Top-tested summer grilling and outdoor essentials
These Good Housekeeping picks for grills, tools, and coolers will elevate your summer cookouts
Updated: 6:00 PM EDT May 25, 2025
These portable grills tested by the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute are great for your next backyard party, picnic, or camping trip. Over the past few years, my team and I have tested more than 50, and that includes charcoal grills, gas grills, portable grills, electric grills, and of course all the different accessories. The Weber Q 1200 liquid propane grill was Good Housekeeping’s best overall pick at $259. We got really good heat distributions. And it has these folding side tables that *** lot of portable girls don’t have. The Coleman Road Trip 225 portable tabletop propane grill was the best value pick at $165. There’s two different cook zones on it, so you can cook one side on higher heat and then the other side on the lower heat. And for *** picnic, the Everdrecu portable charcoal grill costs $125. It heats up quickly, it’s easy, it’s lightweight, and it has these nice handles on the side so you can bring it with you. Good Housekeeping approved grilling gear for $50 or less. There are *** few things I always need with me when I’m grilling outside. These are some of the grilling products that Good Housekeeping editors love the most. First, the Turner and Tom’s grilling set from Oxo for $23. They have these grips on the side so they stay cool, and they have this really great hook so you can hang it on the side of your barbecue. And there’s actually even *** little bottle opener to check the. on your meat. This ultra fast thermometer from lava tools costs $43. It responds super quickly. You can actually see it’s already reading the temperature of the room and it’s magnetic, so you can actually stick it to the side of your grill or on your fridge, and this way it’s always handy when you need it. And to grill up some veggies, this $24 grill pan from Weber, perfect for the things that’ll fall through the grates. It cleans pretty easy and if you want, you can actually even store it right on your grill. It’s summer grilling season and these Good Housekeeping approved gifts are sure to stand out at your next barbecue. First, this 6 piece knife set from Schmidt Brothers sells at stores like Crate and Barrel for about $150. This one comes in this beautiful case and all the knives you need to cut *** really large brisket or *** really good steak, and they’ll always stay sharp. Testers also love seasoning with these spice kits from the Spice House. You can buy individual spices. Or grab their gi boxes which start at $38. You can get the ones that are made for your barbecue, so we have *** smaller size, *** larger collection, and if you want to try *** bunch of different flavors, these from Rodney Scott are delicious. And the Meter Pro wireless thermometer, which costs $130 will really amp up your grill gain. It measures the internal temperature of food as well as the ambient temperature of the grill. You connect it to your phone, you can walk away, and they’ll tell you exactly when it’s done. Need help getting caked on grease off your grill? These Good Housekeeping approved tools should make cleaning up *** breeze. First, these Mr. Siga microfiber cloths come in *** 12 pack for around $13. They’re not too expensive, and you can use them on the outside to get all this grease, or you can pair them with *** degreaser and really get *** good clean. This one is *** favorite from Good Housekeeping’s cleaning lab. It’s the $16. Grill cleaner and degreaser spray from Parker and Bailey. It cleans up messes really quickly and it can be used on the inside of your grates or the outside of your grill. Bristles from wire brushes can break off and stick to your grill grates, causing serious danger if ingested. Instead, testers like this $20 coiled grill brush from Kona. It really scrapes the grapes. It’s great for your cast iron grapes, and I would do it as soon as you’re done cooking, and you won’t have to think about it the next time you cook. These Good Housekeeping approved coolers will keep your drinks ice cold. We test hard coolers, we test soft coolers, we test coolers on wheels, totes, you think it, we test it. Like the $200 Igloo Trailmate journey cooler. It retains temperature really well and it has these really big bulky wheels that are actually good for all different terrains. For *** lightweight option, the Arctic Ultra Light 52 quart hard cooler costs $210. so it’s 30% lighter than other coolers that are this size. I love the handles that are loose and you can actually hold them pretty easy on your own. And for *** smaller soft sided cooler, testers love the tight and deep freeze coolers. They range from about 30 to $100 depending on the size you buy. It has this Velcro tab and it’s actually plastic inside, so it’s the best of both worlds. It comes with this really comfortable strap so you can put it on your shoulder.
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Top-tested summer grilling and outdoor essentials
These Good Housekeeping picks for grills, tools, and coolers will elevate your summer cookouts
Updated: 6:00 PM EDT May 25, 2025
Summer grilling season is here, and experts from our partners at Good Housekeeping have tested and selected the best gear for outdoor gatherings.Nicole Papantoniou, the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, says her team has tested more than 50 grills in the past few years — from charcoal and gas grills, to portable grills, to all the different accessories. Here were some of our favorite products:Best small grills These portable, tabletop grills are great for your next backyard party, picnic, or camping trip.Grilling essentialsElevate your summer cookouts with budget-friendly essentials and accessories.Grilling gifts These top gift picks will impress the grill master in your life.Grill cleaning gear Summer grilling is fun, but cleaning up? Not so much. These tools make it easy. Best coolers What’s a summer cookout without ice-cold drinks? These coolers are built to last and are great for on-the-go.
Summer grilling season is here, and experts from our partners at Good Housekeeping have tested and selected the best gear for outdoor gatherings.
Nicole Papantoniou, the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, says her team has tested more than 50 grills in the past few years — from charcoal and gas grills, to portable grills, to all the different accessories.
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Here were some of our favorite products:
Best small grills
These portable, tabletop grills are great for your next backyard party, picnic, or camping trip.
Grilling essentials
Elevate your summer cookouts with budget-friendly essentials and accessories.
Grilling gifts
These top gift picks will impress the grill master in your life.
Grill cleaning gear
Summer grilling is fun, but cleaning up? Not so much. These tools make it easy.
Best coolers
What’s a summer cookout without ice-cold drinks? These coolers are built to last and are great for on-the-go.
