10 Smart Gadgets That Could Instantly Upgrade Your Backyard

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You have the itch to upgrade your backyard but aren’t sure where to start. A smart gadget could be the answer. If you already use some of the best smart gadgets of 2026, you know what a game-changer they can be. If you’re new to connected tech outdoors, you may be surprised by how much you can change with a single gadget.

Entertainment is an obvious place to start with backyard upgrades. Hosting, family time and relaxation can all benefit from a more enjoyable outdoor space, but convenience, maintenance and security can make just as much of a difference. Smart technology can help with all of them, from taking some of the work out of everyday chores to making your backyard more comfortable and secure.

I’ve put together 10 smart gadgets I’ve come to love in and around my own backyard. Some are unique gadgets you may not have considered. Others are simple devices that can make things you already own a little smarter. Whether you’re looking for more entertainment, easier yard maintenance or a better outdoor setup after dark, there’s something here for a range of needs and budgets. 

The X7 2000 ANSI Smart Projector is an easy way to add more entertainment to your backyard without committing to a permanent setup. It has native 1080p resolution, 2,000 ANSI lumens, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, plus autofocus and keystone correction. It can also rotate 180 degrees and has built-in speakers. It’s currently about $200 on Amazon.

I was a little worried about spending that much on a projector and ending up with something that was hazy or dim. Fortunately, the picture has been sharp enough for outdoor movie nights and bright enough for the way I use it. I’m also a big proponent of gadgets being easy to use. I don’t want to read a book of instructions before being able to enjoy something, and setup here was quick and straightforward. It connected to my phone and laptop without any major issues.  

I mostly use it for movie nights. We bring blankets, pillows and snacks, set up outside and spend the evening watching a movie together. That’s probably my favorite use for it, but it’s not the only one. You could hook up a gaming console, put on a football game while everyone hangs out outside or use it to show photos during a backyard get-together. If you’re considering a projector for more than just backyard movie nights, the best projectors for a home theater in 2026 will offer the features you need. And since it’s portable, you can also bring it back inside or use it somewhere else. 

A smart bird feeder is something I didn’t realize I needed until I started watching the birds visit my mother-in-law’s backyard on her HARYMOR Smart Bird Feeder. It has a camera, solar charging, motion alerts and an app that lets you watch birds from your phone. Its AI can also identify different species. It’s currently around $116, making it a relatively inexpensive way to enjoy your backyard even more.

Sometimes we sit in the breakfast nook visiting when she receives a notification that a bird is at the feeder. If we can’t see it clearly from the window, we pull up the app to view the camera feed to see the bird in real time. The solar panel is another nice touch because there’s no need to worry about manually recharging or using a cord. The AI identification is pretty good at getting the bird right, although, as expected, it has been wrong a handful of times.

What I really like about this backyard upgrade is that it gives everyone something to look at. Instead of occasionally noticing a bird at the feeder through the window, we can see close-up videos, get to know the species that frequently visit and add a bit of natural wonder to our breakfast chatter. 

I spent a long time searching for the perfect outdoor string lights. Maybe a little too long. What can I say? I’ve been burned a few times, buying string lights only for them to immediately stop working or work inconsistently. After months of comparing reviews and revising my top picks, I finally settled on the Govee Outdoor String Lights 2.

The lights were not the easiest to string. They came with zip ties, but they seemed almost too small to actually tie around anything. I ended up using my own materials to hang them. Once they were up, though, I was happy. The lights are highly customizable, with 16 million colors, individual bulb control, music-reactive effects and Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility. You can also adjust the brightness and choose from 48-, 96- and 144-foot options, starting at around $90 on Amazon.

What I like most is how easily I can change the mood. I can use warm, subtle lighting when we’re sitting outside on a normal evening or switch to something more colorful when we’re having people over. It makes the backyard feel more intentional and put-together.

The idea of a robot mowing my lawn still feels a little futuristic to me. Even in the age of AI, watching the ANTHBOT M5 drive around my backyard still fascinates me. The smart mower uses RTK positioning and dual-camera vision to navigate without boundary wires, and you can map different areas of your yard and control the mower through the app. It can handle slopes up to 45 percent, automatically return to its charging station and even adjust its cutting height through the app. It’s currently around $680.

Setup required a little bit more than just pulling it out of the box and pressing a button. Once I had everything mapped, though, I liked being able to tell it where to mow and letting it handle the routine work. Which is convenient when it seems like you’re having to mow every other day.  

The cameras are also designed to recognize and avoid obstacles, which is useful if you have toys, outdoor furniture or other random things that end up in the yard. The biggest upgrade here isn’t exactly the mower itself. It’s been getting my time back. Instead of spending part of a Saturday pushing a mower around, I can let the M5 handle it while I actually use the backyard.

I wanted a backyard security camera that could actually keep an eye on the whole area instead of giving me one fixed view. The eufy Floodlight Camera E340 gets pretty close, with dual cameras, 360-degree pan-and-tilt coverage, AI tracking and a 2,000-lumen floodlight. Adding the HomeBase gives you local storage and additional AI features, and you don’t have to pay a monthly subscription to record or receive notifications. The camera and HomeBase bundle is currently around $300. If you’re comparing different types of outdoor cameras, the best security cameras from 2025 included a variety of wireless outdoor cameras and floodlight cams that could get the job done.

What I like most is being able to check what’s happening in the backyard from my phone without wondering whether the camera is pointed in the right direction. The E340 can automatically track people, pets and vehicles, or I can move the camera myself when I want to look somewhere specific. The floodlight is useful, too. I can have it come on when there’s movement, or use it as regular outdoor lighting when we’re outside after dark. 

The camera is IP65 weather-resistant, so I don’t have to worry about it being exposed to the elements. For me, that’s what makes this more than just another security camera. It combines something I want for peace of mind with something I can actually use when we’re hanging out in the backyard. 

