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Innovative BBQ Accessories You Didn't Know You Needed

Grilling is more than just a way to cook—it’s an experience that brings people together, whether at family gatherings, backyard parties, or casual weeknight dinners. But no matter how seasoned you are behind the grill, there’s always room for improvement.

While you may already have your go-to spatula and grill brush, innovative BBQ accessories can take your outdoor cooking game to the next level.

From high-tech gadgets to clever tools that make grilling easier, cleaner, and more fun, there are accessories you didn’t know you needed—until now. 

Let’s dive into some of the most cutting-edge BBQ gear that can transform the way you grill and entertain — many of them part of the extensive range of outdoor living products at Hammacher Schlemmer .

1. BBQ Grill Lights

Grilling isn’t always confined to daylight hours. Whether you’re hosting a late-night barbecue or enjoying a quiet dinner on your patio, cooking in low-light conditions can be tricky. That’s where BBQ grill lights come to the rescue, ensuring that you can grill with confidence even after the sun goes down.

Exclusively available from Hammacher Schlemmer, The Brighter BBQ Grill Light is designed to attach securely to your grill, providing bright, focused illumination directly where you need it. These lights typically feature LED bulbs, which are not only energy-efficient but also provide a powerful, glare-free light that mimics daylight, making it easier to see the color and texture of your food.

With the right lighting, you can avoid undercooking or burning your meats and vegetables, even in the dark. The Brighter BBQ Grill lights are equipped with adjustable heads or flexible necks, allowing you to direct the light exactly where it’s needed most.

Whether you’re flipping burgers, checking the doneness of a steak, or basting ribs, these lights help you keep a close eye on your food, ensuring perfect results every time. Plus, their weather-resistant construction means they’re built to withstand outdoor conditions, so you don’t have to worry about moisture or heat damaging the light.

For grillers who love to entertain well into the evening, The Brighter BBQ Grill Light is a game-changer. They offer increased safety by preventing accidental burns or overcooked food, and they enhance the overall grilling experience, allowing you to cook with ease and precision no matter the time of day.

2. Smart Meat Thermometers

One of the greatest challenges in grilling is achieving the perfect level of doneness without cutting into your meat and losing those precious juices. That’s where smart meat thermometers come in. These innovative devices take the guesswork out of grilling by offering precise temperature readings, ensuring your meats are cooked to perfection every time.

Unlike traditional thermometers, smart meat thermometers connect wirelessly to your smartphone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. This allows you to monitor the internal temperature of your food from a distance, whether you're mingling with guests or prepping side dishes in the kitchen.

Some models even come with preset cooking temperatures for different types of meat, such as steak, chicken, or fish, taking the hassle out of figuring out when your food is done. 

Many smart thermometers also come with companion apps that provide real-time updates and alerts when your meat reaches the desired temperature. This means no more hovering over the grill or constantly checking on the food—your thermometer does the hard work for you.

With features like dual-probe functionality, you can monitor multiple pieces of meat at once, ensuring every steak or chop is cooked to the exact temperature you prefer.

In addition to convenience, smart meat thermometers help prevent overcooking and undercooking, which is especially important when preparing thick cuts of meat or cooking for large gatherings. Whether you're aiming for a perfect medium-rare steak or ensuring your chicken is safely cooked through, this tool will quickly become a must-have for both novice and expert grillers.

3. Your Teams Grilling Tools

These are the officially licensed barbecue tools that proudly declare a grillmaster’s devotion to a beloved professional or college team. Ideal for stoking team spirit at a tailgate, the set consists of a spatula with your team’s logo laser cut through its blade, long-reach tongs, and a two-prong fork, available from Hammacher Schlemmer.

Each tool is made from heavy-duty stainless steel with a brass-riveted team logo- and color-themed composite handles. The spatula and fork also have an integrated bottle opener on the handle. 

4. Grill Mats

One of the most difficult challenges of grilling is dealing with food sticking to the grates or falling through them. Enter grill mats—a simple yet innovative solution that transforms the way you cook on the grill.

These heat-resistant, non-stick mats provide a smooth surface that sits directly on your grill, allowing you to cook delicate items with ease and maintain a cleaner grill at the same time. Grill mats are perfect for grilling items that might otherwise be tricky, like fish, vegetables, and even eggs.

Because of their non-stick surface, there’s no need to worry about food tearing apart or sticking when it’s time to flip. You can also grill smaller items, like shrimp or sliced vegetables, without them slipping through the grates, which can often lead to uneven cooking or even wasting food.

The mats also eliminate flare-ups from dripping marinades or oils, ensuring that your food is cooked evenly and safely.

Another major benefit of grill mats is the ease of cleanup. Since the mats catch drippings, sauces, and food particles, they prevent these from collecting on the grill itself. This means less time scrubbing grates after your BBQ session and more time enjoying the meal with friends and family.

