BBQ tools are very important for a griller to cook the meal that he has for his family or guests. Whether they are for a charcoal or a gas grill, all BBQ tools serve a same, common purpose and that is to perform the basics of putting, turning or flipping over, and picking up the pieces of food being grilled.

However, a particularly useful BBQ tool that is unique from the rest is the charcoal chimney starter, a cylinder with vents and a handle used for easy and quick ignition of pieces of coal or charcoal briquettes. Gas grills, on the other hand, do not need special starter tools like charcoal chimney starter.

Most sets of BBQ tools come with three main grilling utensils – a pair of tongs, a spatula, and a grilling fork. Some sets include an additional grill brush. Each BBQ tool typically comes with an extra long handle to keep the griller from getting burned from the heat of the grill. However, there are also shorter BBQ tools that are used by professional grilling artisans since some of them find tools with longer handles harder to use. No matter what preferences grillers have, all BBQ tools are rust-proof and water resistant.

There are a lot of BBQ tools and contraptions that are used by serious grillers. BBQ mitts and aprons protect the hands and the clothing of the griller from getting singed by the flames. A basting brush is handy for dabbing sauces and marinades on the pieces of meat precisely and evenly. There are also skewers, which come in bamboo, and stainless steel, which are great for grilling kebabs, as well as grilling baskets for vegetables and seafood.

Grilling planks, on the other hand, are specialized wooden planks that can be put on the layer above coal pieces or briquettes in order to enhance the smoky flavor and prevent the food from falling through the openings of the grill. Grilling papers soaked in water, beer, wine or other liquid, and then wrapped around the food to be grilled can also serve as flavoring agents. However, proper BBQ tools must be used to handle the meat over live coal or flame.

After the cookout, cleaning of the BBQ grill is necessary to maintain it on good condition. This can be done through BBQ tools specifically designed from cleaning BBQ grills. One of which is a stiff-bristled grill brush, which is important for removing residues of charred food left on the grates. A grate lifter, on the other hand, is handy for removing the grill grates completely without touching the hot metal surface.