We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A portable 100-inch movie screen so you can move your family movie night outdoors. It's lightweight yet sturdy, large enough for everyone (and probably the neighbors) to see, and reviewers say setup takes mere minutes.
Promising review: "We purchased this to replace our inflatable screen and are very satisfied. No electricity required. The screen renders good picture quality, which you can see from the front and back. It came with assembly instructions and after you've set it up once, you can set it up in minutes. It is very portable and comes in a convenient bag; easy to store. While it's lightweight, we had no problems with it tipping over and didn't need to anchor it (although you might need to do this if there is a breeze)." —Amazon Junkie
Get it from Amazon for $89.95+ (available in two sizes).
2. A portable George Foreman grill to make summer barbecues a possibility, even if you have an itsy bitsy teensy weensy balcony or backyard. This indoor/outdoor electric grill comes with a detachable stand (so you can even cook on a table), while still delivering delicious grill marks and char.
This comes with nonstick coating and five adjustable temperature settings.
Promising review: "This is the perfect grill for my apartment balcony. It was easy to clean and it's really nonstick. In comparison to other brands, this actually heats up the plate instead of heating lights. It cooked really well and was very easy to install. I would definitely recommend to purchase this if you have a small balcony." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $109.99+ (available in two colors).
3. A set of color-changing inflatable pool balls that'll entice you to actually get in the pool, even if it's just to pose with your new lights for Instagram. Each ball is solar-powered and will last about eight hours on a charge.
Each light cycles through red, blue, white, and green.
Promising review: "My pool is so old school and boring that I bought these to liven it up and what a difference!! My pool went from 'meh' to WOW! The balls are easily inflated by mouth like a beach ball. Once inflated, a few hours in the sun and they are charged and ready to go. They light up after dusk (it has to be rather dark). There is no manual way to power them on or off; they glow all night long. The changing colors are vibrant and very beautiful. They have a loop at the top if you would like to hang them. They would be magical hanging in a tree or from a pergola. I really liked how easy these were to fill and charge, and I like the solar power and the amazing color display. They make my inner child happy." —J. Matheson
Get a set of four from Amazon for $65.99 (or one for $18.99).
4. A durable dog/kiddie pool for sweltering hot days when the only reasonable thing to do is hop in the pool. These are portable and fold down so you can store them in the garage for next summer. And reviewers say they're sturdy enough to stand up to pups roughhousing in them.
Promising review: "I am now the proud owner of THREE of these dog pools. I have an XXL, an XL, and an S pool for our backyard 'frogs' that wouldn't stay out of the big pools! Yes, I bought the frogs their own pool...that's how amazing these pools are! We had the XXL and XL pools out every day last summer (changed the water twice per week) and they were used daily by all three dogs. There have been no punctures of any sort or any issues at all with these pools, and my dogs can play pretty rough at times. The XXL pool was used for both the 2018 and 2019 summers with no issues. These pools are literally my dogs' favorite part of summer... I can't keep them out of them! As soon as we get back from a walk, they jump right in!" —Kate M
Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in five sizes).
5. Or an inflatable pool with a built-in bench if you dream of sunny days relaxing in a pool with a glass of sweet tea. Make that dream a reality, even if you have a small backyard!
Promising review: "Good size. I'm 5'4 and I bought it for my 3-year-old and 2-year-old for the spring and summer. I didn't need anything huge; I have a nice size deck and we spend a lot of time on the deck so I wanted something big enough for them to have some wiggle room to keep cool but not too big so it wouldn't take up to much room. I also purchased an outdoor grass rug to put it on to protect the bottom of it and keep it from getting splinters (just a suggestion if you plan on using on the deck). It has a drain plug so cleaning and getting fresh water is not hard at all." —Majestic 0220
Get it from Amazon for $48.59.
6. A sunshade triangle because it creates some much-needed shade in your backyard. This heavy-duty sunshade is designed to block up to 95% of UV rays while shielding you from the sun to keep you cool.
Promising review: "My pool is awesome when it gets into the 100s of degrees here in California. We decided to grab a 20x20x20 triangle and holy cow does it do a number on the backyard! Not only does it keep my pool better-shaded, but it also keeps the sun off of my back patio during the hottest part of the day." —The Tiki Lab
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in five sizes and six colors).
7. A balcony bar so you can enjoy the spring breeze and sunlight even if you have an itty bitty balcony. There's zero assembly required; just slide it over your deck rails and enjoy your new spot!
