8 Useful Gadgets For The Summer Heat

8 Useful Gadgets For The Summer Heat

By James BruceJuly 21, 2026 12:02 pm EST

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You’ve no doubt noticed that things are really heating up! Large parts of the United States, Europe, and the U.K. are experiencing their most extreme heatwaves ever, with many places having already experienced multiple rounds of sweltering temperatures. For many of us, adjusting to this summer’s extremes means a complete rethink of our current ways of working and living, as well as vast retrofit projects to make our housing more suited to keeping the heat out

Thankfully, there are plenty of gadgets to help ease the transition to warmer weather (even when that weather is already bearing down on us) — and they aren’t all just air conditioners (though we have included one portable unit that particularly impressed). From wearable neck fans, smart blinds, cooling mattress pads, and portable fridge-freezers that can make ice in the middle of a campsite, these are the gadgets worth considering if you want to survive summer without climbing into the freezer compartment yourself. All are backed by expert reviews or strong customer ratings (or both), and all are available right now. 

Portable air conditioner

nikkytok/Shutterstock

Nothing beats the heat like a strong air conditioning unit, but not everyone has the space or budget for a whole-house installation. And even if you do have AC throughout your home, a portable unit can be useful for a holiday cabin, campervan, or outdoor home office — and especially handy when the power goes out (which it will, because everyone is using their AC). 

The EcoFlow Wave 3 ($1,499 at Amazon, $1,449 at Walmart) is a truly portable air conditioner capable of both cooling and heating, with an optional 1,024-watt-hour battery module to keep running when the power is out. EcoFlow claims a 15-degree Fahrenheit drop in 15 minutes, though it’s important to set your expectations appropriately and ensure you’re using the machine correctly to avoid disappointment. If the unit is placed indoors, both hoses must be vented outside to maintain air pressure and ensure optimal efficiency. And, while the battery can last eight hours in Eco mode, it’ll peter out a lot more quickly with regular usage. Still, T3 ranks this as a top-quality model that should last a good long while. You’ll want to combine this with a large-capacity portable solar generator if you need maximum cooling all night, though. 

Neck fan

JisuLife/Amazon

If you want your cooling to be a little more personal than what an AC can deliver, you might want to look into a neck fan. A good example is the JisuLife Neck Fan ($33.99 on Amazon or from $34.99 at Walmart) that wraps around your neck and ensures a continuous flow of air to your head and face. The bladeless design offers 78 air outlets for an even spread of cool breeze while ensuring your hair won’t get caught. 

With four hours of battery life in typical use and five speed settings, it’s perfect to keep you cool between stops and should at least get you through the daily commute, a quick jog, or walking the dog. Users frequently note it can get a little noisy at full speed since the fans are so close to your ears, so it might be better suited to the outdoors rather than a quiet office space. Even so, it remains one of the most popular neck fans around, with a 4.2-star rating average from over 62,000 Amazon reviews! More good news is that you don’t have to limit yourself to neck fans if you want to try out some wearable cooling devices. 

Personal handheld fan

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If you really can’t take the image dent from hanging a fan around your neck, at least invest in a decent portable mini-fan that you whip out discreetly when needed. The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool, which sells for just under $100 at both Amazon and <a href="https://r.bttn.io?btn_ref=org-225e4e0aac880b8f&btn_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FDyson-HushJet-Mini-Cool-Personal-Fan-Ink-Cobalt-New-Latest-Technology%2F20019665223&btn_pub_ref=2215485-in_text-4″ rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Walmart, weighs a mere 7.5 ounces and features a bladeless design with five speeds, a boost mode that runs at 55 miles per hour, and up to six hours of battery life. 

The lanyard provides support for the body of the HushJet, pointing it up at your face so you can use it hands-free if needed. However, this fan is even louder than a neck fan, and when running at maximum power, the noise level is roughly equivalent to that of a vacuum cleaner. That likely means you’ll have to stick to lower speeds on public transport or in the office. That should still be enough to give you some heat relief until you can crank the juice again

Portable fridge/freezer with ice maker

Bluetti

Whether you’re on a long road trip or suffering through a heatwave-induced power outage, a portable cooler that can run off-grid can be an essential summer item for any household. But one that makes ice and can charge directly from solar? That’s pretty special. The Bluetti Multicooler is a dual-zone 42-quart electric fridge/freezer capable of getting down to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Gearjunkie loved the dedicated ice-making compartment that can produce crystal clear ice cubes in as little as 25 minutes — perfect for fireside cocktails. 

While the Bluetti Multicooler can run directly from AC or a 12-volt car socket, it also features an optional modular battery system that fits the company’s modular power stations, like the AC180T, too. A single B70 power module can be added to the Multicooler to keep it running for up to three days in standard fridge mode — or indefinitely when paired with a 200-watt solar panel. The Bluetti Multicooler is only available direct from BluettiPower for $699 (not including battery packs)

Smart blinds or curtain motors

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If you instinctively open a window when the house gets too hot: stop doing that. Unless it’s cooler outside than in, all you’re doing is letting hotter air in. Instead, you could try opening your windows at night to let the hot air out (again, assuming it’s actually cooled down outside), but keep them closed during the day. Or you could try painting your windows with yogurt! Or you could try something a bit less drastic, like closing all the curtains and blinds to block out the sun’s warming rays.

