8 Outdoor Entertaining Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Whatever beverages you’re serving in the summer should be cold. When served too warm, white wines and rosés, for example, lose their freshness and may start to feel heavy on the palate, so it’s important to keep bottles properly chilled. That’s where a cooler comes in — with a 52-quart capacity and lightweight build, there’s plenty of room for wine (and more). Just remember to fill it with ice, as an ambient-temperature cooler won’t help.

During our tests, this cooler held a 32°F temperature on a hot day and also kept ice frozen. Even after 24 hours, our drinks were kept cold: a testament to its superior insulation. RTIC recently released a wheeled version, adding extra portability if you’re planning on hauling it further than your backyard.

In addition to temperature, another key element to proper wine service is having the right glasses. But if you’re not keen on bringing delicate stemware outdoors, look to this set from German glassware manufacturer Schott Zwiesel. Made with the brand’s Tritan crystal glass, these are break-, scratch-, and chip-resistant, making them one of the sturdiest — yet lightweight — glasses we’ve tested. 

The subtle fluting on the sides of the glass is elegant without being distracting. With these stemless glasses, wine drinkers can enjoy the aromas and flavors of their red, white, rosé, or bubbly as if they were sipping from traditional stemware, but you can pop them into the dishwasher at the end of the night for easier cleaning. 

No matter how welcoming your climate is, mosquitos will send the party inside. To keep these pests away, this editor-favorite device from Thermocell’s E-Series creates a 20-foot zone of protection using a scent-free repellent. We like that it’s scent-free, as  a powerful fragrance could affect the taste of foodm, especiallyif your guests are sensitive to smells. 

It runs on batteries, and each repellent cartridge lasts for up to 12 hours; plus, replacements are easy to reorder. You can buy multiple units to cover bigger areas, and each device is rechargeable, providing up to 5.5 hours of protection with each charge.

Though you could certainly alleviate an ice shortage by buying extra bags of ice, having special ice ready for cocktails and mocktails adds an elevated touch to your outdoor soiree. These molds from Williams Sonoma make 2-inch ice spheres — a solid, substantial ball of ice in the ideal shape for keeping drinks cold without watering them down. Its two-piece design is easy to use, and in our tests, this mold held its own against more expensive versions. The silicone is flexible, so you can remove frozen spheres easily, and top-rack dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

A refreshingly cold saison or other canned beverage is a must when temperatures are high, but your drink may start to lose its cool once it leaves the refrigerator. Avoid warm beer with this insulated can cooler by BrüMate, a hard-sided koozie designed to fit standard 12- and 16-ounce cans. Its insulation features double-walled stainless steel plus a layer of copper and includes a freezable ice pack that sits under 12-ounce cans for added chill. 

But this koozie is no one-trick pony. It also comes with a flip-top lid that converts it into a tumbler so you can use it for just about any beverage that needs to keep its temperature. Available in 30 colors, you can get them in an assortment of hues to distinguish your drink from someone else’s. Testing it out, we found its insulation impressive even in the summer, as it can keep a drink cool for hours in direct sun.   

Taking your usual dinnerware outdoors might sound like a great idea — until you shatter a dish and find yourself searching for wayward shards. Instead, invest in unbreakable melamine dishes. One of our favorite outdoor dinnerware sets, this Moroccan-inspired collection from Pottery Barn will add flair to a simple table. The set comes with four dinner plates, salad plates, and bowls, and it’s affordable enough that you can invest in multiple sets to supply a party. We love the heft of these dishes, as it makes them feel like you’re dining on nicer dinnerware, but they’re much more durable and hold up well after repeated use.

If you want to keep your outdoor dinner party going after sundown, you’re going to need lighting. A favorite of our Culinary Director at Large, Justin Chapple, this cordless LED lamp is more stylish than your typical outdoor lantern and safer than candles. It comes in six finishes to match any alfresco setup, and it’s dimmable to suit the mood you’re trying to create. The lamp stands just under 15 inches tall, weighing just around two pounds. Set it on the table for dinner or invest in a couple for accent lighting around a pool. It provides lighting for nine hours with charged batteries.

Aside from rain, nothing can shut down an outdoor gathering faster than an unexpected chill. Enter this patio heater from Arlmont & Co., a propane-powered model that warms up quickly and is easy to use once assembled. We love the sleek appearance and sturdiness of this tower, and appreciate the addition of safety features like its tip-over shut-off safety switch. It’s easy to move thanks to its wheeled base, and it even held up well on a windy day during our testing. So, we stand behind its stability. Made of iron and available in four finishes, its would look great in any backyard.