Tag Archives: barbeque

This genius Mesh Pan gives your food a signature smoky flavor as it cooks

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The pan’s open mesh design lets smoke pass through, allowing it to permeate into your food for that wonderful charcoal/wood flavor that makes barbecue taste so tantalizingly good!

Think of a grill, then think of a cast iron pan, now combine the two together! That’s what the award-winning Mesh Pan is all about. Designed to look like a pan, but with a mesh-lined base, the Mesh Pan lets you cook your items directly above a fire. Unlike regular utensils that are solid, only allowing heat to pass through, the Mesh Pan also allows the aromas and flavor compounds present in your charcoal, giving your food a delectably smoky flavor with really no effort. The food cooks comfortably above the fire, while any resulting fat and grease drips through, hitting the charcoal and causing more smoky flavor!

Designers: Takashi Sekimitsu & GateLightDesign (Client – NORIDOMI IRON WORKS Co., Ltd.)

For designer Takashi Sekimitsu, the Mesh Pan isn’t a replacement for your cast iron pan or griddle… or even your grill – it’s an intermediary product that solves a different purpose, making it a great addition to your existing line of outdoor crockery. The fine mesh allows you to directly sear meats, veggies, or even items like noodles or rice over an open flame (something that wouldn’t be possible on a grill). The mesh lining acts as a flame arrestor, preventing the fire from passing through the fine openings, so your food isn’t engulfed in flames. There is, however, a slight danger of causing flare-ups by grease/fat dripping through the mesh directly onto the fire. I’d say maybe avoid grilling anything too fatty like bacon or a wagyu, and opt for leaner game meats, carbs, and veggies.

Once everything’s said and done, cleaning the mesh is as simple as taking a scrubber to it to quickly unclog the pores. You could burn the food clogged in the pores over an open fire too! And if your mesh eventually reaches the end of its life, simply replace it by installing a new mesh on the same existing pan handle!

The post This genius Mesh Pan gives your food a signature smoky flavor as it cooks first appeared on Yanko Design.

This portable three-way smoker makes you the Master of the Pit anywhere you go

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There are many techniques and tricks these days that try to recreate certain food smells and tastes with minimum fuss, but they can only go so far. The distinct flavor and scent of smoked food, for example, is extremely difficult to emulate without actually smoking the ingredients. Unfortunately, typical smokers are large and cumbersome to use, and they can only be used outdoors. Smoker guns, on the other hand, are too simplistic and sacrifice quality for convenience. Fortunately, the situation isn’t as hopeless as it sounds, and this portable smoker isn’t just easy to use indoors and outdoors, it even supports three styles of smoking to suit your food and your taste.

Designer: KIWAMIYATEI

Click Here to Buy Now: $159 $250 ($91 off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $182,000.

Barbecues and smoked food are some of the more difficult types of dishes to make, mostly because of the inconvenience of where you can do the smoking. Measuring only 24cm x 24cm by 21cm, SMOKER-X tears down those barriers and lets you smoke wherever you want to, even indoors. In fact, this smoker’s body is so compact that it works with any kind of stove top, whether it’s gas, electric, or induction. Whenever you feel the craving for a good smoked dish, you can quickly whip out the SMOKER-X to satisfy your appetite.

Mouth-watering hot bacon.

Hot Smoking – Fire up your wood chips and smoke passes right through to cook your food and infuse it with smoky goodness.

Portability, however, is just one of the tricks up the SMOKER-X’s sleeve. Its versatility lets you smoke any type of food or ingredient using the exact same smoker. Want a traditional hot barbecue? Just place some wood chips inside the main frame, light up a fire underneath, and you’re on your way to a great slab of bacon or steak. The built-in thermometer gives you a precise readout of how hot it is inside.

Perfect cold smoked salmon.

Cold Smoking with Ice – Add ice cubes to the saucer and place it over the wood chips. The smoke cools off as it passes through the ice, infusing your fresh salmon, cheeses and meats with smoky flavor without them heating up or melting.

Smoking more delicate food like salmon, nuts, and cheese? Put ice on the saucer between the wood chips and mesh rack, and you have an instant cold smoker that separates the heat from the smoke.

Wine-infused wings.

Water Smoking with Beer or Wine – The smoke from the wood chips passes through the liquid so that the smoke and beer/wine vapor is absorbed, resulting in juicy spare ribs or chicken infused with flavor.

