One of these 10 nifty grilling gadgets will offer the grillmaster (or mistress) a helping hand while he's sweating it out over the coals--and even save a bit of time so he can enjoy the party a bit himself.

Grill Alert Talking Remote Thermometer
There is nothing more annoying at a cook-out than a backseat chef looking over your shoulder: "Careful, those dogs are gonna burn." Take the guesswork out grilling--and keep the hovering guests at bay--with this meat thermometer ($75) that alerts you from up to 200 feet away when your meal is "almost ready" and "ready."

Automatic Hot Dog Grill Roller
How many times have you lost a hot dog or sausage link to grilling rollaway or cooked one side to a crisp while the other was practically raw? It's okay if you have; it happens to he best of us. But it doesn't have to anymore thanks to this multi-pronged spit ($48) that holds up to five dogs at once and continuously rotates them to ensure even cooking.

Electric Charcoal Starter
I don't you about you, but I'm pretty lazy when it comes to charcoal; I buy the pre-lighter-fluid-soaked MatchLight so I can eliminate a step and also not worry about getting a tad overzealous with the lighter fluid and end up having to draw on eyebrows for the rest of my life. Good news for me: This iron briquette lighter ($19), gets coals ready for cookin' in 10 minutes--no stanky-smelling fluid necessary.

Solar-Powered Grill
Harness the sun's heat to cook your holiday fare this year. Using the same principle as those awful reflective tanning boards (minus the skin cancer), this solar grill from Tammock (about $240), cooks evenly without gas, coal, or electricity. If it's overcast on the Fourth, though, you may be outta luck.

LED Grill Light
Sure, you BBQ probably starts around 2 in the afternoon, but once the fireworks are over, you know no one's really ready to go home. That's where this bright 4-LED clip-on lamp ($49.95) comes into play. Attach this flexible stainless steel light to the side of your grill and enjoy a late-night snack or some s'mores. Mmmmm.

Smokenator 1000
Who says a plain old Weber kettle grill can't do what those new behemoth gas grills can? Not I. Alright, I'll admit it's not the "techiest" thing out there--it doesn't even need batteries--but this metal partitioning system ($39.99) delivers that nice, slow-cooked smokey taste without the mess and extra equipment you'd expect. Plus: it's called the Smokenator. Come on!

Motorized Grill Brush
Save your energy for the touch football or Frisbee game in the backyard after lunch, by letting this motorized brush from Brookstone ($25) do the hard labor for you. Spinning brass bristles (removable for cleaning) wipe away sticky grime and residue, while a built-in stainless steel scraper removes tougher cooked-on nastiness.

George Foreman iGrill
Can you imagine a geeker grill modification? I sure can't. That doesn't mean I don't desperately want one of these to put out on my veranda (er, fire escape). A grill and iPod docking station all in one for just $169? I'm pretty much sold.

Weather-Resistant Grill Fork/Thermometer
We love multi-purpose gadgets around here, so we think this fork and meat thermometer combo ($34.95) is a slam dunk. The fast-conducting copper fork tips get an accurate reading in 3 seconds, and the housing is completely water resistant in case of rain or marinade mishaps.

Outdoor Grill Fan
If you hand this to the cook, you may never hear the phrase "I slaved over a hot grill for three hours to make this meal for you...." again--at least until the batteries run out. This six-inch, clip-on fan ($39.99) may not make you feel like you're back in the air conditioning, but it sure beats heat and smoke making you feel like you're about to pass out.

Post by Corinne Iozzio