Best Outdoor Tech for 2024

Living in Virginia means I get cool winters and very hot summers. My backyard is set just right so no wind ever reaches it, making summer days stifling and in need of a breeze. The Shark FlexBreeze has been a godsend since it arrived because it offers wire-free cooling directly to me and my family. The battery charges quickly and lasts for hours, or it can be plugged in for continuous power if you aren’t using the mister. Oh, by the way, it also has a mister which is fantastic if you don’t mind being moist. For one more party trick, the Shark can pull apart into a shorter table fan, making it truly versatile.

This large solar light has an elegant design that can be screwed into your deck near a pool or walkway to give a beautiful glow all night long. Or you can do what I’ve done and use it in place of a real flame fire pit. The soft, warm light gives that same ambiance a fire pit does without adding degrees of heat to the surrounding area.
My family and I love to hang out in the yard during the summer, but the temperatures are in the mid-80s, much too hot for a real flame. The Skye from Mod Lighting is an excellent compromise.

Most propane patio heaters have two issues: They are ugly, and they heat from the top. The East Oak patio heater has this cool fire effect running through the center that looks excellent and helps heat you and your friends. A normal heater rains heat down on your tall friend’s head, but this one radiates it out so you can all enjoy the 48,000 BTU it gives off, enough to heat a 15-foot diameter space.

This is easily the most extravagant thing on this list, but if you spend hours in your backyard like we do, having a TV designed to last is well worth it. This entry from Sylvox is water resistant against rain and splashing from the pool, can work in freezing temperatures as well as hot weather and is smart too.

The Google TV integration makes the entire TV very snappy and you get all of your favorite apps to play with. The volume is decent, though nothing to write home about, but the screen is incredibly bright. Even on the brightest day, I was able to watch Miraculous Ladybug with my daughter without any issues.

For the last two years, we’ve rounded up coolers across the price spectrum, from $10 disposable models to $300 coolers made of rotomolded plastic. The Igloo MaxCold isn’t the most amazing performer, but it’s in the top five, above coolers that cost more than $200. If you want to splurge, Cabela’s, Orca and Yeti all have rotomolded designs that will keep their contents colder for longer, but the small gap between those models and this $100-ish Igloo MaxCold make it hard to justify spending more.

Roasting marshmallows over a fire pit is a tried-and-tested good time, I think we can all agree. But what if we want to take it to the next level? This cowboy fire pit from Pit Boss lets you cook hotdogs, burgers and chicken legs over a fully open flame as if you were hanging out in the wild west.

The entire fire pit is very sturdy, and though it’s designed for pellets, it can easily burn logs too. It isn’t smokeless like some of the other fire pits we’ve tested, but you want some smoke to add to the flavor and ambiance when cooking food over a flame. If you are looking for something more than just a hotdog while sitting around the fire, there are some excellent accessories to cook nearly anything you’d like — even pizza.

Having a solar generator with you when you go places is great. I recently took my family to the local lake, and by setting up the Ecoflow River and its solar panel, I could keep all our devices charged and even help out some of our lakeside neighbors. I could also power the pump for all the inflatables on the beach!

The power station is helpful even at home, where I have outlets near. I have it set up at the other end of the yard with lights and seats for people to escape the noise and keep their phones charged.

While many Bluetooth speakers suffer from poor bass reproduction, the HD-Force from Treblab sounds deep and rich at any volume. The battery will last the length of any outdoor gathering, and the flashing lights on top add a party atmosphere in the evenings.

The HD-Force also has an IPX6 water rating, meaning it can survive an extended blast of high-pressure water or splashing. You won’t want to drop it in the pool, but it can handle all the splashing or sprinklers you could want.

Outdoor lighting can be very boring, but it doesn’t have to be. These smart lights from Govee are designed to be staked into the grass along pathways, and they work great to highlight your path in assorted colors. I used them a little differently, though.

Using command strips I attached them around the rail on my balcony. Now, because they are controlled by your phone and can dance to the music, I have an awesome light show when I have friends over to party.