Barbecue season is upon us, and if you plan to host friends and family in your garden this summer, you should make sure you have everything in place and ready to go. Then, it’s a case of waiting for a sunny day to come along…

There are endless barbecue recipe ideas you can consider, ranging from chicken tikka skewers to juicy burgers or grilled halloumi. But before you set out to buy the barbecue itself, here are a few things you should consider when choosing a barbecue.

Type

First, decide on the type of barbecue you feel will work best. You can choose from electrical, gas or charcoal models. Make your choice based on what you envision yourself cooking the most. Charcoal grills are ideal for low-and-slow foods such as ribs, as you get a delicious smokey flavour, whereas a gas grill is better for quicker grilling requirements as you don’t need to wait for or nurture any coals unlike with a charcoal grill. This second option is ideal if you see yourself cooking mostly burgers, sausages or kebab skewers.

Features

There’s nothing more satisfying than having all the right features to bring the cooking experience to life and get the most out of your barbecuing extravaganza. Features you could look out for include:

• Lids or hoods: These can be helpful to shield your flames from the wind. They can also allow you to roast your food with the hood down for a different taste sensation.
• Temperature-gauges: This allows you to monitor the temperature and judge when to load on your meat, as well as how long you should leave them on for.
• Trays to collect residue: Whether it’s used to collect dripping grease or flaky ash, a tray will help you clean out your barbecue with ease.
• Porcelein-coated grills: These can make your life easier when it comes to cleaning your barbecue.
• A griddle or hot plate for steaks: If you dream of cooking delicious steaks over your barbecue, this can be a game-changer.

Other useful accessories

In some cases, you might need extension leads like these, particularly if you have a large outdoor space. Otherwise, useful accessories you’ll definitely need include an apron and barbecue tools, such as tongs and a spatula to help to rotate and move your food across the grill. A utensil rack could also come in handy when it comes to storing your tools. Thinking of cooking kebabs? Grab some skewers too.

Optional extras you might consider range from a carving set for larger barbecuing endeavours to a cleaning brush that removes any debris from previous barbecues. And finally, a cover to protect your barbecue from the elements will help keep it intact and prevent rusting over time.