By what he's into
Gifts for the BBQ Dad
The BBQ dad is the hardest kind to shop for because he's usually already assembled his setup exactly how he likes it. The way in isn't a bigger grill — it's the small tool he's been meaning to replace, or something consumable he'll actually run out of.
- Updated
- 10
- picks in 3 sections
- $15–$70
- CAD
- 2 min
- read
Affiliate disclosure. Some links on this page are affiliate links to partner brands. If you buy through one, OurFather may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects what we list, and the small Canadian makers here get our link for free. How we pick
Tools he'll actually reach for
An instant-read meat thermometer
The single biggest upgrade for anyone who grills is knowing the actual internal temperature instead of guessing — a fast, accurate thermometer replaces the cheap dial one everyone starts with.
A grilling tool set with a real spatula and tongs
Most grill sets that ship with a new grill are flimsy. A heavy, well-balanced spatula and long tongs are the two tools used every single cook, so upgrading just those two matters more than a 12-piece kit.
Grill grate cleaning brush
It's unglamorous, but the bristle-free or coil-style brushes are safer and work better than the wire brush he's probably still using, and it's something he'd never think to replace.
Photo: Busted Wagon BBQA Busted Wagon BBQ maple grill scraper
Made in Hampton, Ontario, with laser engraving available — a small, unglamorous tool he'll actually reach for every cook instead of a wire brush shedding bristles into the food.
Flavor and consumables
A Grill Masters Club rub and sauce box
Grillers get into ruts with the same two or three seasonings. A curated box gives him new flavors to experiment with without committing to a full bottle of something untested.
Wood smoking chips or chunks variety pack
For anyone with a smoker or a grill that can smoke, different woods genuinely change the result — a variety pack lets him try flavors he wouldn't buy a full bag of on a whim.
A quality grilling cookbook
Most grill dads cook the same eight recipes on repeat. A well-reviewed cookbook focused on technique, not just recipes, tends to actually get used instead of shelved.
Apparel and extras
A heavy canvas grilling apron
The free promotional aprons most guys own are thin and useless against grease. A real canvas one with pockets is a genuine daily-use upgrade.
Heat-resistant grilling gloves
Anyone who's grabbed a hot grate barehanded knows the value of these immediately — they're cheap, practical, and almost nobody buys them unprompted.
Photo: Pimp My GrillA Pimp My Grill upgrade for his specific setup
If you know what pellet grill he owns, a compatible searing kit or smoker upgrade extends what he can cook without replacing the grill itself.
Questions people ask before buying
- What if he's more of a smoker guy than a griller?
- Lean into the wood chips/chunks, a second thermometer probe for long smokes, and rubs — smoker owners obsess over bark and smoke ring more than sauce, so seasoning and temperature control gifts land better than tools.
- Should I get him a new grill instead?
- Only if you know the exact model he wants — grills are personal and expensive enough that a wrong guess is a bigger miss than any item on this list. When in doubt, upgrade what he already owns instead of replacing it.
How this guide was built
Picked by hand, priced for Canada, and no brand paid to be here.
Picked, not scraped
Every item has a written reason it's here: who it suits, why it beats the obvious alternative, what to expect on price. No copy-pasted product descriptions.
Canadian first
Canadian makers and retailers wherever one exists, never Amazon. Every pick is priced in Canadian dollars and ships within Canada. "Made in Canada" means a verified manufacturing claim, not just a Canadian-owned importer.
No pay-for-placement
Brands can't buy a spot on a guide. We earn a commission if you buy through a link, which costs you nothing and never decides what gets listed.
Kept current
Guides are re-checked ahead of Father's Day and Christmas. Dead links, discontinued products, and price jumps get pulled or replaced.
More interest guides
All guides →
Gifts for the Golf Dad
A practical gift guide for the dad who golfs most weekends — gear he'll actually use, not another logo'd tchotchke for the garage shelf.
See the picks →
Gifts for the Hockey Dad
Gift ideas for the dad who's at the rink year-round — beer league gear, real fan gear, and rink-side upgrades, not another logo mug.
See the picks →
Gifts for the Fishing Dad
Gift ideas for the dad who's always got a rod in the truck — tackle, gear upgrades, and dock-side extras he'll actually use.
See the picks →- Gifts for the Handyman Dad
- Gifts for the Coffee-Obsessed Dad
- Gifts for the Camping & Outdoors Dad
- The Best Books for Dads (Actually Worth Reading)
- Plaid and Flannel Gifts for Dad
- Father's Day Gifts for the Dad Who Wants Nothing
- Father's Day Gifts for New Dads
- Father's Day Gifts Under $50
- Father's Day Gifts for the Dad Who Has Everything
- Father's Day Gifts for Stepdads
- Unique Father's Day Gifts He'll Actually Use
- Christian & Catholic Gifts for Dad
- Christmas Gifts for Dad
- Birthday Gifts for Dad
- Gifts for Grandpa
- Gifts for Dad Under $100
- Canadian-Made Gifts for Dad
- Gifts That Support Men's Mental Health
Still not sure?
Let the Gift Finder narrow it down.
Four quick questions, and it pulls real picks from every guide on the site.
Find a giftNext time, no scramble