Soak Up Summer In Style
The kit, drinks and gear the Loaded team have actually been using to get through the heatwave
Summer's finally turned up and so has the pile of stuff on our desk. We've road-tested the lot; griddles, gadgets, tinnies, skincare, the works...so you don't have to gamble your money on it. Here's what's earned a place in the rotation.
Fire Up The Garden
Blackstone 36" Iron Forged Griddle with Hood — £649.99
Forget the grill grates. This is a full flat-top kitchen on wheels — four independently controlled zones, so you're doing pancakes and bacon on one side and smash burgers or fajitas on the other, all at once. No more standing inside while everyone else is in the sun. Omnivore Griddle Plate tech means it heats fast and evenly, wind guards keep the flame steady, and the rear grease system means clean-up takes minutes, not your whole evening. Big griddle, bigger flex. directstoves.com
Tormek T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener — £342
You've spent good money on a proper cut of steak. Don't ruin it with a blunt knife. The T-1 is the domestic version of the sharpening system used in professional kitchens — quick, clean, quiet, and it nails the same angle every time so your edge doesn't degrade with each use. Solid oak handle, powder-coated zinc body, diamond wheel. Comes fully assembled, 8-year warranty, five colourways including the new Swedish Red. shoptormek.co.uk
HECK! — from £3
The Big Chicken Italia Sausages (660g, 10-pack, £5, £4 with Clubcard, Tesco) are herby, lean and a proper step up from the standard banger — now in full-size form instead of just chipolatas. The Big Chicken Italia Burgers (320g, 2-pack, £3, Asda & Morrisons) are thicker and juicier than HECK's usual quarter pounders — load with cheese and caramelised onion and don't look back. There's also a bumper 10-pack of the classic 97% Pork Sausages (660g, £5, £4 with Clubcard, Tesco) — no rusk, no fillers, gluten and dairy-free. And new to supermarkets: Chicken, Red Pepper & Feta Chipolatas (340g, 10-pack, £3.50, Asda) — lean, veg-packed and a genuinely different flavour on the plate. heckfood.co.uk
Good Phats Flavoured Oils
Four new co-pressed extra virgin olive oils — Basil, Garlic, Chili and Lemon — perfect for finishing off whatever's coming off that griddle. The difference here is the whole ingredient goes through the press with the olives, not added after, so the flavour actually punches through. Comes in the brand's signature squeezy bottle. goodphats.com
Cold Drinks, Sorted
Solenco Life Precision Wine Coolers — from £99
With warm reds making headlines for all the wrong reasons, these ice-free, silent coolers keep every bottle at the right serving temperature without watering it down. The Precision Bottle Wine Cooler (£99) fits any standard bottle up to 9.6cm. The Precision Wine Cooler with Integrated Decanter (£129) chills and aerates in one, which is the one you want for reds. Design-led, built for hosting — proper statement pieces for the table. Bottle Cooler | Decanter Cooler
GreenPan Frost Soft Serve & Frozen Drinks Maker — RRP £399
No pre-freezing bowls, no faff — 30 minutes and you've got ice cream, sorbet, a proper milkshake or a frozen margarita-style slushie. One machine, endless summer combos. Available in Cream and Anthracite from Very (cream only), Currys and Amazon. amazon.co.uk
Vinca Organic Wine Cans — from £3 (187ml)
Sicilian, 100% organic, and in a can — ready to chuck in the cooler bag for a picnic or festival without the breakage risk. Stocked at Tesco, M&S, Ocado, Booths and Wholefoods. vincawine.com
Smiling Wolf — £3.80
All the flavour and vibe of a proper cocktail, none of the alcohol — swapped out for a Feel-Good Blend of nootropics and vitamins instead. Solid option for anyone doing a dry spell without wanting a soft drink. smilingwolf.com
PrePear — from £16 (6-pack)
