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27 Somewhat Mundane Things That You Should Absolutely Have In Your Home This Summer
These products may not be sexy, but they sure are useful.
1. A programmable AC booster fan that’ll help cool those rooms that are significantly warmer than the rest of the house. It’s meant to be mounted on existing floor or wall registers and will help increase airflow from your HVAC.
Promising review: “I was at a loss on how to get two of our bedrooms cooler. They would be 8–10 degrees higher than the rest of the house, and it was miserable for my kids to try to sleep. I decided to try these and it was an immediate improvement! The noise level at 10 was noticeable but not disruptive. You can turn the fan down to decrease the fan noise if you need to. My room stays cooler, but I may get two more to try for the winter to see how it works with the heating system. I am very satisfied with this purchase.” —LKMJ
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in two colors and sizes).
2. A ceiling fan carbon filter for grabbing dust, pollen, smoke, dander, and other allergens as the fan spins. It sticks to the fan blade and is unnoticeable — but you may notice the difference in the air!
Promising review: “I wasn’t sure what to expect when purchasing these, but now they are a staple in every room of our house. Within three days the air smelled more crisp and was easier to breathe in our home. So simple and effective!” —Haylee Marez
“We have these on every ceiling fan in our house and have noticed such a difference since installing them! There is less dust on our furniture, and the general air quality in our rooms has improved. There is no longer dust build-up on our fan blades. Super easy to install!” —Hannah McClam
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $19.99.
3. A crack weeder tool so your knuckles aren’t scratched and bloodied after a session of sidewalk weed pulling. This stainless steel tool is designed to get into tight sidewalk cracks and remove stubborn thistles, weeds, and moss with ease.
Promising review: “I’ve been searching for something to remove the weeds for a while and came across this amazing tool. Since I refuse to use chemicals in my yard, I’ve been left with scraped knuckles every time I attempt to remove weeds. The weeds have grown so tightly in the concrete cracks that I pretty much gave up; even weed-whacking it didn’t help much. Yes, you do have to use a little bit of effort but the end result was so worth it!” —Shelley Arakaki
Get it from Amazon for $22.95.
4. Plus a standing weeder because the worst part of gardening is having to kneel for hours plucking weeds. My back hurts just thinking about it! Thankfully, this tool has three steel claws that grip weeds and roots so you can pull them out while standing.
Amazon
Grampa’s Gardenware Co. is an Oregon-based, family-owned small business.
Made with a bamboo handle and powder-coated steel, it uses a simple lever system to make weeding easy.
Promising review: “Oh my god, I friggin’ love this tool. I bought this on a whim, given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy, has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard, and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weeds was strangely satisfying! I don’t think anyone can say that weeding is fun, but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled.” —JG
Get it from Amazon for $44.99.
5. An outdoor drink stakes set to securely hold your glass of lemonade in a safe spot. You know what’s not fun? Setting down your soda only for it to fall over on uneven ground, get kicked accidentally, or be invaded by ants.
Amazon
Promising review: “These are great. They are large enough to hold large drink tumblers like a Yeti, and they will hold a beer with a thick foam cozy. They will hold a giant Fosters can, and yes, it is large enough to hold a bottle of wine. They are made out of metal and seem pretty durable. Each one is two pieces that screw together, and they have a small tab to help you push them into the ground with your feet. The only thing I would improve is to make the foot tab a little larger. Otherwise, they have my stars.” —Jamawama
Get a set of four from Amazon for $18.74.
6. And some vented wine covers if your freshly uncorked cab looks a little less appealing now that there are some buggies floating in it. The covers are weighted so they won’t blow away at the slightest breeze.
Promising review: “My husband and I love to enjoy a glass of wine on our back porch at the end of the day. Unfortunately, so do the bugs. These tops work wonderfully. The silicone outside kind of sticks to the glass to keep them in place, and the metal mesh part lets the wine breathe but keeps the critters out. The only better thing would be if they had some kind of sippy spot where you wouldn’t have to remove them to drink the wine, but I’m not sure how that would work anyway. I’d buy these again, and probably will if we lose any of them.” —DKF
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $24.99 (available in four color combos).
7. A lawn repair formula that’ll regrow the grass so you have something to mow this summer. It’s designed to reverse scorch marks from pet urine, damage from digging, and wear in high traffic areas.
Promising review: “I live in Northern California, near Sacramento. It never rains outside of winter time, and the summers are long and hot! I spread this seed on top of some cheap dirt, watered 2x times a day, and within a week, I had little shoots. Within a month, the area was covered. I am going to use it again in another area! It is perfect for covering up those silly dog pee spots.” —Bamgela
Get it from Amazon for $19.84+ (available in five sizes).
