If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. What to Buy Hosting & Dining 9 Clever Summer Essentials For Barbecues, Beach Days, and More at Amazon, Starting at Just $3 From an ingenious inflatable serving bar to a nifty backpack for dining al fresco. By Sharon Lockley Sharon Lockley Sharon Lockley has over 20 years of experience as an editor and writer and has been contributing to Food & Wine since 2019. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 15, 2024 Photo: Food & Wine / Dera Burreson Summertime is here, which means all of our favorite pastimes are around the corner, if not here already. Whether you’re holding or going to get-togethers, dining al fresco, or going to the beach or pool, you need the right essentials. Amazon's must-haves for outdoor fun section is a good place to get the gear you need for entertaining you, your family, and your guests. It’s filled with hundreds of items, but we went ahead and found nine of the best tools and gadgets for your summer fun. You’ll find everything like a backpack for dining al fresco, a cooler you can stock with drinks, an inflatable serving bar set, and a charcuterie board. Best of all? Prices start at just $3. 9 Top Picks From Amazon’s Hosting Summer Outdoor Must-Haves: Utcg Charcuterie Board, $21 (originally $28) Sunflora Backpack, $72 with Prime (originally $100) Igloo Maxcold Medium Ice Block, $3 (originally $9) Thermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller, $20 (originally $27) Sport-Brella Versa-Brella Adjustable Umbrella, $22 (originally $28) DII 12-Piece Melamine Reusable 9-Inch Round Plate Set, $24 (originally $28) Igloo 2-Gallon Water Cooler, $17 Jasonwell 2-Piece Inflatable Serving Bar Set, $16 with Prime (originally $26) Yeti Roadie 24 Cooler, $250 Utcg Charcuterie Board Amazon $28 $21 at Amazon This now 24%-off charcuterie board will hold lots of goodies, including cheeses, meats, vegetables, nuts, and dips. It’s ideal to use for get-togethers at home, or for dining out at a park. Made of bamboo, when folded up it measures 12 by 12 by 1.6 inches and has a 24 by 12 by 0.8 inch surface area once it’s open. It has a handle for easy carrying, so you can easily transport it. This charcuterie board has several different compartments to fill with your favorite snacking ingredients. It also includes four stainless steel utensils, which have their own special slot that’s magnetized, that way they stay in place. With the added small ceramic bowl for dipping sauces, you’ll have everything you need. Sunflora Backpack Amazon $100 $72 at Amazon When you want to head to the beach for sunset, or hike to your favorite spot, take along this Sunflora backpack. Inside there are compartments that hold everything you need for an outdoor feast. There are four hard melamine plates and four stainless steel flatware pieces for dining. The four plastic-stemmed wine glasses for sipping your favorite wine are an added touch. It also has a bamboo cutting board, a cheese knife, a wine opener, a salt and pepper shaker, a blanket, and a detachable cooler. The large zippered compartment is a cooler that has enough room to hold food and beverages for four people. With over 3,500 perfect ratings from shoppers and at $72 with Prime, this backpack is well worth grabbing. Igloo Maxcold Medium Ice Block Amazon $9 $3 at Amazon Keeping food and drinks cold on hot days is a necessity. And when you don’t want to deal with ice that melts and drips all over, these Igloo ice blocks are the way to go. They are slim and compact, so they don’t take up a lot of room. Plus, these ice blocks are reusable — just stick them in the freezer after you’re done using them so they’re ready for the next time around. They’ve garnered over 14,800 perfect ratings from shoppers who say, “They stay frozen and cold all day long.” The medium size, which measures 4.29 by 0.98 by 7.99 inches, is currently on sale for 63% off. Grab a few of these while they’re only $3 apiece. Thermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller Amazon $27 $20 at Amazon When you’re entertaining guests on your outdoor patio, the last thing you want is mosquitoes joining the party. This Thermacell patio shield mosquito repeller will keep these pesky insects away so you and your guest can enjoy yourself. It provides hours of protection