As I've been immersed in the DIY smart home, I've been thinking more about ways to extend our home's newfound smarts to our deck, making it the ultimate outdoor entertainment area In fact, since we prefer to grill, we decided against installing smart kitchen appliances, but now that the weather has cooperated, we are researching the best smart grills, meat thermometers, and smokers I also looked into smart lights and speakers for outdoor use

I'm not a pitmaster, so I'm sold on the idea of enjoying backyard gatherings while monitoring burgers and skewers from my smartphone A voice assistant-enabled smart speaker would complete the summer ambiance, as would the ability to control other IoT devices designed for the outdoors

Thanks to my clever touchscreen smart switches, stylish wine fridge, and high-tech Alexa smart faucet, the interior IQ of my home is quite impressive But now it's time to modernize my deck

Here are some of the best outdoor tech gear for your deck this summer [The Weber Genesis TT SX-335's 669 square inch cooking area is perfect for cooking a lot of food at once And with a companion app that displays food temperatures and a real-time countdown of when the food is done grilling, you'll always know when it's done You can even set a push notification to let you know when to remove everything from the grill

The $1,349 Weber Genesis TT SX-335 Smart Grill also uses Weber's Connect platform It doesn't just tell you when the food is done grilling, it also teaches you barbecue techniques such as when to turn the food over, special rubs, and when to slice and serve For this reason, the Genesis TT SX-335 is one grill you should get if you are looking for a smart new outdoor device

If you're looking for an affordable way to smarten up your existing setup, Weber has created another tool to take advantage of the grill you already own: the $125 Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub, which allows you to buy an entirely new smart grill so you It comes with four ports that connect to a magnetic display on the grill's prep rack

Like the Weber Genesis TT SX-335 Smart Grill, the Smart Grill Hub works with the Weber Connect platform: pair it with your cell phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and follow a guided cooking program to grill dishes from start to finish, or from prep to serving

When it comes to backyard barbecue highlights, nothing beats juicy ribs, smoky brisket, and pulled pork But slow-cooking meat for hours and keeping the fire at the right temperature can be a real challenge, especially when entertaining guests

The Traeger Pro 757, like the company's other smokers, is fueled by pellets, so it can maintain a consistent temperature no matter how long it takes to finish a cut of meat And because it is Wi-Fi connected, it can be remotely monitored from a smartphone, and you can even ask Alexa what's going on It's a handy shortcut to becoming a pitmaster

Not only is Sonos Move one of the best smart speakers overall, it's wireless and portable While the newer, smaller Sonos Roam may be better suited for longer trips, nothing beats the Sonos Move for lounging in the backyard; it has Sonos-quality sound and is durable enough to withstand drops and overnight stays

At $399, the Sonos Move is a bit pricey for a speaker, but it's bigger and more sophisticated than most of the best Bluetooth speakers available today When the weather turns bad, the Move's sound can be brought indoors, making it a versatile alternative to installing a dedicated outdoor speaker system

To liven up a party at night, you need lighting This 48-foot strand of Edison-style LED bulbs should provide just the right amount of light so that you and your guests can see each other, but not too bright so as not to spoil the evening's atmosphere

In addition, the bulbs are solar-powered and will run for up to 8 hours on a 5200mAh battery It can be set to automatically turn on at dusk and has four lighting modes: steady, slow flash, quick flash, and pulse lighting However, there are only 15 bulbs in the 48-foot strand, so you may need to purchase a second strand for more light For more outdoor lighting, be sure to visit our Best Solar Lights page

Smart plugs are not just for inside the house One of the best smart plugs for outdoor use, the Kasa Smart Outdoor Plug EP40 (rated IP64) has two outlets, allowing you to control two outdoor devices independently It is ideal for non-smart outdoor lighting, electric fire pits, and small electric grills Guests can also use it as a regular plug to charge cell phones

And like Kasa's indoor plugs, the outdoor plugs are also available with TP-Link's Kasa app, which allows you to turn the smart plugs on and off whenever you want using a schedule or countdown timer The sunset function can also be used to turn on the outdoor lights as soon as it gets dark

It may not have Wi-Fi or connected features, but it's a smart idea to have a cooler for outdoor parties so guests don't have to go in and out of the house to get cool air and stain the floors Coleman's steel-belt coolers are an affordable and traditional way to keep drinks on ice

You won't want to carry it around too much because it doesn't have wheels, but its heavy-duty lid can support up to 250 pounds, making it an extra seat when you run out of chairs It can also hold up to 78 cans of your favorite beverage, which is more than enough for a party

Join me in shopping for DIY smart home gadgets Stay tuned for the next installment of this series Until then, please email me at katekozuch@futurenetcom or write in the comments section below with any how-to's, buying decisions you're struggling with, or anything else you'd like me to cover Be sure to also check out my guide to the best smart home devices (and the best inexpensive smart home devices)