There are so many grill gadgets out there. Some are useful. Some are not. Some are just expensive grill status symbols. Here are two things that every backyard griller should purchase because it will make your life a heck of a lot easier. These are super simple tools that pay grilling dividends for years to come.

Charcoal Chimney Starter

Has there ever been a more useful gizmo? I’ll say it, if you are grilling more than once a year and you are lighting your charcoal without a chimney starter, you are… a fool. For $15 you can save yourself countless time waiting/wishing/hoping that your coals will light. With a chimney starter, ALL of your coals will light every time and they will be blazing hot. Don’t ever question whether your coals are lit again, or strike a second match. You just need newspaper, coals, your starter and your grill will be scorching hot in a matter of minutes. Also, you can toss the lighter fluid - not needed. Check out chimney starters here.

Meat Thermometer

Imagine this. You are having a dinner party. A bunch of friends are coming and you have a chicken/steak spread going. Poultry and Beef require different cooking times. On top of that, some of your guests like food on the rarer or more done sides. You probably have a good idea of what you like but when you are cooking for others it can get tricky. Instead of slicing into the meat to nervously check, just buy yourself a meat thermometer. The protein stays in tack and you can look like you know what you’re doing. Now there are many different iterations of this gizmo - but for the basic questions, like, “is the chicken done?” The low end thermometer can handle the task. If you really want to know when your meat hits the 130 degree mark you might want to invest in a digital thermometer. Either way, there are affordable options available that allow you to avoid the uncertainty so many backyard chefs face when taking the entrees off the grill.