Grilling Gizmos. Smokers welcome.

[Topgumby]

The Which Method Do You Use To Light Charcoal? thread got me thinking about all the gadgetry and accessories available being sold by various drummers. What have you tried, what have you kept and what have you discarded or repurposed?

I'm a Weber kettle guy, 22.5" basic black, circa late 1980's. My favorite gizmos are:

• Stainless steel grate with hinged ends. Love that thing.
• Chimney starter. The big Weber one, not brand X.
• Cheap leather welding gloves.
• L shaped steel round bar, 18" long with a 2.5" leg. Use it to move hot coals.
• Long handled brush/scraper.
• Stainless Weber basket. Don't use it much, but it's the bomb for veggies.
• Half thickness fire bricks. Cheap, durable and they work better than this or this.
• Grill cover. My kettle lives outside, and it's why it's still around after decades of use.
• Remote thermometer.
• This gets me by until I the old kettle dies and I replace it with a Performer.
• Rib rack. Mine is brand X, but the idea is the same.
• Butane torch. Works every time.
• Cheap bristle paint brush. Used for basting and a mini ash broom. Use and throw out.

Stuff I tried and didn't like:

• The aforementioned charcoal baskets. Fire bricks are cheaper and more durable.
• Grill tool holder/basket. Mine was a similar gadget. Gets hot, keeps lid from setting right, can fall off. No thanks.
• Silicone basting brush. Mine had a head that came off, in use.
• Barbecue lighter. Meh.

There are various weird gadgets that have seemed too outlandish for me to spend my hard earned dough on. Things I've seen include clip on charcoal fans, hot dog rollers, conversion kits that let you smoke in the kettle (minion method, bricks and hinged grate seem to work fine), various gizmos for standing up a chicken (Beer can chicken is called beer can chicken for a reason).

If anybody has a gadget they swear by that I've dissed or missed, let's hear it. Affirmation of my wise choices also welcomed.

 

[nortac]

I got an older Weber gold one touch that didn't come with a dial thermometer, added one the other day.
Smokenator insert...Love it
Craycourt Cast Iron grates....meh
Just ordered Thermaworks Pro BBQ kit digital thermometers, not received yet. I'm sure I'll love it.
Weber Chimney..from day one, I have never used charcoal lighter fluid.
My Gold came with the hinged grate (but not SS)

 

[Topgumby]

Ah, a Smokenator enthusiast. I get good results with my firebricks and minion method, so I don't feel the need, but it is a nice looking gizmo.

Never heard of the cast iron grate, but you couldn't pry me away from that hinged stainless.

 

[luvmysuper]

I despise those long neck lighters. The childproof interlock makes them virtually impossible to use.
Long matches are a great alternative.

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...=X&ei=2YmnU63jB9GgyAT9_oKIDA&ved=0CLYBEPMCMAM

Another option is simply the piezoelectric starter, which just sparks but doesn't have fuel in it, so there's no need for the childproof interlock

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/463671/coghlans-piezoelectric-lighter

 

[coryforsenate]

Some toys I've tried out are

Chimney-----love it. Gets my wood or lump charcoal hot fast, without using lighter fluid.

Bellow-------love it. Hate blowing on the coals to heat them up? Get one of these.

Giant tongs--love it. Hate it when you grab some hot dogs on the back of the grill and it kinda burns your hand? I've got a 21 incher.

Silicone basting brush---crap. Doesn't pick up very much sause and it drips down too quickly.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I agree with the chimney- the Weber not brand x. I use mechanics gloves, though.

 

[YetiDave]

Bear Paws are my new favourite cookin' tool for BBQ, I've bent quite a few forks in the past! Maverick ET-732 is a great toy too, but since building my UDS I'm trying to go simple, so I'm just relying on look and touch to tell doneness and a River Country therm installed on the side for temp

 

[Teppanyaki]

I love long tongs, gloves to protect your hands, and hardwood charcoal. The Smokenator looks nice, Weber chimney looks nice, and the folding wooden table looks awesome. I can never get enough table space when grilling.

I also use nonstick-covered tongs for my cookware. It's so much easier to manipulate many types of food with tongs.

 

[nortac]

I agree with the chimney- the Weber not brand x. I use mechanics gloves, though.

I use my old Nomex Flight gloves courtesy of Uncle Sam.

 

[Osborn Cox]

I concur with many of OP's assessments:

I like the firebrick idea for making indirect fires, gonna have to try it.