8. A Scumbug for slurping up all the oils, sunscreen, and yuckies that are chilling in your pool. Just wring it out when it gets discolored, give it a rinse, and pop it back in the pool.
Promising review: “Scummy water bugging you? I just got this gem of a product last night. I popped it into my hot tub, and from the picture I attached, you can see that in just about 12 hours, this little Scumbug ate up all the oil and filth in the hot tub. The water not only looks better but smells better, too! Highly recommended!” —Mickey D.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
9. A three-layer door stopper so you can block out the sounds of annoying roommates while also maintaining the temperature in your room. Installation is easy — simply cut the strip to size and attach it to your door using the built-in adhesive backing.
Promising review: “I’m renting an apartment and my front door doesn’t brush up against the floor. There was about an inch gap which was annoying because it meant light, noise, and bugs could get in. Ever since I’ve installed this, I’ve had almost no bugs, no light, and so much less sound! It’s great. The sound-blocking is especially amazing because my bedroom is near the front door and I hated hearing my neighbors conversations clear as day in the stairwell. It’s not totally noise cancelling, but it’s so much better.” —airazedy
Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in four colors).
10. A mold and mildew remover because you can set it, forget it, and come back in a few hours to see grout that looks like new. The higher humidity in summer creates a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew (yuck), so no, you’re not imagining it if it feels like your shower gets dirtier faster in the summer.
Promising review: “You guys. I’m embarrassed to even show you this. The grout around our tub was DISGUSTING. It was never caulked right, and it got gross very quickly. I would scrub. The cleaning lady would scrub. It would get worse. Well, I came across this in a BuzzFeed list, and this stuff made me curious. I don’t know why it doesn’t have 10,000 good reviews. Seriously. All I did was squeeze it on and walk away. I let it sit overnight. Check this out. Buy it. Like today.” —KarynB
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
11. And a bleach-free, no-scrub weekly shower spray to keep the soap scum and shower grime buildup at bay without you ever having to wipe. Rinse it clean the next day, and you’ll be amazed to see those hard water stains on your shower door are *poof* gone.
Amazon
Promising review: “We cannot BEGIN to tell you what a lifesaver this is! We have two old fiberglass tubs with vinyl shower enclosures that, no matter what amount of scrubbing we have done with everything from bleach to cleanser to vinegar and baking soda, would NOT come clean. After I took my shower last night, I sprayed down the tub and walls. Within minutes, all the built-up water deposits, dirt, and grime began to melt away in front of my eyes. I left it on overnight, and when I got up this morning, it did not look like the same tub and shower. This product is a godsend, especially for old folks like us who have difficulty getting down on our hands and knees and scrubbing anything. More importantly, it performs as advertised. We plan on using it as part of our weekly cleanup routine. This is truly an overnight sensation!” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $20.98 (available in two scents).
12. A discreet gnat trap if flying pests are currently invading your kitchen, but you don’t want to advertise to every house guest that, yes, you do indeed have a fruit fly infestation.
This indoor trap uses a UV LED to attract bugs and offers 400 square feet of protection.
Promising review: “This product actually works!!!!!!!!! Most times, things say they do something, and while they do, they are half as good as advertised. Well, this works wonders. I have been using it for about a month now, and boy, does it catch a lot of flying insects I didn’t even know were in my house. 10 stars 🌟” —E.Lopez
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
13. And a garbage guard that’ll handle the cloud of flies hovering around your outdoor trash cans as the weather gets warmer. It sticks to the inside of your garbage can and releases an odorless vapor that prevents buggies for up to four months.
Promising review: “I ordered this product because every spring and summer, we have problems with flies and maggots in the garbage can. The device has been on my garbage can lid for a few days now. It survived the weekly trash pickup. As for whether or not this device works, let me tell you: NO FLIES, NO MAGGOTS!!! This product works well. Just be careful when applying the adhesive strip.” —Simone Kale
Get it from Amazon for $9.84.
14. An adjustable mister for cooling the surrounding area by up to 20 degrees and making your deck bearable when the forecast says it feels like 95 outside. 🥵 It’s also great for keeping your plants happy and moist. Some reviewers swear by it for keeping their chickens from cooking in their coop.
