Editor’s Picks · Home & Kitchen

Best Home & Kitchen Upgrades (Summer 2026)

Summer home upgrades worth spending on: cleaner air, cleaner water, and a countertop fryer that handles a crowd..

By Remy Voss · Casterr’s Shopping Editor · Updated July 14, 2026

The bottom line

Summer home upgrades worth spending on: cleaner air, cleaner water, and a countertop fryer that handles a crowd.

How we chose

Picks are selected from vetted affiliate partners and evaluated against the criteria below. Rankings reflect the merits only — affiliate relationships never change what we recommend or how we order it.

Genuine fit for the category and the audience it is forReputation and track record of the brandValue — what you actually get for the priceHow easy it is to get started or switch away

The picks

1

$650

Summer air quality

Pure Cool Cryptomic TP06 purifying fan

At $650, the TP06 earns its slot as the top pick for summer air quality - it purifies while cooling, which matters most when windows stay shut and allergens peak. It's a significant outlay, but it's doing two jobs at once. Buy it if indoor air quality is a real concern; skip it if you just need a fan.

Shop Dyson →

2

$269

Entertaining centerpiece

Carlton Coffee Table

The Carlton Coffee Table at $269 is a functional centerpiece for summer entertaining - a solid anchor for a living room that's seeing more foot traffic. It's not the flashiest pick on this list, but it's appropriately priced for what it is. Good fit for nesters refreshing a common space; overkill if you already have a table that works.

Shop simpli-home →

3-Stage Under Sink Water Filter 15X Stronger Filtration Reduces 78 Contaminants Certified to NSF/ANSI

3

$150

NSF-certified water filtration

3-Stage Under Sink Water Filter 15X Stronger Filtration Reduces 78 Contaminants Certified to NSF/ANSI

For $150, this three-stage under-sink filter is WQA certified to NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and 401, reducing 78 contaminants - lead, PFAS, and microplastics among them - while keeping calcium, potassium, and magnesium in the water. Unlike reverse osmosis, it doesn't strip the minerals out with the bad stuff. You'll need at least 15.85 inches of under-sink clearance, so measure before you order.

Shop Aquasana →

3400W Dual Tank Electric Countertop Deep Fryer

4

$121

High-volume home frying

3400W Dual Tank Electric Countertop Deep Fryer

Two 6.4-quart tanks with independent temperature controls at $121 means you can run two different items at once - useful for summer parties where the menu mixes seafood and fries. Know going in that the actual oil temperature tops out around 345°F despite the 375°F dial marking. Right pick for home cooks who entertain in volume; too much machine for weeknight solo cooking.

Shop Costway →

5

$1,199

Daily coffee making

ENA 4 Full Metropolitan Black

The ENA 4 Full at $1,199 is the priciest pick here and the one with the narrowest audience - it's for daily coffee drinkers who want a compact, capable machine without going the refurbished route. It doesn't dominate on value the way the Aquasana or Aerostar do at their price points. Buy it if coffee is genuinely central to your kitchen routine; pass if it's occasional.

Shop Jura →

Bootz 3 in. H X 32 in. W X 60 in. L White Shower Base

6

$400

Alcove shower remodel

Bootz 3 in. H X 32 in. W X 60 in. L White Shower Base

The Bootz shower base is heavy-gauge seamless steel with a porcelain enamel finish that resists stains and scratches, priced at $400 for a fixture that fits a standard five-foot alcove footprint. The weep channels and full-length support pad make installation more forgiving, and the drain placement lines up for easier remodel plumbing. Worth it for a bathroom refresh; not relevant if you're not already mid-remodel.

Shop Ace Hardware →

16x25x4 - Lenox Deep Pleat Air Filter by Aerostar

7

$80

Residential HVAC filtration

16x25x4 - Lenox Deep Pleat Air Filter by Aerostar

Eighty dollars for a USA-made electrostatically charged filter that captures 90% of airborne particles - dust, pollen, mold spores, pet dander - with deep pleats that reduce airflow resistance and help lower HVAC energy costs. Plan for replacement every 60-90 days normally, or every 30 days during peak season. An easy yes for anyone running central air this summer; irrelevant if you don't have a compatible HVAC system.

Shop factorydirectfilters →

Product	Best for	Price
Pure Cool Cryptomic TP06 purifying fan	Summer air quality	$650
Carlton Coffee Table	Entertaining centerpiece	$269
3-Stage Under Sink Water Filter 15X Stronger Filtration Reduces 78 Contaminants Certified to NSF/ANSI	NSF-certified water filtration	$150
3400W Dual Tank Electric Countertop Deep Fryer	High-volume home frying	$121
ENA 4 Full Metropolitan Black	Daily coffee making	$1,199
Bootz 3 in. H X 32 in. W X 60 in. L White Shower Base	Alcove shower remodel	$400
16x25x4 - Lenox Deep Pleat Air Filter by Aerostar	Residential HVAC filtration	$80

Why you can trust this guide

Casterr earns a commission when you buy through links on this page — it never changes the price you pay, and it never decides our rankings. We pick and order products on the merits above; affiliate relationships have no bearing on what we recommend or how we rank it. Casterr, Inc. participates in affiliate marketing programs and may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Sources

01Modern Castle — Dyson Pure Cool Cryptomic TP06 Review
02Simpli Home — Carlton Coffee Table – Simpli Home
03Aquasana — 3-Stage Claryum® Under Sink Water Filter | WQA Certified
04Costway — 3400W Dual Tank Electric Countertop Deep Fryer
05JURA — ENA 4 - Buy JURA coffee machines online
06Ace Hardware — Bootz 3 in. H X 32 in. W X 60 in. L White Shower Base