Cook savory meats by pouring wine into the saucer for water smoking, infusing the food with a special blend of flavors in the process. Whatever the smoking style you want or need, SMOKER-X can handle it without breaking a sweat. Part of the secret is the smoker’s unique design that creates a narrow 6mm pathway for the smoke to pass through the saucer, making it possible to create all types of smoked foods.

Despite its small size, this multi-talented smoker is built to last. Unlike typical smokers that rust over time, SMOKER-X is made from durable and rust-resistant materials, employing three layers of stainless steel 304, aluminum, and stainless steel 404 for good measure. At the same time, the smoker is easy to clean as well and can be safely placed inside dishwashers. They say that productivity is about working smarter rather than harder, and smoking doesn’t get any smarter than this. With a portable yet durable construction and its three-way smoking capability, the SMOKER-X lets you become the barbecue hero of the party anytime, anywhere.

Click Here to Buy Now: $159 $250 ($91 off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $182,000.

The post This portable three-way smoker makes you the Master of the Pit anywhere you go first appeared on Yanko Design.

The best grills and grill accessories in 2023

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Cookout season is here, so now's the time to make sure you have everything you need for your ultimate grilling setup. To help you prepare to spend more time outside, we’ve compiled a list of the best grills and grill accessories for culinary adventures on the porch, deck, patio or backyard. We’ve reviewed and tested a wide range of grills and other devices, and we’ve selected our top picks to help you stay on top of your BBQ game. There are other outdoor cooking items too, with selections that should help you become a grill master, serving up delicious food all year long and expanding your skills in the process.

Traeger Timberline and Timberline XL

Last year, Traeger went all out for its smart grills. The company completely redesigned its high-end Timberline series, turning its premium pellet grills into outdoor kitchens. While the cooking chamber may look like any other Traeger grill, the company decided to put these new models on a rolling cart instead of four legs. Of course, this gives you more storage, but it also makes it easier to empty the pellet hopper. There’s a rail system on the front and sides of the grill to hold a range of accessories from paper rolls, to sauce, tongs and rub compartments.

In terms of tech, Traeger swapped out the basic controls from its previous WiFi-equipped D2 grills in favor of a color touchscreen. There are more sensors inside to keep tabs on the cooking process and added lighting to help you see the cooking surface better after dark. The new Timberlines will also work with a specially-designed version of the wireless Meater probes (Traeger bought Meater in 2021), so you’re not reliant on the corded version that comes standard. Perhaps most importantly, the company added what it says is the first outdoor-rated induction burner for sauces, sides and searing.

All of those upgrades lead to a starting price of $3,500. If you can forgo some of those niceties (I’d argue your grill doesn’t need a touchscreen, for example), the first-gen Ironwood has been a workhorse for me since I reviewed it in 2019. It still runs like a champ and works well with the company’s full-featured app. It’s a great option for someone looking to dive into pellet grills, offering a bit more than the entry-level Pro series from Traeger. The company still sells the original Ironwood even though it updated the model for 2023, and you can get the larger size for $2,000 less than the smallest of the new Timberlines.

Weber Genesis II EPX-335

In 2021, Weber introduced its first smart gas grills. After developing its Weber Connect platform for the SmokeFire pellet grills and the Smart Grilling Hub, the company brought its Wi-Fi-connected cooking to a more widely used fuel source. Last year, the company refined things a bit with PureBlu high-heat burners, sear zone, side table, expandable top cooking grate and "Nightvision" LED lighting. If the 2022 EPX-335 doesn’t suit your needs, there are other options that come in three- and four-burner configurations with porcelain enamel or stainless steel finishes. Plus, there are both propane and natural gas models, and some come with a side burner if you need it.

Of course, the main attraction here is the Weber Connect integration. Just like it does on the SmokeFire pellet grills and the Smart Grilling Hub, the technology can guide you through every step of the grilling process. A mix of instructions and videos inside the Weber Connect app offer assistance to grillers of all skill levels, right down to when to flip your steak. What’s more, the system offers real-time food temperatures and estimated readiness countdowns right on your phone so you can better time side dishes like veggie skewers (and keep the hangry crowd at bay). On its gas smart grills, Weber Connect can also keep tabs on fuel level so you’ll know when it’s time to swap tanks.

