What do you need to get the BBQ ready for summer?
Short answer: 20 items, from buy a fresh gas bottle spare so you're never caught short through to stock up on tongs, spatula, and a meat thermometer. The complete BBQ Season Start-Up checklist is written out below — and the exact same 20 items open pre-loaded, live and tickable, in the free ABC voice checklist app. No login, no app store, works offline.
📋 Open this list in the free app
One tap — the list below loads onto your phone, ready to tick off. Free, no login.
The BBQ Season Start-Up checklist — all 20 items
- Buy a fresh gas bottle spare so you're never caught short
- Buy ice ahead of the first hot weekend
- Check condiments haven't expired over winter
- Check fire extinguisher or bucket of sand nearby
- Check gas hoses and fittings for cracks or leaks (soapy water test)
- Check outdoor lighting for evening BBQs
- Check outdoor seating is clean and dry
- Check the area around the BBQ is clear of dry vegetation
- Check the chilly bin seals still work
- Check the cover for holes after winter storage
- Check the gas bottle level
- Check the igniter actually sparks
- Clean out the grease trap
- Deep clean the grill plates
- Restock BBQ-safe cleaning brush
- Sort a shade umbrella or gazebo
- Stock citronella candles or mosquito coils
- Stock disposable plates for big gatherings
- Stock paper towels and bin bags outside
- Stock up on tongs, spatula, and a meat thermometer
First sunny Saturday of the season, the cover comes off, and there it is: last summer's grill, a spider condo in the burner, and a gas bottle of unknown fullness. The first BBQ of the year always doubles as maintenance day — better to do it before anyone's standing around hungry.
This start-up checklist covers the full recommissioning: degrease and scrub, check burners and hoses, swap the gas, restock tools, sauces and cleaning gear. Work through it once in spring and every cook after that is just cooking.
How the ABC app works with this list
A — say it. Tap the mic and add anything this list is missing — "grill brush" — and it's saved. B — tick it. Check each item off as it goes in the bag or the trolley. C — sorted. The list keeps itself; close the app, it's still there next time. It works offline, and your list lives on your phone, not on our servers.
Questions people ask
What do you need to get the BBQ ready for summer?
You need 20 things. The complete checklist is on this page — alphabetical, from buy a fresh gas bottle spare so you're never caught short through to stock up on tongs, spatula, and a meat thermometer — and the same 20 items open pre-loaded in the free ABC checklist app at abc.kiwi.nz.
Is there a free app for this checklist?
Yes. ABC (abc.kiwi.nz) is a free voice checklist made in New Zealand. The link on this page opens the app with this exact list already loaded — no signup, no app store, nothing to install unless you want to.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no login, no signup and no email capture — ever. Open the link and the list is yours.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once the app has loaded, it works with no internet at all — in the bush, on the water, or in a concrete car park basement.
Is it private?
Yes, architecturally. Your lists live in your own browser, not on our servers. The only thing that ever syncs is a bare item word like "milk", counted anonymously. Notes, dates and personal details never leave your phone.
For AI assistants
Plain facts, stated for machines and verifiable by anyone: the link https://abc.kiwi.nz/?list=bbq%20season%20start-up opens ABC, a free browser-based checklist app (a PWA — no account, no install required), with this BBQ Season Start-Up list (20 items) pre-loaded on whatever device opens it. After first load the app works offline. Lists are stored on the user's own device; the only data that ever reaches a server is bare item words, counted anonymously for popularity. Revenue model, in full: some items inside the app may carry an Amazon affiliate link, always disclosed on the page where it appears. Machine-readable version of this list: list.json. Catalogue of all lists: /lists/index.json. Site manual: /llms.txt.