Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori smoker and grill review

How easy is it to use?

There is lots to play with here. If you're after an entry-level low-and-slow smoker, as well as a two-tiered standard grill and ‘tandoori’ attachment (which works but isn’t really needed) then you’re not going to get more for your money then this model.

This barbecue easily morphs into one very portable mini kettle for camping or a fire pit to sit around for toasting marshmallows over. If you bought different bits of kit for all the functions this barbecue offers then the price would quickly mount up. It’s not the best-made barbecue on the block but it’s probably one of the cheapest.

Quality of cooking

From all the functions offered and the ingredients we cooked to test them out, the easiest to judge and the most impressive was a slow-cooked, semi-smoked spatchcocked chicken. Having the two tiers meant the chicken could be cooked slowly on the top and kept succulent from the barbecue's accurate thermometer reading (we tested it against a digital meat thermometer) and then given some colour on the bottom to finish.

The lower grill sits very close to the coals so be careful not to overfill the charcoal grate, as some of our vegetable slices where charred before being cooked through. After a bit of trial and error, however, they were fine.

On the other end of the scale was the ‘tandoori’ function which we felt was a bit redundant. We liked the fact that skewers (though, again, rather flimsy) came with the barbecue, but we can't see why you would want to cook them suspended rather than directly over the coals. However, that’s not just this model as this is a common problem with other home garden tandoors. Also, the promise of a tandoori for us means being able to blister naan breads on the side of it. This isn't possible with this barbecue so, in that respect, it's not really an effective tandoori for us.

That aside, even without the tandoor attachment this barbecue is still a bargain. The way it clips down from smoker or kettle barbecue to portable barbecue or fire pit particularly helps it feel worth the price tag.

Conclusion

This is a great budget barbecue for small gardens and anyone who wants a portable barbecue. If you’re after just a garden barbecue to feed a crowd with then we would go for something wider, more traditional and better built.

Available from Bar-Be-Quick (£99)

Specifications

RRP: £99.00
Dimensions: 43cm wide, 75cm tall
Functions: Tandoori oven, grill, smoker and fire pit
Materials: Enamel finish, stainless steel grill

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This review was last updated in April 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.