10 grilling tools that will make your kitchen a focal point

There are few summer dishes more satisfying than a perfectly cooked kebab. But not all skewers are created equal (we are looking at you, wooden sticks). For this season, upgrade to the heavy-duty version of Cook’s Essentials, which includes two prongs to ensure your food is securely attached. Plus, there’s an ingenious slider that pushes food off the skewer and onto your plate without the need to get your hands dirty.

When barbecuing, it’s important to oil your food both for flavor and to keep it from sticking to the grill. But it can be easy to overdo it. Step into Evo’s oil sprayers, which dispense exactly ¼ teaspoon of oil each time you pull the trigger. We love to use them on everything from chicken to vegetables. Filling the bottles is also a snap – they come with a funnel for mess-free pouring.

Have the right tools to preparation for grilling is just as important as the ones you flip burgers with or slice a steak with. And every chef deserves a solid set of prep and mixing bowls. This version of KitchenAid is one of our favorites for several reasons: the bowls come in a variety of vibrant colors, they snap together for super easy storage, and the prep bowls even come with lids, which makes it easier to pack leftovers. They are great for marinating meats overnight and pretty enough to serve your salad as well.

What is a squirt? It sits somewhere between a spoon and a spatula; and once you use one, you’ll wonder how you ever cooked without it. This Mad Hungry set contains every type of spurtle you could want – regular, split, staggered, and lean – plus a spatula and handy rack to keep your grill area clean. Silicone parts are gentle on cookware, yet strong enough to easily scratch, crush, and smear.

Protective gear is always important when cooking near an open flame. But some gloves may be too bulky for you to grip or turn things over. That’s why we love this model from Starfrit: the silicone makes it heat resistant, but the cotton interior is soft and easy to grip.

You could argue that tongs are the most widely used tool in all of the grilling business. So, you might as well have the best, right? We love this three-piece set from Blue Jean Chef for its soft handles, sturdy stainless steel construction, and locking mechanism that makes it easy to store. Pro tip: When cooking with raw meat, you can designate one set of tongs for raw and another for cooked, to avoid cross-contamination.

A pair of kitchen scissors is a real workhorse. You can trim the ends of asparagus, squeeze the fat off a piece of steak, and even cut vegetables from your garden. This version of Kuhn Rikon is one of our favorites because not only are the self-sharpening blades capable of cutting almost anything, the shears also feature a can cutter and bottle opener (a must have for barbecues) . A practical protective sleeve keeps them secure when not in use.

Imagine it: your friends have just arrived, the kebabs are ready, your barbecue playlist is kicking off. You’re going to light your grill and… nothing. To make sure this doesn’t happen, invest in a propane tank gas gauge. Not only does this model from Henning Lee make sure you never run out of gas, it also has a built-in leak detector. Bonus: the gauge works equally well on your outdoor gas heater or your fireplace.

A typical flat cutting board has nowhere for juice dripping, which can result in tons of cleaning time. This Prep & Slice model has a solution for this, however: the cutting board rests on a basin of marinade. Simply cut your meat, let the juice drain into the basin, then put your meat in the basin to allow it to marinate in the liquid. Your meat will be tastier and there will be no mess; it’s win-win.

Any grillmaster knows that brushing meat is the key to deep flavor. But how often does your basting brush end up clicking on the floor? Probably more often than you would like. That’s why this Grillville model is a game-changer: the brush attaches to the basting pot with magnets, so you never lose sight of it. Plus, a carbon steel construction means the pot is super sturdy, and a three-cup capacity ensures you’ll never run out of sauce.