BBQ Accessories Guide: What to Buy First (and What Can Wait)

A Practical Guide to Building the Perfect Outdoor Cooking Setup

Reading time: 8 minutes

Quick Answer

Buying your first BBQ is only the beginning of your outdoor cooking journey.

While it’s tempting to buy every accessory available, most home grillers only need a handful of essentials to get started. A quality BBQ cover, a digital meat thermometer and a few versatile cooking accessories will help you protect your investment, cook with greater confidence and get more from your barbecue from day one.

As your skills and cooking style evolve, you can gradually expand your collection with accessories such as a pizza stone, plancha or cast iron cookware — each unlocking new ways to cook outdoors.

The best BBQ accessories aren’t necessarily the most expensive ones. They’re the ones that match how you cook.

At a Glance

Start with these essentials :

Before You Buy Anything

Buying your first BBQ is exciting. After comparing different models, choosing the right one and finally bringing it home, you’re ready to enjoy your first outdoor meal.

Then comes the next question.

What else do I actually need?

A quick online search can be overwhelming. Some websites recommend dozens of accessories before you’ve even cooked your first burger. Others promote expensive gadgets that many people rarely use.

The reality is much simpler.

You don’t need every accessory on the shelf to enjoy great barbecues. A small collection of carefully chosen accessories will help you cook with more confidence, protect your investment and expand what your BBQ can do over time.

Before filling your shopping cart, take a moment to think about how you’ll actually use your BBQ.

Someone who grills burgers once a week won’t need the same accessories as someone who enjoys homemade pizza, seafood, slow-cooked meals or entertaining large groups every weekend.

Ask yourself these five questions:

• How often will I use my BBQ?
• Do I usually cook for two people or larger gatherings?
• Which types of food do I enjoy cooking most?
• Will my BBQ stay outdoors throughout the year?
• Which accessories will I realistically use every time I grill?

Starting with these questions makes it much easier to invest in accessories that fit your lifestyle instead of buying products that spend most of their time sitting in storage.

📖 Related Guide

Still looking for the right BBQ?

Before investing in accessories, make sure you’ve chosen a barbecue that matches your cooking style and outdoor space.

Read: How to Choose the Right BBQ for Your Home in Mauritius

The Essential BBQ Accessories Every Home Griller Should Own

Not all BBQ accessories serve the same purpose.

Some help protect your barbecue from the elements. Others improve your cooking, while some unlock entirely new ways to prepare food outdoors.

Rather than buying everything at once, focus on accessories that you’ll use regularly. As your confidence grows, you can gradually expand your collection with products that match your cooking style and favourite recipes.

Here’s where to start.

1. Protect Your Investment

BBQ Cover

Your BBQ is one of the biggest investments in your outdoor cooking setup. Protecting it should always come before buying accessories you’ll only use occasionally.

Although modern BBQs are designed for outdoor use, Mauritius’ tropical climate presents unique challenges. Strong UV rays, high humidity, seasonal rain and salty coastal air can gradually affect the appearance and longevity of your barbecue over time.

A quality BBQ cover provides a simple but effective layer of protection. It helps keep your grill cleaner between uses, reduces unnecessary exposure to the elements and means less preparation before your next barbecue.

If your BBQ stays on a patio, terrace or in the garden throughout the year, a weather-resistant cover is one of the smartest accessories you can buy.

Best For

• BBQs stored outdoors
• Coastal homes
• Garden terraces
• Anyone looking to extend the life of their BBQ

Why It Matters

If you only buy one accessory on the same day as your BBQ, make it a quality cover. It’s one of the few accessories that protects your investment every single day—even when you’re not cooking.

📖 Related Guide

A BBQ cover protects the outside of your grill, but regular cleaning keeps it performing at its best.

Read: How to Clean and Maintain Your BBQ

2. Improve Your Cooking Results

Digital Meat Thermometer

Many people think becoming a better outdoor cook means buying a bigger or more expensive BBQ.

In reality, one of the biggest improvements comes from a much smaller investment.

A digital meat thermometer removes the guesswork from grilling by telling you exactly when your food has reached the correct internal temperature. Instead of relying on cooking times or cutting into your meat to check if it’s ready, you can cook with confidence every time.

Whether you’re grilling chicken, seafood, burgers or larger cuts of meat, accurate temperature control helps improve food safety, preserve flavour and produce more consistent results.

It’s one of the easiest ways to become a more confident BBQ cook from your very first barbecue.

Best For

• Everyday grilling
• Chicken and poultry
• Burgers
• Seafood
• Larger cuts of meat

💡 Pro Tip

Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bones and large pockets of fat. This provides the most accurate reading and helps prevent overcooking.

Why It Matters

For most home grillers, no other accessory improves cooking results as quickly as a digital meat thermometer.

3. Expand What Your BBQ Can Do

One of the biggest surprises for new BBQ owners is discovering how much more their barbecue can do.

With the right accessories, your BBQ becomes far more than a grill. It can be used to bake pizzas, cook delicate seafood, prepare breakfast, roast vegetables or even slow-cook family meals.

Instead of buying several outdoor cooking appliances, you can often achieve the same versatility by choosing the right accessories for the BBQ you already own.

The following accessories are ideal once you’ve mastered the basics and want to get even more from your outdoor cooking experience.

Plancha, Pizza Stone & Cast Iron Cookware

Plancha

If you’re looking for one accessory that can completely transform the way you cook outdoors, a plancha is one of the most versatile additions to any BBQ setup. For outdoor cooking in Mauritius, it’s particularly well suited to seafood, vegetables and everyday family meals thanks to its smooth, even cooking surface.

