The Spruce’s Summer All-Stars

Summer is right around the corner and that means it’s time to break out the yard equipment and clean off our decks for peak outdoor entertaining. Whether you have a small concrete patio or an expansive backyard, there’s always a way to spruce up your space to make it more functional for the warmer months. 

At The Spruce, we pride ourselves on our product testing—even outdoor products like lawn mowers, Adirondack chairs, patio umbrellas, and garden hoses go through rigorous testing—big or small we find a way to test all kinds of products in The Lab and at home to offer you recommendations on the best of the best. These 19 products will keep your lawn looking fresh, your patio stylish, and your entertainment space pest-free.

Clean It Up

While one of the worst parts of preparing for summer in any yard is the dreaded pulling of weeds and power washing a year of grime, the right products can make those tasks easier and fuss-free. Check out some of our favorite products for cleaning up and maintaining a beautiful lawn and patio. 

Hose It Down

Sun Joe Electric Pressure Washer

To buy: $169 at amazon.com

Blast dirt and grime away with this powerful, yet compact pressure washer. We love how this model is equipped with dual detergent tanks, so we didn’t have to switch out cleaning solutions when moving from a car to a deck, and the 35-foot power cord made it easy to maneuver around larger objects. 

Featured In: The 11 Best Pressure Washers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

H20 Works Garden Flat Soaker Hose

To buy: $26 at amazon.com

Your plant beds and grass will thrive with the direct distribution of water that the H20 Works Garden Flat Soaker Hose offers. This durable hose withstood snags on rocks and a garden rake, yet it’s extremely lightweight making it easy to wind up and store. 

Featured In: The 7 Best Garden Hoses of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Star-Brite Deck Cleaner

To buy: $39 at amazon.com

Star-Brite Non-Skid Deck Cleaner will take your tired deck boards from lackluster to refreshed in minutes. The formula uses chelating agents (which target heavy metals) to quickly lift away dirt without the need for heavy scrubbing. Protective polymers in the formula then create a barrier against future weathering and stains.  

Featured In: The 8 Best Deck Cleaners of 2023

Mow the Lawn

Honda Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

To buy: $549 at homedepot.com

This self-propelled lawn mower matches your walking stride for an effortless cutting experience. It’s also easy to start with a quick pull of the cord thanks to auto-choke technology and a four-stroke engine that can operate on straight unleaded gasoline. We especially loved the mulching feature on this model, which could even handle slightly damp clippings. 

Featured In: The 12 Best Lawn Mowers of 2023

Greenworks 3-in-1 Electric Lawn Mower

To buy: $200 at amazon.com

If you’d rather use an electric lawn mower, we think the Greenworks 3-in-1 Electric Lawn Mower is an excellent option with seven different cutting heights—which are easy to adjust—and three bagging styles. We appreciated the foldable handle for storing in a tight tool shed, and how the cord-restraint system ensures that the mower stays plugged into an extension cord while being free from tangles. 

Featured In: The 11 Best Electric Lawn Mowers of 2023

Ames Thatch Rake

To buy: $75 at amazon.com

Clear your lawn of old grass clippings and also prepare it for reseeding with the Ames Thatch Rake. This rake has two different rows of tines—the straight edge to remove old thatch and the flared edge to prepare the soil for planting—so you’ll have your yard ready for lush summer growth in no time. 

Featured In: The 11 Best Leaf Rakes of 2023

Kill the Weeds

Ryobi Electric Cordless String Trimmer

To buy: $262 at amazon.com

This Ryobi string trimmer will eliminate unsightly weeds from your lawn and can be used for edge control. Features like an adjustable handle, two cutting speeds, an adjustable cutting width, and easy string reload make this model user-friendly and versatile.  

Featured In: The 10 Best Weed Eaters of 2023

Fiskars Weeder

To buy: $8 at amazon.com

While all weeds are a pain to remove, dandelions can be especially pesky. This weeder from Fiskars is specifically designed for added leverage when removing the taproots of weeds like dandelion and thistle. The notched tip makes it easy to drive into any soil condition and pop out the entire root system. 

Featured In: The 8 Best Weeding Tools of 2023

Clean the Pool

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Cleaner

To buy: $899 at amazon.com

Algae buildup and seasonal pool debris don’t stand a chance against the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Cleaner. We love how it easily scales walls that are set at 90-degree angles and that the tangle-free cable ensures it won’t get stuck as it works its way around the pool. 

Featured In: The 8 Best Robotic Pool Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Pool Blaster Max Pool Cleaner

To buy: $185 at amazon.com

The Pool Blaster Max Cordless Rechargeable Pool Cleaner is a great alternative to a robotic pool cleaner, and we were pleasantly surprised by its ability to clean up large and small debris. The 10.5-inch vacuum head is much easier to maneuver than traditional wide rolling vacuums and it can reach into tight corners and effectively clean stairs. 

