BBQ Grill and Smoker Accessories {David’s Must-Have List

Grilling and smoking go beyond what type of grill, smoker, or fuel you use. BBQ grill and smoker accessories are worth investing in too. They make your life easier and can improve your whole bbq experience. Some BBQ tools and accessories can even enhance the way your food tastes.

David grills and smokes food all year round, come rain, sleet or snow. For others, Memorial Day Weekend kicks off the summer grilling season. To kick off the holiday weekend, we would like to share David’s Must-Have List of BBQ Grill and Smoker Accessories to help you enjoy grilling and smoking and experience each time you fire up your grill or smoker.

David’s Must-Have BBQ Grill and Smoker Accessories

For each item on David’s list, there is an explanation for how they function and how each benefits his grilling experience. We have also provided product shopping links to help you shop, so if you’re interested in purchasing something on his list, you’ll be able to find the BBQ grill and smoker accessories you need.

Before we begin, we want you to know that David’s list is based on a good-faith, honest opinion. Although we use affiliate links for the products, this post was not sponsored in any way, nor will you pay any additional costs or fees.

Let’s check out David’s list!

#1 FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WATER CAN

Safety first! Always. Always keep a fire extinguisher handy for a grease fire and a water can near for stray coal or spark. You can never be too careful.

#2 CHARCOAL CHIMNEY STARTER

There’s no charcoal starter fluid on this mountain. Only a charcoal chimney full of charcoal and a couple of sheets of burning newspaper underneath. That’s all you need to get the charcoal hot.

A charcoal chimney is key to ensuring that people eating your food don’t get that bad chemical taste in their mouths. Even after the coals are white and ready to go, they absorb lighter fluid, which tastes like damn it.

I use a Weber Rapidfire compact chimney starter to light my coals. Other brands are out there, but you get a nice charcoal chimney that will outlast the others for a few extra bucks.

Get a Weber chimney. I’ve burned through others in half the amount of time. It’s worth it!

#3 GLOVES {Fireproof, Disposable, and Cotton

Fireproof Gloves

Debbie got me a new pair of GRILL HEAT AID Extreme Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves. Everybody should have fireproof gloves. They are superb for handling a charcoal chimney and your grill grates.

This set of heat-resistant gloves is EN4O7 certified, which means they can withstand heat up to 932 degrees F! You’re protected, AND they have a snug fit so you can maneuver around the grill or smoker without losing control or getting caught up like you would with a big bulky glove.

Disposable Gloves

I’ve never worn them that much before, but I’m starting to like using disposable gloves when cleaning up my grills and smokers. Smut and char are hard to get off. The gloves make it much easier to get back on the couch so I can be worthless with the wife after cooking all day.

Cotton Gloves

I’ve seen many barbecue gurus wear cotton gloves under their nitrile gloves to insulate their hands so they can handle hot meat. I decided to try it out for myself. Man, it really makes a huge difference. Large rubber gloves are big and bulky, making it hard to feel what you are doing.

Wearing cotton gloves under nitrile ones comes in handy when you are trying to keep your meat clean, especially when making pork barbecue or pulled pork.

A large pack of cotton gloves is very cheap; you can even throw them in the washing machine when you are done with them. Being able to wash them gives you a lot of wear. I highly recommend getting some. You’ll be surprised how many ways you can use gloves like this.

#4 TONGS {Utility & Cooking

Tongs are very versatile, allowing you to grab things easily. I use two different types of tongs, one set I call Utility Tongs and another set of Cooking Tongs. I recommend you have two or three pairs for each grill you own. 

Utility Tongs:

I refer to a particular slender and long set of tongs for adding charcoal and wood into the smoker or grill as my “utility tongs.” They are great for re-positioning charcoal and wood under the meat when needed.

My utility tongs are a really cheap set of 16-inch tongs. They aren’t anything fancy; they are just long and slender, so they can easily be stuck inside the charcoal bag or within the grate of the grill.

I just ordered another set like these from Amazon to have another set for my new smoker. You can order a set or two using the shop button below.

Cooking Tongs:

Piercing your meat can cause flavor loss. The piercing holes in the meat can cause the juices to leak out. Never use a fork on a steak!

Instead, I highly recommend a set of Weber grilling tongs. They can turn steaks, ribs, and chicken and move large chunks of meat while keeping your hand far from the flame. The set comes with a nice spatula, great for flipping burgers and picking up fish fillets from the grill.

#5 SAUCEPAN {Mini & Large Size

You need a good quality saucepan (a saucepan of your own and one your wife will let you take outside to the grill). I have two different sizes.

I have a large three ½-quart saucepan with a lid (to keep the bugs out) for large chunks of meat or numerous racks of ribs. Get a three ½-quart saucepan like mine below.

