Outdoor gadget upgrades for an easy summer
Make the great outdoors even greater with cool gadgets to make life easier so you can further enjoy all of summer’s awesomeness.
Yes, we know that you may get outside to get away from technology, but items like a Wi-Fi barbecue thermometer means you can check on dinner without having to step away from your guests. A robot lawnmower will quietly cut the grass so you can get more hammock time.
Be the coolest of them all
The Coolest cooler has a 60-quart capacity and keeps ice cold for four to five days. But it also has a splashproof and shockproof speaker, a secret compartment to hold small items (like a phone), bottle opener, corkscrew, plates and other picnic needs. Lids can be customizable to add a blender, bar-top table or a solar-panel lid to charge cell phones. Starting at $249, coolest.com
Italian-style pizzas at home
Smart design and material use are why you can cook four pizzas at once in 90 seconds with the Alfa 4 Pizze Copper Top Wood Fired Oven. The oven’s interior is designed to efficiently circulate heat, letting the oven reach higher temperatures, faster, while multiple layers of European ceramic fiber surrounding the oven are heat-resistant to 2000 F. Compact enough to use on balconies or terraces. $2,799, abt.com
I, Robot
Hate mowing the lawn? New versions of robotic lawnmowers do the dirty work for you, quietly and efficiently. Husqvarna’s Automower 430XH cuts up to 0.8 acre, and automatically recharges, $2,699.95 husqvarna.com
High-tech BBQ
Want the incredible flavor of wood-fired BBQ, but the ease of technology? Traeger Grills new Pro 780 lets consumers control their grill’s temperature remotely. The WiFIRE technology means a faster startup time and keeps temperatures constant. The app also comes with recipes. $800, traegergrills.com
Watch dinner from anywhere
Maverick’s Wi-Fi digital thermometer lets you monitor your food from anywhere via their app. Comes with two meat probes and is water-resistant. $129.99, maverickthermometers.com
Scram, skeeters
Trap and quietly kill mosquitoes and more, up to one acre, with the Dynatrap insect trap. The trap uses UV light and produces carbon dioxide (the same gas we emit when we exhale) to attract the pests, and sucks them up with a quiet vacuum. Pesticide and odor free, $189, abt.com
Grill smart
Lynx Grill’s sleek SmartGrill is an internet-connected gas grill that automatically cooks foods based on user preference. Smart grillers can use their smart device or voice commands to find recipes and cook perfectly with Trident infrared burners, similar to what professional chefs use. $7,119, www.abt.com