The rise of the luxury barbecue: the UK’s new outdoor cooking obsession

B urned sausages, limp salads and undercooked chicken legs you live to regret; the British barbecue has historically been a sorry affair. But a slew of fancy equipment the price of a secondhand car is revolutionising the grilling game. Over the past few years, the £1,000-plus barbecue has soared in popularity. The Big Green Egg, a pioneer of the premium outdoor cooking movement, has recorded 1m visits to its UK website so far this year. Its classic model retails at £1,495. The market extends far beyond ceramic egg-shaped grills. Bertha sells Tardis-like freestanding outdoor coal ovens in aubergine purple and racing green for £4,500. Kamado Joe’s Series III charcoal barbecue, which includes a protective cover, a bag of charcoal and a pack of fire starters, will set you back £2,000. The “Konnected Joe” iteration comes with in-built wifi . Another popular option, the OFYR wood fired outdoor unit (£1,295), is arguably the prettiest of the bunch and doubles as a fire pit. The Big Green Egg is a kamado-style unit inspired by Japanese charcoal stoves. Photograph: Alex David John Lewis reports a 100% increase in sales of its premium barbecue range over the past 12 months, while Weber, the company behind the classic UFO-style barbecue, has noticed an increase in demand for its premium models . According to Alexandra Hayes, co-founder of the food consultancy Harris and Hayes, the premium trend emerged during Covid when there were restrictions on eating out. …