Weber has also introduced a host of grill tool sets and accessories that expand the capabilities of its gas grills. The company makes grilling gloves, searing grates, a grilling basket, rotisserie items and a pizza stone, as well as grill cleaning tools, like a scraper and brush. There’s also a griddle insert that allows you to make everything from breakfast to smash burgers. And if you want to transform the entire grilling area, Weber has a full-size griddle accessory that will do just that.

Ooni pizza ovens

Ooni has built a stellar reputation for its pizza ovens, and rightfully so. The company’s gear is easy to use and it helps you create restaurant-quality wood-fired pies at home. Its latest oven, the Volt 12, is an electric model that can be used indoors but still has the capability we’ve grown to count on from Ooni. In terms of solely outdoor ovens, the Karu 16 can accommodate multiple fuel sources and has room for larger pizzas. Out of the box this model can burn wood or charcoal, but Ooni sells gas burners for $120 and $150 (propane and natural gas versions).

In addition to overall size, the Karu 16 also has some conveniences that differentiate it from Ooni’s other ovens. First, a hinged door allows you to see what you’re cooking through a glass window. Second, there’s a front-mounted digital thermometer that shows the ambient temperature inside of the oven. Like other Ooni pizza cookers, the Karu 16 heats quickly, reaching 950 degrees Fahrenheit in about 15 minutes. And of course, the larger cooking area will allow you to make things besides pizza. If you can stand a smaller oven and analog thermometers, the company recently introduced the Karu 12G that still has the glass door, increased fuel efficiency and can be outfitted with a gas burner add-on ($100).

Thermoworks Thermapen One

Over the years, a Thermapen has become my most-used BBQ grill tool. I rely on it like a sous chef to make sure I’m cooking things to the correct internal temperature, especially chicken. It’s a versatile and sturdy tool at the grill and in the kitchen. ThermoWorks' Thermapen One is the follow up to its best-selling Thermapen Mk4. This new model shows temps lightning quick, giving you a reading in one second. ThermoWorks also improved accuracy and used a brighter display than the previous model. An automatically rotating screen makes the numbers easy to see no matter how you hold it, plus an auto-wake and sleep feature preserves battery life and IP67 rating protects it from accidental spills.

Meater Plus

A wireless meat thermometer may seem like overkill when there are so many great (and affordable) wired options available. I too was skeptical at first, but I can assure you that not having to avoid those metal cables when you’re flipping or wrapping a large cut of meat is definitely worth the investment. For the Meater Plus, the Traeger-owned company extended the Bluetooth range from the original model. Each probe has two sensors, so you can keep tabs on both internal food temp and the ambient temperature of your grill. Stats are sent to the company’s app, and you can set target temps, view an estimated completion time or get some help with a cook if you need it.

Anova Precision Cooker Nano 3.0

The latest version of Anova’s Precision Cooker Nano still offers sous vide in a compact form factor. It’s an updated version of the cookware device I’ve been using for a long time thanks most to its accuracy and reliability. The company has swapped Bluetooth connectivity for dual-band WiFi so you can venture further away from the Nano 3.0. This model also has a two-line touchscreen display, so time and temperature can be viewed simultaneously. Manual controls are ever present here too, if you want to bypass the iOS or Android apps. That software will provide you with recipes and step-by-step guidance, so it’s good to consult it even if you’re experienced with this cooking method.

In order to make the most of your sous vide setup, you’ll want to also invest in a vacuum sealer. I have the FoodSaver FM2000. It doesn’t have some of the flashy features of more expensive units, but it covers the basics just fine. If you prefer something more robust with options like automatic bag detection, retractable handheld sealer and a dry/moist setting, I’d recommend the FoodSaver V4400. With both, you can use them to seal leftovers for the freezer or store other goods you don’t want air to get to in addition to sous vide cooking. I’ve also found vacuum-sealed packs handy for reheating things like pulled pork. When you reheat with a sous vide, the meat doesn’t dry out like it would in the microwave. Sure, you could just use Ziploc bags, but I’ve done that, and a FoodSaver is worth the investment.

Stanley IceFlow Tumblers

I’d argue one of the most important grilling tools is a cold beverage. And as the days get hotter, you’ll need to plan your drinkware carefully so your monster cocktail or water supply remains at a frigid temperature. I’ve tried a number of insulated aluminum cups over the years, but Stanley has been the best. The company is known for its classic thermos, but its lineup of cups, bottles and more are affordable and do a great job of keeping drinks cold for hours at a time.