While traditional grill grates are perfect for steaks, burgers and sausages, they’re not always ideal for delicate ingredients. Seafood, sliced vegetables, mushrooms or smaller foods can stick, fall through the grates or cook unevenly.

A plancha creates a smooth, even cooking surface that opens the door to an entirely different style of outdoor cooking.

Instead of limiting your BBQ to classic grilling, you can prepare sizzling prawns, breakfast favourites, smashed burgers, fajitas, stir-fried vegetables and many other dishes with ease.

For many BBQ owners, it’s the accessory they didn’t realise they needed—until it becomes the one they use most often.

Best For

• Seafood
• Vegetables
• Breakfast
• Smash burgers
• Everyday outdoor cooking

Why It Matters

A plancha doesn’t replace your grill—it expands what your BBQ can do. It’s one of the most versatile accessories you can add to your outdoor kitchen.

💡 Pro Tip

Preheat the plancha before adding food and lightly oil the cooking surface. This helps create better browning while reducing sticking, especially when cooking seafood or vegetables.

Pizza Stone

Most people buy a BBQ expecting to cook burgers and steaks.

A few months later, many discover something surprising.

With the right accessory, their BBQ can also become an outdoor pizza oven.

A pizza stone absorbs and distributes heat evenly, creating the high cooking temperatures needed for crispy bases and perfectly cooked toppings. It allows you to prepare restaurant-style pizzas at home without investing in a dedicated pizza oven.

But pizza is only the beginning.

A pizza stone is equally suited to baking flatbreads, garlic bread, naan, focaccia and even desserts, making it one of the most versatile accessories for anyone who enjoys outdoor entertaining.

If weekend pizza nights are becoming a family tradition, this is likely to be one of your favourite additions.

Best For

• Homemade pizza
• Family gatherings
• Outdoor entertaining
• Fresh bread and flatbreads

Why It Matters

A pizza stone doesn’t simply improve your BBQ—it introduces an entirely new outdoor cooking experience.

💡 Good to Know

Always place your pizza stone inside the BBQ before preheating. Heating the stone gradually helps prevent thermal shock and extends its lifespan.

Cast Iron Cookware

Once you’ve mastered everyday grilling, cast iron cookware is one of the best ways to refine your outdoor cooking skills.

Unlike lightweight cookware, cast iron absorbs and retains heat exceptionally well, creating stable cooking temperatures that are ideal for recipes requiring greater precision and consistency. Whether you’re searing meat before finishing it slowly, roasting vegetables until they’re perfectly caramelised or preparing rich one-pot meals, cast iron helps deliver reliable, flavourful results every time.

Its versatility is another major advantage. A cast iron pan or Dutch oven allows you to prepare dishes that go far beyond traditional grilling—from baked pasta and casseroles to stews, desserts and slow-cooked family favourites—all without leaving your outdoor cooking space.

Quality cast iron cookware is also built to last. With proper seasoning and care, it can remain part of your outdoor kitchen for decades, making it one of the smartest long-term investments for anyone who enjoys cooking outdoors regularly.

Best For

• Slow-cooked meals
• One-pot recipes
• Roasted vegetables
• Outdoor baking
• Home cooks looking to expand their outdoor cooking skills

Why It Matters

Cast iron cookware gives you greater control over temperature and cooking techniques, allowing you to prepare richer, more flavourful meals while getting even more from the BBQ you already own.

💡 Pro Tip

Allow your cast iron cookware to preheat fully before adding ingredients. Its excellent heat retention promotes even browning, maintains consistent cooking temperatures and helps develop deeper flavours throughout the cooking process.

Build Your BBQ Accessory Collection Over Time

One of the biggest mistakes new BBQ owners make is trying to buy every accessory at once.

In reality, the best outdoor kitchens aren’t built in a single day—they evolve alongside your cooking experience.

Start with the accessories that improve every barbecue you cook, then gradually expand your collection as you discover new recipes, techniques and ways to entertain outdoors.

A Simple Buying Roadmap

No matter where you are in your outdoor cooking journey, buying accessories gradually helps ensure that every purchase adds genuine value to the way you cook.

Frequently Asked Questions

What BBQ accessories should I buy first?

Start with the essentials: a BBQ cover, a digital meat thermometer and a cleaning kit. These accessories protect your BBQ, improve cooking accuracy and help keep your barbecue in excellent condition.

Is a plancha worth buying?

Yes. A plancha is one of the most versatile BBQ accessories available. It allows you to cook seafood, vegetables, breakfast foods and delicate ingredients that are difficult to prepare on traditional grill grates.

Is a pizza stone only for pizza?

Not at all. Besides homemade pizzas, a pizza stone can also be used to prepare flatbreads, naan, focaccia, garlic bread and even some desserts, making it a versatile addition to your outdoor cooking setup.

Do I need a digital meat thermometer?

If you want consistently well-cooked food, absolutely. A digital thermometer removes the guesswork from grilling by measuring the internal temperature of your food, helping improve both cooking accuracy and food safety.

Can I add accessories later?

Yes—and it’s often the best approach. Start with the accessories you’ll use every week, then gradually add products such as a plancha, pizza stone or cast iron cookware as your cooking style evolves.

Final Thoughts

The best BBQ accessories aren’t necessarily the ones with the longest feature list or the highest price tag.

They’re the ones you’ll use again and again.

Start by protecting your BBQ, then focus on accessories that improve your cooking and match the meals you enjoy preparing most. As your confidence grows, your collection will naturally grow with it.