'Tis the season for grilling, which means it's also a great time to start stocking up on grill-related accessories like cookbooks, tools, and wood. Yes, wood, like these Afire Mini Grilling Planks ($12). Sold in packs of four, these hand-selected 6"x7" planks come in black cherry, cedar, golden alder, and sugar maple, letting you choose just the right flavor to complement whatever it is you're cooking.
Save your hands from a summer filled with random burns and scorched hairs with the Pit Mitt ($20). Featuring synthetic aramid fibers, it creates a flexible barrier between you and the heat of the grill or oven — up to 475ºF — and also offers an extra-long cuff for forearm protection and reversible skills to protect righties or southpaws.
Gas grills have the benefit of instant, no-fuss ignition. Charcoal grills impart more flavor. Luckily, you don't have to choose between the two, thanks to the Weber Performer Grill ($350). With Touch-N-Go gas ignition system, the Performer starts up in no-time, and offers a 363 sq. in. cooking surface, a heavy-duty metal cart with built-in charcoal storage container, a lid-mounted thermometer, a plated steel hinged cooking grate to make adding extra briquettes easier, two Char-Basket charcoal fuel holders, and a large thermoset work table to keep your tools, spices, and other necessities within arm's reach.
Nothing can kill a well-grilled piece of meat than flavors and char marks from patties past. Keep your grill in a state of perfect cleanliness with the Grand Grill Daddy ($60). Using a water reservoir inside the handle and a heated grill surface, it provides a steady stream of steam to loosen baked-on grit, while the stiff, stainless steel bristles scrub your grates clean. Granted, it's a little expensive, but it sure beats the elbow grease-powered alternatives.
It seems like everyone and their brother is cooking salmon on cedar planks these days, so why not try something similar with your burgers? These Red Oak Grilling Planks ($16-$24) come in packs of either four or eight planks, are scrubbable for use up to two times, and impart a savory smokey flavor to your already-scrumptious patties. Just don't get them too hot — word on the street is wooden planks are, you know, rather flammable.
What are you eating for dinner tonight? If that question stumps you each night because you don't have time to stock your fridge or need some coaching in the kitchen, give Blue Apron a try. This handy service ships you all the fresh ingredients you need for three delicious meals for two people, per week. Ingredients are perfectly portioned for each recipe, take about 35 minutes to prepare, and come with step-by-step recipe cards to make cooking gourmet meals at home a cinch. There are options for most dietary preferences, so whether you're a carnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, etc - there's an option to match.![](https://blueapron.sp1.convertro.com/view/vt/v1/blueapron/1/cvo.gif?cvosrc=content-paid.uncrate.july14"width=1){kind=small}
Keep your rares and well dones in check with the Steak Button ($20/4-pack). Made from stainless steel and glass, these handy thermometers offer up an at-a-glance reading of whether the meat is rare, medium, or well done, letting you please even the most finicky of guests without the need to watch your grill like a hawk.
Now you can have all the enjoyment of cooking on a public-style grill with none of the crippling fear of disease with the Park-Style Charcoal Grill ($100). This simple square grill offers a 256 square inch cooking area, steel construction, an adjustable cooking grate, and an included post for extra authenticity.
We've seen grills in many different shapes and sizes, but never one that looked like a giant metal waffle cone. The Bodum Fyrkat Cone Charcoal Grill (€140; roughly $200) is exactly that. Its conical shape allows for a variety of different grilling options, from a round grilling surface, to an oblong surface, to the included, motorized rotating spit. Just don't try to actually grill ice cream on it — that would get really messy, really fast.
Sure, you can buy a grill with a griddle, burner, and other stuff on the side, or you can buy a Stok Quatrro Grill ($350). This unique new design features a grate with two insert areas that let you transition from a standard grate to a griddle, vegetable tray, or pizza stone, keeping your side areas clear for plates, food, and other items. Other features include side shelf towel bars, internal spice racks, stainless steel and porcelain construction, a built-in temperature gauge, and an electric ignition, keeping that Aim n' Flame available for more... important purposes. [Thanks, Joel]
Did your gas grill arrive without the wood chip box you crave? Rectify the situation with the Smoker Box ($40). Made from heavy gauge stainless steel, it can be filled with a wide variety wood chips or herbs that sit in the bottom of the box while your meat sits on top of a perforated tray, ready to soak in the flavor. A must have for summer.