I also have a cheap, inexpensive mini saucepan for weeknight bites and quick grilling. Find a cheap, inexpensive mini saucepan similar to what I use below.

#6 CUTTING BOARDS

I use multiple cutting boards when I grill and smoke. Some are for prepping the meat, and some with a channel around the edge for carving.

I use them all for cooking multiple racks of ribs!

I have both wood and nonporous types. Debbie recently purchased a large nonporous one I have fallen in love with. It’s perfect for meat, fish, or poultry. It’s pretty sanitary because it’s nonporous and non-absorbent. It also has the ever-important juice channel around the edge to capture the juices that tend to ooze out of your juiciest of meats.

My oldest and dearest carving board is made of bamboo. It’s a durable, tough board. It’s hard to scar up and has a juice channel to capture all those delicious meat juices.

#7 DIGITAL MEAT THERMOMETERS

Probe Thermometer

Knowing the temperature inside your smoker or grill is crucial. Even if your smoker or grill has a temperature gauge, we recommend purchasing a digital BBQ thermometer such as Smoke™ from Thermoworks. Thermoworks thermometers are some of the most accurate thermometers money can buy. This particular model was designed for competition BBQ teams and professional chefs. It has a two-channel alarm that uses probes to read the meat and the pit’s temperature accurately.

Smoke comes with a digital receiver that beeps and vibrates with an alarm, taking all the guesswork of smoking meat. The receiver displays temperatures and alarm settings on a large LCD screen, which comes in handy when cold outside. It’s good to use any time, especially in winter, so you won’t have to keep letting cold air enter the house, running in and out to check the smoker so often.

Instant-Read Thermometer

 While a probe thermometer is excellent, it helps to check other areas of the meatloaf to ensure even cooking. Not to mention when cooking ribs, there’s nowhere to stick a probe. Get an instant-read thermometer. It’s a game-changer to ensure your meat is done and not over or undercooked.

#8 STAINLESS STEEL BOWL FOR SOAKING WOOD CHIPS

A metal bowl for soaking wood chips is a great thing to have. I use a stainless steel metal bowl because it is durable, easy to clean, and you don’t have to worry about breaking it.

You can find a stainless steel bowl on Amazon reasonably cheap. Check out the link below.

#9 WATER PANS

If you don’t have a water smoker, a water pan and a charcoal grill can double as a water smoker. Sizing may vary on the size of your grill. So, make sure there is enough space for charcoal on both sides for indirect heat.

You can buy them in bulk to have on hand. They also are a great way to serve food when having a big BBQ with friends and family. Debbie ordered (25) 9×13 aluminum pans with covers, and I can’t wait to use them.

#10 FOLDING TABLE OR PICNIC TABLE

A good utility table is perfect for prep work and a place to put your pans, tongs, and other accessories. It’s also a nice place to sit around and drink beer while your food cooks.

I received this mini-folding picnic table as a gift for ten years of service on my job. It’s been a great little item to have by the grill. They are not expensive, and this one folds up small for storage. The bench makes it awesome for chilling and swilling.

Any small folding table will do. There is no such thing as having too much workspace.

#11 WHEELBARROW OR UTILITY CART

A wheelbarrow or utility cart works great for unloading your charcoal and wood from the truck or from the place where you store your supplies.

I love my WORX WG050 Aerocart 8-in-1 Yard Cart / Wheelbarrow / Dolly that Debbie bought me. It’s really cool. You can move a lot of stuff with this thing. I use it constantly.

#12 SAUCE BRUSH OR MOP

When it comes to slathering sauce on my meat, I prefer to use a silicone grilling brush. A mop gets so saturated with the sauce that it is hard to clean. To me, a silicone brush is more effective for causing, and it’s so easy to clean up. All my silicon grill brushes come apart for easy cleaning and can go directly to the dishwasher from the grill.

#13 RIB RACK

I discovered the rib rack after several years of smoking them flat. I recommend using two, so you don’t overcrowd the ribs in the rack. In my opinion, It seems to allow for a more even temperature and smoke around the ribs.

However, if you sauce your ribs on the grill, remove them from the rack and lay them flat for even distribution of the sauce.

#14 GRILL BRUSH

I used a plastic grill brush with metal bristles for years, and then I read where people ingested bristles from the grill brush. That scared me, so I tried the bristleless ones and the wooden planks.

However, I don’t think anything cleans a grill grate like a brush with metal bristles. So to be safe, after brushing the grill, I recommend you always wipe the grill grate down with a wad of paper towels. This will help ensure no bristles are stuck to the grate before adding the food.

#15 BUTANE LIGHTER

I use a long butane lighter to light paper under your chimney and get my fires going. I’ve tried all kinds of lighters, but Bic makes the best and most reliable lighters you can buy.

