I am often asked for recommendations on ideas for grilling gifts (other than a LGCM gift card) to give to friends and family. This post shares the complete list of my favorite grilling gifts in one convenient list.

Whether you’re looking for a gift for Father’s Day, a birthday, an anniversary, a graduation, housewarming gift, or any other occasion, this is the list you need to pick out a gift that’s sure to be appreciated.

On the list you’ll find something for everyone from a beginning griller that doesn’t even have their own grill yet to a master griller that is looking for the newest toy to perfect their food. I also have included suggestions at a variety of price points so no matter what your budget is, you’re sure to find a helpful suggestion on this list. We have four categories of items on this list:

• Grills
• Grill Accessories
• Grill Supplies
• Grilling Cook Books

These are products I either own myself or have used and can attest to their quality and usefulness. I don’t like to recommend products that I don’t stand behind, so all of these grilling gifts bear the Nick stamp of approval. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m a “master” griller, but I have cooked on enough different types of grills to know a quality grill when I see one. I also routinely cook for this website so I know what products make food taste better and cooking easier. I’m not throwing anything on this list to be snobby, just real products that work for every day life!

We included links to purchase most of these grilling gifts on Amazon for your ease and convenience. If you use our link to make a purchase, we’ll earn a small commission, which we do appreciate. However, we also fully support you buying these products from independent local stores. Some of our favorite places in our local area to buy grilling gifts include:

• Dunn Lumber in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
• Lyle’s TV & Appliance in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
• Heyer True Value in Walworth, Wisconsin.
• Richmond Ace Hardware in Richmond, Illinois.

Most importantly, let’s not forget the BEST part about giving grilling gifts…you’ll probably get to enjoy some delicious food as a thank you for the gift. It’s a win-win type of situation!

Cheers!

Nick

Grills

Best Entry Level Grill – Weber Smokey Joe

I have owned several Weber Smokey Joe grills and they get used heavily. They’re affordable, portable, and don’t take up a lot of space. These are a great gift for someone that has their first apartment or house and only has a small grilling area, or a great gift for someone that does a lot of tailgating or camping! Even though they have a small size, they’re still built with quality, and can grill enough burgers, sausages, steaks, or kabobs to feed a small gathering.

$57 on Amazon

Best Everyday Charcoal Grill – Weber Original Kettle

If you love cooking on charcoal and don’t want to break the bank, I have to recommend the Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill. Weber makes quality products that will last you longer than a more generic brand. This grill is easy to operate, lets you do two zone cooking, smoking, direct cooking, and all sorts of grilling techniques. The 22 inch size is also perfect to feed a small – medium gathering. If someone just got a new house, this is the perfect grill to give them to start hosting backyard barbecues. A premium version is also available with more precise heat control – I suggest this version as gift grilling gift for someone who is starting to get more serious about the craft!

$139 on Amazon

Best Gas Grills – Weber Spirit or Weber Genesis Grills

If you want to give a serious grill that’s easy to use, will feed a group, and last a long time, I have to once again recommend Weber grills as the best gas grills widely available. This is a super Father’s Day present or a great way to encourage larger backyard barbecues! They cost more money than the generic name grills, but they are of a significantly better quality and will not rust out as fast. Additionally, features such as tapered burners and thicker gauge metal allow for more even cooking and better heat retention. I threw out 2 less expensive gas grills before I finally bought a Weber gas grill and I’ve been happy ever since.

The Spirit grills are less money than the Genesis grills and are a notch below the Genesis in features. If you grill less frequently and keep the grill inside when you’re not using it, the Spirit will probably be okay for you. If you are a heavy griller, I strongly suggest upgrading to the Genesis. I recommend buying no fewer than three burners for your grill. It’s important to have separate cooking zones to reach the best possible cooking outcomes, and three burners allow for this more easily than two burners. I personally own a Weber Genesis II E-310 and I love it. It’s super easy to use, turns out consistently high quality food, and is very durable.

Weber Spirit 3-Burner: $619 on Amazon

Weber Genesis 3-Burner: $899 on Amazon

Nick’s Favorite “Grill”

This one is not an everyday gift, but if you have the money to spend and REALLY love grilling and smoking, I highly recommend a Big Green Egg. I have owned one for many years and it turns out consistently amazing food time after time. This charcoal fired kamado-style cooker is unique and takes a bit of time to get used to cooking on, but it has a few advantages that help turn out incredible food. First, the ceramic lining retains moisture better than metal which leads to juicier food, and second, the egg shape promotes natural convection for even cooking and more charcoal flavor distribution.

I own a large size Big Green Egg and it has made countless racks of ribs, many briskets, as well as burgers, brats, chicken breasts, reverse seared steaks, and all sorts of “normal food.” I’ve also made pizza, baked bread, and even cooked a whole beef head for tacos. I love it just a little bit less than my wife, and she may love it more than me!

The Big Green Egg is expensive and takes time to learn. However, if you have someone in your life that really truly loves grilling and smoking foods, this is a gift that cannot be beat. Maybe buy it for yourself. You’re worth it!

Prices vary – find an independent dealer to buy yours.

Grilling Accessories

If you’re looking for more affordable grilling gifts to give, these accessories are a lot less expensive than purchasing an entire grill! This list of accessories are all items that I use frequently. They help keep my grill operating at peak efficiency and also help me turn out incredible food!

1. Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper – I use this particular scraper because it works really well. You can read the description to get all the technical mumbo-jumbo, but it works really well and everyone needs a good quality grill brush! $29.97 on Amazon.
2. Ceramic Vertical Poultry Roaster – if you like Beer Can Chicken, this is a much safer way to vertically roast chicken or turkey. The beer gets hot and dangerous inside the can, so just be safe, and use one of these to roast your chickens instead. $25.99 on Amazon.
3. Camp Chef Cast Iron Griddle – if you want a really even sear on a steak or chop on your grill, this cast iron griddle will do the trick. It also helps you cook things like pancakes and bacon on your grill. Win win! $49.99 on Amazon.
4. Spray Bottles – spritzing food is incredibly important when you’re doing a long slow smoke. It helps keep things juicy and flavorful. I use heavy duty spritzers because I frequently drop them by the grill and I don’t like that the cheap ones break. Get a 3 pack and fill one with (cheap) whiskey, one with water, and have one to keep cats away! $14.87 on Amazon.
5. Rapicca Heat Gloves – I like to use my hands while cooking to pull grill grates, flip food, pull pulled pork, all sorts of things. However, touching hot grills with your bear hands is not smart. Get a pair of quality heat gloves and save yourself the burns. I use these because I like how easy it is to clean off the rubber, the soft liner inside, and the overall fit. $28.99 on Amazon.
6. ThermoPro Remote Digital Meat Thermometer – cook to temperature, not to time!!!! It is so important to have a good meat thermometer, and using a remote one makes it much easier to monitor your meat without constantly lifting the grill lid. ThermoPro makes excellent quality, easy to use thermomters. You can get one that works on your phone which is super cool, but I just use one with a remote that works within 300 feet. $29.98 on Amazon.
7. Hedley & Bennett The Essential Apron – you’re going to get dirty while grilling, and you don’t want that stuff on your clothes. Get a good apron. I purchased a Hedley & Bennett apron for myself after incessant targeting from their ads and I love it. It makes me feel like a chef and does an exceptional job of protecting my clothes. I also love all the very useful pockets! $85 from Hedley and Bennett.
8. Skyflame Electric Charcoal Lighter – charcoal flavor is great, but lighter fluid is terrible. Get your charcoal cooking faster and avoid that gross lighter fluid smell by using this super cool electric charcoal lighter. $42.99 on Amazon.

Necessary Grilling Supplies

If you want to give grilling gifts that will keep your favorite backyard cook going, these supplies will do the trick. They’re a great way to say “thanks for hosting the awesome party!”

1. Royal Oak Lump Charcoal – I strongly believe in using lump charcoal rather than briquettes. Lump (actual wood cooked into charcoal instead of pressed leftovers) burns longer than briquettes and also imparts a cleaner flavor to your food. I only cook on lump charcoal. My favorite brands are Royal Oak, Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, and Cowboy (we sell this at LGCM). You may want to buy this in a physical store to avoid breakage, but if you want it shipped use this link! Note – lump charcoal is currently hard to find online. Check out your local stores!
2. Wood Chunks – I use un-soaked wood chunks for smoking, not wood chips because chunks burn at a better (slower, more even) rate for smoking than chips. I use two types of wood depending on what I’m smoking…
   1. Pecan Wood Chunks for poultry and pork. Pecan will add a slightly sweet but still smoky flavor without being overpowering. $29.95 for 10# on Amazon.
   2. Oak Wood Chunks for beef. I use oak for smoking brisket. Why? It’s what the Texans do, of course. It burns for a long time, and only imparts “smoke” to the meat, which is perfect for brisket. $29.95 for 10# on Amazon.

Cookbooks That Make for Great Grilling Gifts

No one is born an amazing griller – we all have to learn how to get to the level of master griller Learning from trial and error is great, but reading a cookbook or two will help cut the journey’s time and give you ideas on how to improve technique and turn out delicious food. Here are a few cookbooks that I use and I think make grilling gifts. These books are an easy gift to anyone you know that loves grilling…or maybe give one to someone that you think could use some help getting better!!!

1. The Franklin Barbecue Collection – this is a two for one that has a Barbecue and a Steak cookbook from Aaron Franklin, the first person to win a James Bear award for a barbecue restaurant. They are SUPER HELPFUL and I refer to them regularly. If you want a solid walkthrough on technique, as well as recipe ideas, this is a a great book. $50 on Amazon.
2. How to Grill Everything – if there was an encyclopedia of grilling, this book is it! Mark Bittman shares 1,000 straightforward and simple recipes in this book. It’s great for anyone that just wants a no-nonsense approach to grilling yummy food.
3. Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling – from the owner of AmazingRibs.com, this cookbook takes a scientific approach to grilling, proving and disproving commonly held “wisdom” and sharing the best techniques to make delicious food. If you know someone who loves nerdy science cooking things, get them this book. $35 on Amazon.
4. Taste of Home Ultimate Guide to Grilling – I really like Taste of Home’s recipes because they come from home cooks. That means they are easy to make at home without fancy restaurant equipment and are just plain old yummy. This is just a great all around gift for anybody who enjoys grilling without pretension. $17.99 on Amazon.
5. Weber’s Greatest Hits – this recipe book from Weber Grills is super solid. It has a variety for recipes for beginner to advanced and they are all solidly tested. I have cooked many recipes from this book including this Combat Steaks recipe. If you have a Weber fan in your life, this is the book to get them. $24.99 on Amazon.

If you’re looking for a Father’s Day gift that any Dad would be happy to get, try a grilling gift.  You can’t go wrong with an apron or cookbook and you can even impress your Dad with your grilling knowledge and shop this post for the ultimate guide to grilling gifts.

And remember, if you run out of ideas – a Lake Geneva Country Meats gift certificate will always be appreciated!

Images from Amazon.com and biggreenegg.com. Prices updated 6/8/23 and may vary when you shop.