Best BBQ Tool Sets 2023 | The Sun UK
SUMMER’S coming and it’s almost that time of year again, when the trusty barbecue is dragged out from under its winter cover. What better way to herald the start of al fresco eating than with a set of the best BBQ tools you can buy to help elevate your cooking skills?
Barbecuing has become something of a summer tradition and it doesn’t matter if the weather’s not up for it, as we always are.
We’ve stood shivering in the cold at Easter BBQs, waited indoors watching through the window as the cook gets soaked through, valiantly manning their post during torrential downpours.
Once the clocks go forward it’s game on! Family and friends wait, eager-faced and plate in hand for the first of the season’s burgers, sausages and kebabs that they’ve been pining for all winter.
It’s not just an eating thing, it’s a social occasion as well, a chance to relax in the garden, have a few drinks and have a leisurely catch-up.
Prepare yourself for outdoor cooking with our selection of the best BBQ utensils to suit all pockets and menus – they’ll ensure your barbecue is on fire!
Best BBQ tool sets at a glance:
Romanticist 20-piece BBQ tool set
- Romanticist 20-piece BBQ tool set, £28.99 from Amazon – buy here
This is one for true lovers of BBQ. A 20-piece barbecue set contains every tool you’d ever need, including a grill fork, slotted spatula, tongs, silicone basting brush, kebab skewers, and corn-on-the-cob holders.
There’s even a cleaning brush and an extra brush head for getting rid of the grease afterwards, so your BBQ is spotless for next time.
We love the fact the spatula has an integrated bottle opener. It also has a cutting edge so you can use it as a knife while cooking.
Everything packs up into a smart aluminium carry case making it perfect for gifting.
Material: stainless steel, clean: dishwasher safe, number of items: 20
Grilljoy 6-piece heavy duty BBQ tool set
- Grilljoy 6-piece BBQ tool set, £27.99 from Amazon - buy here
Made from tough stainless steel, this BBQ tool set from Grilljoy contains the essentials required to make your BBQ go with a bang-er.
There’s a spatula that has a handy bottle opener (cooking’s thirsty work you know) and serrated edge, tongs and a fork.
A cleaning brush with scraper edge makes light work of greasy grills, removing burnt-on food residue. A spare cleaning brush head is also provided.
Each tool has a hanging loop for easy storage, or simply pack them away in the carry bag that comes with them.
Material: stainless steel, clean: dishwasher safe, number of items: 6
READ MORE
Viners Everyday 16-piece barbecue tool set
- Viners Everyday 16-piece BBQ tool set, £28.99 from Wayfair - buy here
Viners has been making cutlery and serving utensils for over a hundred years so it’s no surprise to learn it also does BBQ tools.
This great-looking set sports the Viners logo on each piece and the design is minimalist, functional, and pleasing to look at.
The set contains those vital tongs, spatula and fork, but as an added bonus there are also four skewers (great for veggie kebabs) and eight corn cob forks so no more dropping the butter-covered barbecue staple into your lap.
Material: stainless steel, clean: dishwasher safe, number of items: 16
Gentlemen's Hardware BBQ multi-tool
- Gentlemen's Hardware BBQ multi-tool, £35 from John Lewis - buy here
If you were stuck on a desert island and had to catch your own food and cook it over an open fire, then this is the tool you’d want.
It is an amazing all-in-one BBQ utensil, the Swiss army knife of outdoor cooking!
The Gentlemen’s Hardware BBQ Multi-Tool incorporates a fork, basting brush and spatula. There’s even a bottle opener and corkscrew, should a bottle of wine or case of beer happen to wash up on the shore.
This is perfect for impromptu beach BBQs or camping cookouts, though you’d want individual tools for regular barbecuing.
Material: stainless steel and wood, clean: wash by hand, number of items: 5-in-1
Tramontina 3-piece barbecue tool set
- Tramontina 3-piece barbecue tool set, £14.99 from ProCook – buy here
When you just want something that will do the job without any extras then this is the sort of BBQ utensil set you need.
