
An online retailer offers stylish new coil stands to keep insects out of your barbecue and impress friends at the same time.
We’re gradually closing in on barbecue season here in Japan, which means two things: Delicious grilled meat and vegetables eaten under the stars, and, holy crap, just so, so many mosquitoes.
When it comes to warding off said pests, you have a few options. You could give a buddy a beer or two in exchange for running around like an idiot, swatting wildly at the air. You could eat indoors, which, in summer, is, frankly, for chumps. Or, you could employ a number of ingenious Japanese devices to repel those bloodsucking bastards.
When it comes to that last option, the most low-tech, traditional way to do it is to haphazardly place a mosquito-repellent coil on a table somewhere and light it up like a stick of incense. The smoke contains a few ingredients that mosquitoes apparently don’t find particularly appealing and, the thinking goes, the coil will keep the insects out of your barbecues space and, thus, away from your precious blood supply.
But, why just throw one of the things just wherever when you could impress friends with one of these new stylish and cute coil stands, a few of which are designed to look like adorable, tiny little grills? Your friends will either be wildly impressed with your barbecue apparatus coordinating efforts or be mildly annoyed at how much disposable income you’re throwing around.
The Smile Family Concept Shop over at online retailer Rakuten is offering these various stands for home delivery (if you live in Japan, of course), and they’re all pretty rad; from nautical themes to wabi-sabi inspired Japanese designs to, of course, cats. Putting on a good barbecue during the summer is an event that transcends cultures, so busting out one of these coil stands or grills is a great way to host friends, family and complete strangers all over the world.
Want to get your hands on one of these? Most models retail for just North of 2,000 yen (US$18), which is a steal considering how many ruined barbecues and possible exotic diseases they’ll help you avoid. If you live in Japan or have a Japanese friend open to bribes, you can place an order through this link.




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