Tag: #grilling

No fluff, just the real tools that’ll make your BBQ game strong

Hey there, future pitmaster! 👋

So you’ve got your smoker ready to go, but now you’re staring at it thinking… “okay, what else do I actually need?” Trust me, I’ve been there. And as a KCBS Master Certified Barbecue Judge who’s tested literally everything under the sun, I’m here to save you from the trial-and-error phase.

This is the exact toolkit my family and I use every single time we fire up the smoker. No sponsored BS, no random stuff we don’t actually use—just the real MVPs that make smoking easier, safer, and way more fun.

Quick heads up: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely believe in.

🌡️ Temperature Monitoring: Because Guessing is Not a Strategy

Real talk: if you can’t measure the temp, you’re basically just hoping for the best. Here’s why you need BOTH of these thermometers—they do different jobs. The wireless meat thermometer stays in your meat during the entire cook, monitoring internal temps and smoker temperature continuously. The instant-read is your probe tool for checking tenderness and doneness in different areas. How easily the probe slides in and out tells you a ton about tenderness—you’re not just checking temp, you’re feeling the meat. Plus, having both lets you verify that each one is reading accurately. Trust me, these two work together like a perfect team.

1. ThermoPro 650 ft Bluetooth Meat Thermometer with 4 Color-Coded Probes

This thing is a total game-changer. You get 650 feet of Bluetooth range, which means you can chill inside, watch the game, or do literally anything else while keeping tabs on your cook. The four color-coded probes are clutch—I can monitor different cuts at the same time (because brisket and ribs don’t cook the same, obviously).

Here’s a pro move: I always keep one probe clipped to the grate to monitor the actual temp inside the smoker and find hot spots. This way I know exactly where to place my meat for the most even cook. The app is super easy to use—even my kids can check it for me. No more babysitting the smoker all day!

2. Alpha Grillers Instant Read Digital Thermometer

While the wireless thermometer does the heavy lifting, this instant-read is your spot-checker. It reads in 2-3 seconds (actually instant, not “instant”), and I keep it clipped to my apron the whole cook. Perfect for checking different areas of a big brisket or making sure your pork butt hit the right temp before pulling.

The backlit display works great whether you’re cooking in bright sun or at 2 AM (we’ve all been there). This is the tool you’ll grab 20 times during every smoke.

🔪 Prep Tools: Set Yourself Up for Success

Good prep = good results. These tools make the whole process way smoother and less messy.

3. Mistifi Fine Mist Oil Spray Bottle

Ever try to spray oil on meat with a regular spray bottle? It’s either drops or a weird stream—super annoying. This Mistifi bottle gives you an actual fine mist that helps your rub stick perfectly without making things soggy.

But here’s where it really shines: during the cook, I fill it with apple juice and spritz my meat every hour or so. Keeps everything moist, prevents drying out, and helps build that gorgeous bark everyone wants. Plus it’s refillable, so you can use whatever liquid you want—apple juice, apple cider vinegar, beer, whatever.

4. Turkey Injector Syringe with 3 Needles

Injection might sound fancy, but it’s honestly a cheat code for keeping big cuts juicy. When you’re smoking a pork butt or brisket for 12+ hours, injection gets moisture and flavor deep inside where rubs can’t touch.

This set comes with three different needle sizes for thin marinades or thicker butter injections. The barrel is big enough that you’re not constantly refilling, and unlike cheap ones, the needle actually stays attached (seriously frustrating when it doesn’t). Cleanup is easy too—everything comes apart for a thorough wash, which is important when you’re dealing with raw meat stuff.

5. Cutluxe Butcher Knife Set

You need good knives. Period. Whether you’re trimming fat before the cook or slicing up finished meat, having sharp, quality knives makes everything easier and safer.

This set handles everything—trimming brisket fat caps, breaking down ribs, precise slicing. The handles are comfortable even during long prep sessions, and they actually stay sharp. With 4.7-4.8 star ratings and thousands of reviews on Amazon, I’m clearly not the only one who thinks these are solid. Way better than using the same dull knife for everything.

6. ZVP Disposable Cutting Boards (60 Pack)

These are seriously underrated. They’re disposable plastic cutting boards that solve SO many problems. The sides fold up to catch juices whether you’re prepping raw meat or slicing finished BBQ—keeps your counter clean and contained.

At like 30 cents per board, you can use a fresh one for each protein (hello, food safety!), and cleanup is literally just tossing it. The 17×12 size gives you plenty of room to work, and they’re way sturdier than you’d expect for disposable boards. I go through several every cook and never think twice about it.

