10 best tailgating essentials for football season
Don’t drop the ball on your game-day celebrations
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For seasoned tailgaters, the game is only part of the experience. Waking up early to prep buffalo dip, packing the car with enough food and drinks to feed a defensive line, and staking out a prime spot in the parking lot requires the most work.
It takes the foresight of a top offensive coordinator combined with the execution of a Super Bowl-winning quarterback to achieve truly great tailgating.
But no matter how much planning goes into the pre-game, you’re ultimately only as good as the stuff you bring along. Leave the Hail Marys to the pros: To make sure you have the best, most reliable products by your side, we’ve put football season staples through extensive testing to bring you closer to your best tailgate season yet.
1. A portable grill for game day noshing
The Weber Q 1200 is a well-made, versatile portable gas grill.
Grilling is a quintessential tailgating activity. Whether you’re whipping up steak tips, chicken, or the tried-and-true burgers and hot dogs, our top-performing portable grills offer superior functionality and the ability to move between trunk and parking lot with ease.
For those who prefer a gas grill, our favorite Weber Q 1200 earned top marks for its cast-iron grill grates and powerful heat consistency. It easily fits six burgers at a time, and it comes equipped with side tables sturdy enough to hold an entire plate of food.
More into charcoal? The Weber Jumbo Joe has you covered with an impressive 240-square-inch cooking surface that can handle 10 burgers, several racks of ribs, or even a whole chicken. Just don’t forget briquettes. (Yes, we’ve tested those too.)
2. Grill tools that won’t drop the ball—er, dog
OXO's two-pack of tongs and spatula is all you need to man the grill on game day.
Don’t insult that thick steak by trying to flip it with a plastic fork. Any grill master knows the importance of a quality pair of tongs. After all, as our grill tong tester puts it, they should be an extension of your arm.
The OXO Good Grips Tongs and Turner Set are just that, a way for you to confidently pick up hot dogs and flip burgers with ease. Plus, they have a non-slip grip for comfortable handling.
3. A comfy seat that's easy to carry
Stay comfy without the hassle with the light and easy-set-up Cliq Lounge chair.
A sturdy seat that's comfortable enough to relax on in the parking lot is a must-have during a tailgate, but not all folding chairs are created equal. When you're already lugging around a big cooler and/or grill, the last thing you want to worry about is several bulky chairs.
Enter the Cliq Lounge chair, which features full back and neck support, easy set-up, and a bag to carry it in. Plus, it weighs less than an average beach chair, so it's easy to carry along.
4. A cooler that will keep your drinks cold through kick-off
The Yeti Tundra 45 showed us why Yeti is a leader in the field.
With a quality cooler, you can make sure you’re really reaching for a cold one during your pre-game celebrations. In our tests of the best ice coolers, the Yeti Tundra 45 cooler was able to keep internal temperatures below 40°F for around 97 hours, so your post-game drink can be just as refreshing.
Plus, this durable 45-quart cooler is easy to carry and features a non-slip bottom to hold it in place.
5. A portable Bluetooth speaker to get the party started
Due to its flexibility, versatility, and winning sound quality, the Sonos Roam is our current favorite portable Bluetooth speaker.
Whether you want to listen to the play-by-play of another game, or just pump some tunes to get everyone in the fighting spirit, you need a portable Bluetooth speaker. After testing more than 20 of the best speakers on the market, the Sonos Roam won out for its superior sound and long battery life.
Plus, it’s durable and waterproof, and it comes in several colors to coordinate with your favorite team. It even allows for more than one Bluetooth source at a time, so you won’t have to fight over who gets to play the next song.
6. A travel mug for warm beverages
Keep your hot cocoa warm through the game with this top-performing travel mug.
Perfect for hot cocoa (or something a little stronger), our favorite travel mug can keep you feeling cozy during a chilly fall game.
When we tested the best travel mugs, our tester accidentally left the Zojirushi SM-KHE48 in a car overnight and it was still just as warm the next day, so you know it’s able to handle a few hours. This 16-ounce mug also fits perfectly into any cup holder or bag you may be toting.
7. Hand warmers for chilly nights
Hot Hands will keep your extremities toasty during long and cold game days.
The deeper we get into football season, the colder those tailgates tend to get. Arrive to the game prepared with HotHands hand and toe warmers. These little packs just require a little shake before they're naturally activated, emitting warmth in your pockets and shoes for up to 10 hours—enough to carry you from the tailgate to overtime.
8. A water bottle to help you stay hydrated
The Owala FreeSip is the best water bottle we've tested.
Save room in the cooler (and the environment) by ditching plastic water bottles for an insulated model that will keep you cool all day. The Owala FreeSip aced our temperature tests when we ranked the best water bottles, keeping water cold for up to 24 hours. And it's a great choice for everyone, given that it comes in a spectrum of fun colors and it can be sipped via the straw or by tilting it back.
9. Portable batteries to keep your phone charged
The PowerStation PD's USB-C and USB-A ports make it highly adaptable.
We’ve all been there—switching to low-power mode, dimming the screen, and frantically shutting down apps to try to preserve your phone’s last few moments of battery life. Add the strain of a stadium full of fans and you’re a goner.
To make sure you don’t drop off before you’re able to coordinate a meeting place with friends, pack a portable USB battery pack. The Mophie Powerstation PD, our pick for best overall, can charge two smartphones simultaneously—and with impressive speed.
10. Food storage containers to keep your snacks fresh
The Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids food storage containers will keep your food fresh throughout your tailgate.
Tailgating is all about efficiency. With the right food storage containers, you can transport fresh snacks, serve them, and then pop the lid back on when you head into the game.
The Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids Food Storage Containers, our choice for best plastic containers, is perfect for parking lot parties. The 42-piece set won’t break if dropped, and you can find the perfect size no matter what treats you bring along. Plus, they aced our potato chip freshness test, keeping the salty snack as good as new even after days of exposure to heat and humidity.
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