We've loved Fuego's prior grills, but they all had one problem: they were stationary. The Fuego Element Portable Grill ($150) overcomes this limitation by using a totable body that features built-in legs that fold up to become handles, a red travel band to hold everything together when you're on the move, and an adjustable canvas shoulder strap for hands-free lugging. It's got a cast iron grill grate, push button ignition, an 8,000 BTU stainless steel burner, nearly 160 square inches of cooking area, and a dishwasher-safe tray to catch runoff, all inside a museum-quality design.
Spring is nearly here, and with it comes the official start of grilling season. Prepare yourself for backyard battle with the Frontgate Viking Grill ($3,000). This high-end cooking station is made from stainless steel, and features a double-walled hood for heat retention, an open-cart design for easy access to accessories, three 25,000 BTU stainless steel burners spread across 836 square inches of porcelain-coated cooking surface, a push-button ignition, a chrome-plated warming rack, and an integrated thermometer to ensure your food is cooked perfectly.
Sure, he designs motorcycles. But grills? It appears so. The Paul Jr. Designs Coleman RoadTrip Grill ($140) blends all the features of the RoadTrip — like 285 square inches of cooking space, dual 10,000 BTU burners, porcelain-coated cast-iron grates, detachable side tables, and a collapsible design — with design flourishes like custom black paint, chrome accents, knobs, and tool hooks, and diamond plate inserts.
Whether you're lighting up the grill or setting the mood with some scented candles, you can do it with more style than your average Aim n' Flame using the Colibri Stiletto Utility Lighter ($20). Sporting an attractive silver and black metal body, this firemaker also features a child-resistant design, an SST ignition, a built-in cap, and an integrated hook for hanging it somewhere handy. Flame on.
You don't have to be in a western to enjoy the open expanses of the Cowboy Cauldron ($1,300-$3,000). Available in three sizes — from 30 to 41 inches in diameter and weighing anywhere from 75 to a back-breaking 250 lbs. — this durable fire pit/grill comes with a six-foot stand, a suspended firepit basin that spreads heat across a large area, the chains for hanging the basin, and a grill top. It's also designed to be quick and easy to tear down and move, allowing you to take it wherever there's a need for fire, heat, and a lot of grilled meat.
Who says you need to be inside to fry up some tasty treats? The Timber Ridge Backyard Host Deep Fryer ($700) lets you fry turkeys, french fries, oysters, and much more without leaving the great outdoors. Features include a Clean Flow oil-filtration system that lets you reuse your cooking oil up to 50 times, precision temperature controls, a push-button electronic ignition, hard-core welded steel construction, three included frying baskets, and an oil capacity of nine gallons, or enough to fry a small domesticated animal should you be into that sort of thing.
Pint-sized yet powerful, the Char-Broil CB500X Portable Grill ($135) is ready to handle all your grilling and smoking needs without taking up an entire spot in the garage. It features rugged steel construction, pre-seasoned cast-iron grates for 240 square inches of cooking surface, an adjustable fire grate, a built-in temperature gauge, two dampers for better heat control, and a luggable weight of under 40 lbs.
That's right. Ranch. As in big steers, big sky, and big spaces. Or big-ass grills, like the Weber Ranch Kettle ($1,100). Featuring a heavy-duty steel cart, all-weather wheels, locking casters, and a porcelain-enameled bowl and lid, this oversized kettle boasts a whopping 1,104 square inches of cooking area, enough to handle multiple turkeys, chickens, or more burgers than you and your entire fantasy league can eat, with room left over to cook up some tofu patties for your more sensitive pals.
Forget bringing a simple grill — you can bring the equivalent of an entire bar to your next tailgate outing with the Grill 'N Chill Tailgater ($3,000-$3,500). It includes the obvious 24,000 BTU infrared grill, but steps things up a notch with a 50 qt. ice chest, a chrome tower draft system to keep the booze flowing, an included Go! Chassi for easy portability, and a built-in 210-Watt stereo with dual marine-grade speakers. Add in a TV, some chairs, and some companions, and you've got the makings of an all-star sports day, even if never leave the driveway. [Thanks, Gerald]
