The sun is shining, the weather is hot, and work is the last thing on your mind. Summer is hands-down the best time to gather friends new and old for a get-together.
To be the best host, you’ll need to stock up on a few essentials to either replace something that lost its luster over the years or to add something new that will make your parties better than what you’ve thrown in the past. Cool Material’s summer entertaining guide has it all, from the plates and cooking tools to the things that keep you looking your best.
East Fork Pottery Mug
East Fork pottery is a hit among the chefs and influencers who know how to set a beautiful table. That cachet can be brought to your coffee table with the brand's mugs, which are made in Asheville, North Carolina using lead-free, regionally sourced clay from the Southeast. Importantly for any dishes that make their way out to the party, these are dishwasher and microwave safe. Morning coffee get togethers and after-party pick-me-ups can just as easily have the aesthetics of that chic coffeeshop on the corner.
Buy: $44
Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven
A classic Dutch oven is one of those versatile cooking necessities that is convenient for multiple types of cooking, and doubles as a rustic-yet-classy serving dish when it’s all ready. Maybe it’s a perfectly round loaf of bread, or some mac and cheese, or some potatoes over the backyard fire. What gets made in a Dutch oven is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Buy: $420
Faherty Linen Sweater Polo
What’s a summer party without the right look? Faherty’s sweater polo is made with lightweight, breathable linen for those hot days and nights. The classic fit and rib stitch at the cuffs and hem make the polo just as ideal for a house party or the shore as it is for the upscale cocktail bar after.
Buy: $178
Vuori Kore Short
[PARTNER] Introducing new colors of our favorite shorts from Vuori, the Kore Short. Crafted for ultimate comfort and versatility, these shorts boast a classic athletic fit, breathable boxer-brief liner, and soft, lightweight ultra-stretch fabric. With features like a 7.5" inseam, elastic waistband, and quick-drying, moisture-wicking technology, they're perfect for all your summer activities, from gatherings to workouts.
Buy: $68
POLSPOTTEN Multicolor La Marzocco Edition Espresso Cup Set
A small espresso pick-me-up at the end of a party (or before, or during—no judgment here) looks so much better with this espresso cup set. The four stackable, glazed stoneware espresso cups come in four eye-catching colors. All are microwave and dishwasher safe, so quick cleanup and reheating is a breeze.
Buy: $41
Dyson Smart Air Purifier
The outdoors may get most of the focus when it comes to summer entertaining, but don’t underestimate the desire to beat the heat by going inside. A smart air purifier ensures the air inside feels just as fresh as the air outside. Dyson uses a fully sealed filtration system with a filter that captures 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns in size, and the fan pushes out clean, cool air. And you can keep track of how much cleaner your air is with the LCD screen and app that reports pollutants in real time.
Buy: $499.99
Roborock Qrevo Pro
[PARTNER] Perfect for post-summer party cleanups, the new Roborock Qrevo Pro features a FlexiArm Mopping System, 60°C Hot Water Mop Washing, and Intelligent Dirt Detection. With app control and obstacle avoidance, enjoy effortless cleaning that you won't even need to think about. Now available on their official site, Target, and Amazon for $799.99 until July 21st.
Buy: $799.99
Classic Stand-Up Cooler with Bottle Opener
Sure, you could rearrange your fridge and set up all the beverages inside away from the party for people to go fetch their drinks. Maybe a cheap cooler or two can bring things a little closer. Or you can add this attractive stand-up cooler to your backyard set up. The 80-quart steel patio cooler has a powder coated paint job for durable stand out color, with a bottle opener and cap catcher on the side and a drain plug at the bottom. It’ll last all party long with one fill, too, thanks to a capacity to hold 110 12-ounce cans and ability to keep cool for up to 36 hours.
