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Many merchants pay us a small referral fee when you click our links and purchase from them. On Amazon it works on everything from grills to diapers, they never tell us what you bought, it has zero impact on the price you pay, but has a major impact on our ability to improve this site! If you like AmazingRibs.com, please save this link and use it every time you go to Amazon
Surely you know somebody who loves outdoor cooking who deserves a gift for the holidays, birthday, anniversary, or just for being wonderful. There he is, right in the mirror! Here are our selections of best ideas, all Platinum or Gold Medalists, listed by price.
Digital Thermometers Are Your Most Valuable Tool And Here's A Great Buy!
A good digital thermometer keeps you from serving dry overcooked food or dangerously undercooked food. They are much faster and much more accurate than dial thermometers. YOU NEED ONE!
Bring The Heat With Broil King Signet's Dual Tube Burners
The Broil King Signet 320 is a modestly priced, 3-burner gas grill that packs a lot of value and power under the hood. Broil King's proprietary, dual-tube burners get hot fast and are able to achieve high, searing temps that rival most comparatively priced gas grills. The quality cast aluminum housing carries a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
The Good-One Is A Superb Grill And A Superb Smoker All In One
The Good-One Open Range is a charcoal grill with an offset smoke chamber attached. It is dramatically different from a traditional offset smoker. The grill sits low in front and doubles as a firebox for the smoke chamber which is spliced on above and behind so it can work like a horizontal offset smoker only better. By placing the heat source behind and under the smokebox instead of off to the side, Open Range produces even temperature from left to right, something almost impossible to achieve with a standard barrel shaped offset.
The flat top does the burgers and the fryer does the fries. Use the griddle for bacon, eggs, and home fries. Or pancakes, fajitas, grilled cheese, you name it. Why stink up the house deep frying and spatter all over? Do your fried chicken and calamari outside. Blackstone's Rangetop Combo With Deep Fryer does it all. Plus it has a built in cutting board, garbage bag holder, and paper towel holder. An additional work table on the left side provides plenty of counter space.
The PBC has a rabid cult following for good reason. It is absolutely positively without a doubt the best bargain on a smoker in the world. Period. This baby will cook circles around the cheap offset sideways barrel smokers in the hardware stores because temperature control is so much easier. Best of all, it is only $299 delivered to your door!
The smart folks at ThermoWorks have finally done it: The Swiss Army Knife of thermometers, two in one. Start with the industry standard food thermometer, the Thermapen MK4, (Platinum Medal winner) truly instant (2 to 3 seconds) precise (+ or – 0.7°F). Then they built in an infrared thermometer ideal for measuring the temps of pizza stones, griddles, and frying pans (also great for finding leaks around doors and windows in your house).
Compact Powerful Sear Machine For Your Next Tailgater
Char-Broil's Grill2Go x200 is a super-portable, fun little sizzler made of heavy, rust-proof cast aluminum. The lid snaps shut. Grab the handle and you're off to the party! Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared design produces searing heat while reducing fuel consumption. A 16 ounce LP gas canister is enough to keep you flipping burgers for hours.
The Cool Kettle With The Hinged Hood We Always Wanted
Their NK22CK-C Charcoal Kettle Grill puts a few spins on the familiar kettle design. In fact, the hinged lid with a handle on the front, spins in a rotary motion 180 degrees. It's hard to beat a Weber kettle, but Napoleon holds its own and adds some unique features to make the NK22CK-C a viable alternative.
Heat Resistant Gloves With Extra Long Sleeves Hold The Hot Stuff
If you're using oven mitts at the grill, it's time to trade up. Say hello to these suede welder's gloves. They're heat resistant enough to handle hot grill grates, and flexible enough to handle tongs. The extra long sleeves even let you reach deep into the firebox to move hot logs without getting burned. Our Fave.
GrillGrates(TM) amplify heat, prevent flareups, make flipping foods easier, keep small foods from committing suicide, kill hotspots, are easier to clean, flip over to make a fine griddle, and can be easily removed and moved from one grill to another. You can even throw wood chips, pellets, or sawdust between the rails and deliver a quick burst of smoke to whatever is above. Every gas grill needs them.
The amazing Karubecue is the most innovative smoker in the world. The quality of meat from this machine is astonishing. At its crux is a patented firebox that burns logs above the cooking chamber and sucks heat and extremely clean blue smoke into the thermostat controlled oven. It is our favorite smoker, period.
The First Propane Smoker With A Thermostat Makes This Baby Foolproof
Set ThermoTemp's dial from 175° to 350°F and the thermostat inside will adjust the burner just like an indoor kitchen oven. All you need to do is add wood to the tray above the burner to start smokin'.