Stanley has a ton of options that serve as alternatives to popular brands like Yeti, but the IceFlow Tumblers have been my go-to this spring. The larger 30-ounce cup can keep drinks cold for up to 12 hours while the 20-ounce version can do so for up to seven hours. There’s a solid handle and the built-in flip-down straw means the drinking area isn’t exposed to the elements quite as much. At $25 and $30 each, these are a fraction of the cost of the most expensive options, and they have better ice retention than some of those too.

Brumate Hopsulator Duo and Trio

Brumate’s Hopsulator products are warm weather essentials for me. I originally got one for the beach, but it has become a staple in my grilling tool kit. The company’s Hopsulator Trio is a 3-in-1 option that holds 16-ounce cans or 12-ounce cans with a cold insert you keep in your freezer. It also comes with a lid so you can use it as a travel mug. The Hopsulator Duo also doubles as an insulated cup, but it’s designed for 12-ounce cans and doesn’t come with any cooling accessories. What’s more, Brumate has a third model for slim cans. So if hard seltzers are more your thing, there’s an option for you too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-grilling-gear-143011296.html?src=rss

The best grills and grill accessories in 2023

Posted on by

Cookout season is here, so now's the time to make sure you have everything you need for your ultimate grilling setup. To help you prepare to spend more time outside, we’ve compiled a list of the best grills and grill accessories for culinary adventures on the porch, deck, patio or backyard. We’ve reviewed and tested a wide range of grills and other devices, and we’ve selected our top picks to help you stay on top of your BBQ game. There are other outdoor cooking items too, with selections that should help you become a grill master, serving up delicious food all year long and expanding your skills in the process.

Traeger Timberline and Timberline XL

Last year, Traeger went all out for its smart grills. The company completely redesigned its high-end Timberline series, turning its premium pellet grills into outdoor kitchens. While the cooking chamber may look like any other Traeger grill, the company decided to put these new models on a rolling cart instead of four legs. Of course, this gives you more storage, but it also makes it easier to empty the pellet hopper. There’s a rail system on the front and sides of the grill to hold a range of accessories from paper rolls, to sauce, tongs and rub compartments.

In terms of tech, Traeger swapped out the basic controls from its previous WiFi-equipped D2 grills in favor of a color touchscreen. There are more sensors inside to keep tabs on the cooking process and added lighting to help you see the cooking surface better after dark. The new Timberlines will also work with a specially-designed version of the wireless Meater probes (Traeger bought Meater in 2021), so you’re not reliant on the corded version that comes standard. Perhaps most importantly, the company added what it says is the first outdoor-rated induction burner for sauces, sides and searing.

All of those upgrades lead to a starting price of $3,500. If you can forgo some of those niceties (I’d argue your grill doesn’t need a touchscreen, for example), the first-gen Ironwood has been a workhorse for me since I reviewed it in 2019. It still runs like a champ and works well with the company’s full-featured app. It’s a great option for someone looking to dive into pellet grills, offering a bit more than the entry-level Pro series from Traeger. The company still sells the original Ironwood even though it updated the model for 2023, and you can get the larger size for $2,000 less than the smallest of the new Timberlines.

Weber Genesis II EPX-335

In 2021, Weber introduced its first smart gas grills. After developing its Weber Connect platform for the SmokeFire pellet grills and the Smart Grilling Hub, the company brought its Wi-Fi-connected cooking to a more widely used fuel source. Last year, the company refined things a bit with PureBlu high-heat burners, sear zone, side table, expandable top cooking grate and "Nightvision" LED lighting. If the 2022 EPX-335 doesn’t suit your needs, there are other options that come in three- and four-burner configurations with porcelain enamel or stainless steel finishes. Plus, there are both propane and natural gas models, and some come with a side burner if you need it.

Of course, the main attraction here is the Weber Connect integration. Just like it does on the SmokeFire pellet grills and the Smart Grilling Hub, the technology can guide you through every step of the grilling process. A mix of instructions and videos inside the Weber Connect app offer assistance to grillers of all skill levels, right down to when to flip your steak. What’s more, the system offers real-time food temperatures and estimated readiness countdowns right on your phone so you can better time side dishes like veggie skewers (and keep the hangry crowd at bay). On its gas smart grills, Weber Connect can also keep tabs on fuel level so you’ll know when it’s time to swap tanks.