Made from 100% Korean Shingo pears and loaded with DHM, which helps your body process alcohol faster and cuts down on the rough mornings. Stocked at Fortnum & Mason and Harrods if you fancy drinking (and recovering) like it. prepearjuice.com
MOTH Canned Cocktails — £3.99 (125ml)
The UK's number one premium canned cocktail brand. Pre-mixed, bar-quality, dressed up in a little black can — chuck one in the bag for the park, the garden or wherever the day takes you. mothdrinks.com
KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF4 — £899
For the mornings that need more than instant. Pre-programmed and custom espresso and iced coffee at the touch of a button, in matte black. Two-year guarantee, ten years of reparability, 4.7 stars from 25 reviews — this one's built to last, not just impress for a season. kitchenaid.co.uk
On The Go
Knoops Frozen Hot Chocolate — from £5.60
The UK's first-ever Frozen Hot Chocolate lands at Knoops' 27 stores nationwide from 19 June (app users get first access from 11 June). Choose between the best-selling 54% Dark or a sweeter 28% White, both blended from chocolate flakes, not powder. Dark options: Frozen Hot Chocolate (£5.80/£7.00), Frozen Chocolate Mocha (£6.30/£7.50), or with Orange Zest (£6.30/£7.50). White options: Frozen Hot Chocolate (£5.60/£6.80), with Lemon Zest (£6.10/£7.30), or with Matcha (£6.50/£7.70). Every drink's customisable with dairy or plant milk. knoops.co.uk
Little Moons Lemon & Elderflower Refreshos — £5.00
Little Moons' Refreshos range gets a zesty new addition — bright citrus and delicate elderflower wrapped in their signature chewy rice dough, at just 56 calories a bite. Vegan, gluten-free, straight from the freezer. Exclusively at Tesco. littlemoons.com
Rio Mare Insalatissime — RRP £3.00
The ready-to-eat tuna salad taking over desk lunches. MSC-certified tuna, no fridge needed, no prep required — peel back the lid and go. Now at Asda, Costco, Ocado, Morrisons and Waitrose. riomare.com
Fjällräven Samlaren Tote Pack 2A — £85
Lightweight, packable, and built for the days when you need one bag that does everything — beach, festival, city. Pair it with the Abisko Bottle Pocket, which clips straight onto a strap and keeps a bottle, phone or snacks within reach without digging through the whole bag. Tote | Bottle Pocket
Skin Sorted (No, Seriously)
Viva X PDRN Serum — £39.99
The regenerative ingredient behind the "salmon sperm facial" that's been all over TikTok, minus the clinic trip. This 35ml serum packs 10,000ppm salmon-derived polynucleotides alongside hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, working to hydrate, support collagen renewal and firm skin over time. Unisex, straightforward, does what it says. Made in Korea by Viva Skin Clinics. vivaskinclinics.com
For The Family
PO.P Organic Cotton Adult Robe — £60
Soft organic cotton, two proper pockets, waist ties — good for post-pool, good for holiday packing. There's a matching kids' version too if you want to twin. polarnopyret.com
PO.P Sustainable Swimwear — from £14.00
Sun-safe swimsuits, shorts and hats for ages 0-12, made from recycled polyester with UPF 50+ to block 98% of harmful rays. New 2026 prints include cherries, sea creatures and classic stripes. polarnopyret.com
CuddleDry Bamboo Fun Towels — £31.99
Bunny, dino or penguin — pick your character and watch a toddler actually want to get out of the pool. Made from sustainably grown cotton and bamboo, gentle enough for delicate skin, in sizes for 1-6 years. cuddledry.com
Childs Farm Summer Haircare — £5.50 each (Boots)
The full kit for post-pool, post-beach comedowns. The 3 in 1 Swim washes out chlorine in one quick rinse. The Tangle-Taming Shampoo and Conditioner tackle knots without the tears, and the Hair Detangler spray finishes the job in half the time. Tear-free, strawberry and mint scented, built for kids' hair specifically.
That's the lot — tried, tested, and worth the spend. Get outside.