Lighter, drawn-out days, warmer nights, and World Cup watch parties can mean only one thing: alfresco dining. If you’re itching to get the barbecue out, we’ve rounded up reader tips and tricks – and some of our own – to help up your grill game.

If you need an upgrade to your setup, the Weber kettle barbecue “makes incredible food without any faff”, says Alex David, who gave it top spot in his test of the best barbecues. Or Argos’s affordable drum-shaped grill “has everything you need and a little more”, and was Alex’s budget favourite.

Reader Martin Smith recommends a chimney starter to get up to temperature quickly. “It’s great because you can put the second burn on and it doesn’t take too long. Just put it on the ground and heat some more charcoal while you’re waiting for things to cook.” Martin also says: “Restaurant-quality coal makes a real difference. It’s expensive but burns at a consistent temperature.”

Did you know pizza ovens can be used for more than just pizza? From charring vegetables to cooking fillets of fish, you can serve up a whole alfresco feast – no barbecue required. The Filter’s favourite is the Gozney Arc Lite, which came out on top in Rachel Ogden’s review of the best pizza ovens.

Ben Smith recommends a grilling basket for easy flipping. “It means you don’t have to scrape anything off the grill itself,” he said, and it’s ideal for more delicate foods such as fish. He also suggests making your own burgers. “That way you know exactly what’s in them and you can experiment with flavours. These patty moulds make it easy.” His final tip is to use a grill dome to get perfectly melted cheese on your burger.

Filter deputy editor, Monica Horridge, rates barbecue gloves. “They’re much better than normal oven gloves – they’re actually all I use inside,” she says. While Ben Snodin very sensibly suggests a Thermapen “to avoid poisoning your guests”.

Recipes, condiments and tipples

Want to experiment beyond your bog-standard sausage in a bap? Monica recommends investing in a barbecue book for inspiration. Her favourites are Berber & Q, The Green Barbecue and Scorched (the ultimate guide to barbecuing fish).

If you’re not confident in your cooking abilities, delicious condiments can mask a multitude of sins. She recommends Ottolenghi’s chilli sauce and the Sauce Shop and James Cochran’s scotch bonnet chilli jam.

We’re not suggesting getting your guests inebriated will make your food taste better, but serving some good tipples couldn’t hurt. For the ultimate G&T, try East London Liquor Co’s gin, Joanne Gould’s favourite from her taste test of the best gins (she tried 65). For those not drinking, this Mother Root non-alcoholic aperitif mixed with tonic is a winner.

Finally, food and drinks writer Clare Finney has rounded up the best snacks, drinks and dishes to bring to a barbecue to impress your hosts (and not a pasta salad in sight).

Keep guests entertained

Barbecues are only 60% about food – the other 40% is about fun with friends and family. Add to the vibe with a Bluetooth speaker, and provide hours of entertainment with a flying disc or an addictive card game like Flip 7 (3+ players).

The cleanup

When it’s time to clean up, Abi Crane says not to bother with barbecue cleaning products. “The best way to get the grill nice and shiny is just to light the barbecue and get it hot. Then slice half an onion and stick it on the barbecue with some tongs or a fork, rub it along the grill, and it will come up sparkling.”

This week’s picks

• From low-impact loo roll to vintage sinks: 13 ways to make your bathroom more sustainable

• ‘Tastes like I remember from childhood’: the best supermarket double cream, tasted and rated

• The best robot vacuums to keep your home clean and dust free, tested

• The best sunglasses for men and women: 27 favourites with UV protection

• What happened to just wearing a band T-shirt? The new rules of concert dressing

Editor’s pick

Charlie Allenby has been busy testing the best Father’s Day gifts for every kind of father figure in your life, ahead of the big day (21 June, if you’ve forgotten). From board games to pickleball, toolkits to hand balm, chocolate to coffee tequila, we’ve got a pick for even the fussiest dads.

Monica Horridge
Deputy editor, the Filter

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Get involved

Are you just a teeny, weeny bit obsessed with coffee? What is the one thing that made your daily cup or two better? Let us know by replying to this newsletter or emailing us at thefilter@theguardian.com.