Weber has also introduced a host of grill tool sets and accessories that expand the capabilities of its gas grills. The company makes grilling gloves, searing grates, a grilling basket, rotisserie items and a pizza stone, as well as grill cleaning tools, like a scraper and brush. There’s also a griddle insert that allows you to make everything from breakfast to smash burgers. And if you want to transform the entire grilling area, Weber has a full-size griddle accessory that will do just that.

Ooni pizza ovens

Ooni has built a stellar reputation for its pizza ovens, and rightfully so. The company’s gear is easy to use and it helps you create restaurant-quality wood-fired pies at home. Its latest oven, the Volt 12, is an electric model that can be used indoors but still has the capability we’ve grown to count on from Ooni. In terms of solely outdoor ovens, the Karu 16 can accommodate multiple fuel sources and has room for larger pizzas. Out of the box this model can burn wood or charcoal, but Ooni sells gas burners for $120 and $150 (propane and natural gas versions).

In addition to overall size, the Karu 16 also has some conveniences that differentiate it from Ooni’s other ovens. First, a hinged door allows you to see what you’re cooking through a glass window. Second, there’s a front-mounted digital thermometer that shows the ambient temperature inside of the oven. Like other Ooni pizza cookers, the Karu 16 heats quickly, reaching 950 degrees Fahrenheit in about 15 minutes. And of course, the larger cooking area will allow you to make things besides pizza. If you can stand a smaller oven and analog thermometers, the company recently introduced the Karu 12G that still has the glass door, increased fuel efficiency and can be outfitted with a gas burner add-on ($100).

Thermoworks Thermapen One

Over the years, a Thermapen has become my most-used barbecue tool. I rely on it like a sous chef to make sure I’m cooking things to the correct internal temperature, especially chicken. It’s a versatile and sturdy tool at the grill and in the kitchen. ThermoWorks' Thermapen One is the follow up to its best-selling Thermapen Mk4. This new model shows temps lightning quick, giving you a reading in one second. ThermoWorks also improved accuracy and used a brighter display than the previous model. An automatically rotating screen makes the numbers easy to see no matter how you hold it, plus an auto-wake and sleep feature preserves battery life and IP67 rating protects it from accidental spills.

Meater Plus

A wireless meat thermometer may seem like overkill when there are so many great (and affordable) wired options available. I too was skeptical at first, but I can assure you that not having to avoid those metal cables when you’re flipping or wrapping a large cut of meat is definitely worth the investment. For the Meater Plus, the Traeger-owned company extended the Bluetooth range from the original model. Each probe has two sensors, so you can keep tabs on both internal food temp and the ambient temperature of your grill. Stats are sent to the company’s app, and you can set target temps, view an estimated completion time or get some help with a cook if you need it.

Anova Precision Cooker Nano 3.0

The latest version of Anova’s Precision Cooker Nano still offers sous vide in a compact form factor. It’s an updated version of the best seller I’ve been using for a long time thanks most to its accuracy and reliability. The company has swapped Bluetooth connectivity for dual-band WiFi so you can venture further away from the Nano 3.0. This model also has a two-line touchscreen display, so time and temperature can be viewed simultaneously. Manual controls are ever present here too, if you want to bypass the iOS or Android apps. That software will provide you with recipes and step-by-step guidance, so it’s good to consult it even if you’re experienced with this cooking method.

In order to make the most of your sous vide setup, you’ll want to also invest in a vacuum sealer. I have the FoodSaver FM2000. It doesn’t have some of the flashy features of more expensive units, but it covers the basics just fine. If you prefer something more robust with options like automatic bag detection, retractable handheld sealer and a dry/moist setting, I’d recommend the FoodSaver V4400. With both, you can use them to seal leftovers for the freezer or store other goods you don’t want air to get to in addition to sous vide cooking. I’ve also found vacuum-sealed packs handy for reheating things like pulled pork. When you reheat with a sous vide, the meat doesn’t dry out like it would in the microwave. Sure, you could just use Ziploc bags, but I’ve done that, and a FoodSaver is worth the investment.

Stanley IceFlow Tumblers

I’d argue one of the most important grilling tools is a cold beverage. And as the days get hotter, you’ll need to plan your drinkware carefully so your monster cocktail or water supply remains at a frigid temperature. I’ve tried a number of insulated aluminum cups over the years, but Stanley has been the best. The company is known for its classic thermos, but its lineup of cups, bottles and more are affordable and do a great job of keeping drinks cold for hours at a time.

