Lisa’s top tools for outdoor cooking
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Lisa McManus
Executive Editor, ATK Reviews
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As soon as the snow melts from my grill cover, I can’t wait to get in my backyard and cook. The right grilling set-up, including three underappreciated accessories, can make a world of difference.
Grill gloves are a go-to tool for professional pitmasters, and I wish more home cooks knew how useful they are. These gloves are made from heat-resistant materials and are designed to protect you from heat—a must while you’re cooking over hot coals or open flames. The WZQH Leather Forge Welding Gloves come in a wide range of sizes and are long, providing plenty of protection for your hands and forearms.
For grilling jobs like barbecued chicken, you’re going to want a great barbecue basting brush. Our favorite, the OXO Good Grips Grilling Basting Brush, has a 12-inch handle, which keeps your hands away from the heat while still providing control.
Lastly, charcoal fire starters. At first, I was prepared to secretly resent them, but I admit my reason was personal: Before joining ATK, I worked at newspapers, and it pains me to acknowledge that almost nobody has piles of newspapers at home these days. Turns out, charcoal fire starters work way better than crumpling up yesterday’s paper and stuffing it in a chimney starter. The first time I bought a little tray of the winning Weber lighter cubes, popped one onto the grate, lit it, and put my chimney of coals on top, I was very pleasantly surprised. Within a half hour, I was happily cooking Barbecued Country-Style Ribs (my current favorite). Probably nothing this tasty should be so easy, but these ribs are ridiculously satisfying. I’m ready to acknowledge that nowadays, even I read the newspaper entirely online. Now that I’ve got these little paraffin cubes, I’m letting paper go.
Read the full reviews of grill gloves, barbecue basting brushes, and charcoal fire starters.
To test how waterproof they were, we submerged the charcoal fire starters in water for 2 hours and then tried to light them. All ignited without much trouble after we blotted them dry with paper towels.
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Pro Tip
Metal grill brush handles have pros and cons. They are durable and don’t melt when accidentally left on the grill. But they’re usually heavy and more slippery than textured plastic or silicone, which makes them harder to hold. Metal handles also conduct heat from the grill, increasing the likelihood of burns.
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