Appliances and Kitchen Gadgets

Wine fridge makes it four times as easy to choose

There are seemingly endless varieties of wine. Before one even considers the distinctions between red and white, the maze of choices that are available in just one branch can be dizzying. (In a good way.) But when it comes time to choose what to open, sometimes that can be the easiest part. The answer is yes.

The Vinotemp VT-100WINEDISP4 Dual-Zone Wine Dispenser and Cooler supplies room for up to four bottles to be dispensed at a time. After opening, wine is kept drinkable through the use of argon or nitrogen and a refillable gas system. The stopper and dispenser parts more

Building a better beer tap with Android and Arduino

Drinking beer requires a certain amount of supervision. Regardless if the experience is self-monitored or kept in check by our peers, keeping a close eye on the proceedings is usually a good idea. While a free-flowing fount of beer may seem like a good idea (because it is), sometimes it's probably best to be kept under lock and key. Or in this case, under an NFC reader.

Google employee and home-brewer Paul Carff designed the KegDroid as a novel way to dispense beer. Users gain access into the system by using their own individual NFC tag or badge. Using more

RoboWrap ready to revolutionize silverware wrapping

Working at a restaurant requires doing many repetitious tasks, but perhaps the most tedious and lamented (aside from bathroom cleanup) is wrapping silverware in a napkin.

To solve that age-old annoyance of having to bundle countless utensils, the Capstone Design class at Georgia Tech created an autonomous silverware wrapper capable of perfectly packaging silverware at a respectable speed.

Electronic beer fridge only opens when all work's in

If you're anything like me, when Friday rolls around you've probably got one eye on the clock and one eye looking forward to a refreshing post-work beverage. Spare a thought then for these office-dwellers toiling hard to finish -- their beer fridge only unlocks when the last bit of work is handed in.

The Drink Time Sheet is a fully stocked fridge of brewskis that's electronically locked to the time sheet system at Brazilian marketing agency Casa. It only unlocks when all of the week's time sheets are turned in, which seems like a heck of an incentive not to put anything off until next week.

Read more of "Cheers! Electronic beer fridge only opens when all work's in" at Crave UK.

Twist-and-stick flashlight lights up the grill

Any barbecue kit worth its salt (or sauce) is going to have a few essentials in it. Topping the list might be a spatula or a food turner of some sort. Additional useful items might include tongs as well as a grill brush to clean the grates before use. And, of course, a light of some kind so as to keep grilling after the sun goes down. Preferably one with magnets.

Not only does the Man Law MAN-F378BBQ Twist Flashlight come with a tripod mount that sticks to the grill magnetically, it also stands by ready for action without the more

Bright blender looks to not blend in

Blenders have always been pretty well represented in the kitchen. Even with the proliferation of other whirling-blade kitchen gadgets like food processors and immersion blenders, a good old-fashioned blender is often the best choice for the task. And that includes when they happen to be lime-green or bright fire-engine red.

The Bodum Bistro Blender offers additional modern touches that differentiate it from those of times gone by. If the distinctive color isn't attention-grabbing enough, the "rubber-sprayed" exterior will probably give away the fact that this blender views the landscape of the kitchen countertop as a domain to stand out more

Are you a Connoisseurian?

Kitchens are full of compromises. Occasionally ingredients run out, equipment doesn't work properly, and of course, time is always a factor. But when thrown for a curve in the kitchen, the only answer is to make do. Recipes can be changed, equipment hacks can be invented, and shortcuts can be discovered. But nothing can be done to turn back the clock on original purchases.

Deciding between a gas range and an electric one may involve a variety of choices, but sometimes the answer can be both. A new line of dual-fuel ranges are coming this summer from Capital Cooking. more

Take ice cream beyond the bowl

Ice cream is, and always has been fun. It's hard to see that changing any time soon. With a sweet taste and an abundance of available flavors, the cold treat offers something for everybody. However, a well-stocked freezer is only a start. Ice cream may be fun, so it only seems right that it deserves being served in something other than a boring bowl.

Moving beyond the basic bowl, the Nostalgia Electrics MSM-200 Waffle Cone & Ice Cream Sandwich Maker sprinkles in a new layer of fun to the ice cream experience. Combining freshly-made goodness with endless customization, the countertop more

Grill, griddle, and go

The enjoyment that one gets from grilling food over an open fire is one that can be traced back to the caveman days. While that primal satisfaction may be reason enough to occasionally fire up the grill, there are plenty of reasons why it would be impractical to solely rely on the cooking methods of our distant ancestors. For one, they didn't have pancakes.

Looking to redraw the lines of cooking evolution, the Cuisinart CGG-080 Griddlin' Portable Gas Grill makes it easy to grill and griddle in the great outdoors. Incorporating a griddle directly into the lid, the propane-powered more

Drinking in the Vue, Keurig's K-Cup successor

A world without K-Cups? The horror! While a K-Cupless world may not befall the caffeine-addicted anytime soon, single-serve coffee giant Keurig recently debuted a next-gen successor called Vue that could warm the hearts and hands of geeky java lovers.

For those wondering what I'm talking about, these small plastic capsules sell in the billions annually. They contain coffee (or another beverage) and a filter; putting a K-Cup in its specific brewing device creates a single serving of that drink in less than a minute without a mess.

We checked out a Vue test unit at a Bed Bath & Beyond, the first retailer to carry the new V700 brewer (other big retailers will sell it soon). Keurig's pricey $249 Vue roaster looks similar to existing K-Cup machines, and bears many familiar components, but it doesn't take long to spot the differences.