I have this cast iron grate: http://www.amazon.com/Seasoned-Cooking-Surface-Modular-Grills/dp/B004BRNUIC My wife got it for me as a gift a few years ago, it's OK, puts a nice sear on food, but it's kind of clumsy. I wouldn't get one again.

I have this EZ Que rotisserie set up, not sure if it's made anymore. It's nice, easy to use, but in the end I opt not to use it more often than not because it's a pain in the tuchus to clean and in the end I'm lazy. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Weber-22-5-...992?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a926621a8

 

[nortac]

If you have a Smokenator or contemplate getting one, you should read this: http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/smokenator_tips.html

Another interesting add on, but pricey, are the cast aluminum hard anodized Grillgrates: http://amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/guide_to_grill_grates.html These are also for use on your gasser.

 

[techblade01]

I like anything Weber.

 

[langod]

I made this with some sheet metal from Home Depot, a couple of drawer handles and some l brackets to hold the rack(s). Turned my weber kettle into a quasi-Smokey Mountain. Enough height for at least two additional layers. And much cheaper than the commercial version you can buy. It works pretty well -- temperature stayed pretty stable, I only noticed a few degrees difference in temp between the top and bottom layers. The ones you can buy on line - Smoke-Ez and Cajun Bandit, are both about $200. I did this for less than $10. Sure they have more features and are heavier-duty, but I can replace a lot of sheet metal for $200.

 

[Tim_McD]

I made this with some sheet metal from Home Depot, a couple of drawer handles and some l brackets to hold he rack(s). Turned my weber kettle into a quasi-Smokey Mountain. Enough height for at least two additional layers. And much cheaper than the commercial version you can buy. It works pretty well -- temperature stayed pretty stable, I only noticed a few degrees difference in temp between the top and bottom layers. The ones you can buy on line - Smoke-Ez and Cajun Bandit, are both about $200. I did this for less than $10. Sure they have more features and are heavier-duty, but I can replace a lot of sheet metal doe $200.

That, sir, is AWESOME!

 

[oc_in_fw]

That, sir, is AWESOME!

+1000

 

[Mick]

Total BBQ "gadgets"

1 Weber Genesis propane grill

1 Char Broil propane grill

that's it.....

 

[87classic]

just bought a brand new weber 22.5 kettle touch one (black) and used it once,along with the chimney fire starter by weber,some weber sauces and seasonings, a stainless steel set of.. huge tongs,huge fork,huge bristle brush,huge knife...4 smaller stainless steel knives and some kob/potatoe insert things,also have that brush with a scraper,and 2 diff brushes on it for cleaning..

thinking about ordering grillgrate's with the tool....
http://www.grillgrate.com/index.php?/site/grill_grate_products

need gloves, a thermometer for food and would like to add one for the grill temp..

i want to make a smokey mountain with the weber smokey joe this way...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI1jSq1qyTw
And start smoking some ribs/chicken

 

[weizemanner]

Weber chimney starter

Extra long tongs from industrial kitchen store

stainless steel bristle welding brush from lowes

and a garden trowel for moving coals around.

I had a wire mesh basket that was great for vegetables, but I left it out in the rain and it rusted away.

I thought about getting a grill press but I don't know what I would do with it.

And I don't use a grill cover. I just buy cheap grills and replace them every couple years. I really like the control on the aussie grill.

 

[weizemanner]

I made this with some sheet metal from Home Depot, a couple of drawer handles and some l brackets to hold the rack(s). Turned my weber kettle into a quasi-Smokey Mountain. Enough height for at least two additional layers. And much cheaper than the commercial version you can buy. It works pretty well -- temperature stayed pretty stable, I only noticed a few degrees difference in temp between the top and bottom layers. The ones you can buy on line - Smoke-Ez and Cajun Bandit, are both about $200. I did this for less than $10. Sure they have more features and are heavier-duty, but I can replace a lot of sheet metal for $200.

I like the DIY smoker.

 

[nitesite]

langod, that it awesome!

I love my Weber Smoky Mountain cooker/smoker. A load of Kingsford and some wood chunks goes 10-12 hours at an extremely stable and steady temp.

Also love my disco'd BBQ Grillworks charcoal grill with the fire pan that cranks up and down thru almost a 10" height span. Low for chicken, and up about an inch away for thick steaks over white-hot hardwood coals! The ability to instantly change the fire height is an enormous adbvantage, and the 16"x36" cooking surface handles a LOT of food.