Stanley has a ton of options that serve as alternatives to popular brands like Yeti, but the IceFlow Tumblers have been my go-to this spring. The larger 30-ounce cup can keep drinks cold for up to 12 hours while the 20-ounce version can do so for up to seven hours. There’s a solid handle and the built-in flip-down straw means the drinking area isn’t exposed to the elements quite as much. At $25 and $30 each, these are a fraction of the cost of the most expensive options, and they have better ice retention than some of those too.

Brumate Hopsulator Duo and Trio

Brumate’s Hopsulator products are warm weather essentials for me. I originally got one for the beach, but it has become a staple in my grilling tool kit. The company’s Hopsulator Trio is a 3-in-1 option that holds 16-ounce cans or 12-ounce cans with a cold insert you keep in your freezer. It also comes with a lid so you can use it as a travel mug. The Hopsulator Duo also doubles as an insulated cup, but it’s designed for 12-ounce cans and doesn’t come with any cooling accessories. What’s more, Brumate has a third model for slim cans. So if hard seltzers are more your thing, there’s an option for you too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-grilling-gear-143011296.html?src=rss

A Mycelium grill design, made from edible fungus can be biodegraded and fertilizes the earth!

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MYC is a sustainable disposable grill made from mycelium, a biodegradable and fireproof vegetative part of a fungus that’s safe and edible for humans.

With the end of summer already closing in on us, camping is all the more popular and so are barbeques, which means the garbage is getting left behind once the grill’s off. Disposable grills allow barbeques to take place outdoors without the hassle of lugging around a portable one, but the familiar aluminum grills often get left behind at the site once the BBQ is finished. Industrial design student Stephanie Singer created MYC, a sustainable disposable grill made from fungal mycelium as an alternative to the aluminum disposable grill.

In researching fireproof materials to build her grill, Singer found mycelium, a fireproof, vegetative part of a fungus that’s safe and edible for humans. Mycelium hosts an array of properties that make it the ideal choice with which to build a disposable grill. Inexpensive and very easy to grow, mycelium is an accessible, sustainable alternative building material that’s water repellent, naturally insulating, and entirely biodegradable. After cultivating her own lot of mycelium, Singer constructed prototypes of MYC and envisioned the disposable grill lining the shelves of convenience stores and gas stations to bring the choice of sustainable disposable grills to the masses. Following the use of an MYC grill, instead of searching for the nearest garbage can, grillers can simply cut up and leave MYC at the campsite to biodegrade and fertilize the earth.

While mycelium constructs the chunk of MYC, Singer sought out additional accessories to make the grill operable. Discussing the various biodegradable materials used to build MYC, Singer says, “MYC consists of a bowl made of fungal mycelium, a grate made of bamboo sticks, and dried corn cobs as fuel. The product is available as a compact grill kit and is protected by a minimalist cardboard cover. Dried corn cobs are used as fuel, as these are a waste product in the field in EU agriculture when growing fodder corn. As soon as the embers are ready, the bamboo sticks can easily be placed in the bulges on the side to create a grate.”

Designer: Stephanie Singer

The post A Mycelium grill design, made from edible fungus can be biodegraded and fertilizes the earth! first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bring your yard to life with these inspirational product designs: Part 3

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The COVID-19 pandemic has restricted most of our means of leisure, entertainment, and relaxation! Visiting our favorite restaurant, or jetting off on a little getaway are not always practical choices anymore, we need to think through our plans, take the utmost precautions, and be conscious and careful at all times. So, instead of turning outwards, why don’t we turn inwards? A great option could be using our humble backyards as recreation spaces! How about turning your backyard into an outdoor movie theatre for your family and friends, or hosting a barbecue party with the best grill in the market? We’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality! These products will turn your yard into the ultimate fun space. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these products to it!

The Rocco multifunctional outdoor furniture by Moróro is a barbecue, a sofa, a champagne bar, and more! 2020 has been about creating intimate moments at home, and nothing says intimate like a cozy evening in your backyard! To take things up a notch, we have Rocco which is an all-rounder piece of outdoor furniture. Its clever design transforms it from a fun barbecue into a sofa or champagne bar and even a smores pit – I think it’s safe to say Rocco is an essential this year! You can add a fire bowl to the base or choose from various other accessories like a grill, tabletop, ice bucket, and parasol base. Customize Rocco to fit what you define as a chill evening.

