29 Products That’ll Instantly Upgrade Your Backyard

Catch us outside (in our backyard) for the rest of spring and summer.
Insect repellent incense stick, a George Foreman electric grill and an outdoor hanging chair.

Popular items from this list include:

• A portable 100-inch movie screen perfect for outdoor movie nights.

• A large inflatable pool with a built-in bench.

• A high-voltage bug zapper that gets rid of bugs within a 1,500 square-foot area.

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1
A portable 100-inch movie screen
Promising review: "I love the size and the fact that it takes five minutes to set up and five minutes to take down. Very portable and lightweight to carry. Very sturdy. I would highly recommend." — Kathi
2
A portable George Foreman grill
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
3
Amazon
A set of four color-changing inflatable pool balls
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
4
A durable dog/kiddie pool
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
5
A inflatable pool with a built-in bench
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
6
Amazon
A sunshade triangle
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
7
Best Balcony Bars / Etsy
A handmade balcony bar
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. This bar is available in two sizes and four stains.

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
8
An umbrella light
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
9
A 16-pack of solar-powered waterproof deck lights
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
10
Amazon
A box of 24 mosquito-repellent incense sticks
Promising review: "I am so happy to have this mosquito repellent. I wanted something for my back patio in the evenings. This is so pleasant! Everyone comments about the scent; it’s not offensive like other nasty repellent sprays or candles." — Namaste
11
And a high-voltage bug zapper
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
12
Amazon
A robot lawn mower
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
13
A stainless-steel pizza oven insert for outdoor grills
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

14
Rivajam / Etsy
A nature scavenger hunt game
Rivajam is a small business based in Frederick, Maryland that dreams up super fun and exciting activity boxes that encourage child-directed and play-based learning.

Promising review: "I bought this for my niece’s seventh birthday. Their family loves hiking and visiting parks so I figured this would be great for those outings and maybe even nice for rainy days (this can be played indoors). She loves it and so does her big brother!" — Erin Lamb
15
A cozy hanging swing
Available in two styles and four colors.

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
16
An effective grill brush
Promising review: "This was the first grill brush I'd ever found that actually got in between the bars in the grates. Really got out the residue that builds up in between and flares up if not completely removed. Really impressed. I'd order again, for sure." — Fred
17
Amazon
A splurgeworthy yet functional pop-up tent
Available in four sizes.

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
18
A waterproof Bluetooth speaker
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
19
A multi-functional fire pit
Available in two sizes and three colors.

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
20
A mystical flame colorant
This comes with six packets of colorant.

Promising review:
"Watching these burn is absolutely peaceful and mesmerizing! They actually last for a good 20 minutes as well." —Stella
21
A pool floaties organizer
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
22
A Sun Joe electric pressure washer
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
23
A standing weeder
Grampa's Gardenware Co. is an Oregon-based, family-owned small business.

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
24
A three-piece furniture set
Available in four colors.

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
25
A pair of scum-absorbing sponge
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
26
Amazon
A 4-piece outdoor drink stake set
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 cozy, 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
27
A 4-in-1 inflatable pool float
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
28
Amazon
A garbage guard to fight of gnats and flies
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
29
A hanging curved lounge chair
Available in eight colors.

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

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