The best outdoor cooking gifts to get for backyard chefs this Christmas

Gasmate Portofino 12in Pizza Oven

Best gift for pizza lovers

This compact Gasmate pizza oven can bring a slice of Italy to any backyard, balcony or campsite, with a simple electric ignition, fast heat-up time (5-10 minutes) and even faster cooking. Fuelled by gas – and including a Safe Lok and hose for it – your pizzas can be ready in as little as 90 seconds.

I recently got an outdoor pizza oven, and I can happily say they make great gifts. As well as making delicious pizzas, they’re simple to use – and it’s really fun making pizzas that taste authentic at home.

Key features:

• Compact design suitable for backyards, balconies, camping and other outdoor areas
• Powerful 16.2MJ/h cast iron burner with electronic, battery-powered ignition
• Generous 12-inch cooking stone
• Bonus spatula included
• Preheats in approximately 5-10 minutes and cooks pizzas in as little as 90 seconds

Weber Baby Q LP BBQ in Midnight Black

Best space-saving BBQ gift

This small but mighty Weber BBQ is an ideal size for courtyard or balcony cooking, as well as camping. It’s also large enough to grill up to nine burgers at once and has a high domed lid for roasting. My tip? Use it to roast chicken or other meat during summer so your indoor oven doesn’t heat the house up (and make your air con work harder).

“Good compact BBQ purchased as a gift. Big enough to cook for four people and compact enough for a small balcony setting,” one customer shared in a 5-star review on BCF, where it has a 4.7-star average from over 85 customers.

Another customer shared: “Our last one we had for 14 years and there was nothing I couldn’t cook in it – from scones to roasts.”

Key features:

• Compact and portable
• Grill area has capacity for up to nine burgers
• Domed lid for roasting
• Push button ignition
• Weber 5 year limited warranty
• Dimensions in centimetres: 38 H x 66 W x 46 D

Maggie Beer BBQ Master Hamper

Best gift for fans of flavour

Maggie Beer is an inspiration to home cooks (and pro chefs), so who wouldn’t want some of her culinary delights on hand for a BBQ? This impressive hamper comes with two different quince pastes, two chutneys, Maggie’s Traditional Tomato Sauce, Cabernet BBQ Sauce, a delicious sounding vinaigrette, gourmet crackers, Kangaroo Island garlic salt and a Maggie Beer cooler bag. It even comes with a blank card – all you have to do is write a message and wrap it.

Key features:

• Quince Paste with Cherry & Dark Chocolate Topping 100g and Quince Paste 100g  
• Ploughmans Chutney 120g and Tomato Shiraz & Sultana Chutney 120g
• Traditional Tomato Sauce 250mL  
• Cabernet Barbeque Sauce 250mL  
• Moroccan Spice, Honey & Dijon Vinaigrette 250mL
• Rosemary Oven Baked Crackers 130g
• Kangaroo Island Garlic Salt 50g
• Includes Maggie Beer cooler bag and black gift card

Cuisinart 6.5

Best gift for smash burger fans

The weight of this cast iron smashed burger press makes it easy to perfect this burger trend. I first heard about smash or smashed burgers when I was in Hawai’i last year, but I’ve been seeing more of them in specialty burger joints in Australia. So if you’ve got a backyard chef among your family and friends, this gift is sure to go down a treat.

“Levelled up the burger making! Great product, great price,” one Australian customer said in a 5-star review on Amazon, where it has a 4.6-star average from over 18,400 ratings (and that’s not a typo!).

“It’s great for weighting down steaks, chicken and fish while cooking too for a more even browning,” another customer shared.

