The Best Kitchen Tools for Healthy Summer Cooking

While good knives are truly timeless (and good for all seasons), this particular set of knives from Misen is really ideal for helping you prep your favorite summer bounty. Hull strawberries with the paring knife, use the serrated knife to get clean slices on tomatoes, rotate between the utility knife and the chef’s knife to tackle your prep, or use the specialty bunka knife to practice your brunoise on watermelon.

Freelance writer and women’s health dietitian Caitlin Beale, MS, RDN, says, “I like the weight and [that] the handle has some sort of matte finish that feels anti-slip.” She went on to say, “[T]hese are supposed to make everyday kitchen prep easier with minimal maintenance. In my experience, they delivered — the knives felt sharp and handled daily chopping, slicing, and prep tasks without problems.”

While I think we can all agree that veggie noodles are not a like-for-like substitute for pasta, there are some really great applications of spiralized produce that make it worth owning this tool, and the OXO tabletop spiralizer is the best of the bunch. With three different blades for making different-sized spirals, you’ll have options, and the suction cup base makes sure things stay stable no matter how much produce you need to get through.

We love this for fresh cucumber salads or working with a summer favorite that’s always in abundance (especially for gardeners): zucchini and summer squash. When the summer season is over, this will also carry well into cooler weather with root vegetables and beets. It’s fun, easy to clean, generates zero heat, and works as a family-friendly option to get the kids involved, too (with supervision, of course).

Tender and crisp leafy greens are one of the best products that summer has to offer, bursting with nutrients and ready for you to make zero-cook meals. But if you’ve ever been tasked with cleaning them (or been the victim of improperly cleaned greens), you know it’s a fussy but important task.

If you’ve never owned a salad spinner, let us just say there’s no need to waste your time on others, because the OXO salad spinner is the best. It comes in two sizes (perfect if you truly have a small kitchen or just work with smaller quantities) and gives you an inner bowl to soak greens so they can get clean, plus a spinning mesh to get them nice and dry without bruising.

The perfect cutting board for summer produce needs to be large enough to accommodate the volume, attractive enough to bring right to the table, and, ideally, have features to capture the juiciness of a perfectly ripe tomato (or a juicy steak).

While it might sound like a lot to spend on a cutting board, this option from Made In is actually reasonably priced and has everything we’re after. Made from maple, a harder and more durable wood, it’s sturdy enough for everyday use but not so hard that it will dull your knives. It’s double-sided, with one side being totally flat and the other with a groove to catch juices.

Freelance health writer Sadie Crouch says, “I love how large this cutting board is, how high quality it is, and how beautiful it looks on my countertop and stove.” A workhorse in the kitchen but a beauty on your table, the Made In Butcher Block is a great addition to the kitchen just in time for summer cooking.

You might use your microwave to zap your leftovers or steam a bag of broccoli from time to time, but we think this humble appliance can do more to pull its weight (especially in summer). Now, you can’t just stick a salmon fillet on a plate and hit start; that would be a catastrophe. But with these glass microwave containers (and recipes) from Anyday, you can cook pretty much anything you like, quickly, without ever heating a pan.

I’ve owned a set for a few years and really like them for cooking rice (my culinary Achilles heel), veggies, and, yes, even proteins. They’re made primarily from silicone and glass, so no plastic here, and the lids are vented, so you don’t have to be afraid of exploding food. You can cook in them, store your food in them, and they’re safe for the oven, dishwasher, and even the freezer.

They come in sizes large enough to cook multiple servings, or you can just prep for one, but no matter how much food you make, we think these are an indispensable option for summer cooking when the priority is keeping the kitchen at a reasonable temperature.

Slow cookers work for summer cooking on a lot of levels. They’re great for keeping the heat down in the house, and if you’re out for the day, you can have dinner (or at least a solid protein) ready to eat when you get home.

This 6-quart option from GreenLife is one of our favorite slow cookers because it’s super easy to use, lightweight, and is zero-fuss for cleaning. Beale tried this model herself and says, “There are four primary buttons (mode, delay timer, keep warm, and the on/off) plus a knob to add or subtract time. I tend to make slow cooker meals at least once a week — sometimes for prepping easy protein or soups, etc. … with how easy it is to clean and how lightweight it is, this slow cooker would be a regular go-to in my kitchen.”

Slow cookers may have a reputation for hearty winter dishes, but we love to use ours all summer long, whether you’re making a big pot of beans to meal prep for the week, cooking down garden tomatoes for sauce, or getting ambitious with pulled pork for dinner.

When you need to feed a larger group, you may think you need to turn on your oven. Don’t! With the Ninja Air Fryer 10-Quart DoubleStack XL, you can cook enough to feed a small army without sweating in the kitchen and get those great, crispy textures you want.

According to food and cooking editor Katie Tuttle, who owns one herself, “I’ve used it to roast a whole chicken, air-fry potato wedges, and crisp up nuggets for my nieces. The Ninja Double Stack can fit a huge amount of food, but the stacked profile means it takes up significantly less space than its predecessor.”

The Double Stack allows you to cook two different foods simultaneously and ensure they finish together. While the capacity may be a lot for smaller households, for anyone looking to replace their oven for the summertime, we think it’s a fabulous appliance.

Breville appliances really cannot be beat — they consistently rank highly in our testing, and with good reason. Thoughtful design, consistent performance, and a luxury feel keep us coming back time and time again, and the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is no exception.

While you may not think you need a countertop oven, this goes much farther than the bounds of a regular air fryer. It can do everything from toasting your morning slice of sourdough to proofing dough, holding a 5-quart Dutch oven, and cooking up to a 14-pound turkey. Of course, you can do a bag of frozen fries or chicken fingers in the air-fryer mode when the situation calls for it, too.

