The Backyard North BBQ Gift Guide: Ideas Under $50, $100 and $250
Practical, actually-useful gifts for the barbecue and smoking fan on your list, organized by budget and available in Canada.
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Barbecue people are easy to shop for and hard to impress. They already have tongs. What they’ll actually use is gear that solves a problem: guessing temperatures, burning their forearms, running out of pellets mid-cook, or eating cold brisket because it rested on the counter.
Budgets below are approximate. Prices change often, especially around Black Friday and Boxing Day, so check the current price.
Under $50
Heat-resistant gloves. Silicone or aramid gloves that can handle hot grates, pulling pork, and moving a cast-iron pan.
Instant-read thermometer (entry level). The single most useful gift for anyone who cooks meat.
Pellet smoker tube. Adds more smoke flavour on any pellet or gas grill.
Pink butcher paper roll. A pitmaster staple for wrapping brisket.
A good rub sampler. Pick a Canadian-made rub or sauce if you can find one — local is a nice touch.
Under $100
Wireless or wired probe thermometer. For people who smoke big cuts and want alerts on their phone.
Cast-iron griddle or skillet. Turns any grill into a smash-burger station.
Pellet storage bin. Keeps pellets dry — a gift that prevents headaches.
Butcher-block cutting board with juice groove. Every brisket needs a landing spot.
A great barbecue cookbook. Aaron Franklin’s Franklin Barbecue and Meathead Goldwyn’s Meathead are popular picks among serious backyard cooks.
Under $250
Premium instant-read thermometer. The Thermapen ONE is the one many pitmasters reach for.
Insulated grill blanket. A winter-cooking game-changer — just confirm the model of their grill first. See our winter pellet grilling guide.
Multi-probe thermometer with Wi-Fi. For the person who smokes for a crowd.
Quality knife for slicing. A long, granton-edge slicing knife makes brisket service look professional.
Big-ticket (for a very good year)
A portable pellet grill for the camper or tailgater. See our portable pellet grill guide.
A full-size pellet grill for someone ready to upgrade. See our first pellet grill buying guide.
Gift-giving tips
- Peek at their grill model before buying covers, blankets or accessories that need to fit.
- Include a gift receipt. Barbecue folks often already own one of something.
- Watch the shipping cut-off dates in December — rural Canadian delivery can take longer.
Recommendations are based on manufacturer information and verified owner reviews. Prices are approximate — check the current price before buying.