Our founder, Meathead, wanted the same steak knives used by steakhouses such as Peter Luger, Smith & Wollensky, Morton's, Kobe Club, Palm, and many others. So he located the manufacturer and had them stamp our name on some. They boast pointed, temper-ground, serrated, high-carbon stainless-steel, half-tang blades with excellent cutting edge ability. The beefy hardwood handle provides a comfortable grip secured by three hefty rivets. He has machine washed his more than 100 times. They have never rusted and they stay shiny without polishing. Please note that we do not make, sell, or distribute these knives, they just engrave them with our name.
The PK-360, with 360 square inches of cooking space, this rust free, cast aluminum charcoal grill is durable and easy to use. Four-way venting means it's easy to set up for two zone cooking with more control than single vent Kamado grills. It is much easier to set up for 2-zone cooking than any round kamado. Beautifully designed and completely portable. Meathead says it is his preferrred grill.
Fireboard: The Ultimate Top Of The Line BBQ Thermometer
With the ability to monitor up to six temperatures simultaneously with either Bluetooth or Wifi on your mobile phone, tablet, or computer, Fireboard is the best digital thermometer we’ve tested.
Green Mountain's portable Davy Crockett Pellet Smoker is one mean tailgating and picnic machine. But it's also gaining popularity with people who want to add a small, set it and forget it pellet smoker to their backyard arsenal. And with their WiFi capabilities you can control and monitor Davy Crocket from your smart phone or laptop.
"As men get older, the toys get more expensive."Marvin Davis
Here's are our reviews of tools, toys, gadgets, and equipment that can help make you a better cook as well as those that should be avoided all together. We have tested all of these products and we really put them through their paces to see if they are worth using. For the best deals, pay attention to our "The AmazingRibs.com Best Value Medals", especially the Gold Medals. Medals are based on (1) features, (2) construction quality, and (3) value. Rarely will a $400 Gold Medal be in the same quality league as an $800 Gold Medal or a $1,200 Gold Medal, so be sure you see what we say about the construction quality, features and how they perform in the real world. Click the link above for more info about how we test, rate, and review.
Be sure to click the red links for more information, current pricing, and where to buy. Many of these products are available on Amazon which pays us a small referral fee if you buy from them. It works on anything from grills to diapers and it has zero impact on the price you pay. If you like this website, please use our links when you shop. Clicking our links keeps this site alive. Please also save this link and use it every time you go to Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/amazingribs
Here's a video of Meathead showing some of his favorite tools and toys:
We test, compare, rate, and review popular electric knives. An electric knife makes quick work of slicing a big hunk of meat like turkeys, whole packer briskets, beef tenderloin, prime rib, crown roast of pork, and hams. They are great at making even cuts. read more
These double spatulas, or oversize tongs if you prefer, made from sturdy stainless steel, are the best thing to happen to burgers since buns and fish filets since tartar sauce. Slip it under the burger or filet, clamp down, flip and gently slide back onto the grates. No more broken burgers or filets. read more
It's vital to keep your knives sharp. But not all knife sharpeners do a great job. And they're all built a little differently. Check out our reviews before you buy. read more
A quality set of spatula and tongs are essential for good grilling. We recommend those with long handles such as the Weber Original 2-Piece Stainless Steel Grilling Tool Set as they keep you as far from the heat as possible. The set is dishwasher safe, while the soft touch handles offer comfortable non-slip grip. read more
Clean grill grates make better grilled food. Here's a buying guide to grill brushes, scrapers, and other BBQ cleaning tools to make sure you're turning out the best tasting food from your cooker. read more
There are a number of meat injection gizmos on the market ranging from simple hypodermics to pumps. They all work, but some work better than others. Here are our reviews. read more
Looking for the best BBQ tools, toys, and accessories? Our barbecue experts have tested hundreds of tools and rated them in our searchable database. The search options at left give you unbiased results for each product. Below are the best of the best, our Platinum Medal winners. These are the BBQ tools you really need. read more
Some grill toppers and racks are essential. A rib rack helps you cook more meat at once, and a grill tray prevents small foods like asparagus from falling into the fire. You can even get a perforated grill wok or saute pan for tossing small foods over the fire. Here's a guide to the best. read more
Create perfect pizza on the grill thanks to these top rated tools. If you're a fan of brick oven pizza then this is the gear that will help you create it directly on your grill, from pizza stones to pizza peels and more. The result is a crust that is crisp, smoky and lightly charred and piping hot toppings. read more
Meathead is the founder and publisher of AmazingRibs.com, and is also known as the site's Hedonism Evangelist and BBQ Whisperer. He is also the author of "Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling", a New York Times Best Seller and named one of the "100 Best Cookbooks of All Time" by Southern Living.
About Our Ratings, Reviews, Buying Guides
We use third party services to sell ads and our reviewers are never involved in the process. We disclose our material relationships, policies, and business practices. We do not do sponsored articles, paid articles, or accept junkets. We always present our honest opinions to the best of our ability. We own our words. Even if we occasionally have to eat them. No ketchup allowed.
