Europe’s about to go to war! With songs!
Yep, it’s Eurovision time again, and while the rest of the continent grinds its teeth and takes tomorrow night’s contest terribly seriously, we’re free to do what Brits do best: poke fun and throw a party!
We’ve selected the best gadgets for a Eurovision night to remember. There’ll be nothing to cry “nil pois” over with this little lot…
The ultimate barbecue
What better way to host a Eurovision soiree than with a barbie? Tomorrow’s weather should stay clear, so dash out and grab the Elite 50 from Fire Magic.
It’s a gargantuan hunk of a BBQ, and comes equipped with eight stainless steel burners, twin infrared backburners and a heavy-duty rotisserie kit for fast-yet-thorough cooking.
Fire it up, pile it high with goodies and still have enough space left to cook for the continent.Still not convinced? It’s self-cleaning, you know! Yep, that’s what sold it to us too.
Out now | £7,197.57
Fire Magic
Watch in style
Telly boxes might be getting absurdly clever these days, but if you want a visual experience big enough to entertain a crowd, a projector’s where it’s at. And you can’t do much better than Sim2’s Italian-styled Grand Cinema C3X 1080.
As if the cheesy Eurovision tunes and costumes weren’t colourful enough, it can display full hi-def (1080p) and over one billion colours on screen.
According to the projection heads at Sim2 “no other manufacturer has the ability to produce a high performance 3-chip projector with such compact dimensions.” That said, it’s a bit pricey for a one-off purchase, so use the Eurovision excuse as a last resort.
Out now | £12,999
Sim2
Take it outside
Sounds good so far, but why not keep the party outside. With a Pro Idee inflatable projection screen you can enjoy the delights of Euro Pop in the open air.
The vinyl screen offers the best possible outdoor image in 4:3 or 16:9 widescreen formats and is built for both front and rear projection set-ups.
It’s also portable, and because a valve keeps the air inside the pump doesn’t need to keep running, meaning you can enjoy the erm, music without interruption. It’s waterproof too and can be set up in just five minutes.
Out now | £519
Pro Idee
Re-live the best (and worst) of the night
Whether the UK pulls another nil pointer, or goes on to win courtesy of an act of God, there’s bound to be something worth seeing or hearing again.
If not the acts then maybe Terry Wogan’s whithering put-downs. The BT Vision V-Box allows 80 hours of TV recording up to two weeks in advance on its 160GB hard disk.
There’s also the requisite pause and rewind functions, while a bevy of On Demand shows too. That’s enough to keep the party going even after the music has finished. Movie night anyone?
Out now | From £30 (self-install kit, subscription costs £15.99 and BT Hub)
BT Vision
Don’t forget the refreshments
So you’ve just sat through the night’s performances (well done, you’ve earned a drink) and are now anxiously watching the results. Don’t worry, there’s no need to tear yourself from the nail-biting finish, thanks to the astoundly absurd RC cooler!
This remote-controlled drink-chiller is perfect for couch potatoes. Bring the beers to you or steer them away from your guests if they’ve had one too many.
Out now | £40
Firebox
The morning after the night before
It’s time to erase any evidence of Eurovision night. Too hungover to do it yourself? How about a personal robocleaner to do your dirty work? The iRobot Roomba 560 fits the bill perfectly.
Just program the timer for the morning after, and it’ll trundle around gobbling up spilled crisps, misplaced nuts and using ultrasound tech to make sure no corner is left uncleaned. It’s small enough to fit under furniture too, so covert crumbs get sucked right up.
Out now | From £229
iRobot
