Gadgets: Cole Henry Barbecue Table

The Scottish barbecuing season is notoriously short. No matter how many patio heaters I surround myself with prior to July and August, I'm yet to be convinced that a blackened sausage warrants an hour of chilly al fresco dining.

The six seater costs 2,600, while the eight seater retails at 3,100. Benches available separately. Visit www.homegardenliving.co.uk or www.colehenley.com

That could well be about to change with the Cole Henry Barbecue Table. This behemoth of barbecuing beauty delivers the three-for-one combination of barbecue, table and heater.

Made from iroko hardwood from Africa, the table comes in two sizes – a six seater at 1.9 metres long (1m wide) and a princely eight seater at 2.5 metres long. Built into the surface of this svelte yet sturdy combo of hardwood and steel is a custom-designed, gas-fired barbecue. There's a small control panel at one end and each of the grills is independently operated. There'll be no games of hot potato as thankfully only the table cooking area gets hot.

If you've been watching Great British Menu on BBC2, you'll be familiar with the mantra that food brings people together. The Cole Henry Barbecue Table is the party trick the United Nations has been campaigning for, and speaking personally, it's a great way to stop my Uncle Allan from torching another snorker.

If you can justify the expense, it's a surefire way of stoking up conversation, keeping warm and making sure you actually get your steak medium-rare.

The six seater costs 2,600, while the eight seater retails at 3,100. Benches available separately. Visit www.homegardenliving.co.uk or www.colehenley.com

This article was originally published in the Scotsman. June 4th 2011