Cineorama by Erika Hock is an outdoor viewing space, so you can sit and watch a couple of your favorite movies with your family and friends, within the comforts of your own backyard! It’s the perfect movie-watching solution during this pandemic when you wish to avoid the crowded movie theatres but also yearn for the conventional theatre experience. You can simply convert your backyard into one!

A tool used for firing clay in a kiln transforms into a minimalist bird feeder! This ceramic bird feeder doesn’t present a new solution for bird feeders but does present an approach for sustainable product manufacturing that solves a problem faced by many designers: the scrap material used during construction, like rings in clay kilns, that is discarded once the product is finished. Ceramika Design and Studio Kononenko wanted to make use of ceramic rings used when firing clay in kilns. The main element of the bird feeder is formed from ceramic – the frame and body of the bird feeder. Covering just about a quarter of the round frame is a plastic plate that functions to store plenty of food for the wild birds. Extending from the middle of the plastic plate is a wooden peg that works as a perch for birds to enjoy their seeds. It’s a beautiful sustainable design for your backyard!

The company behind this work shed has been acing the game when it comes to well-designed office furniture like flexible desks and ergonomic chairs. The Zen Work Pod was a culmination of their furniture design mission clubbed with the need of the hour. The minimalist backyard structure is a stark contrast to the existing toolsheds, it is a modern workspace equipped with all essentials needed for a ‘zen’ workday. “It provides a fresh solution that completely redefines the home office, providing maximum focus during every working hour,” says the team who especially kept creators and freelancers in mind while designing it. The pod features floor-to-ceiling windows and an angular roof all wrapped in a sturdy oak, walnut, and aluminum structure. It is compact but the minimal build and sweeping windows make it feel spacious.

The BURCH BARREL gives you unprecedented control over your barbecue process. You can operate the barbecue lid without having to touch it, or rest the grill on any uneven surface without worrying about it falling over, you can even lift the grill plate off the coal-pan to add more fuel. Moreover, when you’re not grilling food, the BURCH BARREL doubles up as a portable fireplace for those perfect sunset social gatherings. The barrel’s design is immediately striking, with a large tripod system that has the barrel suspended from the very center. This unique format keeps the barrel balanced and vertical at all times, allowing you to mount it on rocky terrain or even on slanted surfaces without any fear of the barrel tipping over. Inspired by a camera’s tripod, the BURCH BARREL comes with telescopic legs that let you orient the unit to be stable, no matter how unstable your ground is, giving it a competitive advantage over regular barbecue grills that traditionally require a flat surface like a pavement, to begin with.

The Bigfoot Table comes handcrafted out of Western Red Cedar wood with a built-in lightweight stainless steel endoskeleton to provide it with its strength. Right in the center of the table lies an opening that reveals a rectangular fireplace built right into the tabletop. The fireplace is supplied with fuel using a propane canister that can be placed in the hollow-space below and comes with a metal outer-casing to protect the wood from getting burnt. Scattered within the fireplace pit are faux-stones that help create a truly remarkable burning surface that’s perfect for roasting smores on, and the fire can be ignited electrically with a simple push of a button and even regulated with the turn of a knob. The fireplace cover is even designed to be reversed, with a game of Mancala integrated into its flip-side – with the ability to use the firestones as game pieces!

The lounger, recliner, and couch have come of age – it’s the era to usher in better ways to sit… and feel like royalty. Thanks to the ‘Hammock Throne’, you can literally feel like that. One of the biggest problems with hammocks is that you need two trees (or poles) to hold them up, and typically they are placed outdoors. Even the home-swing doesn’t match up to the comfort of lazing in the comfortable embrace of a hammock. Folks at Yellow Leaf are solving for this, by giving us the Hammock Throne. Kind of an indoor/outdoor hammock chair; this full-body contraption features a 360° swivel thanks to the anchor base. Simply sit back, relax and swivel all around on a whim. I’d put this free-standing hammock in my living room, where will you?

This device does for your smart home what your Alexa can’t. Tempest turns every part of your home into a smart home, from your front-gate to your backyard. Designed as an all-in-one weather-monitoring system that sits on your lawn, Tempest uses a variety of sensors and AI to predict the weather for your house. It enables you to plan your day better, know what to watch out for when you’re stepping out or even when you’re indoors, and most importantly, it helps calibrate your home’s energy consumption based on the forecast it generates. It’ll tell you when there’s a storm brewing minutes before the storm hits or if you should put on sunscreen when the sunlight’s harsh, it can close your garage door when it gets too windy, and it’ll automatically switch your sprinklers off if there’s a rain shower in the forecast. The Tempest runs entirely on solar power and communicates with your home using long-range Wi-Fi. It even sends back data to WeatherFlow, which collectively uses all the pooled information to accurately predict weather patterns across the world.