in a 15 by 15 foot zone. It runs on a rechargeable battery and uses a synthetic insecticide mat that lasts up to four hours to repel these little pests. There’s no use of DEET, plus it’s scent-free and safe to use around animals. Over 10,000 of these units have been sold in the past month alone. Before hosting that outdoor party, it’s a good idea to have one of these on hand. At just $21 apiece, you might even want to grab two. Sport-Brella Versa-Brella Adjustable Umbrella Amazon $28 $22 at Amazon While we all enjoy the sunny summer days, it is a good idea to have something that provides shade. And this Sport-Brella adjustable umbrella is just the thing. It offers 10 square feet of coverage and has 50+ UV protection from sun rays. There’s no pushing it down into the dirt or sand either, as this umbrella simply clamps on wherever you want it to, whether it be the handle of a cooler, a patio table, or a lounge chair. Plus it’s adjustable and can be angled up to 360 degrees to block out the sun. Over 37,700 shoppers say that this umbrella is a “summer must-have.” Snag it in aqua or turquoise to get 21% off. DII 12-Piece Melamine Reusable 9-Inch Round Plate Set Amazon $28 $24 at Amazon This 12-piece plate set might remind you of the standard white paper plates from your past, since they’re designed to look like them. But, they’re much better than those. They’re made of lightweight melamine, so they can be used over and over again. These plates are definitely more durable than paper ones too, since they’re leakproof and don’t bend. The plates are 9 inches in diameter and can easily handle being loaded up with all of your favorite summer barbecue fixings. Not only that, but they are dishwasher-safe for easy clean-up. “Perfect in the summer for a backyard barbecue or for everyday use,” writes one reviewer. Get it on sale for just $24, and replace those paper plates for good. Igloo 2-Gallon Water Cooler Amazon $17 at Amazon Keeping water, lemonade, and other beverages ice cold and easily accessible is a must for summer. This Igloo 2-gallon water cooler is the perfect tool to have when dining at the park, or spending the day at the beach. It measures 11 by 10 by 14 inches and holds up to 2 gallons. It has a handle for carrying, making it easy to take this cooler anywhere. There is a spigot at the base for easy dispensing, just plan to keep some cups nearby so people can get their own drink. The cooler is fully insulated to keep the contents inside cold. At just $17, you might want to put it in your shopping cart — over 6,000 shoppers have already purchased this cooler in the past month. Jasonwell 2-Piece Inflatable Serving Bar Set Amazon $26 $16 at Amazon Going to the pool or lake? These inflatable serving bars by Jasonwell are a fun addition to grab. They’re fully inflatable, measuring 51.5 by 24.5 by 4.5 high with inside dimensions of 44 by 17 inches, ensuring that you can fit all your favorite drinks. Each of the two serving bars has a tube that you inflate around the outside rim to keep everything secure inside. Simply blow them up with the included air pump when needed, then add some ice. They’re also perfect for backyard parties and dining out at the park, too. They’ve scored over 5,300 perfect ratings from shoppers who say they are “perfect for keeping summer salads and desserts safe while having barbecues and parties.” You can grab the two-pack right now for 38% off. Yeti Roadie 24 Cooler Amazon $250 at Amazon Yeti products are known to be durable and tough, and this Roadie 24 cooler is no exception. The hard-sided cooler measures 16.5 by 14.5 by 17.5 inches and can hold up to 18 cans including ice. It is also tall enough to fit a bottle of wine or food, depending on what you need it for. The handle has a padded area for easy carrying, while the lid secures with two latches to keep everything secure. It has pulled in over 6,200 perfect ratings from shoppers who use it for road trips, for the beach, for the park, for sporting events, and more. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit More Fresh Finds from Food & Wine Anthropologie Has the Most Stunning Pasta Bowls, Starting at $12 The 10 Best White Elephant Gifts Under $25 That They'll Definitely Want to Steal Le Creuset’s Hidden Amazon Shop Has So Many Gifts for Coffee Lovers, From $14