Best Deals on Grills and Outdoor Essentials

This Black+Decker battery-powered string trimmer earns a stellar rating for edging, its ability to trim along vertical lines. It also does a solid job trimming grass. However, it struggles more with tall grass and weeds, earning a middling rating in that test. The trimmer has only one cutting line, which results in slower and less aggressive cutting. Weighing only 6.4 pounds, the model is one of the lightest string trimmers in our ratings.

The Ego ST1502SA battery string trimmer edges and trims as well as the best gas models, and it does a solid job of clearing through tall grass and weeds. At 10 pounds, it’s extremely light. It will go anywhere a gas model can, but its run time was limited to about a half-hour in our tests. If you splurge on the top-rated Ego LM2135 battery push mower, you can use the batteries interchangeably and always have one charging. The Ego is your best bet if you want to buy into a brand of high-scoring outdoor lawn tools that use interchangeable batteries.

This Ego battery string trimmer can take on heavy-duty jobs and with precision. It trims evenly in a single pass, edges well, and can cut down tall grass and weeds aggressively—all while being easy to handle. Be mindful of its weight: at over 12 pounds, it’s on the heavier side of the battery models we’ve tested. But if you have other tools in this Ego 56-volt platform, this is a good sale price for a great tool.

The Makita XRU23SM1 aces nearly all of our performance tests with the exception of ease of use, though it still earns average marks there. This model gets excellent scores for battery run time, too. It weighs just over 7 pounds, making it exceptionally light and easy to carry, and it has a cutting width of 13 inches. Makita electric string trimmers achieved first-rate scores for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in CR’s member surveys. The tool is part of Makita’s 18-volt battery platform, which means it can share batteries with Makita’s highly rated cordless drill and impact driver.

The Ego LB7654 is now $20 less than we’ve seen this summer. It delivers all-star performance across the board, adept at loosening and sweeping, all in an easy-to-handle package despite weighing 9.9 pounds. In addition, this electric blower comes with a generous five-year warranty. As a brand, Ego battery handheld leaf blowers are very reliable and earn a top mark for owner satisfaction in our latest member surveys.

The Ecovacs Goat O1000 RTK, whose price has dipped $30 low than it’s been all summer, got top marks in all grass-cutting tasks. This model included safety features similar to those of other models, including a security code, a lift sensor, and blades that stop immediately. But testers found the mower’s outer shell to be less durable than those of other mowers. The mower can handle lawns under a quarter-acre, according to the manufacturer.

The DeWalt DWPW2600 is a lightweight pressure washer (23 pounds) with a rectangular shape and low profile, which helps prevent it from toppling over when in use. It offers excellent cleaning, though it’s a bit noisier and has less power (2,600 pounds per square inch) than some other models on this list. It has five replaceable nozzle tips, a soap dispenser bottle, a 25-foot hose, and a 35-foot power cord. The pressure washer can be stored horizontally or vertically on its durable frame.

Despite generating a relatively low 1,800 pounds per square inch of pressure, the lower-priced Greenworks PW18HYB does a very good job of cleaning. It’s relatively light and easy to use and transport, and is quiet. It comes with four replaceable nozzle tips and an onboard soap tank. Two other Greenworks pressure washers, the GPW2301 and GPW3001, are also worth considering. Both perform similarly for cleaning, have five replaceable nozzle tips, and come with onboard soap tanks. The GPW2301 model has a bit less power, while the GPW3001 has a relatively low, flat design and more power. All three models have a 35-foot power cord and a 25-foot hose.

This battery-powered chainsaw is among the best in our ratings. It effortlessly cuts through hardwood and is comfortable to operate during extended tasks. Thanks to a kickback guard and chain brake, it scored well for safety. It was also easy to use and very easy to maneuver, and it did a bit better for noise than most models.

The 13-pound Cat DG630 earns top marks for cutting speed, handling, and safety, and it is relatively easy to use. It features a 16-inch bar, a chain brake, a tool-free chain adjuster, and a translucent oil tank that allows for easy visual confirmation of when it needs to be refilled. This model comes with a single 2.5Ah battery and a charger, and a five-year warranty.

This CR Recommended sunscreen is at the best price we’ve seen all summer. It’s above average for UVA protection and SPF, and it’s water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. Just note that with spray sunscreens, it can be harder to know if you’re getting even coverage, so CR suggests spraying the sunscreen into your hands and then applying it to your body to help ensure better coverage.

This Neutrogena spray is very good in overall performance across the board, with excellent UVA protection and very good protection from sunburn-producing rays. It does not meet its labeled SPF 50 in CR’s tests, but the protection is still adequate. It has a moderately strong tropical, fruity aroma and leaves a slightly greasy film and a notable sheen on the skin.

This Eucerin Advanced Hydration SPF 50 spray is a solid performer with broad-spectrum protection. Its tested SPF comes close to its labeled SPF 50. Like the sunscreen above, it also has that plastic fragrance-free aroma, and it left a slightly draggy film on testers’ skin.

This high-end midsized Fuego F27S grill hits almost every mark, and the price has dropped $125 since the start of the month. It rates very good at producing even heat, preheating quickly, offering a wide range of high and low temperatures, and creating indirect heat. It’s less likely than many other models to flare up. Notable features include recessed folding shelves and burners with a long warranty. (They’re the parts that are replaced the most.) An unimpressive rating for convenience is one of its few blemishes.

The Meater+ meat thermometer is one of the most reliable digital thermometers. It’s easy to use, and given its top-notch accuracy, you won’t need guesswork to determine the doneness of brisket and other fleshy delights. It’s shaped like a thick ink pen with dual sensors—one for internal temperature and one for ambient temperature—and its size makes it better suited to girthier cuts. The Meater+ transmits temperature readings wirelessly to the companion smartphone app.

NYC Plant Doctor Christopher Satch, who’s a professor of plant biology and pathology at The New York Botanical Garden, always starts with insecticidal soap when faced with unwelcome visitors in his garden. “It’s superior to neem [oil] in that it not only has a greater efficacy at killing insects due to its mode of action but also doesn’t hurt the plant like neem oil can,” Satch says. “Neem oil suffocates the plant over time by the oil clogging the plant pores.”

Satch recommends this insecticidal soap from Bonide, which can be used on shrubs, trees, flowers, ornamental greens, and garden vegetables.

The Grand Patio umbrella usually costs $350, but the on-page coupon puts it just about $20 above its lowest price. This umbrella got above-average scores in CR’s tests for ease of use and assembly, but it’s a little less rigid than higher-scoring models.

Who says you have to drop hundreds on a trendy freestanding pizza oven to make a perfect pie? If you own a grill, all you need is an attachment like this one from BakerStone. Throw it right onto the grates of your grill. The grill provides the heat, and while we didn’t try this grill-compatible model, we did try the BakerStone with a dedicated gas burner and found we got great results.