10 Things You’re Doing That Annoy Professional Grill Masters

Grilling is a special kind of magic. Almost anyone can try their hand at it, and it gives food a smoky depth that other forms of cooking can’t quite replicate. With this universality, though, comes lots of wiggle room for little mistakes that can snowball into something bigger. If you’ve ever overcooked an expensive ribeye or found a wire brush bristle in your chicken, don’t worry — we asked pitmasters for the grilling mistakes they see most often in beginners and experts alike, and they came back to us with the best grill tools to fix them.

Grill Master-Recommended Tools for Fixing Bad Grilling Habits

• Alpha Grillers Instant Read Meat Thermometer, $16, originally $20
• Vollrath Jacob’s Pride Utility Tong, $30, originally $38
• Scrub Daddy BBQ Daddy Grill Brush, $37
• Jealous Devil Chunx Lump Charcoal, $44, originally $48
• Grillvana Upper Deck Grill Grate, $37
• Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch, $142, originally $160
• Yfwood Grill Basting Mop, 18-Inch, $10, originally $12
• Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket, $30
• OXO Good Grips Grilling Prep and Carry System, $40
• Empune Extra-Large Cutting Board, $14, originally $20

Overcooking Your Meat

Alpha Grillers Instant-Read Meat Thermometer

After investing in a premium cut of meat, the last thing you want is to accidentally overcook it. “Whether you’re grilling steak, or even lobster or lamb, a great instant-read thermometer will keep you informed throughout the entire cooking process to ensure you can grill your steaks to the correct temperature,” says Tim Crain, LongHorn Steakhouse Grill Master and 2025 Steak Master Series Champion. With this tool, you no longer have to guess when your steak is a perfect medium rare — the instant-read thermometer does the work for you.

Working With Flimsy Utensils

Vollrath Jacob’s Pride Utility Tong

D’Andre Carter, co-founder of Soul and Smoke in Chicago, shared the importance of cooking with the right tools; a “small but impactful” upgrade makes all the difference when working with large cuts of meat, he says. “Cheaper tongs were flimsy and couldn’t handle larger cuts cleanly, says Carter, recommending these high-quality grilling tongs. “When you’re dealing with high-temp sears or indirect zones, that reach and sturdiness matter more than you think.”

Cleaning With Wire Brushes

Scrub Daddy BBQ Daddy Grill Brush

David “Chef Fig” Figueroa, co-founder of Melinda’s Foods, shared a grilling horror story with us. “One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was thinking a clean grill just meant brushing off the big stuff,” he said. “I used those cheap wire brushes that shed bristles constantly. One of those bristles nearly ended up in a ribeye, and that was the wake-up call.” Since then, he has switched to this bristle-free scrubber that allows you to clean the grill “effectively and safely” while it’s still warm. As you scrub, the temperature-controlled brush head softens from the steam of the grill, allowing you to get in between grates without even thinking about it.

Cooking With Briquettes

FOGO Hardwood Lump Charcoal

Christian Gill, brand content manager at Spiceology and a self-employed chef, told us that the “biggest mistake” he sees people making at the grill is using “bargain-bin briquettes” to cook their meat. Instead, he grills exclusively with high-quality natural lump charcoal. “These coals burn cleaner, hotter, and hold heat longer without choking your food in chemical smoke or that suspiciously synthetic campfire scent you get from lighter fluid-soaked briquettes,” Gill says. Since these coals burn consistently, he can step away from the fire to do other tasks instead of babysitting it as he does with lower-quality coals.

Using Too Much Heat

Grillvana Upper Deck Grill Grate

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Put the meat in a ripping hot pan.” Dylan Clay, founder of Barbecue FAQ, says that the ‘90s infomercial catchphrase led to the birth of another common grilling issue. “That’s not good advice, because you’ll burn your food — the same is true for BBQ,” he said. Clay recommends getting elevated grill grates that allow for more control over the heat. He shared that with these elevated grates, it’s easier than ever to achieve the trademark deep browning of a well-cooked cut of meat. “If I were to put any of these cuts directly over the fire, the outside would entirely burn before it reached tenderness or my desired internal temperature,” he notes.

Using the ‘Easier’ Grill

Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch

Clay shared another rookie mistake — taking the easy way out when it comes to grilling. “Most of my grilling I prefer to do on a Weber Kettle as opposed to a pellet grill,” he said. “I think pretty much all grilled food tastes better, even if a pellet grill is easier to use.” Regardless of whether you have all the right tools, pitmasters say the grill you work on is just as important when it comes to cooking meat.

Underutilizing Your Marinade

Yfwood Grill Basting Mop, 18-Inch

Clay’s final tip for beginners is not to toss that flavorful marinade once the meat hits the grill. Using a grill mop to baste it over your meat and vegetables allows the marinade to drip onto the hot coals. “This vapor then condenses on the meat, which creates awesome flavor,” said Clay, sharing his insider trick for a delicious, flavor-packed steak.

Grilling on a Direct Flame

Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket

When it comes to grilling vegetables, there’s a fine line between a delicious char and a straight-up burn. Brad Wise, owner and chef of San Diego-based Trust Restaurant Group, said he finds that many people think they should grill vegetables over the actual flame. In reality, this is what leads to them burning. “You want indirect heat to build char without burning the vegetable,” he said, and this grilling basket is the optimal vessel for achieving just that.

Prepping Incorrectly

OXO Good Grips Grilling Prep and Carry System

If you’re getting ready to make burgers, prepping correctly makes “all the difference,” according to Wise. A common misconception is that people think burgers are supposed to be room temperature when you cook them. However, Wise says the opposite is true: “Keeping your ground beef cold is key,” since “being cold helps you shape [your burgers] and keep them formed. It will also ensure you don’t overcook the burger, and will help you get some flavor from the grill into the patty.” With this nifty 6-piece set from OXO, keeping your burgers prepped, organized, and chilled has never been easier.

Incorrectly Resting Your Meat

Empune Extra-Large Cutting Board

A final mistake that Wise called out is only allowing minimal rest time after taking the meat off the grill. “Commit to a minimum [of] four minutes for each steak; this will ensure your meat is tender, juicy, and way better,” he says. This extra-large cutting board has enough space for large cuts of meat or even multiple steaks, while its grooved edges trap juices and keep cutting and serving mess-free.