Summer has a way of inspiring some pretty great purchases — cute sandals, new luggage for an exciting trip, a fresh beach bag for wherever the season takes you. But alongside the fun stuff comes the list that’s less exciting but unavoidable: paper towels, mosquito zappers, citronella, deodorant and all the other unglamorous essentials that actually help you function once the weather warms.
And while nobody loves spending money on boring necessities, you’re going to need them regardless — so you may as well grab them while they’re on sale. Below, I’ve rounded up the best deals available right now on the summer staples you’ll be reaching for over the next several months (and beyond).
The best deals on summer essentials
Mosquitoes are a summer inevitability. Thankfully, this citronella candle can help. The soy candle contains citronella oil and corn mint oil, two known mosquito repellents. It burns for up to 30 hours, so it’ll last you through plenty of backyard dinners and late-night hangouts.
Snacks for the beach, dog treats for leisurely strolls, loose change — Stasher’s reusable silicone bags are a great (and sustainable) way to store all of those things and more. They’re reusable, which means you won’t have to keep restocking plastic bags, plus they’re dishwasher-friendly. NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin is a huge fan of these smaller bags and says she has used them for storing vitamins on trips and organizing desk supplies like paper clips and push pins.
Summer means lots of cookouts and a healthy dose of leftovers, so having trustworthy food storage containers is a must. This set includes nine containers of various sizes — all of which come with a lid. The clear bases also make it easy to see what’s inside, and the containers nest to save space in your cabinets. They’re BPA-free, microwave-, dishwasher- and freezer-safe.
Consider this the ultimate two-in-one solution for a greener lawn. It delivers a quick boost of nitrogen for a healthier lawn while simultaneously targeting and killing weeds. The bottle has a hose-end applicator to make using it easy — simply attach to your hose and spray. It has nearly 24,000 five-star ratings, with one shopper saying that a week after applying it, 75 percent of their weeds were gone and the grass was noticeably greener.
This digital thermometer delivers readings in just one second with accuracy to ±0.9 degrees Fahrenheit, so you’ll never serve undercooked chicken at a barbecue again. The large backlit display makes it easy to check temps whether you’re cooking indoors or out on the grill, and the foldable probe design means it stows neatly in a drawer or hangs on a hook between uses.
Have you ever noticed that your kitchen trash fills up faster in the summer? Maybe it’s because you entertain more or perhaps it’s because your kids are home for the season. Whatever the case, you’ll want to have plenty of trash bags on hand. These 13-gallon kitchen bags use the brand’s ForceFlex technology to allow the bag to stretch and expand over heavy loads with sharp edges. Plus, they lightly scented with Febreeze to help keep kitchen odors at bay.
Sunshine is great, but it’s also sweat-inducing — which means deodorant is a warm weather must-have. This pack comes with four sticks of antiperspirant, which should get you through the entire summer and into fall. In addition to preventing sweating, the formula contains ceramides to boost your skin barrier and leave your skin feeling silky, according to Dove.
I’ve been using this mouthwash for years and love it. I find a lot of mouthwashes have such a strong mint flavor that they burn my mouth. This one is alcohol-free and has a minty taste that is refreshing without being overwhelming. Plus, the two-pack should last you the entire summer.
This small label maker can help you stay organized through the summer and the rest of the year. It’s inkless, so there are no cartridges or toners to deal with, just load the included labels and you’re good to go. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth and then you use the brand’s app to create and print your labels. Use it for labeling things in your pantry or garage, or packing cubes for your next trip so you can quickly identify what you need.
More summer essentials on sale
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I’m a commerce editor at NBC Select who covers various topics, including home, tech and beauty. I’ve covered sales and major shopping events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday for more than a decade.
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