When summer arrives, the nation is in agreement over one thing - ‘tis the season to barbecue.
Grills are trundled out of hibernation from their sheds and are put to work chargrilling everything that can stand up to the heat, from courgette strips and carrots to juicy prawns, chicken wings, steak and more.
We eat, drink and laugh with friends and family till the sun goes down - and often into the evening. And why not? We’ve waited all year for this. But it also may be to put off that tough but necessary chore of cleaning the BBQ once the party is over.
Whether you’re one for wiping down your grill after every use, cleansing with fire in between, or you wait until the season ends for a thorough clean-up, keeping your BBQ in good nick is the sure-fire way to ensure it stays in action for longer.
The good news is that there are plenty of cleaning products and tools to help you do the job, and all with minimal grunting and elbow grease. We’ve gathered the best options below to help you get your grill back to its sparkling best.
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Best BBQ cleaning tools
Grillbot Automatic Grill Cleaning Robot
You had the BBQ to end all BBQs, but there’s one cloud on the horizon - the backbreaking job of cleaning the grill down afterwards.
While mankind may be able to send surveillance tech to Mars and probes to the deepest recesses of the ocean, technology has delivered with another standout piece of tech - a grill cleaning robot.
Non-negotiable for those with BBQs planned every weekend from now until October, this clever gizmo will work off burnt meat and greasy grills while you relax with friends and family.
Place it directly on the grill, even if hot, and it will set about getting it clean as a whistle again. Once the timer is set, it will sound an alarm to let you know the job’s done, after which the only thing you need to do is remove the hardworking brushes and sling them in the dishwasher. Easy peasy.
Buy now £129.99, Amazon
Sizzle Buddy - the ultimate BBQ cleaner
The laws of nature state that pleasure and pain are both sides of the same coin. In barbecue terms, that means once you’ve fully feasted on flame-grilled morsels, the torture of waddling over to clean the thing begins.
This gadget features a stainless steel brush head that you can use to clean off the charred and stuck-on remains of your BBQ feast while the grill is still hot. The heat-resistant body holds a 300ml water reservoir which you can use to help remove the grease without any toxins, and the other end features a curved and flat scraping tool to chisel off any built up grease. Using this tool directly on the BBQ means you can avoid messing up the house by bringing any parts of the grill indoors.
Buy now £25.60, Amazon
Weber BBQ T-Brush, 30cm
True grill masters know that a good wire brush is your first port of call in the battle against caked-on BBQ grease. Weber’s BBQ brush is super strong thanks to the robust triangular design which sports stainless steel wire on one end to attack the worst of food debris clinging onto both charcoal and electric BBQ grates. The ergonomic handle is easy to hold and can be hung on a BBQ hook - if your machine has one - to keep it close to hand.
Buy now £15.99, Amazon
Tramontina Plastic Handle Grill Brush
If you’re using a BBQ brush, the handle is almost as important as the bristles. It needs to be comfortable to hold while you’re eliminating tough grease from the grate. Tramontina’s Brazil-version boasts an ergonomic handle and is crafted from polypropylene plastic making it a pleasure to hold. The business end, the brush head, features strong stainless steel bristles coated for black oxide for extra resilience and there are flat and curved edges for scraping your wire racks clean.
Buy now £14.99, Chessington Garden Centre
Best BBQ cleaning products
Traeger All Natural BBQ Cleaner, 950ml
Made specifically for Traegar’s line of grills and BBQ accessories, this all-natural cleaner will help you return your beloved BBQ equipment back to new. It slices through tough grease easily using plant-based ingredients, all of which are non-flammable, non-allergenic, unscented and biodegradable. Spritz onto the grills once they’re removed from the BBQ and use it to wipe down trays and surfaces too.
Buy now £14.99, John Lewis
Elbow Grease BBQ Rack Grill Cleaning Set
Looking for a cleaner that won’t break the bank or leave you with sore muscles? Head to The Range, where you can pick up Elbow Grease’s cleaning set, specifically designed to see to the worst of grill grime. The easy-to-use bottled formula comes with gloves and is the perfect deep clean for BBQ racks at the end of your cookout season.
Buy now £2.49, The Range
Garten Glück Gas BBQ Cleaner
After a fun day in the sun with your closest pals, the last thing you’ll feel like doing is scrubbing down your gas or electric grill. Thankfully this German-made cleanser is here to save the day with a heavy duty degreasing formula that will eliminate stains from your grill plate easily. Simply spray on once you’ve finished cooking and let the cleaner, which contains cold pressed lemon oil, get to work. Then it’s simply a case of wiping off the oil, grease and stuck-on meat with your trusty grill cleaning brush. Job done!
Buy now £12.99, Amazon
HG Oven, Grill & Barbecue Cleaner Spray (500ml)
A great all-round cleaner to keep in your cleaning cupboard, this HG product won’t only get your barbecue looking spotless but it can be used inside the home to make your oven gleam too. The degreasing formula gets to work on stubborn burnt on grime from the first spritz.
Just apply to the desired area, wait and wipe clean - no hard graft required. You may need to repeat the process for really dirty areas, but your patience will pay off. One Amazon reviewer said: “I have been trying to clean the disgusting oven left by previous tenants, after trying every oven cleaner you could think of I found this one and it’s finally clean. I could cry. I’m so happy.”
Buy now £6.50, Amazon
Weber Grill cleaner, 36g Trigger spray bottle
Make your grill grate again (sorry) with this cleaning formula from Weber, the BBQ specialists. Safe to use on all kinds of BBQ machines, it’s free from hazardous ingredients and is biodegradable, adding an extra element of safety for using on cooking devices. The bottle sprays a fine mist from any angle, allowing you to reach awkward spots with ease. Just apply, leave for five minutes for it to work its magic and remove with a wire brush.
Buy now £10.00, B&Q
Bar-Be-Quick Oven and BBQ Cleaner 500ml
Even the most hopeless grill could be granted a reprieve from the skip thanks to this effective cleaner from Bar-Be-Quick. Suitable on both stainless steel and enamel surfaces, stubborn stains will stand no chance against this hardworking formula - and the best part is that it’ll work on the inside of ovens too, giving it the sort of multifunctionality many appreciate in a cleaning product.
Buy now £6.99, Camping World
Verdict
Nothing kills a great party like the thought of having to clean up afterwards. That’s why we’re so taken with the GrillBot Automatic Grill Cleaning Robot - it will make quick work of freeing your machine from grease and grime while you flop around on the sofa, cradling your BBQ food baby.