Best Balcony Bars makes...the best balcony bars, whether you're looking for space-saving outdoor furniture or you want to turn your patio into *the* place to be.
Promising review: "Beautiful, hand-crafted, custom-fit to my railing. Creator is great to deal with on a custom piece. Everyone compliments it. I eat or have drinks on it every day and prefer it to eating at my dining room table! The second tier is ideal serving dishes, glasses, bottles, and the main tier is ideal for main dishes, computers, and notebooks while optimizing my patio functionality and keeping me at my serene view throughout my day. Great custom piece!" —Travis Horn
Get it from Best Balcony Bars on Etsy for $175.95+ (available in two sizes and four stains).
8. An umbrella light to provide some much-needed overhead lighting when the sun sets but your fam is in the middle of an intense Uno game.
Promising review: "When I bought this, it was totally on a whim. I was convinced that because it was so inexpensive, it would be a cheap piece of junk! Was I wrong! It does a great job of lighting up the table with the three different settings. AND, if you turn it upside-down, you can further vary the brightness. (Sometimes you just want a hint of a glow, rather than a spotlight in your face.) I'm very happy with this, especially since I left it out all summer long with no issues. It was hidden under a closed umbrella, but I'm sure it got a little damp with rainwater and it survived! For just $10, it is such an easy solution for my patio that has no electricity, and therefore, needs something battery powered." —LouiseN
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
9. And a pack of solar-powered waterproof deck lights that'll illuminate all the dark areas outside your home now that the sun sets earlier. Attach them to deck railings, on the side of your stairs, to your fence, and wherever else it's a little spooky at night.
Promising review: "These lights were easy to install and look great in on our deck. We just had a pool built and needed some light on the steps of the deck so we could see walking up the steps at night. They're beautiful without too much light." —BJ
Get 16 from Amazon for $34.95+ (available in white or multicolored versions).
10. A box of mosquito-repellent incense sticks for warding off buzzing blood-suckers within a 12 foot radius for up to 2.5 hours. They're made with rosemary, peppermint, citronella, lemongrass, cedarwood, and bamboo so they won't offend your nose.
11. And a high-voltage bug zapper if you wanna say goodbye to not only mosquitoes, but also gnats, flies, moths, and other insects within a 1,500-square-foot area.
Promising review: "You will not be disappointed. I just moved out to the country and have been working out in the garage late at night. With the weather getting warmer, I've had the garage doors opened and mosquitos, gnats, and everything else have been finding there way into my garage, so I had to do something about it. I bought this and hung it next to my garage door opener because there's an outlet there and it is way better than expected. I have dead bees, stink bugs, gnats, mosquitoes, and other bugs that I do not know what they are. My 8-year-old son keeps asking me to remove the bottom tray so he can see all of the dead bugs that got zapped. Again, you will not be disappointed, I'm extremely happy I bought this!" —Chris & Jenny
Get it from Amazon for $33.99.
12. A robot lawn mower because you probably don't need a robot to mow your law for you, but you 1,000% want it.
Promising review: "I have to say I was skeptical with buying the Worx Landroid over the other competitors due to it being so cheap (relative). Set up took me about four hours to lay 1,000 linear feet (had to buy more from Lowes) but it very straight forward and a breeze. The mower currently has cut 60 miles and has run for 80 hours with very minimal hiccups. My yard looks like carpet and no areas require touch up due to the fact that this mower gets right up to the edge. My yard is relatively flat (.45 acres of grass) and open with no obstacles. I highly recommend this guy and saving your money over the other guys!" —Jeremy
Get it from Amazon for $933.71+ (available in two sizes).
13. A stainless-steel insert so you can enjoy fancy schmancy custom pies at home. This kit converts your charcoal grill so your 'za tastes like it's straight from a restaurant's pizza oven.
Promising review: "I really researched and shopped around before I purchased this from Amazon. I cooked my first pizza on it and it came out like a pro!! We will be using this especially during the summer as it pretty much stay in the triple digits here (the Mojave Desert). I cannot believe it took less than 10 minutes to bake an entire pizza. I recommend that you go to the KettlePizza website to get pointers from some of the celebrity chefs that they have videos of. These pointers really did help me to cook a perfect pizza!" —Kim Suzanne
Get it from Amazon for $143.95.