I’ve never been particularly good about remembering to water things. I’ll remember for a few days, get busy, completely forget and then suddenly realize that the plants have been sitting outside in the Arkansas heat, wondering what they did to deserve this. The LinkTap G2S Smart Garden Hose Timer takes that responsibility off my plate by letting me schedule watering from an app and automatically adjust the schedule based on weather. It also monitors water flow and can alert me if something seems wrong, like a leak or unexpected water use. The complete timer and gateway are currently around $125.

Setup was a little more involved than a basic hose timer because the G2S uses a separate gateway hub, but once I had everything connected, I liked having so much control from my phone. I can start or stop watering remotely, set different schedules and see how much water was actually used. The flow monitoring is probably my favorite feature because I don’t have to wonder whether the water actually ran when I wasn’t home. Irrigation-Guide.com author Johann Kodnar, who tested the G2S, also praised its sturdy construction, flow monitoring and weather-based watering features.

This is the kind of smart gadget that makes a backyard upgrade feel practical instead of just fun. I don’t have to remember whether I watered the garden that morning, and I can check or change the schedule without walking outside to the faucet. 

I don’t really need another reason to buy a new grill, so I like the idea of making the one I already have a little smarter instead. The Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub adds Wi-Fi and Bluetooth temperature monitoring to your existing grill, with a food probe and ambient-temperature probe included. The app can send alerts when it’s time to flip or serve your food, estimate when a cook will be finished and walk you through recipes step by step. It currently costs about $140.

The part that stands out to me is how much of the guesswork it can take out of grilling. You can set a target temperature and get an alert when your food reaches it, or use the guided recipes if you’re making something new. In his Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub review for Engadget, Billy Steele found the Hub particularly useful for longer cooks like pork shoulder and beef ribs, as he was able to monitor the grill over Wi-Fi instead of having to stay right next to it.

Being able to step away from the grill without completely losing track of what’s happening is a huge backyard upgrade. If you’re already happy with your grill, adding a smart hub makes a lot more sense than replacing the whole thing just to get connected features. Weber’s current version is also rated 3.9/5 from 330 reviews on its site.

The most seemingly unassuming product on this list may have the potential to be one of the most useful. The Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug turns ordinary backyard electronics into smart devices, giving you remote control, scheduling and voice commands through Alexa or Google Assistant. It has two independently controlled outlets, so you can even have two different devices on separate schedules. It’s currently around $23 on Amazon.

Being able to use one of the best smart plugs of 2026 to upgrade things I already own instead of replacing them with expensive smart versions is where this little gadget really earns its keep. Plug in your existing string lights and have them turn on automatically at sunset, connect a fountain or pond pump and set a schedule or use it with other outdoor decorations that you’d normally have to manually turn on and off yourself. One plug to rule them all, I guess.

On its own, it doesn’t do anything particularly exciting. But give it an ordinary backyard gadget, and suddenly that gadget has a whole new set of possibilities. It’s the simplest way to make something you already own a little smarter. 

If the Kasa smart plug is the gadget that makes ordinary backyard electronics smart, the Bond Bridge Pro does something similar for compatible RF-controlled devices. It’s an RF-to-Wi-Fi bridge that communicates with devices like ceiling fans, motorized shades and fireplaces that already use RF remote controls, then lets you control them through the Bond app or a compatible smart-home platform. There’s no need to rewire or replace the device itself, and Bond says no installation is required. The Bridge Pro currently costs about $379.

I use it with my outdoor ceiling fans, and the coolest thing I noticed was that I can do more than just turn them on and off. I can adjust the fan speed from my phone, which makes it much easier to change things when I’m already settled outside. I also like being able to control the fans without having to get up to search for the remote every time I want to make a change.

It’s definitely a bigger investment than the Kasa smart plug, but the two aren’t really doing the same thing. The Kasa is great for giving basic on/off control to ordinary outdoor electronics, while the Bond Bridge Pro adds smart-home control to compatible motorized devices without making you replace their existing controls.   

They’re not the most expensive item on this list, but they might be the ones that make me feel the most bougie. The Govee Outdoor Spotlights 2 let me highlight specific parts of my backyard with adjustable colors and brightness, whether that’s a tree, landscaping, fence or part of the house. Each light can produce up to 700 lumens and 16 million colors, and you can control them through the Govee app or with Alexa, Google Assistant or Matter. The 2-pack and 4-pack start at around $80.

One thing to know before buying: these aren’t wireless lights. The spotlights are connected by cables and need to be plugged into an outlet, so you’ll need to plan around where you want to place them and route the cords. It was a little more work than I expected, but the final look was worth it. I was impressed by how much they changed the look of the backyard. If you’re looking for more ways to add smart lighting, check out the best smart LED light bulbs for 2026.

I can keep things simple with warm white lighting or switch to colors when we’re having people over. I also like being able to control each light individually, so I can spotlight a tree or section of landscaping instead of just flooding the whole yard with light. They’re IP67-rated for outdoor use, too, so I don’t have to worry about bringing them inside whenever the weather changes. This is the kind of backyard upgrade that feels a little unnecessary until you have it. Now, my yard would feel so empty without them. They were such a visual upgrade for my outdoor space, and they honestly give me another reason to spend time out there after dark.

I chose these backyard gadgets based on a combination of hands-on experience, product research and independent reviews. I prioritized products I’ve personally used or experienced first-hand, focusing on how well they worked in a real backyard instead of just looking at specs. 

I also considered how useful each gadget would actually be, emphasizing features that add convenience, entertainment, maintenance or security instead of smart features just for the sake of being smart. 

To cater to a wider audience, I included products for a wide range of price points, so there are options for all sorts of different backyard projects and budgets.