Keep your driveway or yard fully illuminated and secure with the Eufy E340 floodlight camera. It isn't solar-powered like the S340 below it and so you'll have to wire it, but it has a 2,000-lumen floodlight and mechanical pan-and-tilt so you can cover every inch of your property in its range.

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 is a capable 1080p projector that's ideal for use in the backyard or at a vacation rental thanks to its water-resistant design and its battery that can last up to five hours (in Eco Mode, or two hours at full-blast). It features Android 11, so you can stream from plenty of services without plugging in another device. Plus, it has a useful handle so you can lug it anywhere.

If you want to monitor the outside of your home without spending much money, the TP-Link Tapo C120 Indoor/Outdoor is worth looking into. For just $40, it's loaded with features usually only found on more expensive models, including 2K resolution (2,560 by 1,440 pixels), color night vision, and local video storage. The camera records video when it detects motion and offers free intelligent alerts that differentiate between people, pets, vehicles, and other motion events, a feature many competitors charge extra for. It requires a nearby GFCI outlet for power but saves you a lot of money compared with wireless 2K alternatives.

JBL’s portable, outdoor-friendly Charge 5 Bluetooth speaker is an excellent choice for parties. It has a dust-tight build for the beach, with powerful drivers and dual passive radiators to deliver an impressive amount of sound for its size. You don't get a speakerphone function or an adjustable EQ in the companion app, but those are relatively minor drawbacks. For less than $200, you can't do much better.

The Anker Soundcore Motion 300 is a deceptively small, cheap outdoor speaker, considering the sound it can produce. It offers robust sound with high-res LDAC Bluetooth codec support and is also completely waterproof. Best of all, it's well under $100 and easy to slip into a bag.

As with every robot lawn mower we've reviewed, the Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD doesn't come cheap, but it does an excellent job of mowing and trimming your lawn. It features both GPS and cellular radios, plus it connects to a slick companion app that enables remote controls, mowing schedules, and IFTTT integrations. Best of all (depending on your yard), it won't struggle to handle hilly terrain.

TP-Link’s dual-outlet Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug EP40A ($29.99) doesn't care what smart home system(s) you use: It works with all the major platforms, including Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings. That broad compatibility and an IP64 weatherproof rating make it a good choice for bringing smart features to your backyard appliances.

Polaris robotic pool cleaners have long been among our favorites because of their sturdy build and superb cleaning performance, and the cordless Freedom Plus continues the streak. It's battery-operated, which means it can clean the pool without a cable for power. It has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to activate it in its charging station and a light-based remote for controlling it underwater. Otherwise, you can simply let it roam around until it comes back up to charge and empty.

If you love your lawn enough to install a sprinkler system, you need a good sprinkler controller. The Rachio 3 is one of the best: It supports up to eight separate sprinkler zones with automatic weather-based or custom app-controlled watering schedules. You can even control it with Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands and IFTTT applets.

You don't need a full sprinkler system to automate watering your lawn. The Orbit B-Hyve Smart Hose Faucet Timer turns your ordinary garden hose into a smart watering system that you control from your phone, complete with programmed watering schedules and smart weather-based watering. It's a breeze to install and program, and it works with Amazon Alexa voice commands.

The Crystal Water Monitor keeps track of your pool's health, with plenty of water analysis features beyond simple pH levels including oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and total alkalinity. It's a bit pricey and requires a subscription after the first year, but the subscription includes a continuous warranty and replacement sensors when needed.

The Eufy SoloCam S340 is one of the most feature-filled wireless outdoor security cameras available, starting with a built-in solar panel for keeping its battery charged. It also features dual lenses, 3K video, color night vision, mechanical pan and tilt, a built-in spotlight, and local video storage. That's a lot packed into a single camera, and it easily justifies its high price if you want to keep a close eye on your home.

The Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint is one of the most flexible smart locks we've seen for securing your front door. You can use an app, your fingerprint, a key, or a PIN code to unlock it. It also works with every major smart home standard except Matter.

The Bird Buddy Smart Feeder Pro sends highly shareable snapshots and video postcards of the local bird population to your phone, while its companion app is smart enough to call out their species. Overall, the Bird Buddy is a charming piece of tech for naturalists and an Editors' Choice winner—if you're going to get a smart feeder, get this one.

