Every summer, someone starts their grill with the wrong tool. A bent fork. A greasy spatula. A tongs that snaps in half halfway through searing a steak. It’s not just frustrating—it’s a wreck. I learned this after ruining three burgers because my tongs slipped and I couldn’t get the meat flipped without tearing it. That’s when I stopped grabbing what was convenient and started building a real grill station. Not a random pile of utensils. A system.
That’s where Laboos BBQ Tools came in. I wasn’t just looking for kits that looked good on a website. I wanted something that survived high heat, stayed on the grill top when I needed it, and didn’t get lost between the legs of my patio furniture. After testing several brands—one with a handle that melted under 500-degree flame—I landed on Laboos. Their tools are built for actual use, not just rotisserie images under soft lighting.
Tools Shouldn’t Fight You
Most grills have five or six basic interactions: poking, turning, flipping, scraping, wiping, and checking temperature. If your toolset doesn’t support all of these, you’re doing it wrong. I used to have a single long-handled fork I’d use for everything. One time I tried to scrape the grates with it—ended up with a bent prong and a grease-slicked kitchen floor. The right tool for each job cuts time and saves patience. Laboos gives you a set where each item has a clear purpose: the stainless steel spatula for flipping thick cuts, the flat scraper for removing charred bits, the skewer for stacking vegetables.
There’s a difference between a tool that’s functional and one that’s ready. I noticed it when I used their charcoal puller—a flat, angled piece with a long handle. Most pullers are bulky, flimsy, and melt. This one stays rigid under heat and pulls out dented briquettes without breaking. It made changing fuel during a two-hour cook feel like less of a chore.
Why the Handle Matters More Than You Think
You can buy the best-quality steel Bruce can make, but if the handle is slippery, short, or backwards, it fails. I remember a spring cook when my pointer finger slipped off my tongs and I nearly dropped a rack of ribs into the coals. That’s not a minor accident—it’s a moment of panic. Proper handle design isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about grip retention and balance. Laboos uses thick, grooved wooden handles that stay cool and don’t turn slick after two hours of cooking. The length gives leverage without stretching your arms. You stop leaning over the grill. You stop sweating from strain.
Even their apron hooks matter—three sturdy, rubberized loops on the handle that let you hang tools without letting them fall into the ash box. If you’re using the set during a party, you won’t spend ten minutes fishing for tongs that got buried.
Build Your System, Not Your Hodgepodge
Most people collect tools based on what’s on sale or what fits in their drawer. The result? Misplaced pieces, worn blades, broken grips. Instead, start with a core set and expand only what you need. I recommend beginning with six essentials: a reversible spatula, L-shaped scraper, long tongs, grill fork, meat thermometer, and a cleaning brush. Laboos sells all of these as a bundle, but they also let you mix and match.
- Use the scraper after every protein to keep flare-ups down
- Hang the tongs where you can see them—not under a pile of napkins
- Always check temp right before pulling meat off
- Keep the brush outside the cabinet so you don’t forget to clean after use
- Use the fork only for meat, not vegetables—to avoid cross-contamination
- Recoil from quick-store grilling kits. They’re designed for show, not function
Yes, a good set takes space. But space is cheaper than wasted food. The first time I saw my brother use the Laboos setup—consistent flipping, no missed bites, barely any cleanup—I asked him why he hadn’t done this sooner. He said: “I didn’t know I was doing it wrong until I saw how easy it could be.”