Brain Game: Summer's Here
By BY

It's far too early to tell if this season will be warmer than most summers, but it's off to a good start, at least here in Michigan.
By changing one letter at a time to form different English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert SUMMER into HOTTER in the fewest number of steps possible. Good luck!
S U M M E R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ H O T T E R
Here is an eight-step SOLUTION.
AN EIGHT-STEP SOLUTION:
SUMMER > SIMMER > SIMPER > LIMPER > LISPER > LISTER > LITTER > HITTER > HOTTER
Did you come up with a different solution? Please post it in the comments; thanks!