If you really want to drive an outdoor party, the big and booming Sony ULT Field 7 is the speaker to get. It's a chunky, completely weatherproof cylinder with stereo woofer/tweeter pairs that can easily fill your backyard with music. It also has colored lighting effects and a mic input for karaoke.

Besides a good front door lock, you probably want to be able to see who's knocking or who might be stealing your packages. The TP-Link Tapo D225 video doorbell offers sharp video, both local and cloud storage, and plenty of smart home integration options, and it's surprisingly affordable.

Roku's Outdoor Smart Plug SE features an IP64 weatherproof build, and makes it easy to control appliances and other electronics with your phone or voice and conveniently tracks how much power they use. It's appealing if you also use Roku devices since you don't need to set up anything else to control the plug from your couch. It also works with Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, but the TP-Link EP40A offers offers better third-party device support.

Most TVs aren’t built to survive the elements, let alone pouring rain, blowing snow, flying sand, or scorching heat, but SunBriteTV’s Veranda Series 3 is up to the task. It offers a few key advantages over previous Veranda models, including a brighter and much more colorful picture with support for Dolby Vision, as well as a full suite of Android TV features such as streaming media services, Google Assistant voice controls, and the ability to mirror your phone.

Light strips are ideal for subtle effects, but if you want a more festive way to illuminate your patio, porch, or any other outdoor space, you're better off with smart string lights like the Govee Lynx Dream. Available in lengths of 48 or 96 feet, each string has dimmable multicolor LED bulbs that you can control with your voice or phone. They also support IFTTT applets, and you get a generous selection of preset lighting scenes and a fun Music Sync mode that's great for parties.

Smart locks and doorbell cameras might make your front door safe but don't add much to the aesthetic appeal. If you want to give your front door a real high-tech makeover, the Feather River Doors Smart Glass is a unique, expensive option. It's a door with a smart glass window that lets you flip between frosted opaque and completely transparent with the push of a button, a voice command, or an app.

Packages get purloined from porches pretty often, so protect those parcels with the Yale Smart Delivery Box. It's a large drop box you can secure to your porch so delivery drivers can safely set anything that will fit inside. Share an access code in the delivery details section of your orders from Amazon and other services, the driver will enter it into a keypad, the box will open, you'll get a notification, and the lid will automatically lock.

Smart locks are good for homes, but what about sheds and backyards? The Igloohome Smart Padlock 2 has you covered. It's a solid, waterproof padlock you can control via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It supports unlocking directly through the app, or you can control who can unlock it and at what times by issuing one-time or scheduled PINs and Bluetooth keys.

Pesky mosquitoes can ruin an otherwise enjoyable evening in your backyard, but traditional bug sprays are usually unpleasant to use. The Thermacell LIV Smart Mosquito Repellent System is a high-tech alternative that relies on heat-activated repellent cartridges to create 20-foot barriers of protection. The system worked well in testing and we didn't see any vapors or smell any chemicals. You get three repellers in the basic kit, but keep in mind that the system specifically defends against mosquitoes, which means other types of bugs might continue to buzz about. Regardless, it supports both app and voice controls for maximum convenience.

The Brisk It Origin 940 works like any other wood pellet grill, giving you the ability to roast, smoke, bake, and barbecue without having to deal with the mess of charcoal grilling or the taste of lighter fluid. Moreover, it uses generative AI to offer up countless recipes that you can send directly to the grill. In testing, its AI supplied foolproof recipes for pulled pork and whole bass and the grill delivered mouthwatering results.

The Kamado Joe Konnected Joe Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker helps you cook charcoal-fired food to perfection every time. This tank-like kamado grill is simple to use and clean, offers precise temperature control, and works with lots of high-quality accessories. The app is intuitive and has hundreds of recipes you can follow.

The Weber Genesis EPX-335 Smart Gas Grill is built to last and has plenty of smart tech features to enhance the cooking experience. It features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, an illuminated cooking chamber, a user-friendly mobile app, and hundreds of programmable recipes. Moreover, there’s plenty of built-in storage for utensils, cooking racks, and cleaning accessories.