The Products to Have This Summer
From flying to grilling, Good Housekeeping shares its favorite products.
June 27, 2008 -- There are several reasons to love summer — the warm weather, the vacations, the lawn parties.
But all this summer fun requires equipment, and Carolyn Forte of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute appeared on "Good Morning America" to present what every grillmaster, world traveler and all-around summer lover needs.
Eagle Creek Hovercraft Rolling 25 ($225)
This is our lightest suitcase. The whole idea is that if you are checking bags, you don't want to have to pay if they are overweight. Normal bags are 15 to 18 pounds. This bag weighs less than 8.5 pounds. If you use this suitcase, you can take more things because the bag is lighter. The fabric is durable. Also there's a telescopic handle — that's the one you use to pull your baggage off the carousel. It's the summer and life should be easier and hassle-free.
Andis 1875 Ionic Ceramic Folding Dryer ($32)
The problem with portable hair dryers is that they are often small and flimsy and not as powerful as regular ones. This one is small, but it has 1875 watts of power. In the Good Housekeeping test lab and in consumer tests it dried hair the fastest. The handle folds and the cord retracts so you have a little extra space in your suitcase. It's also the most comfortable to hold in your hand.
Coleman's Cooler Quad Chair ($28)
There's no sense in having a great lawn or hitting the beach unless you can lounge in comfort. Enter the Cooler Quad Chair. One of great parts to this chair is that it's easily packable. You just put it in its carrying case, throw it over your shoulder and there you go. It's a nice size, there's good seating area and it's very comfortable. It has even more assets — the beverage holder for drinks, a pouch for magazines and a cooler in the handle that you can put an ice pack in to keep your snacks cold. If you're at a concert or watching a softball game, you've got it all there.
Char-Broil Commercial Series Grill With Infrared ($499)
Sound high-tech? It is. This grill cooks with infrared, so there's no open flame. The regular burners are stainless steel. The infrared makes it hotter and makes food cook more evenly. It's a well designed grill — chicken and steak are beautifully cooked on the outside and the inside. There's a side burner so you can sauté on the side or use the griddle for pancakes and eggs. Of the 12 grills tested by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, this one was the best.
Perfect Flame Grill Light ($25)
Perhaps one of the reasons people rarely grill in the dark is because, well, there's no light for it. That problem ends with the Perfect Flame Grill Light. This is a sturdy light with a flexible neck. The light is battery operated and can be attached to the grill via clamp or by it's strong magnets. This way you can grill as it gets dark and keep the party going well into the evening.