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Summer Kitchen Swaps

• Cooler Cooking: Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 7-Quart Air Fryer$160 (was $200)
• Stay Hydrated: SodaStream Gaia Sparkling Water Maker$47 (was $49)
• Save Leftovers: Pyrex Freshlock Glass Food Storage Containers Set, 4-Pack$34
• No More Wilty Herbs: Prepara Herb Savor Eco$28
• Salad Essential: OXO Steel Salad Spinner$65 (was $75)

Summer has a way of changing how we cook. The soups and casseroles we crave in cooler months give way to fresh salads, picnic dinners and just about anything that won’t heat up the house. This year, that seasonal shift sparked a realization for me: it was time to rethink my countertop appliance lineup.

After years of testing kitchen gear and developing recipes, I’ve learned that the best countertop appliancesgadgets and tools aren’t necessarily the most powerful or trendiest—they’re the ones you reach for again and again. And when summer rolls around, a few strategic swaps can make cooking feel easier, keep your kitchen cooler and even add a little fun to your routine.

Think of it as a seasonal refresh: trading an electric pasta maker for an ice cream makeror reclaiming cabinet space from a soup pot in favor of a salad spinner. From speeding up meal prep to beating the heat, these are the appliance swaps I’m making this summer—and you should be, too.

Homi Styes Grill Basket, 15- x 11-inch

$35 at Amazon

Hot days and warm evenings mean I want to turn the oven on a lot less and crank up the grill outside instead. I’ve tested a variety of grill baskets over the years—small holes, large holes, mesh, even a cast iron skillet on the grill. This mesh grill basket is hands down my favorite.

Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 7-Quart Air Fryer

$200 $160 at Amazon

Our air fryer has a permanent home on the kitchen counter, but I find it gets even more use during the summer months to avoid turning the oven on and heating up the kitchen. This 7-quart air fryer from Ninja performed the best when we tested air fryers—and it’s 20% off right now.

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

$130 $89 at Amazon

Both of my daughters love ice cream, and in the summer our family “cooking” projects shift from homemade pasta in our pasta maker to homemade ice cream. I’ve tested a handful of ice cream makers over the years, but this Cuisinart has been my go-to for over a decade. At 32% off, you can snag this ice cream machine for less than $100.

SodaStream Gaia Sparkling Water Maker

$49 $47 at Amazon

I joke that we should have invested in a sparkling water company like LaCroix given how much we drink in our house. With school out and friends coming and going all the time, we go through sparkling water even more than usual. That being said, the SodaStream gets a permanent spot on the counter and the electric tea kettle gets put away for a few months. If your house is anything like ours, snag this 2-pack of refill CO2 cylinderstoo.

Great Jones Holy Sheet Pan

$49 at Amazon

For no particular reason, summer dinners in our house are naturally more laid back in our house compared to weeknight dinners during the school year. And often that translates to what we like to call “snack dinner” where we put together a fun spread of proteins, fresh produce, cheese, crackers, etc. on a pretty sheet pan like this one from Great Jones.

Pyrex Freshlock Glass Food Storage Containers Set, 4-Pack

$34 at Amazon

Speaking of more mellow summer dinners, picnics are also more abundant this time of year. And that means I need, and use, more glass food storage containers. These containers from Pyrex are perfect for picnics—thanks to their locking lids, nothing leaks. I’ll be clearing out the drawer where my casserole dishes live to make these easier to access.

Cuisinart CSJ-300 Easy Clean Slow Juicer

$200 $141 at Amazon

While most folks pull out their blender during the summer, I relinquish its real estate on the counter for a juicer. It’s the time of year when I like to make fresh mocktails and cocktails; it’s also how I use up extra produce before it goes bad. When we tested juicers most recently, this Cuisinart was my personal favorite. Of course, it juiced beautifully, but I also found it incredibly simple to clean, which isn’t something you can usually say about a juicer.

Prepara Herb Savor Eco

$28 at Amazon

I’ve had this herb saver for years—and while I also use herbs in a mason jar as kitchen decor, the more sensitive herbs, like cilantro, last so much longer when I use the Prepara Herb Savor. The refillable water reservoir with its handy spout makes refreshing the water (and extending your herbs’ lives) easy.

OXO Steel Salad Spinner

$75 $65 at Amazon

I’m that dietitian who has two salad spinners—one that’s small and this regular, or larger-sized, one. And when summer comes around, I give the easy-to-access cabinet location that typically houses my soup pot over to this salad spinner. Also, this is my favorite salad spinner because the design of the pump makes it easy to store.

More Must-Have Summer Kitchen Essentials

Ninja Slushi Drink Machine, 88-ounce

$350 $260 at Amazon

John Boos Rectangular Wooden Maple Cutting Board

$113 at Amazon

Y-ME Manual Citrus Juicer

$12 at Amazon

Zoku Triple Quick Pop Maker

$60 at Amazon

Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Wraps for Food, 3-Pack

$21 $18 at Amazon

Dash Deluxe Egg Cooker

$30 at Amazon

Mueller Pro Vegetable Chopper

$50 $30 at Amazon

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