5 Essential Gadgets For Summer Cooking

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Summer weather means summer foods (ice cream! barbecue!), and summer foods require a specific toolbox for proper execution. Here's a look at the five kitchen gadgets sure to be staples in your summer kitchen.

Grill Pizza on the Go: Whether you're crunched for space or just want to take your pizza-making game on the go, check out the Cuisinart Alfrescamore Portable Pizza Oven ($300), a mobile backyard oven that fits on a tabletop and uses convection (plus the included cordierite pizza stone) to cook pies in as few as five minutes.

Make Ice Cream in a Flash: Zoku makes it easier than ever to whip up your own frozen dessert with its super-simple Ice Cream Maker ($26). Just take your favorite ice cream base, pour it into the freezer bowl and stir it around to turn (or should we say churn) it into ice cream, stat.

Cold-Press Your Luck: Instead of shelling out for a stand-alone juicer, opt for the KitchenAid Juicer and Sauce Attachment ($250), a cold-press juicer attachment for your stand mixer. Why is cold-press better? Instead of chopping produce, it presses out juice slowly, preserving nutrients, plus, with three different filters, you can control the pulp level in every glass.

Baste with the Best of 'Em: What makes the Prepara Basting Brush ($16) a must-have in the kitchen or by your grill? The fact that you can squeeze sauce into the gadget's handle and baste or sauce your ingredients all with one hand. No more juggling the bowl and the brush while trying to keep everything from overcooking.

Microwave with Abandon: Sadly, not all of us city dwellers own a grill. But, thankfully, kebabs are no longer out of reach, thanks to Lékué's Kabob Maker ($30), which is designed for the microwave. This silicone device uses steam to cook everything from vegetables to fish and meat; grill marks be damned.

For more fun summer ideas, check out The Hot 100.