Picture this: You're at a summer barbeque. It's a stunning 78 degrees and breezy — the ideal temperature — and you're about to chow down on a hamburger and some potato salad (my favorite cookout combination). Except, as you lean in to take a bite, something small, quick, and incredibly annoying interrupts your sandwich-induced stupor: a fly.
It doesn't matter if your patio is decorated with essentials from all of the best home decor brands — summer bugs (and particularly flies) come for us all. They interrupt the best meals and terrorize the best bonfires. They crash every party and dive bomb s'more sessions. I'd do anything to get rid of them entirely, but I suppose that would have lasting ecological consequences I'm not prepared to answer for.
So the next best thing? I may have just tracked it down.
This nifty and affordable little fan creates a battery-powered 'no-fly' zone around your patio by repelling flies with a subtle breeze — no chemicals or aerosols involved. They're quiet, soft to the touch, and affordable enough to buy in bulk for a summer of bug-free barbeques and cocktail hours.
Could this be the perfect sustainable solution? I know I'm already adding a few to my cart ahead of Memorial Day Weekend!
Goodbye, flies
Price: $13.99 for 2
Was: $34
Not only is this set of fans on sale for half-off ($14 for two? A steal!), but each fan has a four-hour shutoff timer so you can party hardy without checking all your fly traps before bed.
Price: $17.79
The soft blades of this Walmart option are covered in tiny dots that refract/bend light, confusing the flies flitting nearby.
Price: $64.99 for 4
Are you the hostess with the mostess? Then you might need this fly fan value pack, which comes out to about $16 per fan.
3 outdoor table fans
Price: $69
This chic little table fan might not be as practical as the fly fans, but it is a lot more stylish (as well as rechargeable).
Price: $78.90
Was: $86.99
The Ferrari of table fans, this bladeless option is quiet, powerful, touch-screen or remote-controlled, and every bit as modern as an inclusion in Livingetc suggests.
Price: $75.99
It might not be as pretty as the first two options, but it's rugged, durable, and perfect for nights spent camping or cocktail-sipping alike.
3 stylish citronella candles
Price: From $48
I was immediately taken by the smooth and soft look of these terracotta citronella candles with notes of lemon, eucalyptus, and cucumber. If you don't want to use a fan to keep flies away, these tried and true candles should do the trick.
Price: $59
The MacKenzie-Childs check pattern is one of the most iconic patterns of all time. Keep flies at bay while keeping things elevated with this large and effective citronella candle.
Price: $59
Once this hand-poured candle is done keeping the bugs away, the wooden vessel can be repurposed into a bowl for trinkets and accessories.
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