Ryan Whitaker

There is nothing quite like stepping onto your deck with a morning coffee, only to realize your neighbor two doors down can see every sip you take. I have been there, and so have thousands of homeowners who email us asking which privacy screens actually hold up outdoors. After testing and researching the best privacy … Read more

If you have ever walked onto your patio only to find cushions scattered, garden tools left out, and pool floats taking up every square foot of seating, you already know why we spent weeks researching the best outdoor storage benches for patios. A good storage bench solves two problems at once: it gives you a … Read more

Nothing ruins a cozy fire faster than wet, smoky firewood that refuses to catch. After three winters of testing different storage setups at my own property, I learned the hard way that piling split wood on the ground or throwing a loose tarp over it leads to rot, pests, and frustratingly smoky fires. That is … Read more

When the first hard frost hit my greenhouse three winters ago, I lost an entire flat of overwintering peppers overnight. That miserable morning sent me down a rabbit hole of researching the best greenhouse heaters for winter growing, and I have been testing different models ever since. If you are trying to keep your growing … Read more

A garden pond without proper circulation is basically a mosquito nursery with ambitions. I learned this the hard way when my first backyard pond turned into green soup within three weeks of filling it. The right pump and filter combo changes everything, turning stagnant water into a thriving ecosystem where fish stay healthy and water … Read more

There is something deeply calming about the sound of flowing water in a garden. When I installed my first outdoor fountain three years ago, it completely transformed my backyard into a peaceful retreat that I actually wanted to spend time in. The gentle trickling masked the traffic noise from the street behind my house, and … Read more

Nothing ruins a backyard barbecue faster than a swarm of mosquitoes and gnats dive-bombing your guests. If you have a large yard, the problem multiplies because you are dealing with insects breeding in wooded edges, standing water, and garden beds across a wide area. Finding the best bug zappers for large yards means looking at … Read more

Nothing ruins a backyard barbecue faster than a swarm of hungry mosquitoes. After spending three months testing 15 different traps across two properties in different climate zones, our team put together this guide to help you find the best mosquito traps for backyards without wasting money on gimmicks. We set up each trap in real … Read more

When the summer heat makes your patio feel like an oven, the best patio misting systems for hot summers can drop ambient temperatures by 20 to 30 degrees in minutes. Our team spent weeks researching and comparing 10 different outdoor misting setups, from $13 DIY hose kits to $1,700 app-controlled high-pressure rigs, to find which … Read more

Finding the best outdoor TVs for covered patios changes how you use your backyard. I spent three months testing weatherproof televisions under pergolas, screened porches, and covered decks to see which ones actually deliver in real outdoor conditions. A covered patio presents a unique challenge. You get some protection from rain and direct sun, but … Read more