20 Hot Gadgets For A Cool Summer

Summer 2017

To those dreaming of summer: It'll be here soon. And when it arrives, you'll want to be ready. Part of those preparations might involve picking up some of the latest gadgets, which might just turn a good summer outing into a great. Speakers and power on the go, wearables made for getting out and about, and accessories for your grilling and drinking enjoyment are all worth considering if you've got big aspirations for summer 2017.

What follows are 20 gadgets we've come across for making your summer the coolest.

JBL Flip 4

Summer fun is better with music. Among your portable speaker options, the JBL Flip 4 is among the most versatile in terms of what sort of situations it's good for. The Flip 4 can connect over Bluetooth to up to two devices, and can run for 12 hours on a charge. It's also ultra-water-resistant, with JBL touting that you basically can do anything to it: "No more worrying about rain or spills; you can even submerge Flip 4 in water."

The JBL Flip 4 is priced at $99.90 on Amazon.

GoPro HERO5 Session

GoPro remains the go-to for capturing summer's greatest moments more easily. The company's latest series of products, rolled out in September, includes the HERO5 Session camera -- a smaller but still-powerful version of the HERO5. The camera offers 4K video and professional-grade video stabilization, 10-megapixel photos, auto-upload to the cloud and waterproofing to 33 feet.

The GoPro HERO5 Session is priced at $299 on Amazon.

Amazon Fire Kids Edition

Long car rides with the kids aren't always good times -- for kids or parents -- but the Kids Edition of Amazon's Fire tablet might be able to help out. The 7-inch tablet offers access to games, movies and books for kids -- with room for a 200GB microSD card, for storing content for those aforementioned car rides. Amazon also says it will replace the Fire Kids Edition tablet if it ends up broken within the first two years.

The Amazon Fire Kids Edition is priced at $79.99.

CampStove 2 Bundle

Yes, you can eat well during a camping adventure. The BioLite CampStove 2 Bundle is a full wood-fired camp kitchen, with the ability to grill, boil and cook your meals. The CampStove 2 is smokeless and includes grill and kettle attachments. In addition, the product generates electricity from the fire for charging your devices.

The CampStove 2 Bundle is priced at $199.95 on BioLite's website.

The Copenhagen Wheel

If you're looking to finally get biking this summer, but need a bit of a push, the Copenhagen Wheel from Superpedestrian may be the solution. Especially if you're worried about being in right sort of shape for biking. The Copenhagen Wheel snaps onto your bike wheel and provides a boost to your pedaling power of up to 10X. And that sort of a boost can be crucial particularly on hills--or just when you're tired. The Copenhagen Wheel might mean the difference between enjoying and dreading a bike ride.

Superpedestrian is offering The Copenhagen Wheel for $1,499, or offering a full bike with the wheel for $1,999.

Instapark Mercury 10

Charging up your device during a hiking or camping trip is no longer a problem. The Instapark Mercury 10 is a flexible and lightweight method of charging USB devices (such as iPhone and iPad) with the sun's rays. The 10W charger weighs just 1 pound, easily folds up, and can charge up to two devices at a time. Plus, it includes a 3,000 mAh backup battery pack.

The Instapark Mercury 10 is priced at $47.99 on Amazon.

Voltaic Systems Array Solar Backpack

Another charging option for those that are out and about, the Array backpack features 10W worth of solar-charging. That makes it powerful enough to charge a laptop, as well as a tablet or smartphone, of course. In addition, the backpack is both lightweight and water-resistant, and is made from recycled PET (soda bottles).

The Voltaic Systems Array Solar Backpack is priced at $299 on Amazon.

iGrill2 Meat Thermometer

When you're on grill duty, it often means choosing between enjoying your guests' company and making sure the meat doesn't end up overcooked. But there's now a smarter way. The iGrill2 is a connected meat thermometer that lets you monitor the temperature of the meat from your phone and sends you an alert when it's perfectly cooked. The iGrill2 also includes the ability to monitor up to four pieces of meat at at time.

The iGrill2 is priced at $139.95 on Amazon.

Handle-Mount Grill Light

The grilling action doesn't have to stop just because the sun has set. The Handle-Mount Grill Light attaches to your grill handle with an adjustable aluminum clamp, and can pivot its position to shine wherever you need it. The light's bulbs will last more than 100,000 hours, and it is waterproof, meaning you can leave it out on the grill all summer.

The Handle-Mount Grill Light is priced at $39.99 on Brookstone's website.

PizzaQue Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven

Why not add some variety to your outdoor cooking routine? And who doesn't love pizza? The PizzaQue Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven is not only fun and convenient, it's also fast--the oven cooks pizzas in five minutes. It also heats up to 700 degrees in just 10 minutes.

