Appliances and Kitchen Gadgets

Always room for hamburgers and hot dogs

For some, there is always room for dessert. Meanwhile, for the more savory-inclined, hamburgers and hot dogs may be the more eternally available option. The two meat-in-a-bun products may have always gotten along splendidly, but that doesn't mean there has always been enough room for the two.

The Cuisinart GC-15 Griddler Compact Grill Centro is the smaller version of the previously covered Cuisinart GC-17 Grill Centro grilling behemoth. The diminutive device measures 15.7 inches across and is 10 inches deep. With a height of only 5.6 inches, the little indoor-grill-that-could is well suited for any countertop where … Read more

Go fish for roasted marshmallows

The campfire is an essential part of the camping experience, as is mourning the loss of countless marshmallows and hot dogs that slide to their doom due to unstable spits. The needless destruction of so many fire-roasted foods doesn't have to be part of the outdoor experience. While scouring the surrounding area for a branch or twig will never be completely abandoned, there is another way.

The Auspit Fire Fishin' Pole is a camping gadget that combines necessity (as s'mores are mandatory) with fun. Meant to resemble a fishing pole, the fire pit accessory allows you to efficiently … Read more

To serve man burritos

If there is one thing our eventual robot overlords (will) have taught us, it's that everybody needs to eat. Whether it be bolts for the robots or burritos for their fleshy subjects, sustenance is required for all moving parts no matter the form.

While the not-so-distant future holds many questions regarding robot-human relations, at least for now they still willingly do our bidding. Our burrito-building bidding, that is.

The Burritob0t is a food printer designed by (human) Marko Manriquez. Conceived as a thesis requirement for the graduate program at NYU-ITP, the project is constructed using mostly open-source hardware and software. The complete details are documented and presented on the tech section of burritob0t.net.… Read more

Coffeemaker automatically orders refills

It is pretty easy to become complacent regarding availability of goods and services. Mobile devices let us order whatever we may need with a simple touch and can even tell us directions on how to get to a good old-fashioned brick-and-mortar store if the need arises. While there may be countless apps for helping us to order, organize, and plan, even the best of us will occasionally forget to plan for the big stuff -- like making sure there is enough coffee.

The Nespresso Zenius is an office and hospitality solution that keeps the coffee flowing. Using a SIM card … Read more

UK ahead of the curve in all-important heated butter knife category

For those who keep butter in the refrigerator, the morning ritual of the spread can be challenging. Some elect to soften the butter in the microwave; others, according to research, use a hair dryer. The betterment of humankind often relies on intensive research, and clearly this is true in the case of the Toastie Knife.

Warburtons, a U.K. bakery chain, has given the world the heated butter knife. The battery-operated utensil solves the morning conundrum of how to introduce butter to bread, muffins, or pastries. Described as being able to achieve the "perfect temperature for spreading," the … Read more

Smart home of the future faces hurdles

You know the home: smart appliances, robotic maids, jet packs. Well, maybe not jet packs; that might get awkward indoors. But the sentiment remains: where are our smart homes?

The question was posed to 1,021 Internet experts, researchers, observers, and critics by Elon University's Imagining the Internet Center and the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. Specifically, respondents were asked with which of the following two (intentionally opposite) statements they agreed with:

By 2020, the connected household has become a model of efficiency, as people are able to manage consumption of resources (electricity, water, food, … Read more

Million Dollar Vacuum on sale now for only $999,999

Shameless marketing stunts are a dime a dozen, but that doesn't mean there isn't unmined territory out there. When the goal is to draw attention to a product, company or cause, all that is needed is a good idea and the internet. And a million dollars of gold plating.

The Million Dollar Vacuum (model number GV62711 from GoVacuum in case you are interested in purchasing), takes one of the most recognizable of household appliances and gives it a shiny new coat of bling. Why? To make it clean better, of course. (No, not really; 24k gold plating has … Read more

Chop, shake, and dip ice-cream toppings fast

Ice cream waits for no one. With the sun beating down, there exists an opportunity that must be taken advantage of: ice cream eating before screams (for a replacement cone) fill the air. While melted ice cream may simply be a fact of life during summer heat, there is a way to maximize not only the time-to-ice-cream ratio, but also the flavor potential.

The Prepara Topper Chopper makes quick work of chopping and distributing ice cream toppings. Not limited to ice-cream toppings only, the gadget gives users an all-in-one solution thanks to its multitasking abilities. The simple hand-crank operation makes … Read more

Immersion circulator bubbles sous vide forward

Sous-vide cooking has been getting a lot of attention recently and for good reason: cooking food in a water bath at an exact and consistent temperature provides unique results. As the method keeps gaining popularity, appliances and gadgets are cropping up designed to make the process accessible and affordable.

The Nomiku combines a heat source with an immersion circulator. Many other consumer appliances do not integrate an immersion circulator into their designs. The capability to circulate water (in this case at 10 L/min) allows for more consistent results. Unfortunately, the cost of integrating an immersion circulator into these devices … Read more