Best BBQ Accessories for Smoking
The BBQ accessories that actually matter for smoking meat: thermometers, butcher paper, gloves, slicing knives, smoke tubes and more.
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The short answer
The accessories that make the biggest difference when smoking are the ones that control temperature and moisture: a leave-in multi-probe thermometer, a fast instant-read thermometer, pink butcher paper for wrapping, heat-resistant gloves and a long slicing knife. Add a pellet smoke tube if you smoke on a pellet or gas grill and want more smoke flavor, and a chimney starter if you cook on charcoal. Skip gimmicks until you have these basics.
The essentials at a glance
| Accessory | Our pick | Why it matters | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leave-in thermometer | ThermoPro TP829 (multi-probe) | Tracks meat and pit temperature for hours | Amazon |
| Instant-read thermometer | ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE (or budget instant-read) | Spot-checks doneness in seconds | Amazon |
| Wrapping | Pink (peach) butcher paper | Pushes through the stall while keeping bark | Amazon |
| Gloves | Insulated nitrile gloves with cotton liners | Handle hot, greasy meat safely | Amazon |
| Slicing knife | Victorinox Fibrox 12-inch slicer | Clean brisket slices | Amazon |
| Smoke booster | Pellet smoke tube | More smoke on pellet and gas grills | Amazon |
| Charcoal lighting | Weber Rapidfire chimney starter | Lights charcoal without lighter fluid | Amazon |
| Wood | Smoking wood chunks | Clean smoke on charcoal and kamado | Amazon |
How we picked
We compared manufacturer specifications, owner reviews and advice from barbecue publications and competition cooks, and prioritized accessories that solve real problems on long cooks: knowing the true temperature, managing the stall, handling large cuts safely and slicing cleanly. We favored durable, widely available tools over novelty gadgets.
1. A leave-in multi-probe thermometer
This is the one accessory that matters most. Built-in grill thermometers, especially lid-mounted dials, can be off by a large margin from grate temperature, and you can’t open the lid every 20 minutes without losing heat. A leave-in thermometer with a meat probe and a pit probe lets you watch both from a distance. The ThermoPro TP829 is a popular radio-based multi-probe model; WiFi units and wire-free probes like MEATER are alternatives.
Good to know: clip the pit probe at grate level near the meat, not hanging in the air. Before a long cook, check each probe in ice water so you know it reads close to 32°F, and replace probes whose cables have kinked or frayed from heat.
Check the ThermoPro TP829 on Amazon →
2. An instant-read thermometer
Leave-in probes tell you about one spot. An instant-read thermometer lets you check several spots in a brisket, the thickest part of a chicken thigh, or each rib rack in seconds. The Thermapen ONE from ThermoWorks is the long-standing favorite of pitmasters for speed and accuracy; many cheaper folding instant-reads work well too.
Check the Thermapen ONE on Amazon →
Browse budget instant-read thermometers on Amazon →
3. Pink butcher paper
Large cuts like brisket and pork shoulder often stall for hours as moisture evaporates from the surface. Wrapping in pink (also called peach) butcher paper speeds things up while letting enough moisture escape to protect the bark, which is why it’s a staple of Texas-style barbecue. Buy unwaxed, unlined, food-grade paper; an 18-inch-wide roll is the common size for brisket.
Good to know: foil (“the Texas crutch”) gets through the stall faster but softens bark more. Many cooks keep both.
Check the pink butcher paper on Amazon →
4. Heat-resistant gloves
You need two kinds of protection: insulated heat protection for moving grates and hot pans, and grease protection for handling meat. A common setup is cotton liner gloves under disposable nitrile gloves for pulling pork and handling brisket, plus a pair of heat-resistant gloves for grates and charcoal.
Check the BBQ gloves on Amazon →
5. A long slicing knife
A long, thin slicer lets you cut a brisket across the grain in a single stroke so slices hold together. The Victorinox Fibrox 12-inch slicing knife (granton edge versions are popular) is a common recommendation for its value and grip.
Check the Victorinox 12-inch slicing knife on Amazon →
6. A pellet smoke tube
Pellet grills produce mild smoke, especially at higher temperatures. A perforated smoke tube filled with pellets smolders for hours alongside the main fire for noticeably more smoke. It also turns a gas grill into a basic smoker and works for cold-smoking cheese.
Good to know: light it with a torch, let it burn for several minutes, then blow it out so it smolders. Keep it away from the grill’s controller and wiring.
Check the pellet smoke tube on Amazon →
7. Chimney starter and wood chunks (charcoal cooks)
If you smoke on charcoal, a chimney starter lights coals evenly without lighter fluid, which can leave off-flavors and soak into ceramic kamados. The Weber Rapidfire is the classic. Pair it with fist-sized wood chunks (oak, hickory, cherry or apple) for clean, steady smoke; chunks last longer than chips.
Check the Weber Rapidfire chimney starter on Amazon →
Check the smoking wood chunks on Amazon →
Nice-to-have extras
- Spray bottle: spritz with apple cider vinegar, apple juice or water to keep the surface from drying out. Shop spray bottles
- Aluminum drip pans: catch drippings, hold water for humidity, or rest and hold meat. Shop drip pans
- Meat injector: push brine or marinade deep into pork shoulders and turkeys. Shop meat injectors
- Meat claws: shred pork butt quickly. Shop meat claws
- A dry cooler and old towels: wrap finished brisket or pork and rest it for hours to stay hot and tender.
- A sturdy cutting board with juice groove: large enough for a whole packer brisket.
Accessory starter kits by budget
| Budget | What to buy first |
|---|---|
| Starter | Multi-probe leave-in thermometer, budget instant-read, butcher paper, nitrile + liner gloves |
| Mid | Add a 12-inch slicer, a smoke tube (pellet/gas) or chimney + wood chunks (charcoal), spray bottle |
| Enthusiast | Upgrade to a premium instant-read, wire-free probe, injector and a large end-grain cutting board |
Buying checklist
- Start with temperature control: a leave-in probe and an instant-read are non-negotiable.
- Match accessories to your cooker: smoke tubes for pellet and gas, chimney and chunks for charcoal and kamado.
- Buy food-grade, unwaxed butcher paper, not craft paper.
- Keep safety gear handy: heat gloves, a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires, and a metal can for ash.
- Avoid overspending on gadget kits with flimsy tongs and spatulas; buy a few quality tools instead.
FAQ
What accessories do I need for smoking meat?
Start with a leave-in thermometer with a pit probe, an instant-read thermometer, butcher paper or foil for wrapping, heat-resistant gloves and a long slicing knife.
Is pink butcher paper better than foil?
Butcher paper preserves bark better because it breathes. Foil pushes through the stall faster but softens bark. Many cooks use paper for brisket and foil for ribs.
Do smoke tubes work on pellet grills?
Yes. A smoke tube filled with pellets smolders alongside the grill’s fire and adds noticeably more smoke, especially at higher cooking temperatures.
Do I need a separate thermometer if my smoker has one?
Yes. Built-in dial thermometers often read differently from the temperature at the grate. A pit probe at grate level gives you an accurate reading.
Wood chips or wood chunks for smoking?
Chunks for charcoal smokers and kamados because they smolder longer. Chips suit gas and electric smokers with chip boxes, and pellets suit pellet grills and smoke tubes.
