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Most people think great BBQ comes down to the grill.

Pros know better.

The real secret sauce separating your average backyard BBQ from those fancy restaurant-level results? A quirky collection of tiny, often overlooked accessories—like the magical tongs that flip burgers with grace and the mythical thermometer that claims to know the inner temperature of meat better than your Mum! Most backyard warriors don’t even know these treasures exist!

After digging into what competitive BBQ cooks, pitmasters, and serious grillers actually use, these are the BBQ accessories pros rely on that most people don’t own (but should).

Oil Sprayers (Not Bottles)

Most backyard BBQs fail before the food even hits the grill.

Why?
Too much oil.

Pros almost never pour oil directly onto food or grates. They use oil sprayers to apply a fine, even mist — just enough to prevent sticking without flare-ups or greasy food.

Why pros use them:

• Better control (no soaking meat)
• Less flare-ups
• More even browning
• Healthier cooking

👉 Once you use one, you’ll never go back to pouring oil again.

We love this one on Amazon as it sprays and pours. Click here for more details.

Meat Claws (Not Just for Pulled Pork)

Meat claws look unnecessary… until you use them.

Pros use them for far more than shredding pork:

• Lifting large cuts off the grill
• Turning hot roasts safely
• Shredding chicken, beef, and lamb in seconds
• Holding meat steady while slicing

They’re faster, safer, and far more precise than forks.

Why pros use them:

• No burnt fingers
• Better grip on hot meat
• Faster prep and serving

👉 Once you try shredding meat with claws, forks feel painfully slow.

The meat claws below are the ones we have been using and find them the most practical. Click here for more details.

Smoker Boxes (Even on Gas BBQs)

This is one of the biggest “secret weapons” pros use.

You don’t need a dedicated smoker to get smoky flavour.

Pros use smoker boxes filled with wood chips to add smoke to:

• Gas BBQs
• Kettle grills
• Portable grills

Just place it over a burner or hot coals and you instantly elevate flavour.

Why pros use them:

• Adds real smoke flavour without a full smoker
• Cheap upgrade with huge impact
• Works on almost any BBQ

👉 This is how pros get that deep, smoky taste on “basic” grills.

We have been using the one in picture below on our gas bbq with woodchips purchased from any local bbq shop or hardware store and it has been infusing some amazing flavours through our meat. Highly recommend. Click here for more details.

Digital Meat Thermometers (Used Constantly)

Pros don’t guess doneness — ever.

They rely on digital thermometers, even after decades of experience.

Why? Because perfect doneness happens in a very small temperature window.

Why pros use them:

• No dry chicken
• No overcooked steak
• Perfect results every time
• Faster cooking decisions

👉 If you’re still cutting meat open to check it, this is the upgrade that changes everything.

We use this one we found on Amazon. Hasn’t failed us once and the meat turns out perfect every time. You can monitor the temperature from your phone which makes it impossible to get the temperature wrong. Click here for more details.

Grill Baskets (For Food That Always Falls Through)

Pros don’t fight the grill — they adapt to it.

Instead of losing vegetables, seafood, or sliced meat through the grates, they use grill baskets.

Why pros use them:

• Even cooking for small or delicate food
• No flipping disasters
• Faster cleanup
• Perfect for stir-fry-style BBQ cooking

👉 Once you cook in a basket, you’ll wonder why you ever grilled them directly.

This has been a game changer for us. You can roll the basket over for even grilling and best of all, nothing sticks to the grill. If there is anything that you need for your next BBQ, this is it. Purchase now on Amazon

Final Thoughts: It’s Not About More Gear — It’s About Smarter Gear

Most people focus on buying a bigger BBQ.

Pros focus on control.

These accessories don’t take up much space, don’t cost a fortune, and don’t complicate cooking — they simply make BBQ easier, cleaner, and more consistent.

If you want better results without upgrading your grill, start here.