Buy a whole pack and keep them handy. You never know when you will need to fire up the grill!

#16 GRILLING MATS

If you grill on the deck, I recommend getting grill mats. They help protect your deck from hot coals and give you a place to put your hot charcoal chimney after dumping the coals into the grill. Knowing they are on the deck to catch stray coals gives you peace of mind. I recommend more than one so you have lots of room to move around the grill.

#17 CHARCOAL BASKETS

Charcoal baskets make a difference when cooking with indirect heat. The baskets allow you to evenly arrange your hot charcoal in the grill to contain them for indirect heat. The baskets will enable you to take better control of the temperature and airflow of your grill, which results in tender, juicy meat worth wrapping your lips around.

#18 WOOD STORAGE BINS

I highly recommend plastic storage totes for storing your wood chunks. Debbie pushes me to get organized, so we went to the local hardware store and bought a huge storage shelf to store my wood and charcoal. It’s pretty mindblowing how much more you can smell the wood chunks when they are sealed tightly inside these totes.

Note: I do not recommend this type of storage for wood that isn’t completely dry. I only store smoking wood that is kiln-dried from brand names I trust. If you are unsure how dry the wood is, you can purchase a moisture meter if you are a diehard smoker who likes to use your own woodcuts.

#19 PATIO UMBRELLA

Rain happens and having a large umbrella over your grill makes a huge difference. If you have ever grilled in the rain, you know it affects the temperature of your grill. A cheap patio umbrella (we use an old faded one) will help shield rain off your grill or smoker and help keep those temps up!

#20 COAL RAKE

Coal rakes allow you to safely move around coals in your grill or smoker while keeping your hands safe from the heat. I didn’t realize how badly I needed this until Debbie got me one.

#21 HEADLAMP

Let’s face it no matter how early you start, sometimes your meat doesn’t want to get done. Meat stalls can throw off your whole schedule. I can’t count the number of times, in the fall or winter, when I have run out of daylight. A headlamp is a great light to have on hand for such an occasion. It frees up your hands and doesn’t get in the way as some grilling lights can.

The headlamp I have is waterproof with has several settings, including a motion sensor activation. It’s a must-have if you grill in the dark!

#22 LARGE STAINLESS STEEL BOWL OR ALUMINUM PAN

Debbie and I have a large 13-quart stainless steel bowl that has become a great tool for applying the rub to the meat. If the cut/cuts of meat are small enough, you can toss them around in the bowl to help evenly coat the meat. I used to use sheet pans, but I couldn’t keep the rub contained, no matter how careful I was.

A large bowl or pan also helps contain the mess. According to my wife, I’m a messy man, so I need all my help to contain my messiness!

#23 FIRE AND CHARCOAL STARTERS

The best way to start a fire without harsh chemicals from the lighter fluid is by using a fire starter that looks like a small bundle of hay. Most charcoal manufacturers have brand names such as these Tumbleweeds by Royal Oak or Quick Light Fire Starters by Kingsford. They’re a great way to get your charcoals hot and your meat on the grill in no time!

#24 HEATER

If you grill all year long like me, I recommend getting an outdoor patio heater. Grilling in winter can be rough, but a heater can make a huge difference. It’s a great way to stay warmer while enjoying grilled and smoked meat throughout the year!

#25 ROTISSERIE FOR THE WEBER 22″ GRILL

Slow-roasted rotisserie-cooked meat is so juicy because it self-bastes in its own juices. A rotisserie cooks more evenly and takes a lot of guesswork out of larger cuts of meat. There’s nothing quite like a whole chicken put on a rotisserie.

The meat is so juicy, and the skin is crisper that it would be cooking indirectly on the grill. I love this thing and don’t use it nearly enough as I should.

#26 METAL FLOWER POT HOLDER OR TABLE

Sometimes I need more room or light, and I have to remove the grill lid from the grill instead of placing it on the side with the hook. As you may know, the lid on a Kettle grill can be too hot to just lay on your deck. Get yourself a small, inexpensive metal flower pot holder. It’s perfect for having a place to sit your hot grill lid and keeps you from damaging your deck.

#27 BEER

With all that heat from the grill, staying hydrated is essential. My beverage of choice is a frosted glass from the freezer with an ice-cold beer while grilling and smoking.

Drink whatever you prefer; remember to grill responsibly!

All these essential BBQ grill and smoker accessories are key factors for hosting fun summer cookouts and will make your grilling and smoking experiences more enjoyable.

Did your favorite BBQ grill and smoker accessories make David’s list? Let us know your favorite grill and smoker accessory in the comments below!

Learn how David’s hobby became a passion in a post called: “TRASH TREASURE SMOKER.”