10 Pieces of Cutting-Edge BBQ Gear That Will Take Your Memorial Day Cookout Into the 21st Century
From robot mowers to smart grills, the future is here.
Backyard BBQ season is upon us, and we plan to spend plenty of time eating and drinking in our own little slice of the great outdoors. If you wanna take the parties you throw in your backyard to the next level, check out these tech-forward pieces of gear that’ll firmly plant your BBQs in the 21st Century.
1. RX-12u Robot Mower
A great backyard starts with a great lawn. But there’s no reason you can’t just buy a robot to take care of that for you. Largely resembling a Roomba in both design and function, there are several versions of Robo-Mowers to choose from depending on the size of your lawn. Of course, if you happen to have a driving range in your backyard, there’s a special one just for you.
2. Pub Table Heater
Summer nights can get chilly. The idea of having a tall pub-style table that also dishes out a 15’ radius of heat is pretty brilliant and will undoubtedly keep your BBQ’s going late into the night. (No word on whether AZ plans to make a beer pong table version of this, but we’d kickstart the shit out of that if they let us.)
3. SolProX Solar Umbrella
We’re not encouraging BBQ guests to stare at their phones all day but, chances are, at some point someone is going to need to charge up. The convergence of an umbrella for shade and solar panels for power is a perfect backyard addition. SolProX’s offerings have a high capacity battery built in to store solar energy for usable power via USB or regular AC outlets even after the sun goes down.
4. SpinChiller
Everyone knows that shaking a beer will make it explode everywhere, but you may not know that intensely spinning it while it’s buried in a cooler of ice will actually turn a warm beer cold in no time at all. The SpinChiller actually works with cans and bottles so, no matter what your guests brought to drink, you’ll be able to chill it and crack it open without delay.
5. The Coolest Cooler
Hands down the most brilliant cooler design we’ve ever seen, the Coolest cooler has plenty of tech tucked away in it. From a full-blown powered blender, USB charging port, Bluetooth weatherproof speaker, full set of plates, cutting board, corkscrew and bottle opener with magnetic catch, we were simply floored by how many smart, essential things could be jammed into such a small package. A luggage-style handle makes it easy to wheel the Coolest on its oversized rubber wheels, making it perfect for the beach or the backyard.
6. Grill Tech Monitors
Not everyone can have a natural talent for grilling, and Weber is here to make life easier and meat better. The simple skewer thermometer goes into your meat and monitors temperature so you get a perfect medium-rare every time. The connected transmitter Bluetooths into your phone via Weber’s app and can alert you once the correct temperature has been met. The app also provides a means for tracking results, so when you’re testing out a new recipe, you can refer back to cook times and temperatures to continue honing your grilling skills.
7. Outdoor Kegerator
We’re quite fond of devices that keep beer cold and the kegerator is, hands down, the best device out there for doing just that. Kegerator, as a company, makes plenty of variations of their keg fridge for home use, but the outdoor model that can be built into patios or decks is the icing on the cake of a backyard BBQ.
8. INADAYS Inatrap Electronic Bug Killer
Citronella candles are bullshit. Everyone sits around breathing in the smoke and fumes and inevitably wind up with mosquito bites anyway. We prefer something more hardcore, and that means busting out the big guns. Leveraging bugs’ natural tendency to flock toward CO2 like when a human exhales, the Inatrap emits tiny amounts of CO2 to draw mosquitos into its fan-suction, and then collects them without letting them out. Next time you choke on the bug spray you just doused yourself with, remember that there’s a better way.
9. Grillbot Auto Grill Cleaner
As much as we love grilling, nobody likes the grit, grime or smell of cleaning a grill. Just like the Robo-mow, why not let a robot do the dirty work for you? The Grillbot uses three motors, steel brushes and a healthy battery to clean up your grill in 10, 20 or 30 minute intervals. Now, when you’re finished cooking up the food, you can actually eat with your guests while the Grillbot goes to work… and that alone might be worth the price of admission.
10. LynxGrills Smart Grill
Your actual barbecue should not be an investment you take lightly. You may not need a smart grill that can consistently cook meat via built-in macros or give you control of the heat via your smartphone or tablet, but it sure is nice to have if you can get your hands on one. LynxGrill’s smart grill is no joke, having all the perks and controls of a traditional stainless steel grill plus a ton of connectivity thanks to a PC-inspired brain to control almost every element of temperature and time. There’s also voice activation capabilities here, but that may prove to be more of a hassle than asset if your backyard BBQs get as loud and rowdy as ours.