Summer Grilling & Outdoor Cooking Essentials 2026

Everything you need for backyard cookouts this summer — from charcoal grills to wireless thermometers. Every pick tested over a full grilling season by our team.

Best Overall

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch

$170

The classic charcoal grill that started it all. One-touch cleaning, built-in thermometer, and hinged cooking grate for easy charcoal access.

Why We Love It

We tested 9 charcoal grills over 3 months. The Weber Kettle still offers the best combination of flavor, heat control, and value. Nothing else comes close at this price.

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Editor's Pick

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

$105

Reads in 1 second with ±0.5°F accuracy. Waterproof, auto-rotating display, and a foldable probe. The thermometer every pitmaster trusts.

Why We Love It

No more cutting into meat to check doneness. One second, dead accurate, and it survived being dropped into a sink full of water during testing.

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Weber Premium Grill Tool Set

$45

Heavy-gauge stainless steel spatula, tongs, and fork with comfortable soft-grip handles. Built-in bottle opener on the spatula.

Why We Love It

After a full season of testing, these are the only grill tools that didn't bend, rust, or lose grip. The locking tongs actually stay closed in the drawer.

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Best Tech

MEATER Plus Wireless Meat Thermometer

$100

Truly wireless probe with 165ft Bluetooth range. Monitors internal and ambient temp, then alerts your phone when meat hits the target.

Why We Love It

Walk away from the grill without anxiety. The guided cook feature estimates time remaining — we nailed a 12-hour brisket on the first try using this.

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Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman's Grill

$85

Portable cast iron hibachi-style grill. Sears like a full-size grill at under 25 lbs. Perfect for patios, tailgating, and camping.

Why We Love It

Cast iron holds heat like nothing else. We seared steaks on this little grill that rivaled results from our $800 setup. Unbeatable for small spaces.

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Under $20

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

$18

Lights charcoal in 15 minutes with just newspaper — no lighter fluid, no chemicals, no off-flavors.

Why We Love It

The single best $18 you can spend on grilling. We timed it against 4 methods — chimney starter wins every time. Essential for any charcoal griller.

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