A portable smart fireplace is what we need for this unprecedented holiday season! My Warmth by Simon Pavy is a conceptual fireplace that was created to make having a fireplace accessible despite how your interior is laid out. The smart portable appliance also gives you the same cozy vibes while reducing work that comes with a traditional fireplace. My Warmth is the size of a humidifier or an air purifier so it doesn’t take a lot of space in your living room. There is a dial to control the temperature so you can pick the right degree for toasty toes or crank it up for smores! The all brushed aluminum gives it a sleek aesthetic that reminds me of glass domes that cover baked goods – as one should have by the fireplace. My Warmth lets you enjoy the quintessential holiday vibes with your own portable fireplace. I can already hear Nat King Cole start on those chestnuts!

Eve Aqua is a smart water controller that will continue to regularly and quantitatively irrigate your plants, lawn, flowerbed, or backyard. It is compatible with your smart devices as well as Siri so you can set up the home kit and control the system with your phone, tablet, etc. It has 7 watering periods in a day and you can set it up as per your needs and even create an autonomous schedule. These irrigation plans are stored in Eve Aqua so even if your device is disconnected, it will still do the job. It also has a two-channel water distributor so you can use it for irrigation without tying up your faucet. The auto shut-off feature makes sure you never have to watch the clock or come home to a flooded garden. It conserves a lot more water through its smart management system when compared to us doing it manually.

For more such exciting outdoor designs, check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this post!

Weber brings wireless smarts to its gas grills

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Weber has built smart features into several upcoming gas grills. The Genesis EX-315, EX-335 and SX-335 and the Spirit SX-315 incorporate the Weber Connect platform, which aims to make grilling easy. Until now, the platform has only been available on...

This portable BBQ grill + smoker with a honeycomb pattern folds like a briefcase for cooking anytime, anywhere!

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Charcoal grills on the market entice buyers with their smart features but if you are someone who likes things old school yet loves the functionalities of modern grilling and smoking prowess, this portable barbeque grill and smoker is the one. The Nomad Grill and smoker doesn’t come with any smart buttons or functionality but the intuitive industrial design makes it better than any smart options out there. It’s ultra-portable, has a cool modern design, and packs down to the size of a small briefcase. To make sure the heat stays inside and not radiate to the outside of the unibody case measuring 2×2 feet, it is crafted from anodized aluminum.

The inside cooking area gives you 212 square inches of space for smoking or you can opt to double the space with open-grill mode. That’ll give you enough cooking area to barbeque steaks, ribs, or burgers – or even two racks of ribs or 30 burger patties. Nomad’s portable grill is perfect for people who prefer the slow grilling process as the aroma of charcoal and smoke circulates inside when in the closed position for the consistent temperature at all times. Once you are done with the cooking and eating spree, just fold up the portable BBQ and you’re good to go. One advantage of this portable charcoal BBQ grill smoker is its intelligent heat distribution on the inside and minimum heat dissipation on the outside courtesy of the honeycomb design. This ensures that the surface on which it is kept doesn’t get too hot.

In the closed carrying configuration, the Nomad Grill & Smoker has magnetic clutches that secure the grill in place, ideal for hassle-free moving around. Overall, the compact size and the upbeat design of this modern yet no extra fuzz grill gives you every reason to ditch the oversized BBQ grills – even more so for people who prefer a nomadic life, traveling new places in their camper. Even for people who like to have the odd BBQ party in their backyard or go for hikes on the outskirts of the city, it is the ideal match. The price tag of $599 is a bit on the higher side, but if this grill and smoker suffice all your requirements it’s well worth the spend!

Designer: Nomad

 

Weber acquires smart oven maker June

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Weber enlisted June, the company behind the June smart ovens, to help it build Weber Connect. That platform powers both the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub and the connected features on the SmokeFire pellet grills. Both of those devices run on JuneO...

Kamado Joe unveils a WiFi-connected pellet version of its popular ceramic grill

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Ceramic egg-shaped grills are popular options for both high-temp searing and low-and-slow smoking. Due to their design and materials, they’re incredibly efficient, and they allow you to use both charcoal and wood chunks to get the job done. This week...