If you're ditching the disposable or gas-fired bbqs and taking your first steps into live fire outdoor cooking, then the options can be overwhelming, and it's easy to build up a long (and expensive!) wishlist. Here's our guide to what you really need to achieve that great BBQ taste.

Keep it simple.

The best first step into BBQ and smoking is a Weber Kettle — a true classic that’s been around for 75+ years. It’s affordable, reliable and incredibly versatile. You can grill, smoke, roast, reverse-sear, bake… it does the lot.

The design is also pretty compact and easy to move, so even the larger models won't dominate a smaller garden or patio and can be tucked away when not in use. The smallest models can even be used on a balcony and are portable enough to take camping or for picnics. 

It sounds obvious, but double-check the ventilation and safety clearance if you are planning to grill in a smaller space, and always be aware of fire safety rules if cooking in a park, beach or public place. No one wants to mark the start of their BBQ career by starting a wildfire!

Choose The Right Fuel

The same advice about simplicity goes for fuel. One of the hardest aspects about cooking over live fire is controlling the heat, smoke and flames to get the results you want. That's a skill that comes with practice and experience, so there are no easy shortcuts.

For beginners, we recommend starting out with a bag or two of quality lumpwood charcoal. Lumpwood charcoal burns hot and fast, so it's a great choice for traditional British BBQ staples, like burgers, sausages and wings. Good quality fuel burns consistently and therefore gives more predictable results, meaning you can concentrate on developing your skills.

Avoid imported fuels or those with chemical treatments. These are often low quality, contribute to deforestation and can release nasty flavours into your food. 

We stock a wide range of quality fuels, or you can read our fuel buying guide for more information. 

Learn the ropes

For your very first live fire bbq, sausages and burgers are a great starting point for getting a feel for your new grill. They're an easy crowd-pleaser and cooking hot and fast means you don't need to spend hours tending to the flames. Once you have mastered the basics of setting up the fuel and creating temperature zones, you'll have a solid foundation for building up to more complex recipes and techniques. 

But honestly? Book yourself on to a class.

There’s a reason our Beginners’ Guide to Smoking is our best-selling course — it sets you up with the skills, confidence and fundamentals to cook incredible BBQ at home. 

Start with the right base, learn your fire, then level up as you go. BBQ is a journey — and it’s gurt lush.

Next Steps

Once you’ve mastered the basics of a kettle BBQ, you can scale up and invest in more specialised kit:

• Dedicated smokers — invest in a barrel smoker, offset smoker or electric/pellet grills for longer, more controlled cooks with authentic smoky flavours.
  

• Pizza ovens — no outdoor kitchen is complete without a pizza oven. Reaching far higher temperatures than a domestic oven, they do more than just pizza. Roast, bake, sear and smoke a wide range of dishes to create legendary outdoor feasts.