A good grill with the wrong tools is like a sports car with bald tires — you'll never reach its potential. The right accessories don't just make grilling easier; they make your food measurably better. An instant-read thermometer eliminates guesswork. A chimney starter eliminates lighter fluid. A quality set of tongs replaces the fork that's been puncturing your steaks and letting juices escape.
Here are the accessories that earn their place next to the grill — plus a few that don't.
Essential Tools (Buy These First)
1-second readings, ±0.5°F accuracy. The professional standard for instant-read thermometers. Waterproof, backlit, and auto-rotating display.
Lights a full load of charcoal in 15–20 minutes without lighter fluid. Essential for every charcoal griller. The Weber is the best-built chimney on the market.
Interlocking aluminum grate panels that amplify heat and eliminate flare-ups. Drop-in upgrade for any grill. Produces dramatically better sear marks than stock grates.
Heat-resistant mesh mats that prevent small foods (shrimp, vegetables, diced items) from falling through the grates. Reusable, dishwasher-safe, and cheap enough to replace annually.
Spring-loaded stainless tongs with silicone grips keep your hands away from the heat. Scalloped tips grip food without piercing. Buy two — you'll use one for raw, one for cooked.
Worth Adding Later
Smoker box (for gas grills): A stainless steel box that sits over a burner and holds wood chips, adding smoke flavor to gas-grilled food. The V-shaped models generate more smoke than flat boxes.
Grill press / weight: Cast iron press that flattens burgers and chicken for maximum surface contact and faster cooking. Simple, inexpensive, and genuinely useful for smash burgers.
Heat-resistant gloves: Silicone or aramid fiber gloves rated to 500°F+ for handling hot grates, moving charcoal, and pulling pork. More dexterity than oven mitts.
Skip These
Wire grill brushes: Loose bristles can break off and end up in food — a real safety hazard. Use a coil-spring brush, wooden scraper, or balled-up foil instead.
Novelty tool sets: Most bundled sets include tools you'll never use. Buy quality individual pieces instead of a 20-piece kit with 17 redundant items.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important grill accessory?
An instant-read meat thermometer. It eliminates guesswork about doneness and produces consistently better results than cutting into meat to check. The ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE is the professional standard.
Are grill mats safe to use?
Quality mesh grill mats made from PTFE-coated fiberglass are safe at temperatures below 500°F. Avoid using them over direct high heat for extended periods. They're ideal for grilling small items like vegetables and shrimp that would fall through the grates.
Do I need a chimney starter?
If you use charcoal, yes. A chimney starter lights a full load of coals in 15–20 minutes without lighter fluid, which can leave chemical flavors on food. It's inexpensive and one of the best upgrades you can make to your charcoal grilling setup.