4 Best Braai Products & Gear for the Summer Season

We’ve been locked in, locked down, and locked away for too long! Luckily for us, summer is here, and we live in a breathtakingly beautiful country, where the greatest adventures in the world are right on our doorstep. Now more than ever, we’ve been given the opportunity to renew our sense of wonder with the incredible attractions and sites in South Africa.

There’s no better outdoor activity than a good old South African braai. No matter your fitness level or age, a braai is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors, whether you’re lighting the coals in your backyard, or firing up the grill at a public braai spot. Now that braai season is upon us it’s the perfect time to invest in some new braai gear. Having the right gear will no doubt improve your braai game and impress your friends and family with your top-notch grill skills.

To celebrate the beginning of braai season in South Africa, there is a handful of newly developed braai products and gear that has arrived just in time for the festive season, and the warmer months that lie ahead.

The braai gear, which includes all the necessities needed to spark those magic moments. This new range will enable grill masters in their pursuit of hosting the perfect braai, whether this be in your own back garden with friends, on a mountain top with a travel group, or camping with family.

For the Love of the Braaibroodjie

No braai is complete without a braaibroodjie. But how do you take the traditional braaibroodjie to new heights? By baking your own bread, of course! Nothing makes baking your own bread easier than LK’s Bread Oven. It’s the perfect braai gadget for family braai occasions — especially when camping! Making up to 1 kilogram of bread, this easy-to-use steel oven is a must-have for keen bakers who love camping and the outdoors. LK’s Outdoor Bread Oven allows you to enjoy a warm baked loaf at your campsite every day!

I can’t believe how easy it is to use this braai bread oven! If you’re feeling up to the task, then simply whip up your own bread dough and get baking. If you’re short on time or want an easy shortcut, then you can also buy pre-made bread dough from your local bakery to use on your camping trip or at home.

A 1KG loaf of bread takes about 45-minutes to an hour to bake and the bread bakes all the way through with very little effort at all. To get the oven fired up, you will need about 24 hot coal bricketts. First place your dough inside the bread oven, put on the lid and then place your bread oven on the braai. Make sure you evenly distribute the hot coals at the bottom, on the sides, and on top of the bread oven to ensure an even bake. This little gadget is truly a gem, I’ve only used it to bake plain white bread so far but now that I’ve broken it in I’m keen to test it out on other bakes, like banana loaf, raisin bread, and more!

The LK’s Bread Oven is available from Cape Union Mart at R899. 

Ensure you’re well covered

Are you curious about what it would be like to have superpowers? These N-rit BBQ Gloves will give you a taste of what it’s like to be a superhero; if your dream is to be a superhero with the power to shove your hands into a hot braai with no cause for concern. Jokes aside, it’s important to protect your hands when cooking meat and other tasty treats on the braai. Prevent your hands from getting burnt while making sure the meat is perfectly cooked at your next braai with these nifty braai gloves.

These thick, heat-resistant 100% genuine leather gloves will make sure you have enough finger movement while still protecting your hands from being burnt. They’re perfect for use when camping or when enjoying a backyard braai at home. They will prove to be a lifesaver at any braai, whether you need to pick up a hot potjie pot, turn a braai grid that has been sitting over hot flames, or pop a few more logs on the fire.

The gloves are one-size-fits-all, and the boyfriend and I found them to be equally easy to use and slip on and off as needed. They offer incredible protection from hot flames and are a must-have safety item at any braai. We’ve tried multiple braai gloves over the years and have had to toss them out after a few uses because they melt or rip. These braai gloves from N-rit are definitely the best of the best and are sure to last years!

The N-rit BBQ Gloves are available from Cape Union Mart at R199 a pair. 

Light up your braai

Gone are the days of dropping perfectly edible meat on the floor because you couldn’t see what you were doing at the braai. Tonglite has the perfect solution in the form of the ultimate LED braai tongs. These easy-to-use tongs feature a detachable torch that guarantees a warm white LED light every single time, displaying your meat in the best possible light (see what I did there). The Tonglite Braai Tongs truly are a game-changer at the braai and are great for home use and for camping.

Ergonomically designed to suit both small and bigger hands, the elongated frame of these tongs allows you to reach the meat easily, without having to compete with the heat. Featuring a Fibre Reinforced Nylon handle, the tongs offer excellent grip for peace of mind at the braai.

The removable waterproof torch allows you to detach the light if you need to get a closer look without the tongs and also enables easy cleaning of the tongs easily in the dishwasher or warm soapy water. The torch needs 1 AA battery to operate (the box includes 2 batteries to get you started) but the battery last ages before it needs replacing. We’ve been using it every night for 2 weeks and the battery is still going strong.

These tongs are made from stainless steel and the construction of the frame is stable and feel solid in your hand without being too heavy. The tong jaws are great stability and grip, while long arms give you excellent 43 cm reach. A built-in spring mechanism ensures the tongs offer a good grip on even the biggest chunk of meat, while a lockable clip allows for compact storage.

The Tonglite Braai Tongs are available at Cape Union Mart at R350. 

The big daddy of gas braais

Of course, you may be in the market for a new braai itself, which is an exciting (but often daunting) endeavour. There are some great options out there, but one of the newest releases which has caught our eye is the Apex Series 6 Burner Gourmet Plus Patio Gas Braai with Searing Side Burner.

What makes this new gas braai so exciting is its sheer versatility, it is like a compact kitchen on your patio and everything you have ever wanted in a braai! With removable griddles and pan you can not only braai but sear, smoke, broil and bake! It comes with a searing side burner, with a total heat output of 70,000 BTUs.

The Apex Series 6 Burner Gourmet Plus Patio Gas Braai with Searing Side Burner is available on the Megamaster website for R14,999.