The vital tools are there: a fork, tongs and a spatula and you don’t need to worry about where to store them or finding space for a case full of items in your cupboards, as they’ll simply slip into the drawer and be perfectly at home among your kitchen utensils.
Their design – FSC-certified wooden handle and stainless steel body – means you could easily use them in your kitchen year-round without them looking out of place, in effect getting double the value from them.
This set also comes with a one-year guarantee.
Material: stainless steel and wood, clean: dishwasher safe, number of items: 3
Argos Home 23-piece deluxe BBQ accessory set
- Argos Home BBQ accessory set, £40 from Argos - buy here
This would make a perfect present for the barbecue babe in your house. It has everything a cook could possibly need to conjure up an outdoor feast.
The set contains tongs, a spatula with a serrated edge and bottle opener, a basting brush for adding oils and sauces, and a turning fork. In addition, it also has corn cob holders, metal skewers and for eating with, four knives and four forks.
There’s even a wire brush for cleaning the grill afterwards, and it all packs up into a handy aluminium case so you can keep everything together, from one barbecue season to the next.
Material: stainless steel, clean: hand wash only, number of items: 23
Tower 4-piece barbecue tool set
- Tower 4-piece barbecue tool set, £29.99 from Wayfair - buy here
Tower is well-known as a maker of pans and other cookware, with a heritage that goes back over a hundred years, so you can rest assured they know their onions when it comes to barbecue utensils.
This set contains a spatula with in-built bottle opener, a fork, tongs and a basting brush for adding sauce or oil to food as it’s grilling.
Each utensil is 48cm long so a great length for larger barbecues, while the ergonomic design now only looks good, but feels comfortable to hold.
Metal loops on the end of the handles mean you can hang them on your BBQ to keep them close at hand.
Material: stainless steel, clean: dishwasher safe, number of items: 4
The Range set of 3 BBQ tools
- The Range set of 3 BBQ tools, £2.29 from The Range - buy here
If you’re just contemplating your first outdoor grilling experience and you’re not sure if it’s something you’re going to do on a regular basis, then why not start off with a value set of tools that won’t hit your pocket if you hang up your BBQ hat?
This utensil set from The Range is as budget-friendly as they come. You get three utensils – a spatula, fork and tongs – and while they’re not the best-looking we’ve seen in terms of design, they do the job.
Bear in mind though that the handles are quite thin so they might not be able to cope with heavier food items.
Material: stainless steel, clean: dishwasher safe, number of items: 3
John Lewis & Partners stainless steel BBQ tool & utensil set
- John Lewis stainless steel BBQ tool set, £11.99 from John Lewis - buy here
This stylish BBQ tool set is a great price and should see you through more than a few summers. It contains a spatula, a chunky-looking fork and a pair of tongs for easy food turning.
The stainless-steel design looks good, yet is practical – strong and dishwasher safe.
The fork and spatula have a metal loop on the handle so you can hang them on your barbecue, where you can easily find them while you’re cooking. The loop is also handy for hanging on your utensil storage rack in the kitchen when not in use.
Material: stainless steel, clean: dishwasher safe, number of items: 3
VonShef 5-piece BBQ tool set
- VonShef 5-piece BBQ tool set, £26.99 from Wayfair - buy here
This great value set from VonShef would make a lovely gift for the barbecue enthusiast in your life.
The handy carry bag contains tongs, a spatula that incorporates a bottle opener, a basting brush and a fork.
Holes in the handles of the spatula, fork and basting brush mean you can hang your utensils on the barbecue, keeping them close to hand while you work.
The set also includes a wire cleaning brush, which makes for easier grill cleaning after all that cooking.
Material: stainless steel body, clean: hand wash only, number of items: 5
Weber BBQ Starter Set
- Weber BBQ Starter Set, £119.77 from Weber - buy here
Weber is massive in barbecues so this set is sure to go down a storm with serious enthusiasts.