Grills And Smokers. This searchable database has hundreds of cookers tested by our full-time grill and smoker tester.
Food, Grill, Oven Thermometers. More than 150 of these crucial safety and quality control tools have been tested by our electrical engineer and our cooks.
Ratings & Reviews Of Tools, Toys, Accessories, More
"The world’s leading outdoor cooking resource." Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com
"An amazing compendium of barbecue knowledge." Aaron Franklin, Franklin Barbecue, Austin
"I was crowned World Brisket Champion at the Jack Daniels World Championships using your Big Bad Beef Rub. Your site has played a pivotal role in my development." John Lattuca, WeekendWarriorBBQ, Montreal, Canada
"This meal was as memorable as my first sex, only better." Marie Overholt, San Francisco, CA
"The BBQ community is so extremely fortunate to have someone as passionate and articulate as you." Frank Ostini, Chef Winemaker, Hitching Post II Restaurant & Winery, Buellton, CA
"I adapted your brisket rub recipe this summer and my customers love it (8,000 pounds served in 6 months)! My brisket even won 'best beef' in the Sonoma County Harvest Fair." Chef Larry Vito, BBQ Smokehouse, Sebastapol, CA
"Meathead is the best writer covering this part of the culinary world." John Markus, Producer, BBQ Pitmasters TV show
"The Rosetta Stone of BBQ." Bill Lamb
"I got laid last night because of your pastrami" Name withheld for obvious reasons
"Knowledgeable, smart, hilarious, and self-effacing." Laurel Stone
"I have worked as a professional cook in high end French restaurants for several years, so when I hit the internet looking for some BBQ info, I was really pleased to find an in depth and expansive site that had all the tips I was looking for." Aaron Ettlin, Portland, OR
"A Famous Dave's commercial came on claiming the best ribs in the world, and my honey shook his head and said, 'nope, it's right here.' Many, many thanks!" Red Taylor, San Francisco, CA
"We had a fantastic season winning two Grand Championships and five Reserve Grand Championships. I always appreciate referring to your site. Thanks." Steve, Grills Gone Wild, IA
"I have always loved cooking ribs but with our new gas grill they were never as good as charcoal. Well that all changed last night when I made the greatest ribs I have ever tasted. My wife wanted to know if I bought them somewhere and then claimed I cooked them myself." Allen Nicley, Mont Alto, PA
"The Memphis Dust and the pulled pork are excellent! I had to dang near run people out of my house!" Aswad Johnson
"I was about to buy a new smoker. After reading your article about setting up a horizontal smoker, I decided to try rehabilitating something the previous owner of my house left in the backyard. Total investment: $100. I figure I saved at least $500!" Coleman Shelton, Calvert City, KY
"Amazingribs.com is the most information packed barbecue site known to man." Pitmaster and BBQ Columnist George Hensler
"AmazingRibs.com is the world's go-to place for a barbecue treasure house of reliable information." Ardie "Remus Powers" Davis, author of numerous barbecue books
"This is my new go-to method for prime rib." Candy Weaver, President, Kansas City Barbeque Society
"We've won five Grand Championships and two Reserve Championships in the past three months. Learned much about BBQ from you and wanted to give you credit." Harry Soo, SlapYoDaddyBBQ.com
"The Alton Brown of Que." Joe Mizrahi, Smokin' Joe's, NYC
"I have always loved to travel and eat. Life became boring when I had to give up my worldly adventures. Thanks to you I now love to cook. I am now having adventures at home in my kitchen and my back yard. I am no longer bored, and my large family is grateful too. Thank you so much." Dugan Hoeflinger, Tucson, AZ
"I am in the process of opening a cafe and thought your simple sweet sour slaw is an amazing winner." James Murray, Toronto
"I had two ribs and my boyfriend ate the other 3 1/2 pounds. He couldn't stop to talk. He had to bring a box of tissues to the table because these ribs are so good they make him weep. He tells me that my ribs have deepened his love for me. Well, fine, but I know that just means he wants more ribs." Nancy J. Mostad, Minnesota
Many merchants pay us a small referral fee when you click our links and purchase from them. On Amazon it works on everything from grills to diapers, they never tell us what you bought, and it has zero impact on the price you pay, but has a major impact on our ability to improve this site! And remember, we only recommend products we love. If you like AmazingRibs.com, please save this link and use it every time you go to Amazonhttps://tinyurl.com/amazingribs
2) Try to post your question to the appropriate page.
3) Tell us everything we need to know to help such as the type of cooker and thermometer. Dial thermometers are often off by as much as 50°F so if you are not using a good digital thermometer we probably can't help you with time and temp questions. Please read this article about thermometers.
4) If you are a member of the Pitmaster Club, your comments login is probably different.
5) Posts with links in them may not appear immediately.