Buy: $179.99
Hanging Citronella Coil
Few everyday creatures match the annoyance-to-size ratio of mosquitoes. There’s always going to be the occasional bite, but skip the sprays, candles, and TikTok hacks this summer for a hanging citronella coil. The natural mosquito repellent is lit for a non-toxic smoke that hides the odors that attract the flying menaces. The coils are both useful and head-turning when hung up from a pergola or the side of the house, with a smaller option that burns for 36 hours and a larger one with a 150-hour burn time.
Buy: $36
Ooni Koda 2 Max Outdoor Oven
[PARTNER] Ooni’s new Koda 2 Max pizza oven elevates homemade pizza making with a larger, 24” cooking area and advanced features, perfect for entertaining family and friends this summer. Founded in 2012 by Kristian Tapaninaho and Darina Garland, Ooni specializes in high-heat pizza ovens. The Koda 2 Max offers dual-zone cooking, a digital temperature hub, a removable glass visor, and Ooni Connect app functionality for precise control. Its enhanced design accommodates multiple pizzas and various dishes, ensuring efficient, crowd-pleasing cooking.
Buy: $999
Yamazaki Rolling Utility Cart
Take your pick: haul every dish and dishware one by one from inside to out and back, or roll everything to the center of the party (and all around the party) at once on a utility cart. Yamazaki (the “IKEA of Japan”) makes a rolling utility cart with a lightweight steel frame and heavy duty swivel casters that can easily carry about 15 pounds on the three shelves and four hanging hooks. It’s the easy way to declutter and make entertaining more seamless.
Buy: $144
Barebones Cast Iron Griddle
Just like a Dutch oven, the right cast iron griddle is a do-it-all cooking tool that helps your backyard cookouts bring the flavor. Barebones makes cast iron cookware stands out for its addition of steel for less weight and more durability. The smooth side makes pancakes and eggs with ease, while the grooved side has wide channels for burgers, hotdogs, and other meats over the fire, grill, or stovetop. Best of all? It’s pre-seasoned with natural oils so it’s ready to go right out of the box and stays ready through countless uses.
Buy: $75
Blu Atlas Starter Set
[PARTNER] The Blu Atlas Starter Set is a curated collection of top body and skincare products valued at $95. This all-in-one set includes Blu Atlas’ aluminum-free Deodorant, Volcanic Ash Face Cleanser, Ultra-Hydrating Face Moisturizer, and nourishing Body Wash. Each Blu Atlas product is vegan, cruelty-free, and made from 96% naturally derived ingredients with no artificial fragrances. The Starter Set ensures a well-rounded daily routine for all skin types and will have you looking good and feeling great all summer.
Buy: $95
Alfresco Outdoor Dinnerware
Ditch the throwaway plates that blow over and soak through far too easily. This sturdy, 12-piece dinnerware set with accompanying flatware has all that your guests will need to enjoy the food—whether you made it all yourself or you simply want to dress up the takeout you picked up on the way. The set can withstand what the elements bring and are dishwasher safe.
Buy: $22
NEBULA Mars 3 Outdoor Portable Projector
Clean up a side of the house or hang up a sheet for outdoor movies with the Nebula Mars 3. Water, dust, and drop resistant, the projector puts out up to a 200-inch picture. Built-in Chromecast, Netflix, and Android TV compatibility opens up near endless entertainment options, with a five-hour battery life to play everything from scary movies to kid-friendly programming to keep the little ones entertained at the tail-end of a get together. The system’s Intelligent Environment Adaptation has a sensor to automatically adjust color correction, autofocus, and screen size in three seconds for easy setup. No speakers, no problem with built-in 40-watt Dolby Digital Plus sound.
Buy: $1049.99
Turtlebox Gen 2 Speaker
Music can set the vibe just right—as long as the sound isn’t completely lost in the open air. Turtlebox makes speakers that are 100% waterproof and drop proof, and, most importantly, put out crystal-clear sound with a class D digital amplifier and powerful woofer that can go louder than you need without sacrificing dynamic sound levels. A single charge can play music for 25 hours, and it moves along with the party with ease. If one isn’t enough, Turtlebox speakers can connect with each other for synchronized range.
