ENTERTAINING
1 GARDEN RETREATS GARDEN POD
With a garden pod from Garden Retreats, you can enjoy your garden during those warm summer days without risking too much sun and heat exposure. Sort of like a much elevated version of a garden shed, it can be any type of space you want – a home bar, a game room, a meditation and yoga studio. The possibilities are endless. £15,495, greenretreats.co.uk
2 DOMETIC CFX3 55
There’s no need to invest in a proper outdoor fridge if you only have a bit of green space. All you need is an electric-powered cool box like the Dometic CFX3 55, which is just as portable as it is rugged, has a user-friendly interface and comes with app support as well. Take it to your next beach outing or simply set it up in your yard for a nice family picnic.
£978, dometic.com
3 XGIMI HORIZON PRO
You won’t have to drive far to experience the thrill of an outdoor cinema. The Xgimi Horizon Pro is the perfect home projector to screen a familyfavourite flick and top off a warm mid-summer’s night in the comfort of your own backyard. It delivers 4K resolution, 2200 ANSI lumens brightness, and an up to 300-inch image projection. Don’t forget the popcorn. £1,449, uk.xgimi.com
4 GOZNEY DOME
These days, wood-fired outdoor ovens can be as stylish as they are functional. The Gozney Dome is a terrific example. It’s not only a stunner, it delivers pro-grade performance as well, thanks in part to its impressive heat retention. It can do pretty much everything: roast, smoke, bake, and even steam. Take it outdoors since it’s waterresistant and UV-stabilised. £1,499, gozney.com
5 GTECH HEATWAVE PATIO HEATER
Hosting garden parties can be a tricky thing due to unpredictable weather. This wall-mounted patio heater from Gtech ensures that the guests stay warm on a chilly night. It has a six-metre instant heat radius, despite being compact, and it’s weatherproofed so it too can survive the elements. Don’t worry if you haven’t assembled an outdoor heater before; this one’s easy. £150, gtech.co.uk
6 JBL PARTYBOX 710
With your neighbours’ blessing, of course, you can throw the biggest and loudest bash in the land with the JBL Partybox 710. Its 800 watts of power give you all the volume you could need while its 8-inch woofers provide more than enough bass to keep everybody grooving. Since no party is ever complete without lights, it rounds it all out with app-customisable strobe lights. £700, jbl.com
7 KITCHENAID K400 BLENDER
Summer calls for refreshing frozen cocktails, alcoholic and otherwise. For best results, invest in this retro-looking blender from KitchenAid. It not only adds a pop of colour to your outdoor bar, but it also blends perfect cocktails and smoothies thanks to its three preset programs. Even if you’ve never made frozen margaritas before, this will make you look like a pro. £299, kitchenaid.co.uk
8 PHILIPS HUE LIGHTSTRIP OUTDOOR
Garden fairy lights are so 2015. These days, it’s all about the smart outdoor lights. For a soft and subtle ambient look, the Philips Hue Lightstrip is the perfect lighting solution. It’s dimmable out of the box and can display 16 million different colours as well as several shades of white light – great for setting the perfect mood every time. From £190, philips-hue.com