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Updated: 3 May 2023

Coronation bank holiday 2023: party essentials fit for a King

Get ready for the coronation bank holiday weekend with a selection of products sure to make your street party the best on the block

Natalie Turner

As the UK gears up for the coronation of King Charles III, many of us will be planning our own celebrations to mark the historic occasion.

Whether you're organising a low-key gathering in front of the telly, a barbecue bash with friends and family, or the street party of the year, Which? has got you covered.

We've selected some choice products to help inspire your weekend of festivities, from beverages to boules. All of the products listed below scored well in our tests, but you'll have to read our full reviews to see if they merited a Best Buy.

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When is King Charles' coronation?

The coronation of King Charles III will be held on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey, London. The coronation service starts at 11am.

Where to watch the coronation

You can watch the coronation on channels across the BBC network, including BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC iPlayer. The coronation day will be broadcast from 7:30am onwards on Saturday, but coverage around the event will air all weekend long.

Radio coverage will be broadcast on Radio 2, Radio 4, and the BBC Sounds app.

Celebratory drinks

It wouldn't be a proper bank holiday without a glass of something to toast. Whether you prefer white wine or sparkling, spirits or low-alcohol, see some of our picks below.

You can see more of our tried and tested bubblies – perfect for sipping this bank holiday – with our guide to the best cheap fizz for coronation celebrations.

Please drink responsibly. See Drinkaware for advice.

English wine – Aldi Bowler & Brolly English Bacchus 2022 (£9.99 for 75cl)

Proof that your wine doesn't have to come from miles away to be tasty, this Aldi English Bacchus is fruity and fresh, and under £10.

See how it compared to other English sparkling, white and rosé wines with our guide to the best English wines.

Available from Aldi (in-store only).

Sparkling wine – Asda Extra Special Mas Miralda Cava Brut 2017 (£8 for 75cl)

Sparkling wine is a great option if you're looking for a cheaper alternative to champagne. Asda describes its vintage Mas Miralda Cava as an 'exceptional full-bodied wine'.

To find out what our taste-test panel made of it, head to our guide to the best prosecco and sparkling wine.

Available from Asda.

Best champagne: can you get the taste of luxury for less?

Low-alcohol beers – Big Drop Paradiso 0.5% ABV (£1.20 per 330ml can)

For those who prefer a low or no-alcohol option, this 0.5% beer 'radiates citrus fruit from the moment your pour it', according to Big Drop Brewing.

Discover our pick of the best beers, including IPAs, golden ales, low-alcohol and craft beers.

Available from Sainsbury's and Waitrose.

Gin – Lidl Hortus Artisan Original London Dry Gin (£14.99)

Nothing quite compares to an ice-cold G&T on a warm spring afternoon. This Lidl own-brand gin has an attractive bottle design, but what did our panel think?

Head to our round-up of the best gin to find out the results of our taste test.

Available from Lidl (in-store only).

Prefer something more fruity? Check out our taste tests for passionfruit martini cocktail cans, Pimm's, and Aperol.

Barbecue and kitchen equipment

Whether you're dusting off the barbecue or preparing finger foods, having the right kitchen equipment can make cooking for a crowd much easier.

Check out some of our choices below, or browse our kitchen utensils advice guides.

Barbecue – Weber Spirit E210 Classic Gas (£600)

English weather permitting, the centrepiece of any bank holiday bonanza is usually a big barbecue spread, with enough beef burgers and pork sausages to feed a village.

We're not saying you should fork out on a new grill for the occasion, but if you're in the market for a new model, the Weber Spirit E210 Classic Gas could be a winner.

Get the full details on how this barbecue stood up to our testing with the Weber Spirit E210 Classic Gas review. Or head to our round-up of the best barbecues to browse even more models.

Available from Argos.

How to cook on your barbecue: see our tips and tricks to achieve the perfect cookout.

Chef's knives – Mercer Culinary M22608 Millenia Chef's Knife (£15.82)

For the King or Queen of the kitchen, a good-quality chef's knife will make quick work of slicing up fruit, veg and meat. This option from Mercer is one of the cheapest we tested, and is available in four blade sizes up to 30cm.

Find out the full details on this product with our guide to the best chef's knives.

Available from Amazon and Nisbets.

Meat thermometer – Lakeland Oven Probe Thermometer (£9.99)

If you're planning on cooking up a storm in the oven rather than on the barbecue, a reliable meat thermometer can help you achieve that perfectly cooked chicken, beef or pork joint. This cheap and cheerful option from Lakeland is oven safe up to 260°C (500°F) and has magnets to help it stick to the side of your appliance.

Read the full review to find out how it compares to other models in our round-up of the best meat thermometers.

Available from Lakeland (currently out of stock).

Garden party essentials

Camping chairs – Halfords Premium folding chair (£25)

If there aren't enough chairs to go round, worry not – folding chairs can offer quick and comfortable ad-hoc seating for last-minute party guests. This Halfords model weighs under 4kg and features a zip-in head rest and a cup holder.

See our full review of this camping chair, and many others, with our guide to the best camping chairs.

Available from Halfords.

Cooler box – Vango Pinnacle Wheelie Cooler Box (from £60)

For keeping the bubbly on ice, or for easy transportation from one garden party to the next, you may want to invest in a cool box. With four cup holders on top of the lid and three size options, this box from Vango could make a nice addition to your bank holiday setup.

Use our guide to the best cool boxes to see our detailed review of this and other models.

Available from Amazon and John Lewis.

Get your garden bank holiday-ready - check out:

Garden games – Boules (£8)

A game of boules is a great to way keep the kids (and grown-ups) entertained all day. Popular worldwide, this versatile game can be enjoyed by small or larger teams, as long as you have a flat lawn or surface to play on.

Discover which garden games are the most fun to play with friends and family.

Available from John Lewis.

Gazebo - Charles Bentley Pop-up Gazebo (from £125)

Nothing puts a damper on a backyard bash like a blown-away gazebo. A trustworthy model, like this Charles Bentley pop-up, is sure to provide great coverage come rain or shine.

We recently tested 13 gazebo models to find the most durable - see our round up of the best pop-up gazebos for 2023.

Available from Charles Bentley and Wilko.

Kick back in the bank holiday sun, but don't forget the sun cream!

Top-tier TV and sound

Having your tech in tip-top shape can maximise your viewing experience year-round, but it will also make viewing parties for the coronation a cut above your neighbours'.

You shouldn't buy new tech if you don't need to, but if you're in the market for a new home setup, see some of our picks below.

If you're thinking of buying second-hand devices to cut costs, don't miss our advice on buying second-hand TVs, refurbished mobile phones and laptops.

Wireless speaker – Anker SoundCore Motion Boom (£90)

Bring the party to the great British outdoors with a Bluetooth speaker. This wireless speaker from Anker features a carry handle and an impressive battery life, but do listen responsibly so you don't disturb your neighbours with the festivities. See the government guidance on noise nuisances for more.

Find out if we made it a Best Buy with our Anker SoundCore Motion Boom review, or see our best wireless and Bluetooth speakers buying guide for more models and expert advice.

Available from Amazon.

TV streamer – Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite (£35)

Accidentally missed some live coronation coverage? You can catch up on BBC iPlayer via a TV streamer like the Amazon Fire TV Stick. This all-rounder also comes with an Alexa voice-activated remote.

See tech specs, test results and more with our Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite review. Alternatively, check out more of the best streaming devices to suit your TV setup.