Best tech items to make your next BBQ amazing

We are in the middle of summer and that means a lot of things: all the kids are out of school, you might be taking your vacation, and backyards are bound to be filled with entertainment.

For most people, that means buying fancy napkins and attention-grabbing cups. Those of us who love tech, however, use this time to impress everyone else with all of our gear and show them how much better BBQs can be with today’s technology.

I have been working tirelessly every weekend having or going to a BBQ. The following items are what I think make the next BBQ you host or attend perfect.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Active

The Galaxy S6 Active is the perfect BBQ phone. It will be the brain of the entire operation as it can really do anything. It stores or streams music and control things with the IR blaster when needed. The Galaxy S6 Active is tough enough to survive drops, meaning by the end of the night once you have had a few too many drinks, you don’t have to worry about breaking your phone when you drop it. The phone also handles spills and dunks, proven by its IP68 certification. And the 3500mAh keeps this thing going through the day and into the night.

Jabra SOLEMATE Bluetooth speaker

A Bluetooth speaker is mandatory. Life is so much better with music as a backdrop (or at the forefront). I found this out the hard way when my last Bluetooth speaker was lost and I had no music playing at all. Not even close to being as fun and definitely not a situation you ever want to be in.

I like the Jabra SOLEMATE because it’s decently loud, sounds pretty good, and is durable. It has two tweeters and one subwoofer to give a nice range of sounds to any music you like to listen to. Pairing is done with NFC, Bluetooth, or the auxiliary cable built into the bottom so you’ll never forget it. It’s also water resistant to prevent any worry about someone spilling something on it. If you have a pool, the SOLEMATE comes with a water resistant bag that allows music to play out without muffling it and becomes even more waterproof.

The SOLEMATE is meant to look like a shoe if you notice the bottom and handle. The design may be cool, but it does serve a function. The thick rubber bottom really grips to any surface. Many smaller speakers move around, but the SOLEMATE never will. Even if someone bumps it a little, it won’t slide.

Jabra offers the SOLEMATE in many different colors, too, which is fun although the price is high on Amazon for any color that isn’t black. Normally, the price is about $200, but Amazon has the black color option for around $60, a huge win at that price.

For larger parties, that may need to consider a speaker that can seriously blast music the entire time. The Big Blue Party Indoor-Outdoor Bluetooth speaker is bigger, louder, and sounds much better than Jabra’s respectable SOLEMATE. Of course it cost a lot more, but it comes with four speakers and a subwoofer, a durable case, water resistance, and has 360° sound. It is sure to bring life to parties of any size.

Samsung Gear 2 / Gear 2 Neo

My personal favorite smartwatch, the Samsung Gear 2, is also the perfect smartwatch for BBQs. Just like the Galaxy S6 Active, it can handle contacting water, the battery will easily last the entire time, and, perhaps most importantly, it can control your music.

Being able to control your music from your wrist is huge. No more going over to the speaker to change the song or taking out your phone to do something simple like raise the volume. With a smartwatch, you just lift your wrist, change what you need to, and get back to festivities without stopping anything. You’re guests will probably be amazed. Every time I do it, everyone around me is so impressed and thinks I have some super expensive sound system.

The best part is that it works with many different music player apps including Spotify. This for me was so simple. Plus, I can still get all my text, emails, calls, and other apps on it.

Perfect Drink App-Controlled Smart Bartending

The Perfect Drink Bartender is basically a scale that you pour drinks into to mix the perfect cocktail. What makes it cool is an app which you can use on your phone or tablet that tells you how to mix tons of different drinks. It even fixes the ratio after over-pouring. Every single person is going to stop and to get a mixed drink after seeing it. It’s hard to explain just how cool it is, but be sure to check the video below to see it in action.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out the compatibility list before making a purchase. No one wants to be a killjoy at a BBQ.

ALLPOWERS 10000mAh Solar Panel Charger

Maybe the most important thing here is making sure batteries are taken care of. If any of these devices die, your entire party dies with it. They all work together and must be charged! Since BBQs are outside, you don’t want to have to run an extension cord all the way inside since it doesn’t look very nice and people can trip on it. That’s why a portable battery pack like ALLPOWERS’ solar panel charger is a must. Plug it into whatever device is going to die and keep the party going.

ALLPOWERS allows two devices to charge at once and the 10,000mAh battery inside actually receives its own power from a small solar panel. ALLPOWERS’ product here is perfect for charging when the sun is out and when the sun goes down because it can be used as a flashlight. The ALLPOWERS Solar Panel Charger even comes in multiple colors to match your style.

Closing

Most of these items are interchangeable with whatever you happen to have. Just use what you have and shop around for different fits. These are just my personal favorites and what I think will work best for the ultimate BBQ.

If you have any suggestions for tech items that are mandatory at summertime BBQs, we would love to hear about them in the comments.

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