The PizzaQue Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven is priced at $299.99 on Brookstone's website.

Amazon Kindle

Maybe you're ready to move beyond bringing physical books to the beach -- or maybe you just don't want to have to choose what to bring beforehand. The eighth-generation Kindle may be just the thing, thanks particularly to its glare-free capabilities (including in sunlight). The glare prevention is made possible by the use of a high-contrast display, Amazon says. There's also no need to worry about charging up the Kindle in between jaunts, since the e-reader promises two to three weeks worth of battery life on a charge. In addition, the latest Kindle is 11 percent thinner (measuring 0.36-inch thick) and 16 percent lighter (weighing about one-third of a pound) than the previous model.

The new Amazon Kindle is priced at $79.99 on Amazon.

KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker

For many coffee lovers, cold brew is now officially the way to go in the summer months. But making your own cold brew at home isn't complicated, especially with a product like KitchenAid's new Cold Brew Coffee Maker. The cold brew maker fits in your refrigerator and includes a built-in tap for continuous cold brew consumption.

The KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker is priced at $89.99 on Amazon.

The Yeti Roadie

For summer adventures that are out of the ordinary, you just may want a cooler that takes the hassle out of keeping beverages cold. The Yeti Roadie features the ColdLock Gasket (the same as in Yeti's Tundra coolers) for keeping ice colder for a longer time. The cooler is also designed to not sweat, and though the cooler is smaller than the Tundra series (it'll fit in a truck cab), it still holds up to 14 cans.

The Yeti Roadie is priced at $199.99 on Amazon.

Thermos Connected Water Bottle

Cold brew coffee and beer are great, but don't forget to stay hydrated this summer. And the Thermos connected water bottle can help with that. The 24-ounce bottle includes a "smart" lid that measures your intake of liquids and feeds the data to the Thermos Smart Lid app. The app also calculates a suggested hydration goal for you and shows your progress toward meeting the goal.

The Thermos 24-Ounce Hydration Bottle with Connected Smart Lid is priced at $49 on Amazon.

Ikea Smart Lighting

When it's bright and sunny out, why waste electricity on indoor lighting? Ikea's Smart Lighting system allows users to easily dim or shut off their lights via an app or remote control. And as soon as this summer, it will be possible to control Ikea's Smart Lighting by voice, through integration with popular digital assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Ikea's Smart Lighting products range from $19.99 to $79.99 on Ikea's website.

MagBuddy

The concept here is pretty simple -- a mount that magnetically attaches to your smartphone -- but it can be a powerful addition to any road trip. Looking at your smartphone for directions or other information can be a serious safety hazard. MagBuddy comes in a number of variations for car environments -- including air vent, dashboard, windshield and cup holder -- as well a desktop and "anywhere" option.

The MagBuddy is priced in the $10 to $30 range, depending on the variation.

Fitbit Flex 2

Your summer fitness goals are within reach, but there's no shame in getting a fitness tracker to help out. The Fitbit Flex 2 goes beyond the typical step and distance counter with features such as automatic activity tracking (including running, sports and aerobic workouts) and automatic sleep tracking. The wristband is also swim-proof for tracking your laps at the pool, and the device offers battery life of five days on a charge.

The Fitbit Flex 2 is priced at $59.95 on Amazon.

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier

If summer adventures are the goal, the Gear S3 Frontier is the version of Samsung's latest smartwatch that you'll want. Unlike the Gear S3 Classic and the most recent Apple Watch, the Gear S3 Frontier has built-in 3G/LTE connectivity, so that all of the functionality will work as long as there's a cellular connection. The Gear S3 Frontier also meets high standards for water resistance and, of course, includes built-in GPS.

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is priced at $349.99 on Samsung's website.

Nuzzle Collar

It's not just humans that can benefit from activity tracking when the weather warms up. The Nuzzle Collar is a GPS tracker for pets -- dogs or cats -- that can bring some crucial peace of mind during the months when pets are more likely to be outside for long periods. The collar is durable, lightweight and water resistant, and also allows pet owners to track their pets' activity and whereabouts with a mobile app.

The Nuzzle Collar is priced at $189.99 on the Nuzzle website.

i-Blades Smartcase

For venturing out, phone protection is a must. But the i-Blades Smartcase may be the first rugged case that's actually trying to protect both your smartphone and you. The case comes with drop and impact protection, but also adds the ability to monitor air quality. (Previously, there had never before been a portable air quality solution on the market, says case manufacturer i-Blades.) The smartcase can also connect to an attachment that doubles the battery life and adds storage.

The i-Blades Smartcase, which is available for Samsung Galaxy phones, is priced at $79, while the case plus the attachment is priced at $99.