11 Summer Grilling Supplies That Are Worth the Splurge

Everyone has at least one family member just waiting for the right day to break out their grilling equipment. Now that we're finally getting a little bit of warm weather, grill aficionados can finally break out their best apron and tongs. If you're into outdoor cooking, check out these tools and devices that are worth spending a little bit extra on it.

1. CUSTOM BRANDING INITIALS; $58

If you view grilled meat as edible art, then it needs the artist's signature. Let everyone know who cooked those perfectly seared steaks and burgers with an actual customizable branding tool.

Find it: Amazon

2. SPICE RUB COLLECTION; $60

Having a fancy arsenal of spices to rub on your food is what's going to take your grilling to the next level. This kit comes with nine tins of Dean and Deluca's most popular spice rubs: barbeque, Cajun, Jamaican jerk, pork, poultry, Asian, rib, Moroccan, and Southwestern.

Find it: Dean and Deluca

3. A COOLER THAT YOU CAN DRIVE; $1000

Imagine rolling up to your grill spot while riding on a cooler filled with ingredients. Yes, that's right: You can drive your beer and condiments to the picnic at a breezy 12 mph. The motorized cooler comes with three wheels, a 1000 watt electric motor, and handlebars that have a throttle and brake lever. Beep beep! Time to barbecue.

Find it: Hammacher Schlemmer

4. NARWHAL SKEWERS; $46

Grilling is about to get a lot more cute with the help of this pair of stainless steel narwhals. Their signature horns spear through cubed food and their tails double as handles. Normal skewers will do just fine and cost a lot less money, but can you really say no to something this charming?

Find it: UncommonGoods

5. GRILLBOT; $72

Tired of cleaning the grill? Get the barbecue version of a Roomba to do the dirty work for you. The small cleaner works with most grills and has dishwasher-safe bristles. Choose from one of four colors: black, blue, orange, or red.

Find it: Amazon

6. STAR WARS TIE FIGHTER GRILL; $400

Looking to add a sci-fi spin to your barbecue routine? How about a TIE fighter gas grill? This officially licensed piece of equipment is a compact option for grilling in small spaces. If the appearance isn't enough, the grill comes with a Star Wars logo that can be seared into the bottom of your meat.

Find it: Amazon

7. MARINADE INFUSING MEAT TENDERIZER; $50

This interesting device is two tools in one: While it tenderizes your meat, it also has three needles that inject marinade directly into your food. To avoid marinating for hours, fill the plunger with 3 ounces of any sauce you'd like infused into your meat, and you can start grilling within minutes.

Find it: Hammacher Schlemmer

8. KEBAB CUTTING TOOL; $40

Make 16 perfectly cubed kebabs with this gadget. Tightly pack in meat, vegetables, or fruits into the container—the slots allow a knife to cut through the food with guided precision. It comes with 32 bamboo skewers, a storage bag, and even a lemon juicer on top.

Find it: Amazon

9. THAWING PLATE; $60

If you're too impatient or short on time to wait for frozen meat to thaw, there's a kitchen tool for that. This thawing plate has embedded heating pipes so that any frozen foods placed on top will be ready for grilling in half the time. No electricity or batteries are required to make it work, meaning you can take it outdoors while camping or tailgating.

Find it: Amazon

10. LED STEAK THERMOMETER; $60

Instead of trying to understand an unreliable meat thermometer, get something a little easier: A device that lights up when your meal is ready. You can tell how done the meat is by the color of the light: green is medium rare, yellow is medium, and red is medium well.

Find it: Amazon

11. GRILL DADDY; $19

Cleaning the grill is about to get a whole lot easier with the Grill Daddy. Using hot clouds of steam, the device makes quick work of grime and cooked-on food. And the gentle bristles won't damage porcelain, cast iron, or steel grill grates, making it the perfect cleaner for all grill types.

Find it: Amazon