14. An outdoor activity box to keep your kiddo entertained without the use of screens. This is a great excuse to get everyone outside for a little bit so you can all enjoy some fresh air, some family bonding, and some surprisingly fun challenges — like figuring out how many times can you run around your backyard in two minutes. I'm already tired just thinking about it.
The Idea Box Kids is a small business based in Wilsonville, Oregon that dreams up super fun and exciting activity boxes that encourage child-directed and play-based learning.
Promising review: "I purchased this for my kids, ages 2–10. They all think it’s great and I agree!! The activities are new to us and that’s surprising because we have a house full of nature/project/homeschool books and games. I would definitely recommend purchasing." —jmo7799
Get 30 coins (60 activities total) from The Idea Box Kids on Etsy for $24.99.
15. A cozy hanging swing that'll do the dang job and do it well thanks to its durable, weather-resistant steel construction and thick woven wicker. It's the perfect cozy outdoor reading nook, and will look great for Instagram photos.
Promising review: "Worth every single dollar spent. I have used it for several hours per day, just wasting time away as I swing to and fro. I would need to use it for a few more weeks to numerically reach the threshold of worthiness equivalent to the price tag, but the item itself is fantastic." —Sophia
Get it from Novogratz on Amazon for $278.27+ (available in two styles and four colors).
16. An effective grill cleaner for keeping your most-used warm weather appliance in tip-top shape. It's almost outdoor barbecue season = you're gonna need this. It's a no-brainer!
Promising review: "I tried six different products before trying this one and by far, this is the best one of all. I am the type of person who prefers cleaning the grill immediately after grilling. It loosens the debris off the grates easily and comes off easily. I like easy practical cleaning without the need to spend much time scrubbing. Try it, you will not regret it." —Fmcasado
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $16.67.
17. A splurgeworthy yet functional pop-up tent if you're determined to enjoy your backyard no matter the weather. It's roomy enough for you and several friends (but it's also great if you just want a spacious and serene spot to get away from everyone and everything).
Promising review: "It keeps cold wind and leaves out and some heat in. There are zip vents at top to let in fresh air and two zipper doors. This has extended the season for hot tub use, we were able to set up in early March in Chicago area. Would also be fun for around a small picnic table and to sit outside in the rain." —Lisa F1969
Get it from Amazon for $297.49+ (available in three sizes).
18. A waterproof Bluetooth speaker because backyard activities are always better with good music. This small-but-mighty speaker products 360-degree sound, lasts 24 hours on a charge, and is splash-proof, rain-proof, dust-proof, and safe to use in the shower.
Promising review: "Super easy to set up, charge, pair, and listen. There’s a built-in loop, so I can attach it to my bike for outdoor cycling, a hook in the bathroom for steamy tunes, or my bag for picnics and hikes. Clear sound for listening to both music and spoken word (of course I tested both). Lovely color and sleek overall look with a range of over 30 feet. I can’t wait to bring this to the beach during the NYC summer months. True to product description." —Aminah
Get it from Amazon for $36.99+ (available in eight colors).
19. A multi-functional fire pit to bring the family together for fun outdoor activities like roasting s'mores or grilling. You can also fill the pit with ice and bottled beverages to keep you hydrated after hours in the sun.
Promising review: "I love the functionality of this fire pit so much! To just sit by the fire or to decide we want to do a quick barbecue on it is just so wonderful! I appreciate the cover that comes with it to protect it from the elements. Assembly was quite easy. I look forward to having this for many years to come. I highly recommend this product." —Kimi
Get it from Amazon for $79.99.
20. And a flame colorant that'll make cozy nights in front of the fire pit just a little bit more special.
21. A pool floaties organizer for storing your inflatable unicorn, beach balls, and pool noodles in one place instead of sighing disappointedly after realizing that the kids left their pool toys everywhere.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this for our pool. We attached it to the side of our above-ground pool and it holds all our floaties! I was actually thinking of getting another one if we get any more floats! It's awesome and well-made, and has several small compartments on the side too (for goggles and diving things)! I am in love with it, and it makes the yard seem neater!" —kitty
Get it from Amazon for $26.09.
22. A Sun Joe pressure washer if you need a helping hand to blast away spring's muddy messes and make cleaning...dare I say...fun. You'll be ~blown away~ by the results.
Promising review: "Great product at a good price. Used this power washer to wash my stucco house for pre painting. Unit worked as advertised. Fairly quiet, but yet powerful sprayer. Great customer service and would highly recommend this product to anyone." —Boy Wonder CTS
Get it from Amazon for $183.69.
