10 Ways to Buy a Great Summer at Home

An outdoor bar
Target and other big-box stores will give you the inexpensive, no-frills patio bar of your dreams, but a bit more will get you a tiki bar from Amazon(AMZN) kitschier than any Mai Tai factory in Waikiki. If you're angling for something more permanent, Lynx Grills' $3,100 freestanding cocktail station comes with an LED-lit front panel, stainless steel sink with faucet and water filter, insulated ice bin and a speed rack for the cheap stuff.

A hot tub
Call it a Jacuzzi if you want, but LED lighting, and MP3-ready stereos and iPod docks can be found in many other brands, such as Hotspring, ThermoSpas and Sundance Spas. If you're looking for a little privacy, however, Pomona, Calif.-based Cal Spas offers Spa Surrounds that encircle tubs in bars, stools, steps and plants or Metro Surround screens for city dwellers.

-- Written by Jason Notte in Boston.

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