Well this year not so much of a problem - with temps already approaching 20 (celcius) I brought 'em up to the enclosed porch early and the leaves - about 15 cm tall - are purple-ing up nicely.

Instead of the bottom, drill around the circumference about 2" off the bottom every 4-5 inches. Holes in the bottom allow water and fertilizer the ability to drain too fast. I have some jalapeño plants that are mild and others that are hotter than any other jalapeño I've tasted. A golden cayenne feels as hot as my habanero peppers. I think it is the professional growers know/understand the care aspect better. I water every 5/6 days normally, but super dry here so every 3 days I flood them and protect them from too much sun. The super hots tend to be more sensitive in my experience. The standard cayenne and pepperoncini seem to just take care of themselves as long as I stay out of their way. My bhut and scorpions are very very hot but smaller in size than many people have in better climates and longer growing season. By the way, 5 gallon buckets from HD are much bigger than 5 gallon landscape containers. Since you're in HD anyway, they sell earplugs which are a great asset when the complaining starts ;)

We had to have our A/C repaired a couple of days ago because a capacitor went out. At least it was a relatively inexpensive fix. We've had this A/C for eight years now, which means that for the first five years here we did not have central A/C - only a window unit that was noisy and did not cool the whole house. However, we got by with having windows open, but once we got central A/C, we got addicted to it. If our heat went out, the house would still be at least 60°, and so we would not freeze to death. We turn the thermostat off when we are not here, and the house is still in the 60s or 70s when we return in the dead of winter. We got a sprinkling of rain last night, which was nice.

I went down that road once. With the tomatoes you'd be better off doing what Lone Jack said, because even if they survive they won't do good They'd be in the reproductive stage using energy to grow flowers and fruit and not roots with very poor results. Replanting about two or three weeks from now will blow away what you will get from the plants you have now. I live in Minnesota (twin cities) and plant my tomatoes outside around the 15th of May and won't start them until early April. May 15 is to early but I have a 12% probability of temps at 32 degrees, and each day that passes the probability drops nearly 1%. Small plants allow me to cover with 8" and 12" pots with a plastic bag over it, but it's been 12 years since I had to cover them just one time, but most prefer the last frost date. Your peppers would of done OK because of their slow growth, but the plants aren't healthy due to the low light environment and leggy. With better light they'd be half the height they are now, and I don't know if they get fertilized. Peppers are one of the last things I plant outside in the first week of June, and will also start peppers when I start tomatoes using a heat mat. Without one I'd plant the last week in March. I don't want big plants to plant outside. If you planted determinate (bush like roma) tomatoes don't bother keeping them and replant later, they're not a plant one usually would prune. If you planted indeterminate (vine) tomatoes you could try and salvage a few of your favorites by topping them down a good foot right above a side shoot sucker growing out the crotch of a branch turning it into your new leader. Get the plant some better light, Set the plants outside TODAY mid afternoon when temps are above 55 degrees for a few hours. Thursday and Friday will get into the 60's and 70's so put the plants out each day for a few hours of direct sun or longer in partial sun, and do this any time weather allows until you plant. Cloudy days are great to harden off plants. You need to harden off the plants or the leaves will get sunburned, and could kill the plant. If your tomato plants were healthy I'd say you could easily clone 6" of the top you cut off but they aren't. If you decide to throw them out give cloning a try if interested and may be fun. Look up how to harden off plants and how to easily clone tomato plants, it's easy. (but really need healthy plants)