Buy: $399
Bocce Ball Set
There aren’t many lawn games that are as universally loved as bocce. It’s easy to see why, considering the game is quick to pick up even for first timers of all ages. This set brings your bocce to professional standards with 110mm, 2-pound-2-ounces World Cup bocce balls (four white, four blue) and a bright red pallina target ball that’s easy to spot.
Buy: $189
Vaer Watches G5 Meridian True GMT
[PARTNER] The G5 Meridian, a premium 20ATM automatic watch from Vaer, features a stylish 1950s-inspired design with dual timezone functionality, ocean-ready durability, and full American assembly. Ideal for those seeking a refined, everyday wear GMT watch, its 39mm case offers ergonomic elegance. Inspired by iconic military and aviation watches, it boasts unique dial designs and impressive night-time glow, ensuring you look good and stylish, inside or outside.
Buy: $799
Polaroid Now+
In theory, leaving out a bunch of disposable cameras so there’s an unfiltered record everyone can look forward to seeing down the line is exciting. In reality, that means lugging all the cameras to a store and paying a premium to develop the pictures, only to have them all (maybe) have to be picked up again at some unspecified, often delayed time. Polaroid’s new Now+ Generation 2 delivers the benefits without the downside. Using original full-size Polaroid film, the camera comes with five lens filters for analogue effects. It has the same look that so many people fell in love with the original Polaroids, but gets a lot more functionality and uses 40% recycled materials. An app opens up the door to fine-tune aperture, light, double exposure, and other manual adjustments. The pictures might not all be fine art, but that’s kind of the point. What they will definitely be is a memory people can keep with them long into the future.
Buy: $149.99
Solo Stove Yukon 2.0
Backyard fire pits are a joy, once you get past the smoke and the general immovability of the set up. Solo Stove makes those two qualifications a thing of the past. One of the brand’s largest fire pits, the Yukon, has a 27-inch diameter and 17-inch height that’s perfect for everyone to gather around the smokeless wood fire. Smoke is burned off before it makes it out of the stainless steel pit, so there’s no constantly shifting chairs to match the wind’s whims and no one goes home smelling like they just got back from camping. It’s not exactly light at 41 pounds, but it’s still easy to move—and also to clean, thanks to a removable base plate and ash pan.
Buy: $449.99
Fable Glassware Set
Just like you can do better than paper plates, you can do better than throwaway cups. There are few party fouls quite like broken glass, but Fable’s durable glassware is scratch resistant and hardened with a special Japanese technique to make them shatter resistant (1.6 times stronger than typical glassware, according to the company) for when a glass inevitably takes a tumble later into the day or night. That doesn’t mean losing the aesthetic appeal either, with four tall and four short glasses that stay lightweight, ultra thin, and dishwasher safe.
Buy: $141
Silver Champagne Bucket
Is a Champagne bucket a necessary host possession? Technically no, but vibe-wise yes. Multiple bottles of bubbly stay chilled in the most chic way possible with this stainless steel bucket that sits in style on top of any table (or utility cart, if you want roaming bottles).
Buy: $199.95
Portable Misting Fan
Beat the heat with a misting fan. The Tropic Breeze has a 20-inch fan blade that can be set to three different speeds (the strongest pushing air 12 to 18 feet away) with a 90 degree oscillation. The 10-gallon water tank puts out cooling mist for eight to 10 hours with each fill-up. Thankfully, the quiet motor also means you don’t have to drown out the noise of the party while getting cool refreshment no matter where you push the misting fan with its easy to move wheels.
Buy: $549
36-Piece Cuisinart Ultimate Backyard BBQ Grill Set
Grill tools tend to disappear over the years. Be prepared this summer with a Csuinart barbecue kit filled with all the tools you need and want. The 36-piece set covers the classics like spatula, tongs, fork, and basting brush, as well as the more specific like corn holders, skewers, silicone glove, and burger flags.
Buy: $74.95