Most grill mats are reusable and dishwasher-safe, making them a convenient, eco-friendly grilling accessory.

Grill mats can also handle high temperatures without warping, making them suitable for all kinds of grilling—from searing meats to grilling delicate pastries. Whether you’re an occasional griller or a seasoned pro, grill mats can make the process smoother, cleaner, and more efficient, all while enhancing the quality of your meals.

5. Rotating Skewers

Grilling kebabs is a delicious and fun way to cook a variety of meats, vegetables, and even fruits, but achieving that perfect, even char can be a challenge. Rotating skewers are the innovative accessory that makes grilling kebabs easier and more consistent, ensuring that every bite is cooked to perfection.

Unlike traditional skewers, rotating skewers feature a mechanism—either manual or motorized—that allows them to turn automatically over the grill. This constant rotation ensures that your food is cooked evenly on all sides without the need for frequent flipping.

It also helps prevent the common problem of burning one side of the kebab while the other remains undercooked, which can happen when using regular skewers. For grillers looking to save time and effort, motorized rotating skewers are a game-changer.

Simply load your kebabs onto the skewers, set them on the grill, and let the motor do the rest. This hands-free approach allows you to multitask—whether it’s preparing side dishes, mingling with guests, or simply enjoying a drink—while your kebabs cook to perfection. Even manual rotating skewers make the process easier, allowing for more control and precision compared to standard skewers.

Rotating skewers are also great for ensuring that marinades and seasonings are evenly distributed as the food cooks, resulting in more flavorful kebabs. Whether you’re grilling classic combinations like chicken and vegetables, or experimenting with new ingredients like pineapple and shrimp, rotating skewers guarantee consistently cooked, evenly charred results every time.

6. The Professional Barbecuer's Knife 

A true essential for meat lovers and barbecue enthusiasts, this Hammacher Schlemmer Exclusive German-designed knife brings strength and finesse to any grilling session.

Crafted from high-quality 4116 steel, The Professional Barbecuer's Knife it combines a hardy 15% chromium content for excellent corrosion resistance with .55% carbon for a durable, lasting edge. 

This knife marries the robust power of a cleaver, ideal for handling thicker cuts, with the precise slicing ability of a chef’s knife, making it perfect for everything from prepping vegetables to portioning a hefty brisket.

Its textured, soft-grip handle ensures comfort and control, while the included sheath keeps it safe and sharp between uses.

1. The Professional Barbecuer's Carving Fork

The perfect companion to a masterful barbecue knife, this German-crafted carving fork makes slicing and shredding as easy as grilling. Designed with barbecue fans in mind, its four curved prongs hold meat securely, helping you achieve clean, even cuts and perfectly shredded portions.

With a bullhorn shaped handle that provides comfort and control, The Professional Barbecuer's Carving Fork is built from a resilient zinc alloy to handle even the heartiest cuts. And when the cooking’s done, it’s dishwasher safe for a quick and easy cleanup.

7. Flame Retardant BBQ Gloves

Safety should always come first when grilling, and one of the easiest ways to protect yourself is by using flame retardant BBQ gloves.

These specially designed gloves offer superior heat resistance, allowing you to handle hot grill grates, pans, and utensils without the risk of burns. Whether you’re flipping steaks over an open flame or adjusting hot coals, these gloves are a must-have for safe, confident grilling.

Made from high-tech, heat-resistant materials like Kevlar and silicone, flame retardant BBQ gloves can withstand extreme temperatures while still providing the flexibility and grip needed to manage your grilling tools. The non-slip surfaces ensure you have a secure hold on everything from spatulas to cast iron skillets, reducing the risk of dropping food or utensils in the process. 

Unlike traditional oven mitts, which can be bulky and limit dexterity, BBQ gloves are designed to fit snugly around your hands, offering both protection and freedom of movement. This makes it easier to handle delicate tasks like flipping burgers, rotating skewers, or moving hot items around on the grill.

They’re also resistant to cuts and abrasions, adding an extra layer of safety when working with sharp tools or rough surfaces.

Flame retardant BBQ gloves are also highly durable and easy to clean, making them a long-lasting addition to your grilling arsenal. Many models are machine-washable or wipe-clean, so you can keep them in great condition after each use.

For any griller, from beginner to seasoned pro, these gloves provide peace of mind, ensuring that you can focus on perfecting your BBQ without worrying about heat or safety hazards.

8. Smoker Boxes for Gas Grills

For many BBQ enthusiasts, adding a rich, smoky flavor to grilled meats and vegetables is one of the ultimate goals. But if you’re using a gas grill, achieving that signature wood-smoked taste can be tricky. Enter smoker boxes—a clever accessory that allows you to infuse your food with authentic smoke flavors, even on a gas grill.