We use third party services to sell ads and our reviewers are never involved in the process. We disclose our material relationships, policies, and business practices. We do not do sponsored articles, paid articles, or accept junkets. We always present our honest opinions to the best of our ability. We own our words. Even if we occasionally have to eat them. No ketchup allowed.
Grills And Smokers. This searchable database has hundreds of cookers tested by our full-time grill and smoker tester.
Food, Grill, Oven Thermometers. More than 150 of these crucial safety and quality control tools have been tested by our electrical engineer and our cooks.
Ratings & Reviews Of Tools, Toys, Accessories, More
"The world’s leading outdoor cooking resource." Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com
"An amazing compendium of barbecue knowledge." Aaron Franklin, Franklin Barbecue, Austin
"I was crowned World Brisket Champion at the Jack Daniels World Championships using your Big Bad Beef Rub. Your site has played a pivotal role in my development." John Lattuca, WeekendWarriorBBQ, Montreal, Canada
"This meal was as memorable as my first sex, only better." Marie Overholt, San Francisco, CA
"The BBQ community is so extremely fortunate to have someone as passionate and articulate as you." Frank Ostini, Chef Winemaker, Hitching Post II Restaurant & Winery, Buellton, CA
"I adapted your brisket rub recipe this summer and my customers love it (8,000 pounds served in 6 months)! My brisket even won 'best beef' in the Sonoma County Harvest Fair." Chef Larry Vito, BBQ Smokehouse, Sebastapol, CA
"Meathead is the best writer covering this part of the culinary world." John Markus, Producer, BBQ Pitmasters TV show
"The Rosetta Stone of BBQ." Bill Lamb
"I got laid last night because of your pastrami" Name withheld for obvious reasons
"Knowledgeable, smart, hilarious, and self-effacing." Laurel Stone
"I have worked as a professional cook in high end French restaurants for several years, so when I hit the internet looking for some BBQ info, I was really pleased to find an in depth and expansive site that had all the tips I was looking for." Aaron Ettlin, Portland, OR
"A Famous Dave's commercial came on claiming the best ribs in the world, and my honey shook his head and said, 'nope, it's right here.' Many, many thanks!" Red Taylor, San Francisco, CA
"We had a fantastic season winning two Grand Championships and five Reserve Grand Championships. I always appreciate referring to your site. Thanks." Steve, Grills Gone Wild, IA
"I have always loved cooking ribs but with our new gas grill they were never as good as charcoal. Well that all changed last night when I made the greatest ribs I have ever tasted. My wife wanted to know if I bought them somewhere and then claimed I cooked them myself." Allen Nicley, Mont Alto, PA
"The Memphis Dust and the pulled pork are excellent! I had to dang near run people out of my house!" Aswad Johnson
"I was about to buy a new smoker. After reading your article about setting up a horizontal smoker, I decided to try rehabilitating something the previous owner of my house left in the backyard. Total investment: $100. I figure I saved at least $500!" Coleman Shelton, Calvert City, KY
"Amazingribs.com is the most information packed barbecue site known to man." Pitmaster and BBQ Columnist George Hensler
"AmazingRibs.com is the world's go-to place for a barbecue treasure house of reliable information." Ardie "Remus Powers" Davis, author of numerous barbecue books
"This is my new go-to method for prime rib." Candy Weaver, President, Kansas City Barbeque Society
"We've won five Grand Championships and two Reserve Championships in the past three months. Learned much about BBQ from you and wanted to give you credit." Harry Soo, SlapYoDaddyBBQ.com
"The Alton Brown of Que." Joe Mizrahi, Smokin' Joe's, NYC
"I have always loved to travel and eat. Life became boring when I had to give up my worldly adventures. Thanks to you I now love to cook. I am now having adventures at home in my kitchen and my back yard. I am no longer bored, and my large family is grateful too. Thank you so much." Dugan Hoeflinger, Tucson, AZ
"I am in the process of opening a cafe and thought your simple sweet sour slaw is an amazing winner." James Murray, Toronto
"I had two ribs and my boyfriend ate the other 3 1/2 pounds. He couldn't stop to talk. He had to bring a box of tissues to the table because these ribs are so good they make him weep. He tells me that my ribs have deepened his love for me. Well, fine, but I know that just means he wants more ribs." Nancy J. Mostad, Minnesota
Lookit what our members are cooking:
Post comments and questions below
1) Please try the table of contents or the search box at the top of every page before you ask for help.
2) Try to post your question to the appropriate page.
3) Tell us everything we need to know to help such as the type of cooker and thermometer. Dial thermometers are often off by as much as 50°F so if you are not using a good digital thermometer we probably can't help you with time and temp questions. Please read this article about thermometers.
4) If you are a member of the Pitmaster Club, your comments login is probably different.
5) Posts with links in them may not appear immediately.
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