My friend needed an outdoor projector to beat the heat this summer, so I sent her straight to this budget model

Yaber T2 outdoor projector | $349.99 $249.99 at Amazon
Save $100 - Amazon currently has a $100 coupon available on this budget outdoor projector, and it was already offering excellent value for money at MSRP. With a 2.5-hour battery, easy setup process, and solid 1080p picture this is a must-see for summer evenings.

Buy it if:

✅ You want a no-fuss experience
✅ You have a streaming stick
✅ You don't have an additional sound system

Don't buy it if:

❌ You want full 4K resolution

UK: £399.99 at Amazon

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The problem with British houses is that they were built to retain heat. That means whenever the sun does dare to show its face, these walls soak up all that warmth and hold onto it like we're in the depths of winter. When the sun does decide to finally take its leave, my house is several degrees warmer than the temperature outside. So is my friends, to the extent that she's started sleeping in the garden this week.

To make that a little less desperate, she asked if I had any projector recommendations to turn the experience into more of a movie night and less of a last-ditch effort to finally sleep. There was only one on my mind.

The Yaber T2 is a budget-friendly 1080p projector with quite a few features more expensive models could only dream of. It's currently available for $249.99 (on sale down from $349.99 at Amazon) and you're getting a picture quality that impressed me, with a few tweaks, a 2.5-hour battery, and an easy setup system. That's all wrapped up in a compact chassis with a slick handle / tilt-rest for smooth transportation.

It's not the best projector for watching in direct sunlight, so you'll need to wait until those refreshing twilight hours to truly get a solid picture going. However, there's a surprising amount of power in these budget lens. Images are crisp and well-defined, and even darker moments retain a good amount of detail as well.

Of course, you're not getting the full-fat 4K sharpness or the heavy-contrast HDR of a more premium device. For less than $300 (£400 if you're in the UK), it's tough to find this kind of experience elsewhere.

It's that battery doing the heavy-lifting, though. The Yaber T2 can still pump out an impressive image while running on its own charge, and last longer than most movies. That's incredibly rare in this price range - devices with a bump in brightness (but that will still struggle in sunlight) will often run out after around an hour.

If you are looking for something with a little more power behind it, the Epson EF-22 is your next best bet. It's a bit of a leap to $799.99 (was $999.99) at Best Buy (or £699.99 at Amazon in the UK), but you're getting a much brighter picture with HDR included and a boosted sound system as well. Just be warned that you're losing that built-in battery here, so you'll need a power outlet nearby.

• Yaber T2: $349.99 $249.99 at Amazon
• Epson EF-22: $999.99 $799.99 at Best Buy
• Vamvo projector screen: $69.99 $55.99 at Amazon

We're also rounding up all the best projectors for PS5 and Xbox Series X, or take a look at the best gaming TVs and the best portable monitors for more options.