Appliances and Kitchen Gadgets

Cooking is an action sport. Oh sure, there are plenty of options for those who go the less dynamic route, but when it comes to prepping ingredients, activity is usually necessary. Certainly kitchen gadgets do their best to make life easier for those who choose to chop, slice, and dice, yet still there usually remains a need for direct involvement from the chef. Sometimes, however, it is the smallest of features on a gadget or appliance that lends the biggest hand.

The Hamilton Beach 70730 Bowl Scraper Food Processor ($49.99) is like having a third (blade-proof) hand in the … Read more

Dyson, eh? The company is best known for making weird-looking vacuum cleaners and high-velocity hand dryers. So what's the British firm's next invention? Well, to paraphrase the great Admiral Ackbar, it's a tap!

Yes indeed, we've gone hands-on (or should that be under?) with Dyson's Airblade Tap -- a ludicrously pricey new piece of bathroom furniture. Click play on the video below to see what it looks like in reality. … Read more

Not all kitchen gadgets are gleaming devices shimmering with moving parts. Sometimes, utility is provided by something just sitting there minding its own business. Take tea, for example: not much goes on while it steeps. Another example might be ice chilling down a beverage. Finally in a trifecta of passivity, infusions require little more than placing a bunch of sliced fruits, herbs, and whatnot into a liquid. Considering the simplicity involved, it only makes sense that there would be one kitchen helper designed to do all three of these tasks.

The Primula Flavor It Beverage System 3-in-1 Infuser Pitcher, which … Read more

Breakfast is more than the sum of its parts. Sure, bacon, egg, cheese, ham, sausage and the like are all delicious enough on their own, but when put together something magical happens. The transformation of breakfast ingredients into a breakfast meal is one that can happen in so many ways. Yet time and time again, people gravitate towards a classic: the breakfast sandwich. Often prepared with an English muffin or a bagel, the mingling of ingredients creates an easy to carry meal that is packed with flavor. And now, one kitchen gadget wants to make it even easier to construct … Read more

The evolution of the toaster has not been one without its surprises. Imagine the shock of the first individual who discovered that it was possible to not only toast a slice of bread, but also reheat a slice of pizza in one of those new-fangled toaster ovens. Not surprisingly, countertop cooking has not been the same since. Nowadays, toasters, toaster ovens and the like have become sophisticated pieces of gadgetry that can cook everything from a whole pizza to rotisserie chicken. However, that doesn't necessarily make them any less mysterious.

The Adjustable Bread And Sandwich Toaster ($129.95) brings … Read more

Kitchen gadgets are ultimately designed to do one thing; namely to turn (or help to turn) ingredients into food. That being said, there are levels of complexity involved that depend upon the desired final result. Usually, the more delicious the goal, the more complicated the actions. However, sometimes, with food and with gadgetry, simplicity is key. And fun for the kids, too.

The delicious substance known as peanut butter is surprisingly easy to make. Don't bother reading the label on the average jar found on the supermarket shelf; all that is really needed is peanuts, salt and oil in … Read more

Water is easy to take for granted. It comes out of the faucet, we collect it in a glass, and drink it to quench our thirst. But there is more to it than that, of course. Bottled water, filter pitchers, and other countertop systems have proliferated over recent years, all in an effort to make water taste and smell better to us, not to mention making it safer to drink. Now, it can communicate with us -- well, almost.

There is a lot of information hidden in the everyday stream of water that pours out of our kitchen faucets. The … Read more

The kitchen is all about timing. Sometimes things happen fast; other times patience is required. The slow simmering of an all-day sauce combined with the quick heat of a fast sear on a choice cut of protein brings together flavor combinations that rally our taste buds into believing that anything is possible as long as we take the time to do them right. But it is not just time that has a monopoly on efficiency in the kitchen. It's also about versatility.

The Breville BPR600XL Fast Slow Cooker ($179.95) is capable of cooking up a storm or calmly … Read more

January is a time of renewal. It also happens to be when appliance makers show off their visions of what is to come. The event is CES 2013 and this year, according to those that make kitchen gadgets and appliances, everything is going to be very, very smart. While we have been promised automated kitchens in one form or another since the time of the Jetsons, there is one important factor in the modern world that may see the smart kitchen finally grow up: mobility.

The year 2013 is going to be one marked by plenty of smartphone and tablet sales. … Read more