Smoker boxes are compact metal containers designed to hold wood chips, which release aromatic smoke as they heat up. Simply fill the box with your choice of wood chips—like hickory, mesquite, or applewood—place it on the grill, and let the magic happen.

As the chips smolder inside the box, they produce smoke that envelops your food, imparting that coveted smoky flavor you’d normally expect from a traditional charcoal or wood-fired grill. The great thing about smoker boxes is their ease of use.

Unlike setting up a full smoker, all you need is your gas grill and a small amount of wood chips to create that perfect smoky aroma. Whether you're slow-cooking ribs, smoking chicken breasts, or adding depth to grilled vegetables, smoker boxes allow for versatility in your grilling, opening up a whole new world of flavor possibilities.

What’s more, smoker boxes are designed to be reusable and durable, often crafted from stainless steel to withstand high grill temperatures. They provide a controlled smoke release, which helps to avoid overpowering your food with too much smoke.

With a smoker box, you can easily transform your gas grill into a hybrid smoker, making it an essential tool for anyone looking to elevate their BBQ game with minimal effort.

9. Charcoal Chimney Starters

For charcoal grill enthusiasts, getting the fire started quickly and efficiently is key to a great BBQ experience. While lighter fluid can do the job, it typically leaves behind an unpleasant chemical taste that can taint your food.

That’s where charcoal chimney starters come in—a simple yet incredibly effective tool that helps you get your coals burning evenly and without any chemicals.

A charcoal chimney starter works by using natural airflow to ignite your coals. The cylindrical design holds charcoal in a compact stack, allowing oxygen to flow up from the bottom as you light a small firestarter underneath.

This design ensures that the coals heat evenly and faster than traditional methods. In just 10 to 15 minutes, your coals will be hot and ready to spread across the grill, giving you a consistent and efficient heat source for cooking.

One of the biggest advantages of using a chimney starter is that it eliminates the need for lighter fluid or chemical starters, which can negatively impact the flavor of your food. With this tool, you’re able to achieve that rich, authentic charcoal flavor without any unwanted aftertaste. Plus, it’s environmentally friendly, using nothing more than newspaper or natural firestarters to ignite the coals.

Charcoal chimney starters are also easy to use and require minimal effort. Once your coals are hot, simply pour them into the grill, and you’re ready to start cooking. This tool is ideal for both novice and seasoned grillers who prefer the traditional flavor of charcoal but want a hassle-free way to light their fire.

10. Motorized Steam Cleaning Grill Brush

One of Hammacher Schlemmer’s must-have BBQ accessories is the grill brush that uses steam and motorized spinning bristles to quickly and thoroughly clean grill grates. A chamber inside the handle holds up to 2 oz. of water and a spout set within the bristles releases steam onto grill grates, helping to remove burnt-on food and grease with little effort. 

The steam loosens the most stubborn detritus, as the two heads of rigid, double-gauge stainless-steel bristles spin to clean the grates quickly. Its metal scraper breaks up the toughest burnt-on char, leaving a grill spotless and ready for the next grilling session. The ergonomic handle stays cool to the touch and has a push-button to activate the motor.

11. The Pièce de Résistance — The Personalized Movable Feast Cooler Cart 

This is the folding beverage cart with an integrated cooler/tabletop that transports a family’s feast or a couple’s consumables over any terrain. Ideal for picnics, barbecues, beach parties, or civilized summer concert outings, the cart comes with a flexible food-safe PVC cooler insert that can hold up to 225 lbs. of ice, drinks, and food. Its rigid cover opens to provide access to the interior; doubles as a tabletop when closed. This Hammacher Schlemmer must-have can be personalized. 

Conclusion

Grilling is more than just a method of cooking—it’s a social experience, an art form, and a way to create memorable meals with family and friends. With the right tools, you can elevate your BBQ game to new heights, making the entire process more efficient, enjoyable, and delicious.

From must-have grill lights and smart meat thermometers to flame retardant BBQ gloves, and even motorized stream grill cleaning brushes, these innovative BBQ accessories are designed to enhance your grilling experience and take the guesswork out of achieving perfection.

Whether you’re a seasoned grill master or just starting out, investing in these modern tools can make a world of difference. They not only help you cook with precision and safety but also simplify the cleaning and preparation processes, leaving you more time to enjoy the results of your hard work. With these must-have accessories, your next BBQ could be your best one yet.

Ready to upgrade your grilling experience? Explore Hammacher Schlemmer’s wide range of innovative BBQ accessories and discover the tools you didn’t know you needed. Transform your BBQ sessions into flawless culinary events. Don’t wait—shop now and get ready to impress at your next cookout!