Not only does it contain a spatula, tongs and a basting brush, but it has a pair of leather BBQ gloves to protect your hands while you’re handling hot equipment and food when cooking. And just in case somebody doesn’t realise how important you are as chef of the whole shebang, there’s even an apron with a useful pocket on the front and a Weber logo to remind them.
The tongs, basting brush and spatula feature soft-touch handles for a comfortable grip.
Material: soft-touch handles, clean: hand wash, number of items: 5
What to look for in a BBQ tool set
BBQ sets come in all shapes and sizes, but the best BBQ tool sets will include at least one pair of tongs – crucial for turning food, especially meat, while cooking to make sure it doesn’t burn, a carving fork for lifting cooked food from the grill easily, and a spatula. A basting brush is another useful tool, great for adding just the right amount of extra oil during cooking to make sure food, such as vegetables, doesn’t dry out.
For big BBQ fans then a knife, skewers, bottle opener, leather or silicone barbecuing gloves, and perhaps corn cob holders are optional extras sure to be high on their wishlist.
If you cook for vegetarians as well as meat eaters, then consider a second set of BBQ tools specifically for them. Just as you keep a portion of your barbecue free for veggie food, so your vegetarian guests will appreciate you using separate cooking tools.
How much do BBQ tool kits cost?
There are BBQ tool sets available to suit all budgets, from the inexpensive to this luxury set from Mr Porter that costs a heart-stopping £2,925!
In between the two extremes, there’s a huge choice of products that look good and do the job well. You will be able to buy a perfectly good set of BBQ tools that will last, for around £40.
Where to buy BBQ utensil kits
You can buy BBQ utensil kits at many shops on the high street, such as Robert Dyas and Wilko. Large DIY chains such as B&Q and Homebase tend to sell a range of barbecues each summer so they usually have a selection of tool sets also, as do supermarkets, including Asda and Tesco.
Online, we found the sets in our roundup at:
What tools do I need for a BBQ?
Tongs are probably the most important tool to have in your kit - they can be used for everything from turning over those sausages to picking up veg that’s fallen down the side.
Length matters here. Bigger barbecues will require longer tongs while smaller tongs will be easier to use on smaller barbecues.
Something that’s around 16in should work for most barbecues while 12in is the shortest size you should go for.
We have a detailed guide on choosing the best BBQ tongs.
Next, you’ll want a spatula or turner - these are essential for keeping those burgers and buns intact and can be handy when you’re picking up a few bits of food at the same time.
A fork will also come in handy if you cook larger joints of meat that are too heavy to lift with your tongs alone.
Tongs, turners and forks will generally come in a set but you may also want to build your own kit with other accessories.
A basting brush is useful if you want to add more sauces or oil during cooking for example. You might also want to invest in one of the best meat thermometers to make sure your food is cooked all the way through.
And if you’re particularly clumsy, a good pair of heat-resistant gloves can be a great way to protect your hands from burns.
What is the best BBQ tool set?
It all depends on your budget and your needs.
You'll need a couple of basics though: tongs, spatula and fork. If you just do a handful of barbecues a year, that might well be enough.
The Range's 3-piece set is the cheapest for this but you might want something a bit more stylish, like the set from John Lewis.
But if you're more likely to show off to family and friends, or if you cook regularly, a decent kit is essential.
The Argos Home 23-piece kit has pretty much everything you need for a decent price.
How to clean BBQ tools
You can generally clean your BBQ tools in a similar way to how you would clean your kitchen cutlery or indoor oven utensils.
First, soak your tools in a bowl of hot water and with a grease-cutting washing-up liquid.
Once the grease begins to soak off, you can use a rough sponge or brush to easily scrub the tools clean.
Some tools are also dishwasher safe, which will save you lots of time.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jqysp2Wjmrmmr9OsZmppZ2uDeIKVaJmeq6Rir6O9jJuYq5qVmMKmedOopqVlo5rBtHs%3D