Load up the cylinder in the middle with beer or whatever liquid/seasonings you’d like, then place your chicken on top. Set it out on the grill for moist, delicious chicken. This rack even comes with a place for veggies, so you can make the whole meal easily.
BBQ spice rubs
If your dad likes to grill, he probably has his fair share of spice rubs and seasonings that he’s collected over the years. We’re here to help if you struggle to find new and exciting seasonings that he hasn’t tried. Our biggest complaint with rubs is how salty they are, so we love Dizzy Pig BBQ Rub. They come in many varieties, give amazing flavor, and are not loaded up with sodium, so you get great BBQ flavor that isn’t overpowered by salt.
Barbecue Cleaning Tool
Let’s face it, no one loves cleaning the grill after cooking. There are so many tools out there, but most of them don’t work very well. They make a giant mess, break quickly, or run the risk of leaving metal bits in your food, which no one wants. Grab dad this Ultimate Cleaning BBQ Tool to make life so much easier for him. This grill tool molds to the size and shape of your grates, ensuring that you can quickly reach all of those tricky spots. It cleans up quickly and is ready for the next round of grilling.
Smoker Box
Grab this simple Smoker Box and start infusing your food with that great barbecue aroma and taste. Just soak your wood chips for a bit, add them to the box, and set them in your gas or charcoal grill. It’s easy to use, works with just about any grill, and will take your food to the next level.
Wood Smoking Chips
If your dad loves to smoke meat, he will definitely need some Wood Smoking Chips. Drop them in a smoker box and place in your grill, or toss them directly on the charcoal to impart smoky goodness into your food. This variety pack will give three different types to try, so he can find mix it up or use them for different meats.
Grill Ground Pad
If you love to grill but don’t want to mess up your deck, patio, or driveway, you need one of these Grill Ground Pad. Place it underneath the grill to protect the surface below from spills, grease, and hot coals. Sweep or wipe it off after you’re done, and it’s ready for the next cook! It works with both charcoal and gas grills, should fit grills of most sizes, and comes in multiple colors.
Zeust Barbecue Grill Light
Whether you’re smoking through the night, starting early in the morning, or grilling late into the evening, you’ll find extra light helpful as you work. While either we or someone close to us use every other item on this list, we all actually could REALLY benefit from a set of lights, so these made the cut even though we haven’t used them ourselves yet. After doing some research online, this Zeust BBQ Grill Light by Bright Eyes has solid reviews over several sources and won’t break the bank. If you regularly grill in the rain, this may not prove ideal, as it isn’t waterproof, but if taking the light on and off (or keeping it under a grill cover) between grills isn’t a big deal for you, this looks like a great, bright light!
Attachable Grill Shelves
Every BBQ king or queen could use a little extra space around the grill, and while we currently dream of the epic patio with the built-in grill space and countertops galore, we definitely don’t have that set-up yet. For this gift, you need to do some background work to ensure you purchase the appropriate item, as many grill manufacturers sell shelves, such as the Big Green Egg Wooden Shelves
above, to fit perfectly with their grills. As everyone has grills of different sizes and shapes, it’s critical you find out what your griller needs to complete his setup. Many third party manufacturers also create products to work with a variety of popular grills, such as this single BBQ Dragon Clip-on Shelf that should work with most 22” kettle grills. With just a touch of research, you can save the day by giving your griller some much needed extra space to work!
Flexible Grill Skewers
Who doesn’t love a good kebab out on the grill? I certainly do, and so I bought Cory Flexible Barbecue Skewers years ago! Due to their flexy nature, you can manipulate these skewers to fit anywhere on the grill, allowing you to better use your grill space. You can even toss these in the dishwasher, though I recommend hand washing, personally, to avoid discoloration. Seriously, these are fabulous!
Grill Cover
Keep your grill covered throughout the BBQ season with a durable, weather-resistant cover, like the Weber Grill Cover above. Much like with the grill shelves, you’ll need to do a little pre-purchase investigating to ensure you buy a cover of the appropriate size and shape. Searching Amazon by brand/manufacturer and size should yield you great results.
Remote Meat Thermometer
Keep a watchful eye on your meats’ temperatures from the comfort of your living room with a remote digital thermometer like the ThermoPro Wireless Remote Digital Thermometer or the RediCheck Remote Cooking Thermometer. Both work quite well and have proved very durable, giving you some options with differing numbers of probes and at different price points.
Grilling or Smoking Cookbooks
Even the most seasoned BBQ master occasionally needs fresh ideas or inspiration, and we can all learn from the experiences of others, which makes these cookbooks fantastic ideas for your grill lover. Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto comes jam-packed with recipes and knowledge honed over years of practice at the famous Franklin BBQ restaurant in Austin TX. Steven Raichlen, a BBQ guru of epic renown and ability, has written a small library of amazing volumes, including The Barbecue! Bible, Project Smoke, and Project Fire, which we highly recommend!
Grill Tool Set
Every job is easier with the proper tools, so set your grill master up for success with a set of BBQ Grill Tools Set! Look for a set that includes necessities like a spatula, basting brush, fork/meat turner, and tongs, and remember that long handles really help when grilling, keeping the grillers hands away from the extreme heat at the grill surface.
Grill Gloves
With all the heat that comes with barbecuing, you definitely need a pair of high-heat silicone BBQ Oven Gloves when the time comes to pull that brisket out of the smoker! Cory also likes the fabric and silicone combo gloves like these Grillaholics Barbecue Gloves because they give even greater flexibility in the fingers, allowing for better control while maneuvering hot meats. In fact, we use these regularly for pulling trays out of the oven too. They’ve become our go-to mitts for indoor and outdoor cooking!
Rib Racks
When cooking for a crowd, having the ability to easily cook multiple racks of ribs using a Rib Rack can be invaluable. Make sure you double check sizes, as you want to purchase a rib rack that fits your grill!
Basting Brush & Sauce Pot
To keep your meat moist and tender, brush/mop it throughout the cooking process using this super handy BBQ Basting Pot with Basting Brush. With a brush integrated into the lid, you won’t easily misplace the brush, and you’ll have a nice, tidy container for your mop or sauce at the ready to add a little extra flavor along the way.
Well, hopefully you’ve found a few new great gift ideas for the BBQ, grill, or smoke lover in your life! We’ll keep updating this as we try new gadgets, so check back next time you need a gift idea! Are there other gift roundups you’d like to see from us? Let us know in the comments below, and make sure to subscribe to the blog to get delicious, healthy recipes and DIY ideas delivered right to your inbox!
Until next time,
Joelle & Cory