Promising review: “I love this mister! There are many practical uses for it but I use it for sunbathing on a really hot day. It’s flexible enough to position it in so many different ways, whether sitting on the ground or hanging it from something such as a porch rail. The only ‘con’ is if you have high-pressured water: This may destroy your regular garden hose. The misting tips create a great deal of water pressure inside of the hose. Even with my outdoor spigot barely turned on the pressure was too much for a medium grade water hose. It caused bubbles to form along the hose and eventually the hose began to bust open. This is not a defect with this product, it’s simply a high water pressure versus a cheap hose issue. However, a heavy-duty water hose (up to 400psi) took care of that problem… and I’m completely satisfied with my purchase.” —Bowerbirdgirl
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
15. A pet hair remover so you can emerge victorious this shedding season. Roll it over your couch, bed, favorite blanket, you name it, and watch it lift the fur away. See, we can own nice things!!
Promising review: “This hair roller works amazingly well! I’m impressed at how much hair it picked up that I couldn’t even see on my soft surfaces. I’ve been recommending it to anyone with a shedding pet. My husky is in full bloom with spring trying to start in Arizona and this picks up her hair like a breeze!” —aleif
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
16. A Bissell Little Green machine because you’re playing host this summer but your living room is far from guest-ready. This portable upholstery and carpet cleaner cleans deeply, penetrating household fabrics and even car interiors to erase any sign of your pet’s accidents.
Promising review: “Two months ago, we got a 6-month-old puppy who has needed some time to get adjusted. That included more than a few accidents in our living room and on his bed. This machine has made cleaning up everything so much simpler, and I love that it’s deep cleaning and has a nontoxic pet cleaner so that our not-so-little puppy isn’t harmed through exposure or smells. Also helpful since my teenage sons like to camp out on the couch with their friends on long weekends, and our couch gets that fresh, clean smell in an hour.” —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $123.59.
17. A set of two cooling pillows to save you from making hot-headed decisions…like *not* buying them. Inside is a plush gel fiber that provides the ideal level of support to back, stomach, and side sleepers. And they’re machine washable as well as stain- and fade-resistant.
Promising review: “These had great reviews but I was still a bit skeptical. I’m a bit of a pillow snob. I usually require about three pillows for just myself, not including my husband. I like to sleep propped up a bit so my sinuses don’t get stopped up at night. My old pillows would require three to nine adjustments a night for me to be comfortable again. These pillows — these amazing, heavenly pillows — are now my favorite part of going to bed. Soft but firm. How does that work? It supports me to sleep slightly propped up, but I sink into this comfortable personal cloud. Soft but firm. My head isn’t sinking through the pillow to rest on my mattress, but I feel comfortably enveloped. Now, mind you, I have one very cheap Walmart pillow behind it, so I’m not against my headboard, but even still. Heaven. I bought two but think that would be too much fluff, so now my husband and I each have one. Buy them. Add to cart. Buy now with one click. Stop the research. You’ve found the pillows you were looking for.” —Marissa Powers
Get them from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in queen and king).
These won our budget pick for best pillow!
18. A portable dehumidifier if the humidity has followed you indoors and made the house feel like Shrek’s swamp. This lightweight and compact machine removes up to nine ounces of water each day in rooms up to 280 square feet.
Promising review: “This little thing sucks some serious water out of the air. I have to empty it sometimes, as often as every other day. Before, I used to wake up drenched in sweat even when it wasn’t particularly hot in my room, and now I can sleep through the night. It keeps the humidity down to a bearable level.” —Chocolate Latte
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in white and black).
19. A magnetic screen door that’ll not only let in a summer breeze (while keeping *out* the buggies) but will also prevent you from having to let your dog go out every 10 minutes. Why is it that dogs stand at the door and bark until you let them out only to bark at the door asking to come back in 30 seconds later???
Promising review: “We got this screen so our dog can go in and out freely without letting the bugs in. At first he wasn’t quite sure about going through it; in fact he scratched at it signaling us to open it for him. But after a few training treats he figured it out. Installation was so easy! The Velcro, fabric, and mesh all seem very good quality. I’m also happy that we can take down the screen in the winter and store away easily, then just reattach it in the spring. Very happy with my purchase!” —Crystal K
Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in four sizes).
20. A dual-zone comforter for keeping the peace in the literal and figurative marital bed if one person is a hot sleeper and the other runs cold. If you love blasting the AC at night (it’s summer, after all!), your bedmate can still feel cozy and warm!
Amazon
Promising review: “This comforter is what we’ve always needed. My husband and I are always tangled in blankets because I need more but yet they always end up on his side. This comforter provides an all-in-one solution that keeps me warm and him cool and our bedroom looking calm and zen.” —Hannah
Get it from Amazon for $159.99+ (available in two sizes and four colors).
21. A set of produce storage containers so you can stop wasting your hard-earned money on fruits and veggies that go bad approximately two seconds after you buy them. Summer raspberries are the best raspberries, and these handy dandy containers will help lengthen the shelf life of your produce so you can actually enjoy it.