Veteran food writer and product tester Marisa Olsen tried this and says she found the Breville cooked uniformly, producing a desirable crispness. She found the included air-fryer basket easy to clean, and we like that the oven also comes with an oven rack, roasting pan, and pizza pan. Cook whatever you like, but save yourself from a hot kitchen by doing it in the Breville.

This skillet from Lancaster Cast Iron is a favorite, as it’s all the things you expect from cast iron plus so much more. Tested by food and health journalist Amy Sowder van Erk, she likes “how it has a bigger surface area for cooking compared to Lodge cast iron” and “that it’s sturdy and durable and will get better over time.” She says, “It’s for real cooks,” and we’d just like to add, “who cook outside.”

Cooking with outdoor appliances means you can be deceived by an external char before your food is actually done cooking. If you’re tired of sacrificing an unrested chicken breast to the “is it done?” gods, it’s time for a meat thermometer, and ThermoWorks makes some of the best instant-read thermometers in the game.

Grilling is the quintessential summer format for cooking outside, and if you’re looking for a solid, midsize grill that can feed the family on a weeknight or make enough for a crowd over July Fourth, the Weber Spirit E-425 might just be the grill you’re looking for. The design is straightforward: four burners, a propane fuel source, and precise heating control with the ability to crank up the heat and create a nice sear zone. Grilling is all about two-zone cooking: sear here, finish there, and the Weber is the perfect setup for it.

There are other Weber models that might have more bells and whistles, but this grill feels like the ideal combination of size and functionality for many households. I tested this model myself and really liked the sturdy, coated cast-iron grates (compared with other models that have stainless steel grates). I also liked that there are some optional add-ons you can buy if you want something like a drink holder or a place to put sauces and condiments. This grill feels solidly built, and I imagine it will last for many summers to come.

A pizza oven might feel like a frivolous purchase — who really makes pizza often enough to justify the expense? It’s us, we do, and it’s because of ovens like this option from Gozney.

The Arc Light is “a fantastic little oven,” according to Tuttle, who tested it for us. This oven is the smaller, more compact version of several other, larger siblings, but we like it just as much. You can get restaurant-quality pizza unreasonably fast, and this oven’s size is great for homes of all sizes. Tuttle says, “The pizzas cook very quickly, so no one is waiting too long for their meal. I’d say [it’s good for] apartment dwellers, folks who like to entertain, and people who enjoy baking (because learning to make your own dough is a big part of the process).”

We do recommend getting the pizza peel and infrared thermometer to go with it, so factor that into the cost. Beyond pizza, you can make so many other things from flatbreads and baked dips to vegetables and meats, or even a nice little summery peach crumble if you’re so inclined. If you’re looking to enjoy the weather, get outside and cook in a Gozney. Pizza-making is the offline hobby of the summer — you heard it here first.

Frozen treats are a true summertime staple, and rather than spending $9 on a pint of ice cream, we think making custom creations in the Cuisinart FastFreeze at home is a better deal.

Similar to other popular home ice-cream makers, you’ll freeze half pints of your favorite bases, and instead of putting them into a bulky machine, you have a more streamlined wand (similar to an immersion blender) that fits over the top of each container and spins your frozen base into a perfect, creamy texture. From there, you can add whatever toppings you like or layer them into a different container for longer-term storage. Make everything from ice creams to shakes, sorbets to slushies — whatever frozen goodness your heart desires to stay cool for the summer.

“The FastFreeze is a great size, especially for people (like myself) who don’t have a ton of storage space,” says Tuttle. “It’s also super convenient to make smaller portions — it’s allowed me to experiment more with different flavors and mix-ins.”

Vitamix takes the concept of what a blender can be used for far beyond the basics. Sure, you’ll get a perfectly blended smoothie from the Vitamix Ascent X2, but you’ll also get unbelievable soups, milkshakes, sorbets, sauces, nut butters, dips, purées, and more just by using a blender. The X2 will power through anything you throw at it, and when it’s done, it can self-clean.

Here’s what Tuttle has to say about it: “One run of the ‘smoothie’ setting and everything ground down perfectly and extremely smooth. I had a friend try this blender, and she said in comparison to her other blender, the X2 was ‘almost a laughable improvement because of how much better it was. And much quieter.’”

For such a powerful machine, it’s not too loud, and we really like that it holds up to 48 ounces in the container, definitely enough for feeding a crowd without needing to do multiple batches. It’s perfect for your favorite no-cook or low-cook recipes this summer.

Summer refreshment is just moments away with a juicer at home, and the Ninja NeverClog is one of our favorites for its ability to handle large volumes and deliver optimal pulp control. We love this for daily use to get your greens in, or for batching summer mocktails (I highly recommend watermelon and cucumber juice with some club soda added) to entertain.

Tested by health writer and dietitian SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RD, LD, the only drawback is that the feed chute is narrower, so you do need to pre-chop your produce. However, she notes that the juice was “extremely smooth,” and that the machine is not too loud nor does it take up too much space. We think this machine is efficient, easy to clean, and has a more manageable price point than others that function similarly, making it a great value, too.

If you ask us, some of the best no-cook recipes are made in the food processor: finely sliced vegetables for salads and slaws, perfect pestos, and creamy, dreamy dips. The Breville Sous Chef can handle it all, whether you’re slicing a mountain of zucchini, turning sushi-grade fish into spicy tuna rolls, or making your own salad dressing from fresh herbs.

If you’re thinking you don’t have space to store it all, the blades and attachments come with a compact storage caddy that fits inside the bowl when stored, and it includes blades for slicing and shredding, plus a dough-making attachment. Despite being called “small” by Breville, we actually think it’s a great size both for use and storage purposes and, of course, it has that signature Breville luxe feel with its satin-finish metal base.