Sometimes, though, doing that when the sun actually hits the windows is easier said than done, so here’s where smart blinds and curtains come into play by allowing you to automate the whole thing at a certain time of day. Retrofit devices like the SwitchBot Curtain Opener work with any kind of curtain pole or track, so they’re great for renters and those who don’t want to undertake a big project. Now in the third generation, TechHive gave these gadgets a 4-out-of-5-star rating, with the main downsides being largely aesthetic. However, these openers are not cheap, retailing on Amazon for $99.99 each with a solar panel (and you’ll need two for a pair of curtains). For existing blinds, the SwitchBot Blind Tilt (Amazon, $69.99) is also a great choice. 

If you’re for installing a whole new system rather than doing a retrofit, the SmartWings blackout blinds start from $179.99 (Amazon) and are fully customized to your window height and width. Expert reviews have said these blinds are smooth, almost silent, and reliable for automation. As far as the motor goes, you can opt for Zigbee, Z-Wave, or Matter, the newest smart home standard that ensures interoperability between devices and hubs from all manufacturers

Bed cooling system

BedJet Store/Amazon

Beds have traditionally been pretty low-tech, apart from a brief phase when we decided sleeping on a mattress of literal water might be a good idea. But in recent years, we’ve come to realize that the place you spend nearly a third of your life can be as enhanced by technology as everything else — especially during hot weather, when getting a decent night’s sleep can be so tricky. While companies like Sleep.me or EightSleep make some impressive bed cooling solutions, they’re unrealistically priced for most people and rely on water circulation, which can come with a host of long-term maintenance issues.

Instead of water, the BedJet system uses forced air to regulate the temperature, offering both heating and cooling. It’s a simpler solution than the competitors offer and fits neatly under the bed. On the downside, the BedJet doesn’t include any sleep sensors, but it’s also free of subscription commitments since there are no advanced smart features. According to the SleepJudge (which rates the BedJet five out of five stars), besides regulating the temperature, the circulating air wicks away moisture and prevents night sweats. The single-zone BedJet 3 and king-size cloud sheet are available on Amazon for a cool $749. 

Misting fan

Shark/Amazon

A misting fan combines the regular cooling power of a strong breeze with a fine mist spray of water, using evaporation to keep you even cooler. The Shark FlexBreeze Pro was already highly rated as a two-in-one pedestal and desktop fan, but the Mist version adds a water reservoir and pump for that extra cooling goodness. Shark claims the FlexBreeze Pro Mist can cool up to 12 degrees Fahrenheit when ice is added to the water tank, and the powerful fan has an incredible 70 feet of range! With a battery that can last for up to 12 hours, the FlexBreeze Pro is really designed for outdoor use — unless you want everything indoors to get wet. 

The FlexBreeze Pro Mist starts at $199.95 on Amazon (depending on the color), or $239.99 at Walmart. Though we still don’t think it’s as cool as the misting Fanbrella, one of those great gadgets you can only buy in Japan, the Pro Mist can definitely help you cool off, and it gives you a couple of ways to do it

Smart thermostat

Google/Amazon

For those with whole-house HVAC systems, Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat is an essential tool to make your system as efficient and effective as possible. To be clear, the thermostat doesn’t do any cooling itself, but it will manage your existing heating and cooling systems in a more automated way. The Natural Cooling feature considers the outdoor conditions and will pause the AC if cool evening air could do a better job, as well as send a reminder to open the windows. Of course, some people would rather blast the AC at night as a trick to supercool the house. 

In more humid climates, the Cool to Dry function will use a heat pump or air conditioner to reduce the overall humidity and make the air more comfortable without having to dramatically lower the temperature. That’s in addition to all the usual features of learning your routine and anticipating your needs without you having to set anything manually. 

Our full review of the Nest Learning Thermostat 4th Gen tells you everything you need to know if you want to learn more about this device. It’s available on Amazon in silver, gold, or obsidian starting at $279.99 or at Walmart from $220.00. This gadget comes with a bit of hidden fun, too, because it’s good for more than just changing the temperature — you might not know the Nest Learning Thermostat can do all these things, too. 

Methodology

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These gadgets will help you survive the summer heat by cooling either yourself or your home. Each one is backed up by expert reviews or hundreds of four-star (or higher) reviews on Amazon — or both — so you can be sure they actually work. We also leaned toward portable items, since summer is a great time to be out and about … but also to find ways to stay as cool as possible while you’re having a good time. Portability wasn’t our main driver here, though, so any tech gadget capable of keeping you comfortable in the heat was fair game. All of these items are also available to purchase from at least one major online retailer or direct from the manufacturer.