How to Move a Heavy Barbecue Pit

Barbecue pits come in a range of different sizes and weights, from light kettle-drum shaped items to brick and stone pits that weigh a lot. Portable barbecue pits allow the cook to move them around the garden, perhaps to catch the last rays of a summer evening or to accommodate larger family gatherings. There are different types of barbecue pits which are suitable for moving, but that doesn’t mean that they aren't heavy.

The Handled

Handled barbecue pits are the most common type of portable pit. Handles can either be at the sides of the grill pan, rather like a wok, or they can be on the top of the fire pit’s lid, which can be locked closed and the pit carried like a case.

When moving heavy handled barbecue pits, it is important to remember that the less there is inside the pit, the easier it will be to move: empty out pans, utensils, charcoal and anything else removable. Sometimes simply removing all of these goods is enough to lighten the barbecue pits enough to make them portable.

The Wheeled

There are now wheeled barbecue pits which can be shifted into place. Swivelled front wheels allow for steering, while the massive back wheels ensure that it glides easily over patios and stone paths. Beach barbecue pits are often made to resemble wooden boxes on wheels, although these are slightly more flimsy than the ones described above, and can cost $400 or more.

As with the handled barbecue pits, it is important to take any removable parts off of the barbecue before moving. The grate can go, as can any charcoal or smoker units inside the barbecue. Make sure that the barbecue pit is as light as you can make it before taking hold of the handles and moving purposefully forward. Heavy barbecue pits move easily across the ground with wheels.

The Dug-in Barbecue Pit

In the past, brick-built barbecue pits were extremely popular, and many houses had one built in the garden. Moving these kinds of barbecue pits is tricky, rather like moving a room of the house, as they usually have foundations, laid bricks, and once they are in, there seems very little point in trying to move brick barbecue pits.

Safety First

When lifting the core of any kind of barbecue pit, make sure that you bend down with knees bent and back straight. Keep feet flat on the floor while lifting. If it seems too heavy for one person, it probably is.

Don’t move barbecue pits directly after cooking. The handles themselves may be rust and heat proof, but the lid and base of the pit won’t be–and it is all too easy to catch something hot on vulnerable pieces of skin. Wait at least half a day, preferably overnight, before trying to shift barbecue pits that have been used.