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Aug 20, 2023

I’ve Been Grilling Daily for 10+ Years, and These Are the 7 Products I Always Use

Prices start at just $14. We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Amazon In the heat of the summer

Prices start at just $14.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.

Amazon

In the heat of the summer you can find me outside. Every night I’m next to my grill. Yes, I cook every night, and, in summer, I take my family’s dinner outdoors.

If you hope to up your grilling game, as I think I have over 10-plus years I’ve been doing it, you may want to up the ante on your collection of grilling tools. For instance, it’s no fun being the grill gal at golden hour if you’re stuck temping meat, which is why I rely on a wireless thermometer to do the heavy-lifting for me. A handy grill pan keeps me from having to flip smaller items every few seconds, and I even swear by a footproof set of kabob grill baskets.

Sounds great, right? To take your grilling to the next level this season, shop my seven favorite grilling products, all of which make my outdoor dining life a little easier. With prices starting at just $15, your summer dinner will thank you.

Amazon

To buy: $31 (originally $33) at amazon.com

I love cooking vegetables on the grill. But the one problem is losing them to the abyss beneath the slats. This stainless steel grill basket has made my life much easier, permitting the best of both worlds: Smoky, charred vegetables without that ever-present fear of grate-loss. I also frequently use it to cook other small items like shrimp and scallops. Side handles make the pan easy to lift from a hot grill, and the edging on the sides ensures that nothing slides off when I’m cooking. The pan’s signature design allows smoke and heat to rise up, cooking the food and imbuing the flavor of the grill into it.

Our Place

To buy: $32 (originally $40) at fromourplace.com

My house is a smash burger house, and the best way to get a craggy, brown-on-all-edges smash burger on the grill is with a weighted, high-quality grill press. Our Place, the brand known for its slick, sleek Always Pan, makes this beauty of a press, an enameled cast iron version that comes in a choice of six colors. It’s easy to lift, heat-resistant to 500°F, and will flatten any burger into a brown, crisp puck, just the way I like it.

Amazon

To buy: $70 at amazon.com

Even a distracted cook like me can execute grilled meals with perfection with the help of Meater, the wireless smart meat thermometer that connects to your phone. With the help of an app, I can monitor my grillables like steak or poultry, from the comfort of my patio, pool, or couch without care. The Meater alerts me when my food has reached the desired temperature. All I have to do is remove the food from the heat and serve it. Nothing could be easier.

Amazon

To buy: $15 (originally $16) at amazon.com

Several years ago, I did an extensive testing of grill brushes, and the Weber 18-inch bamboo brush remains my favorite. This long-handled brush allows me to reach the back of a still-hot grill without burning myself, the metal scraper at the top works to release stuck-on food debris, and the bristles stay put even after rigorous use. A leather loop at the end of the brush is useful for storing the brush on an indoor or outdoor hook.

Amazon

To buy: $28 at amazon.com

I love marinating my steaks because it helps to tenderize them and add to them extra flavor, and the OXO basting pot and brush, which can hold up to 18-ounces of marinade or barbecue sauce is perfect for the job. A silicone lid, fastened to the pot’s top, protects anything from flying into the sauce when it’s sitting outside (I’m talking to you, mosquitoes). The brush sits squarely in the pot, and all three items —the pot lid, pot, and basting brush — can be washed in the dishwasher afterwards.

Amazon

To buy: $24 (originally $38) at amazon.com

I’m a kebab lover, but skewers are a challenging, and an uneven way to cook, it turns out. A much more effective method lies in these grill baskets, which hold together all of the ingredients I love. One quick flip guarantees that the heat is evenly distributed across everything at the same time. No fuss, no muss, no broken skewers or left-behind pieces of meat. And, as an added bonus, they’re non-stick, so there’s less cleaning to do afterwards.

Amazon

To buy: $60 at amazon.com

Expand the flexibility of your grill, as I have, with a griddle attachment (bonus: this Lodge set is a two-fer; flip it over and you have a grill on the opposite side). Now my grill is also a place where breakfast lives, where smoky bacon thrives, and where eggs fry for burgers in the afternoon. Lodge’s cast-iron griddle, which is grill-safe up to 550°F, covers two burners and can cook just about anything your grill-ready heart desires. When the season’s over, bring this versatile griddle pan inside and use it for burger night or for Sunday brunch. This is an imminently flexible kitchen tool I swear by.