Key features:

• Heavy-duty, 6 in cast iron burger press
• Features a 1cm raised edge that locks in fats for juicy, flavourful burgers
• Creates crispy edges and a juicy centre

Gourmet Basket Beer and BBQ Lover Hamper

Best gift for backyard cooks who love beer

This hamper is a great gift for anyone who loves to unwind in the backyard, or man the BBQ (or pizza oven) with a beer in hand. It comes with five bottles of beer (each 330-345ml), snacks, Ogilvie and Co Smoky Bourbon Barbecue marinade, a striped apron and an oven glove. Add in a free gift card, stylish box and free shipping, and this gift is a true gem.

Key features:

• Includes five beers: White Rabbit White Ale 330mL, Stone and Wood Pacific Ale 330ml, 4 Pines Pale Ale 330ml bottle, Little Creatures Pale Ale Bottle 330mL, Matilda Bay Fat Yak Pale Ale Bottle 345ml
• Simon Johnson Wasabi Peanuts 100g
• Mount Zero Olives 80g
• Roco’s Beer Nuts 120g
• Ogilvie and Co. Smokey Bourbon Barbecue Marinade 250ml
• Chef stripe apron and glove

Weber Family Q+ Midnight Black (Q3100N+) LP BBQ

Best BBQ upgrade

This Weber BBQ has a large cooking area for all the classics – but also expands your cooking possibilities with the additional + burner so you can bake, roast, grill, sear on high and BBQ low ‘n slow. What more could a backyard chef want?

“Great gift … perfect entertainer, easy to use and easy to clean,” one customer shared in a 5-star review on BCF, where it has a 4.3 star average from over 37 reviews – and plenty of 5-star reviews from gift-givers and receivers.

“I bought this for my husband for Father’s Day… As he said… you don’t realise something has deteriorated until you replace it with something new and much better! The Weber has given more options for BBQ cooking and we will never look back,” another customer shared.

Key features:

• Massive cooking area can grill up to 15 burgers at one time
• Additional + burner
• Includes a sleek and functional cart
• High-domed lid for large roasting capacity
• Push button ignition for quick and safe lighting

frank green stainless steel bowls with glass lids in mint gelato

Best gift for stylish food prep

Getting prepared before firing up the barbie (or pizza oven) is a great way to save time running back-and-forth from the kitchen to the backyard. This set of two stainless steel bowls with glass lids make a great gift for home chefs, with capacity for 700ml and 1500ml respectively and a nesting design that makes them ideal for carrying from benchtop to BBQ – or anywhere else.

Key features:

• Two stainless steel bowls with glass lids: 1 x 700ml and 1 x 1500ml capacity
• Shatter resistant borosilicate glass lids with a ‘smart vent’ system
• Double-walled and airtight to retain heat or cold
• Bowls nest together for compact storage
• Made from recyclable materials

Weber Griddle Essentials

Best BBQ essentials gift

A dedicated set of BBQ tools can make a thoughtful gift for the outdoor cook who usually has to get a spatula from the kitchen. This set includes a griddle spatula designed for flipping and moving heavier foods, a flexible griddle spatula to slide under delicate items and a griddle scraper to make cleaning up easier. It also comes with reusable, BPA-free bottles for sauces, dressings or oil.

Key features:

• 5-piece griddle set made from durable stainless steel and BPA-free materials
• Griddle spatula designed for flipping and moving heavier food with ease
• Flexible griddle spatula to slide under delicate foods
• Griddle scraper for removing grease and grime
• Two griddle squeeze bottles
• All pieces are dishwasher safe

Traeger Pro Series 22 Gen 1 Pellet Grill and Smoker

Best gift for the backyard chef who has everything else

This pellet grill and smoker from best-selling brand Traeger is easy to use for beginners and has versatile features for those more experienced with American-style BBQ. It’s fuelled by pure hardwood pellets and has a digital controller, making it easy to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise and BBQ.

Key features:

• Large grilling area
• Digital pro controller with advanced grilling logic and dual meat probes
• Main rack can hold 16 burgers or 4 chickens, among other things
• Extra rack can hold 8 burgers or 12 hotdogs
• 3-year warrant
• Requires electricity point