The Portable Barbecue, Redesigned From Top to Bottom

The New Portable Barbecue Sam Kaplan

Portable grills tend to reach only 500ºF, but the designers of the Cook-Air from Cata Marketing ($200, or $220 in a kit) added a ventilation system to get theirs twice as hot. An electric fan acts as a bellows, blowing a continuous stream of fresh air onto the grill’s wood-fueled fire. In just five minutes, temperatures at the grate can reach 1,100º—the same at which a professional steakhouse cooks meat. The ventilation system draws power from eight D batteries, a car adapter or an electrical outlet.

Spatula: Hot splatters (along with fire chickens) are one of grilling’s great hazards, so Grill Daddy introduced a line of utensils with heat shields. On its spatula and other tools, a stainless-steel panel rotates freely around the handle so that it always hangs between the cook’s hand and the grill. Grill Daddy Heat Shield Spatula: $25

Skewers: The engineers at 3D Grill made their new stainless-steel skewers in a three-pointed shape, as opposed to circular, so food won’t spin or slip when grillers rotate kebabs. 3D Grill Magic Skewers: $57 for 8

Meat thermometer: The iGrill (which we reviewed) is the first Bluetooth-enabled meat thermometer. Users program in meat type and doneness and pair the device with an iPhone. When the meat’s internal temperature is right, the app issues an alert. Just don’t stray more than 200 feet, or dinner could overcook. iDevices iGrill: $80