7. XL Collapsible BBQ Prep Tub with Cutting Board & Drain Hole

This thing is brilliant and I don’t know how I lived without it. There’s a cutting board on top for your work surface, and the tub below catches all your trimmings and scraps. The drain hole makes cleanup stupid easy.

The locking lid means you can prep everything the night before and stick it in the fridge. When you’re done, it collapses down for storage. No more running back and forth to the trash can with fat trimmings—it’s all right there. This became the center of my entire prep routine.

🧤 Safety Gear: Don’t Burn Yourself (Trust Me)

Smokers get HOT. Your meat gets HEAVY. These tools keep all your fingers attached and functional.

8. OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Locking Tongs

You absolutely need good tongs. These 12-inch ones keep your hands far from the heat while giving you solid control over heavy cuts of meat. The locking mechanism is perfect for storage, and the OXO grips are legit comfortable.

I’ve tried cheaper tongs and they’re either too weak, too short, or fall apart. These hit the sweet spot of strong enough to handle a full brisket but precise enough to adjust ribs on the grate. Just get these and be done with it.

9. KITCHEN PERFECTION Silicone Smoker Gloves

Heat-resistant gloves are non-negotiable. These silicone ones are heat-proof up to 425°F and actually give you good grip and dexterity. Unlike cloth gloves, they’re waterproof and super easy to clean.

Use them for grabbing hot grates, adjusting vents, moving meat around—basically any time you need to touch something hot. The textured grip means you won’t drop your perfectly smoked brisket (which would be tragic). Keep these within arm’s reach at all times.

10. Disposable Heat-Resistant BBQ Gloves (100 Nitrile + 4 Cotton Liners)

Here’s the thing: those heavy-duty gloves are great, but what about when you’re handling raw meat during prep, or pulling pork, or slicing finished meat? That’s where these disposable gloves come in clutch.

The nitrile gives you heat resistance and grip, the cotton liners add extra protection and comfort. With 100 gloves in a pack, you never run out mid-cook, and you can toss them after handling raw meat—maximum food safety with zero hassle. Game changer for the whole process, not just the actual cooking.

📦 The Finishing Touch: Pink Butcher Paper

If you want restaurant-quality bark, you need to know about the wrap.

11. Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper Roll (18″ x 175′)

Pink butcher paper changed the BBQ game. Unlike foil (which steams your meat and makes the bark soggy), butcher paper lets your meat breathe while still holding in moisture and speeding up the cook.

The 18-inch width is perfect for briskets and pork shoulders. The dispenser box has a built-in cutter so you can get clean cuts even with greasy hands. At 175 feet, this roll will last you through tons of cooks. It’s FDA-approved, uncoated, and won’t add any weird flavors to your meat.

Seriously, once you start using butcher paper instead of foil, you’ll never go back.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Best Part: Smoking with Your Kids

Here’s something I don’t see talked about enough—smoking meat is an AMAZING activity to do with your kids. As a KCBS judge, I’ve had the privilege of judging “Kids Q” competitions at BBQ events all over, and honestly, watching families cook together is one of the best parts of this whole BBQ culture.

There’s something special about teaching your kids the low-and-slow process. They learn patience (because nothing about smoking is quick), responsibility (those temps need checking!), and the science behind how heat, smoke, and time transform raw meat into something incredible. Plus, when they see that finished brisket after 12 hours and realize THEY helped make it happen? The pride on their faces is priceless.

The tools in this guide actually make it super easy and safe for kids to participate. Your kids check the Bluetooth thermometer app, help with the apple juice spritz rounds, and they’ve learned so much about cooking, timing, and why patience matters. It beats screen time by a mile, and you’re building family traditions and memories that’ll last way longer than any video game.

Winter weekends are perfect for this. Fire up the smoker, get the kids involved, spend the day together actually talking and working toward something. That’s what BBQ is really about—not just the food, but the people and the experience. If you’ve got kids, trust me, get them involved. They’ll surprise you with how much they love it. And you may grow a BBQ team for the future!!

🎯 Bottom Line: Start Smart, Smoke Better

Look, you don’t need to drop money on a bunch of random BBQ gadgets. But these 11 items? They’re the difference between struggling through your first smoke and actually enjoying the process.

If budget’s tight, grab the temperature tools first (you literally can’t cook without knowing temps), then add the prep and safety gear as you go. But I promise, once you’ve used these tools, you’ll wonder how you ever considered smoking without them.

The whole point of smoking meat is to have fun, make awesome food, and hang out with people you care about. These tools just make sure the process is smooth instead of stressful. Now get out there and make some killer BBQ! 🔥

Quick heads up: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely believe in.

Happy smoking! 🍖

—A KCBS Master Certified Barbecue Judge