23. A standing weeder because huge weeds are a total eyesore that may make chilling in your backyard not as aesthetically pleasing as you'd like. But what about having to kneel for hours plucking weeds? My back hurts just thinking about it! Thankfully, this tool has three steel claws that grip weeds and roots so you can pull them out while standing. Your backyard has never looked better!
Made with a bamboo handle and powder-coated steel, it uses a simple lever system to made weeding easy.
Promising review: "Oh my god, I friggin' love this tool. I bought this on a whim given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weeds was strangely satisfying! I don't think anyone can say that weeding is fun but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled." —JG
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
24. A three-piece furniture set so there's a cushy place to land after a long day at work. Unwinding with a glass of wine on the patio sounds pretty fun if you ask me.
Promising review: "Great set for the price! I needed a smaller chair and table set for my front porch as it is not very wide and this was perfect. Sturdy build and comfortable. Not hard to put together: all pieces were included and the instructions were easy. Can’t wait to sit outside with a cup of coffee and watch the cars drive by." —DEBBIE JACKSON
Get it from Amazon for $89.99+ (available in four colors).
25. A scum-absorbing sponge to slurp up all the oils, sunscreen, and yuckies that are chilling in your pool or hot tub. Just wring it out when it gets discolored, give it a rinse, and pop it back in the water.
Promising review: "Worked perfectly. Gathered all the gunk in my hot tub and was easier to clean than my other sponges. The turtle shape, while cute, is actually really important because the head and limbs increase the surface area thus providing more ability to absorb oils and gunk than other sponges. Ten minutes with the jets on and these gathered up all the surface oils so I could have guests over and show off my shiny clear hot tub." —Jack
Get two from Amazon for $11.99.
26. An outdoor drink stakes set that'll securely hold your glass of lemonade in a safe spot. You know what's not fun? Setting down your soda only for it to fall over on uneven ground, get kicked accidentally, or be invaded by ants.
Promising review: "These are great. They are large enough to hold large drink tumblers like a Yeti, they will hold a beer with a thick foam koozie, they will hold a giant Fosters can, and yes, it is large enough to hold a bottle of wine. They are made out of metal and seem pretty durable. Each one is two pieces that screw together and they have a small tab to help you push them into the ground with your feet. The only thing I would improve is to make the foot tab a little larger, otherwise they have my stars." —Jamawama
Get a set of four from Amazon for $19.99.
27. A 4-in-1 inflatable pool float for making pool time even more fun. But beware — it's so dang comfortable that you might want to buy two so you don't have to share!
Promising review: "Got this on a whim after reading some reviews. I didn't expect it to immediately become the fam's new favorite! Lay back and you are half in, half out of the water so you aren't baking from above or freezing below — just what we wanted. It holds your head well out of the water and feels very supportive/stable. I've had it for about a month now and only had to blow it up the first time, the plastic is fairly thick and doesn't lose air through seams or the nozzle. We have a full-body foam float that cost about $120 and it never gets used any more. Everybody takes turns on this one. Great deal for the price; I just bought three more of various colors. Go ahead and try it." —JB
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in 17 colors).
28. A garbage guard if there's always a cloud of flies hovering around your outdoor trash cans when the weather warms. It sticks to the inside of your garbage can and releases an odorless vapor that prevents buggies for up to four months.
Promising review: "I ordered this product because every spring and summer we have problems with flies and maggots in the garbage can. The device has been on my garbage can lid for a few days now. It survived the weekly trash pickup. As for whether or not this device works: Let me tell you: NO FLIES, NO MAGGOTS!!! This product works well. Just be careful when applying the adhesive strip." —MRS. PATRICIA A NELSON
Get it from Amazon for $7.98.
29. A hanging curved lounge chair because it'll keep you shaded and comfy as you chill by the pool. Now's the perfect time (and this is the perfect place) to curl up and crack open that book you said you were going to read.
Promising review: "The only problem I have with this chair is that I only have one of them and the whole family now fights over it! Seriously, it is THAT comfortable and relaxing. Pretty easy to put together. My husband got it all assembled in less than an hour and then proceeded to open up a beer and fall asleep in it next to the pool, HA! I like to take my laptop out with me and work in it as the moveable umbrella shades my screen. Love love LOVE it!!" —Erin S
Get it from Amazon for $249.99+ (available in six colors).
You snapping your fingers and new patio furniture appearing:
