smokers grills
BBQ Gifts Worth Giving, Sorted by What They Already Own
Mike Ross · How we research · Updated 2026-10-10 · 3 min read
The picks
Best gift for almost anyone
ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE
The one that publishes its accuracy. Under a second, and a calibration certificate in the box.
- Accuracy
- ±0.5°F in key temperature ranges
- Response time
- Under 1 second
- Measuring range
- -58 to 572°F
Best small gift
ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2
The middle of the thermometer ladder. Publishes its accuracy like the Thermapen, at a fraction of it.
- Accuracy
- ±1°F in key cooking ranges
- Response time
- 2-3 seconds
- Calibration
- NIST-traceable certificate included
Best for overnight cooks
ThermoWorks Signals 4-Channel BBQ Alarm
Four-channel standalone WiFi and Bluetooth BBQ temperature monitor with commercial accuracy and real-time cloud graphing.
- Channels
- 4 simultaneous channels (3 Pro-Series meat probes + 1 high-temp air probe)
- Connectivity
- Simultaneous Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology
- Accuracy
- ±1.8°F (±1.0°C) from -58 to 392°F; ±3.6°F above 392°F
Best wire-free probe
MEATER Pro (2 Plus)
Ultra-slim wireless smart meat thermometer with five internal temperature sensors and 1,000°F direct-flame ambient heat resistance.
- Ambient heat limit
- FlameGuard withstands open flame and direct ambient temperatures up to 1,000°F
- Internal sensors
- 5 high-precision internal sensors measuring the true core temperature
- Probe diameter
- Ultra-thin 5 mm stainless steel probe
Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper
The wrap that breathes. Cuts the stall short without softening bark the way foil does.
- Material
- 100% food-grade certified, unbleached, unwaxed and uncoated
- Coating
- None — unwaxed and uncoated
Best for charcoal cooks
Jealous Devil Chunx XL Lump Charcoal
Dense South American hardwood in large pieces. The one to reach for when the cook runs long.
- Wood
- Responsibly harvested South American hardwood
- Burn time
- 4+ hours open-air, 20+ hours in a smoker
- Peak temperature
- Over 1,170°F
Bear Mountain Hickory BBQ Pellets
Hardwood pellets with nothing else in them. The default fuel for any pellet grill.
- Wood
- 100% hardwood, hickory over an alder or oak base
- Bag sizes
- 20 lb and 40 lb
- Additives
- No flavourings, fillers or additives
Weber Original Kettle Premium 22"
The default charcoal grill, and a competent smoker with the vents half shut.
- Cooking area
- 363 sq in
- Diameter
- 22 in
- Dimensions
- 39.5 in H × 22.5 in W × 27 in D, lid closed
Best for someone who has everything
Ooni Koda 16
Gas-only and deliberately simple. Turn it on, wait, cook — no fire to manage.
- Max temperature
- 950°F (500°C)
- Max pizza size
- 16 in
- Stone thickness
- 0.6 in (15 mm) cordierite
Compared
| Spec | ThermoWorksThermapen ONE | ThermoWorksThermoPop 2 | ThermoWorksSignals 4-Channel BBQ Alarm | MEATERPro (2 Plus) | Bryco GoodsPink Butcher Paper | Jealous DevilChunx XL Lump Charcoal | Bear MountainHickory BBQ Pellets | WeberOriginal Kettle Premium 22" | OoniKoda 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price band | |||||||||
| Accuracy | ±0.5°F in key temperature ranges | ±1°F in key cooking ranges | ±1.8°F (±1.0°C) from -58 to 392°F; ±3.6°F above 392°F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Response time | Under 1 second | 2-3 seconds | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Measuring range | -58 to 572°F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Calibration | NIST-traceable certificate included | NIST-traceable certificate included | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Water resistance | IP67 | IP67 | Molded splash-proof seal rated IP66 | 100% waterproof for deep frying, searing, and sous vide | — | — | — | — | — |
| Warranty | 5 years | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 years on bowl and lid, no rust or burn through | 5 years, on registration |
| Channels | — | — | 4 simultaneous channels (3 Pro-Series meat probes + 1 high-temp air probe) | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Connectivity | — | — | Simultaneous Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology | Bluetooth 5.2 Coded PHY Long Range with WiFi Cloud Bridge | — | — | — | — | — |
| Probe range | — | — | -58 to 572°F (-50 to 300°C) for Pro-Series probes | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ambient heat limit | — | — | — | FlameGuard withstands open flame and direct ambient temperatures up to 1,000°F | — | — | — | — | — |
| Internal sensors | — | — | — | 5 high-precision internal sensors measuring the true core temperature | — | — | — | — | — |
| Probe diameter | — | — | — | Ultra-thin 5 mm stainless steel probe | — | — | — | — | — |
| Material | — | — | — | — | 100% food-grade certified, unbleached, unwaxed and uncoated | — | — | — | — |
| Coating | — | — | — | — | None — unwaxed and uncoated | — | — | — | — |
| Wood | — | — | — | — | — | Responsibly harvested South American hardwood | 100% hardwood, hickory over an alder or oak base | — | — |
| Burn time | — | — | — | — | — | 4+ hours open-air, 20+ hours in a smoker | — | — | — |
| Peak temperature | — | — | — | — | — | Over 1,170°F | — | — | — |
| Additives | — | — | — | — | — | No chemical additives | No flavourings, fillers or additives | — | — |
| Bag sizes | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 lb and 40 lb | — | — |
| Cooking area | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 363 sq in | — |
| Diameter | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 in | — |
| Dimensions | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39.5 in H × 22.5 in W × 27 in D, lid closed | — |
| Cooking grate | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Plated steel, hinged | — |
| Max temperature | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 950°F (500°C) |
| Max pizza size | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 in |
| Stone thickness | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.6 in (15 mm) cordierite |
| Weight | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 40.1 lb (18.2 kg) |
| Heat-up time | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 min |
| Burner system | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | L-shaped burner, for more even heat distribution |
| Where to buy | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon |
Buy for the cook they already do
The worst BBQ gift is a gadget for a cooker you have never looked at. The best one is something they would use every single cook, but have not bought for themselves because it feels like a luxury.
That list is short, and it starts with a thermometer. Every pick below is named by model, with the manufacturer's own figure for why it is here. Prices change, and they change a lot around Black Friday, so this page lists none. Check the current price on any link before you buy.
If they do not own a good thermometer: start here
Thermapen ONE
Under one second to read, ±0.5°F in key temperature ranges, a -58 to 572°F range and an IP67 rating, with a NIST-traceable calibration certificate in the box. ThermoWorks publishes all of that, which is rarer than it should be.
It is the gift that makes every other cook better, whatever they cook on. For poultry it is about safety, not taste: 165°F is a USDA threshold, and you cannot judge it by eye.
ThermoPop 2
The smaller gift. 2–3 seconds to read, ±1°F in key cooking ranges, the same IP67 rating and calibration certificate. Slower than the Thermapen ONE, and for most cooks that difference does not matter. The two compared side by side.
If they smoke overnight: a leave-in probe
An instant-read tells you the temperature when you check. A leave-in probe tells you when to check, which is the thing you want at 3am.
ThermoWorks Signals
Four channels over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth at the same time, so one probe can watch the cooker while three watch the meat. ±1.8°F from -58 to 392°F, and an IP66 splash-proof seal.
MEATER Pro (2 Plus)
No wires at all: five internal sensors in an ultra-thin 5 mm probe, with Bluetooth long range and a Wi-Fi bridge. The trade is one probe in one piece of meat, against the Signals' four. The two compared.
If they already have the gear: give fuel
Consumables are the safe gift. They fit every cooker, they get used up, and most people buy the cheap version for themselves.
- Jealous Devil Chunx XL lump charcoal. Big pieces, no chemical additives, and a published 20+ hour burn in a smoker. For anyone who cooks on charcoal.
- Bear Mountain hickory pellets. 100% hardwood, no flavourings or fillers. For a pellet grill. If they always buy hickory, another wood is a better gift.
- Bryco pink butcher paper. Unwaxed and uncoated, for wrapping brisket through the stall. Unglamorous, and used every long cook.
If they want to start: a first cooker
Only if you know they want one. A smoker someone did not choose tends to live in the garage.
The Weber Original Kettle 22" is the safe answer: it grills, it smokes with a two-zone fire, it has a ten-year warranty on the bowl and lid, and it is in the lowest price band on this site. Why it is the best first cooker for most people.
If they have everything: a pizza oven
Someone who already smokes meat has usually not bought a pizza oven, and it is a different kind of cooking on the same patio.
The Ooni Koda 16 reaches 950°F, takes a 16-inch pizza, and heats up in about 20 minutes on gas. How it compares to the other ovens we cover, and a dough to start with.
Quick answer
Thermometer first. A leave-in probe for anyone who cooks overnight. Fuel for anyone who has the gear. A pizza oven for the person who has everything.
Common questions
- What do you buy someone who already has a smoker?
- A thermometer, if they do not have a good one, and a leave-in probe if they do. After that, consumables: lump charcoal, pellets in a wood they have not tried, or butcher paper. Accessories for a cooker you have not seen are a guess. Fuel and thermometers fit every cooker.
- Is a smoker a good gift?
- Only if you know they want one and which kind. Smokers are large, the choice between charcoal, pellet and electric is personal, and a cooker someone did not choose tends to sit in the garage. If you want to give the big gift, a pizza oven is a safer surprise for someone who already smokes.
- Should I wait for Black Friday to buy BBQ gifts?
- Black Friday is 27 November and Cyber Monday is 30 November this year. Thermometers and cookers are often discounted around them, but prices change during the sales, so check the current price on any link before you buy rather than assuming a deal.
- Instant-read or leave-in thermometer?
- They do different jobs. An instant-read checks a temperature in a second, anywhere in the meat. A leave-in probe stays in for the whole cook and tells you when it is time to look. Someone who smokes brisket wants both, and most people start with the instant-read.
Sources
Every figure on this page came from one of these. We have not tested these products ourselves — how we research.
Compared elsewhere
How to Smoke a Ham: Fully Cooked or Not, and the Temperature Each Needs
Also covers the ThermoWorks Signals 4-Channel BBQ Alarm, the ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 and 1 more of the same products.
The Celiac Pitmaster: Gluten-Free BBQ and Smoker Safety
Also covers the Jealous Devil Chunx XL Lump Charcoal, the Bryco Goods Pink Butcher Paper and 1 more of the same products.
MEATER Pro 2 Plus vs Thermapen ONE
Also covers the MEATER Pro (2 Plus) and the ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE.
ThermoWorks Signals vs MEATER Pro 2 Plus
Also covers the ThermoWorks Signals 4-Channel BBQ Alarm and the MEATER Pro (2 Plus).