The Grilling Essentials to Gift This Father's Day
Courtesy of respective brands
It's that time of the year — the smell of backyard barbecues wafts through the neighborhood and newsletter guides on how to make the best grilled burgers are flooding our inboxes. It's also time to celebrate fathers, father figures, and/or the avid grillers in your life. Whether they've yet to step near their outdoor grill or are a total barbecue master, there's no better time to help improve their trove of grilling essentials.
Some of these may be painfully obvious to those well-seasoned (pun intended) in the art of outdoor cooking, but some you may find you don't have or maybe didn't even think you needed...until now. If smoking meat is more your bag, keep reading. Total vegetarian? This article's also for you. Barbecuing these days isn't limited to throwing meat on the grates of a grill, poking and prodding until things seem right.
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The first thing you have to consider is the type of grilling your recipient be doing: would they want to hover over meat and vegetables, watching them caramelize before their eyes, or are they looking for the flexibility to step away from the grill for a moment to socialize? If you're reading in the hopes of finding a solid Father's Day gift or looking for grilling essentials for someone else, treat this as a gift guide, as most of these top-rated or best-selling grills and grill accessories are solid steps up from the ones you may find in your family garage or local hardware store.
travelandleisure - 30 Available at Crate & Barrel
travelandleisure - 99 Available at Best Buy
travelandleisure - 12 Available at Amazon
travelandleisure - 25 Available at Crate & Barrel
Scroll on to shop the best grilling essentials to give for Father's day, ideal for grill masters and budding barbecuers alike.
Flexible Grill Basket
Courtesy of Crate & Barrel
For easy flipping of everything from steak to fish and bratwurst (pineapple is a personal favorite to grill in this contraption), a grill basket is the perfect accessory.
To buy: crateandbarrel.com, $25
Cheese Barbeclette, Set of 4
Courtesy of Food52
Cheeseburger-lovers will appreciate this barbaclette set, which allows you to melt cheese right on the grill to slide atop burgers right as they're done crisping up. No more soggy patties and certainly no more cold cheese on burgers.
To buy: food52.com, $40
Nonstick Grill Grids, Set of 2
Courtesy of Crate & Barrel
For more delicate grilling, like with fish or softer veggies, these nonstick grill grids will make even cooking and cleanup a total breeze.
To buy: crateandbarrel.com, $30
Outdoor Frying Pan
Courtesy of Food52
There's nothing more inconvenient than having to run back and forth from the grill to the stovetop burners inside. Give the gift of ease with this grill-top frying pan so everything the chef needs for the barbeque is right in one place.
To buy: food52.com, $60
Giant Spatula
Courtesy of Food52
This stainless steel, one-size-fits-all spatula will be any griller's go-to. It's even got a built-in LED light to illuminate whatever's cooking during nighttime grilling.
To buy: food52.com, $25
Hedley & Bennett The Essential Apron
Courtesy of Hedley & Bennett
Tested by Michelin-star chefs and developed in a professional kitchen, this apron is the real deal. Able to withstand years of wear and tear, oil splatters, charcoal stains, and everything else grilling has in store, this is the perfect apron for the job.
To buy: hedleyandbennett.com, $85
BearMoo Stainless Steel Skewers
Courtesy of Amazon
Reusable stainless steel barbecue skewers are invaluable when it comes to grilling everything from veggies to fruit to cubed meats. Machine-washable, this set of 10 grill sticks and one basting brush will undoubtedly be reached for time and time again by home cooks for a variety of uses.
To buy: amazon.com, $18
Yummly Smart Meat Thermometer
Courtesy of Yummly
This wireless, smart meat thermometer allows you to select preferred doneness and track cooking temperatures remotely using the Yummly app. Grillers can be a part of the barbecue conversation while still keeping track of their steaks, burgers, and more.
To buy: bestbuy.com, $99
Barbecue Spatula with Bottle Opener and Serrated Edge
Courtesy of Amazon
Made of thick stainless steel, this spatula has an edge that will cut meat right after it's removed from the grill (after it rests, of course). It can also open bottles, so cooks don't have to go searching for a bottle opener for themselves or guests while tending to the grill.
To buy: amazon.com, $15
Schmidt Brothers Grill Tools Gift Set
Courtesy of Pottery Barn
This attractive gift set of tools includes stainless steel tongs, a spatula, a basting brush, a fork, and a storage container so the griller in your life has all the basics needed for quick grilling all in one place.
To buy: potterybarn.com, $99
KOSIN Magnetic Barbecue Grill Lights
Courtesy of Amazon
No more sundown panic during barbecues or dinner prep with these magnetic LED grill lights. They're able to spin 360 degrees, are weather resistant, and have over 7,000 positive reviews on Amazon.
To buy: amazon.com, $12 (originally $15)
Kendall Cornish is an e-commerce editor at Travel + Leisure. She's never lived anywhere longer than three years, but currently resides in Brooklyn with her cat and beloved Dyson vacuum. You can follow her on Instagram at @kendall.cornish.
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