Read my colleague’s in-depth Rubbermaid FreshWorks storage containers review to see why she loves them.
Promising review: “This thing is awesome! I am single and live alone. Every time I buy produce, it goes bad well before I can eat all of it. These REALLY work! I have put both grapes and strawberries in these containers, and after a week, they are just as good and fresh as the day I bought them. Same with lettuce and other veggies. It worked so well that I ended up buying the bigger one as well. I have been recommending them to friends, and they all love them. If you are thinking about getting this, just do it! You won’t be sorry.” —Knarferr
Get a three-piece set from Amazon for $68.55.
22. An instant stain remover spray because it’ll make your dirt-covered plastic patio furniture look new again. It actually works to remove the deep-set, below-the-surface stains, so when you wipe away the cleaner, you’re wiping away *all* the mess.
Promising review: “I have a small three-tier water fountain on my patio. Naturally, the birds in the community have come to rely upon it for drinking and bathing. I literally sprayed this product and walked away, I actually left it on overnight, I got busy with other tasks. When I checked back all of the mold was gone, everything, with no damage to the painted stucco wall or cement and no scrubbing. Literally spray and leave.” —Mark
Get a gallon from Amazon for $29.99 (available in smaller and larger sizes).
23. Some restorative wipes to rehab front doors and shutters that are looking cloudy and grimy after a damaging combo of blistering sun, high heat, and humidity. These wipes are saturated with a solution that revives oxidized, faded, and sun-damaged surfaces bumpers, siding, mailboxes, grills, garden tools, painted surfaces, and more.
Promising review: “We were going to hire someone to paint the shutters. Someone told us about the wipes, and we decided to give them a try first. They worked great. Shutters look totally revived. We first used it in the spring. They have gone through the summer sun and the rain, and the shutters still look good.” —Beth L
Get five wipes from Amazon for $11.97.
24. A pack of hanging vacuum bags if you *still* haven’t packed away your heavy winter coats, leaving you with next to no room for all the summer dresses you keep adding to your cart. With these bags, you can vacuum all the air out so they take up a fraction of your closet space. And you can do this while they’re on the hanger instead of trying to fold and smush them in a regular vacuum bag.
Promising review: “Bought these storage bags two weeks ago to pack my winter clothes for summer, and they did the job perfectly. They are large and sturdy. I like its five-hook design. I can store five women’s jackets or four big men’s jackets in ONE bag. The long bags also fit my dresses. The biggest reason I bought these bags is that I do not need to fold my seasonal clothes; I just hang, zip, vacuum, and be done! Super convenient. Extremely happy with these space bags. I will definitely order more!” —Jia Yan
Get a set of four from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in three styles and packs of six).
25. An ice cube tray that’ll make hollow cylindrical ice cubes — aka the perfect shape for your giant Stanleys and Hydro Flasks.
This tray is designed to make cubes that will fit in 30-oz. and 40-oz. tumblers.
Promising review: “I use these in my brumate and meoky cups, and they fit perfectly. I always struggle with getting my straw through the ice and in the middle so the lid will close. These ice cubes stay on the edge of the cup and allow plenty of room for the straw.” —sarah schultz
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in four colors).
26. And a portable Chill-O-Matic Instant Beverage Cooler for transforming your room-temperature drink to perfectly cold in just 60 seconds. Because tepid seltzer water is just…*gag*
Amazon
Check out a TikTok of the Chill-O-Matic in action.
Promising review: “I was so afraid of wasting money. But I didn’t. I love my sodas cold. But sometimes, there’s not a cold one available, and waiting 30–40 minutes for one to get cold in the freezer is not always ideal. This will get your room temp can the fridge cold in 90 seconds. I let it run double that to get almost freezer-cold. I wish it had a power cord. But I do appreciate the portability that the batteries provide. I can’t wait to try it out on vacation, as access to cold sodas isn’t always available. All you need is literally a little bit of ice.” —G. Massey
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
27. A pair of magnetic grill lights so the cooking doesn’t have to come inside just because of a silly little thing like the sun setting.
Promising review: “Just bought a new grill and needed some decent lighting since most of my meals are done at night. These two lights attach only to the lid of my grill because the side tables aren’t magnetic, but the flex necks make the lighting very versatile. The light is bright and illuminates the grill well. The color of the light is good, too. I’m very pleased so far. Seems durable. I plan on keeping it in its storage when not in use and hope to get plenty of use out of it.” —Ryan Smith
Get a pair from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in black or silver).
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