Featured In: The 10 Best Pool Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Style It Up

No matter the size of your space, a well-styled patio or deck instantly upgrades your outdoor experience and hosting potential. Plus, once all of the annual clean-up is done, the fun part begins with picking out new furniture and accessories that transform your space from simply functional to personalized. 

Adorn with Furniture 

Hampton Bay Geneva 7-Piece Set

To buy: $1,049 at homedepot.com

Host the perfect outdoor dinner party with this 7-piece set from Hampton Bay. All-weather resin wicker and rust-resistant steel frames make this table and chairs durable enough to be left out year-round. You can also customize the cushion seats with one of seven CushionGuard seat colors or three Sunbrella colors. 

Featured In: The 9 Best Patio Dining Sets of 2023

Better Homes & Gardens 9' Ticking Stripes Round Crank Umbrella

To buy: $60 at walmart.com

A reliable and durable umbrella is a must for any outdoor entertaining space and this option from Better Homes & Gardens is large enough to cover seating arrangements for up to 6 people (Better Homes & Gardens is owned by The Spruce's parent company, Dotdash Meredith). A convenient crank made it easy to open and the push button tilt allowed us to easily change the direction of the shade. 

Featured In: The 9 Best Outdoor Patio Umbrellas of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Dash and Albert Diamond Handmade Indoor/Outdoor Rug

To buy: $138 (for 3- x 5-foot size) at wayfair.com

This weather-ready polyester outdoor rug is a great way to accent your space with a pop of color and a stylish pattern. We loved this rug’s durable design, yet soft finish. Plus, it can be easily treated for stains. 

Featured In: We Tested the Best Outdoor Rugs to Add Flair to Your Porch or Patio

Highwood Hamilton Adirondack Chair

To buy: $270 at amazon.com

You’ll enjoy relaxing in style—and comfort—in this Adirondack chair from Highwood Hamilton. It’s made from a durable high-grade poly lumber that easily wiped clean with a wet paper towel (even after being smothered with melted marshmallow) and it won’t fade or wear down over time like wood. 

Featured In: The 7 Best Adirondack Chairs of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Keter Brightwood Resin Deck Box

To buy: $200 at amazon.com

If you need a waterproof place to store gardening supplies, dog toys, outdoor cushions or even grill supplies, this deck box from Keter Brightwood is made from a durable resin that won’t warp or crack over time like plastic deck boxes. It has an interior capacity of 120 gallons—plenty of storage potential—and a weight capacity of 484 pounds, so you can even use it as a bench. 

Featured In: The 9 Best Deck Boxes of 2023

Set the Mood

Brightech Solar Powered Outdoor String Lights

To buy: $30 at amazon.com

String lights automatically make any outdoor space more romantic and trendy once the sun sets. This set of lights from Brightech is solar-powered via a ground stake and offers a vintage twist with bright Edison bulbs. Despite being frozen, doused with water, and drop tested, these bulbs continued to offer a low, ambient light. 

Featured In: The 9 Best Outdoor String Lights of 2023

Ring Solar Pathway 

To buy: $35 at amazon.com

If you already have a Ring bridge or Amazon smart home device, this solar pathway light is a smart addition to your outdoor space. The brightness can be adjusted in the Ring app and it has a built-in motion sensor to illuminate even more when it picks up movement. 

Featured In: The 9 Best Smart Outdoor Lights of 2023

Say Goodbye to Pests 

DynaTrap Mosquito & Flying Insect Trap

To buy: $80 at amazon.com

Despite our best efforts, bugs always find their way into our yards, but this 3-way trap will keep them away for good during your major outdoor entertaining events. Disguised as a vintage lantern, this bug trap covers up to a half acre of land and attracts bugs via UV light and carbon dioxide. A quiet fan then captures them in a chamber, which is easy to empty when needed. 

Featured In: The 8 Best Mosquito Traps of 2023

Yaheetech Fire Pit

To buy: $100 at amazon.com

Enjoy the ambiance of a crackling fire while preventing bugs from bothering you with this compact fire pit. We found this fire pit easy to clean and control, plus it surprisingly did not put off as much smoke as other designs. At just 22 pounds, it’s also lightweight enough to store or move around your yard. 

Featured In: The 11 Best Fire Pits of 2023

About The Spruce Approved

Over the last five years, we've built a reputation for delivering expert-driven design inspiration and plant care guidance, step-by-step DIY instructions, and tried-and-true "What to Buy" recommendations. Our goal is to help you make an informed buying decision, so you'll know what you're getting before you click the buy button.

Every product we test is evaluated using comprehensive and repeatable testing methodologies established to pressure test a product’s functions and features. We grade products on how they measure up in essential factors you care about, such as comfort, usability, value, and design to help decide which one we believe will be a good fit for most households.

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