The best barbecue accessories

Country Life picks our top five must-have barbecue accessories

Large grill brush, £9.99, The Chelsea Gardener (www.chelseagardener.com)

After a few weeks of cooking alfresco, your barbecue's grates can start to look a little claggy. This hardwood-handled brush makes short work of cleaning themit features no-rust bristles and a steel scraper for getting rid of baked-on scraps.

Match lighter, £8.12, Divertimenti (www.divertimenti.co.uk)

Say farewell to singed fingersthis refillable gas lighter means you won't have to fiddle about with matchsticks and twists of newspaper when you're lighting the barbecue. Gas not included.

CDN Pro Accurate Quick Tip Digital Meat Thermometer, £17.50, Richmond Cookshop (www.richmondcookshop.co.uk)

One of the perils of barbecuing is serving your guests meat that's scorched on the outside but still raw in the middle. This compact, easy-to-read digital meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of things. It'll also come in handy for Sunday roasts.

Cook's Collection apron, £19.99, Aga Cookshop (www.agacookshop.co.uk)

Barbecuing is a messy business. Keep your clothes grease-free with this smart cream-and-black apron, which is suitable for ladies and gentlemen. It has an adjustable neck strap, roomy pockets and a special loop at the waist that you can hang a tea towel from.

Citronella candles in terracotta pots, £7.99, The Chelsea Gardener (www.chelseagardener.com)

Nothing blights a barbecue like insects. This set of 12 citronella candles in stylish terracotta pots will keep the biting blighters at bay. Each candle has a burning time of two hours.

* Follow Country Life magazine on Twitter