Whistle (along) while you work.
(Credit: Electrolux)Cleaning is no fun. Making a mess is sure fun, but the aftermath can be a downer. But, regardless of the state of the house, the cleaning simply has to (at some point) get done. Cleaning while listening to music is one way to make the chores go by in a more enjoyable manner. However, sooner or later you're going to have to put down that duster and plug in the vacuum cleaner--and there goes the music. Unless of course, you have a vacuum cleaner that also plays music.
The Electrolux UltraSilencer Music Edition Amplified iPod Vacuum is a concept machine designed to make the chore of vacuuming as pleasant and efficient as possible. The musical vacuum cleaner not only features an iPod dock, but also--thanks to exceptionally silent operation--comes complete with two integrated speakers.
Backed up by data (click here for a PDF of the data, or here to watch a video), Electrolux has figured out that the best way to clean is to listen to music. And yes, it depends what type of music. Measuring such variables as Precision, Efficiency, Mood, and Fortitude, the test concluded that "overall, classical music was the best music style for vacuum cleaning." As an added bonus, no matter what type of music you prefer, the results determined that in all cases, the chore was less stressful and even burned more calories than vacuuming without music.
(Via Appliancist)
My freshman year of college, I lived on the third floor of my dorm. The laundry room, of course, was in the basement. I definitely got a lot of exercise running up and down the stairs, checking for empty machines, checking if my machine was done, or checking if my clothes were still there.
Kids these days just don't know how good they have it, especially if they have eSuds, a new technology that is changing the entire experience of public laundry facilities. When a facility installs eSuds, users can then use any Internet-connected computer to check real-time machine availability, get notifications when their laundry is ready or when a specific machine is available, and even pay via PIN code or credit card in some cases.
Universities are an obvious place for eSuds to take hold, but upscale apartment complexes are also getting in on the action. Imagine if ordinary laundromats put the system in place--you could easily find a place to wash your clothes on vacation and spend more time enjoying yourself.
Live in a building with shared laundry facilities? Might want to pass the link on to your landlord. The system provides operators with online, real-time cash and card reporting and generates detailed diagnostic reports when machines are in need of service, so technicians can proactively address issues.
Here comes the soup.
(Credit: Irawoods.com)This time of year, there's a lot of cooking going on. While roasts, turkeys, hams, and side dishes galore mean lots of food on the table, they also mean there will be lots of leftovers in the refrigerator. When faced with a well-picked-over turkey or ham, one final dish comes to mind: soup. By using the leftover protein to make a stock or broth, a flavorful base is created that can be taken in any direction. However, to get that smooth consistency to which you can later add veggies, meat, or noodles, first you are going to need to puree it.
This Viking Hand Blender (VHB300SG) features a powerful 300-watt motor that makes it easy to create soup from all your leftovers. With the ability to blend directly in the cooking vessel, there is no need to work in batches using a blender of food processor. The ergonomic design incorporates a no-slip handle, assuring a firm grip as you blend your soup to preferred consistency.
While soup-making may be its highlight, the blender features attachments allowing it to be used for other tasks. A chopper attachment makes quick work of fruits and vegetables (perfect for adding to soup). Additionally, a stainless-steel whisking attachment is also available--just in case you get tired of all that soup.
Think small.
(Credit: Chef's Catalog)Why should kitchens with small (or no) counters get left out of the fun all the big kitchens have? They shouldn't, and they don't need to. Space-saving appliances abound, from under-counter toasters, to miniature microwaves. But when it comes to a do-it-all machine that chops and grinds, bulky food processors usually have all the fun. Unless you think small.
The Cuisinart Elite 4-Cup Food Chopper/Grinder (model number CH-4) is a smaller alternative to its larger brethren. Measuring less than 10 inches tall, with a base of 7.5 inches by 5 inches, the mini machine does big work in a small space. The appliance chops and grinds and purees, and with a 4-cup capacity, is able to handle most prep tasks. The touch-pad controls offer the choice between chop and grind, determining which way the dual-sided blade spins: sharp edge for chopping, dull edge for grinding.
Available for $49.95 in black or white, the model also features a die-cast version for $59.95. The versatile machine makes it easy to chop tomatoes, garlic, onions and herbs for a quick salsa or relish, and then turn right around and use it to grind whole spices or nuts for pies. All removable parts are dishwasher-safe, and the base can be cleaned with a damp cloth. With its small size and price to match, the chopper/grinder is sure to find space on your kitchen counter, no matter what you like to cook.
Blending by pictures.
(Credit: Amazon)I remember the blender my mom used from the time when I was young. Not only was it surprisingly loud for something that seemed to have only one moving part, but it also sure had a lot of buttons for that one little blade. They were push-style buttons, lined up neatly in a row. The 10 or so settings all had esoteric meanings, certainly for a young kid who couldn't fathom why one spinning sharp thing needed so many options. While I am still not sure about Grate as a blender function, I have come to terms with others like Frappe, and to some extent, Liquefy.
The DeLonghi DBL650 54-Ounce Blender uses symbols to get its point across. The stainless-steel blender with 54-ounce jar features five function settings enabled via symbolic pictures on the front. Included are settings for dips, soups, sauces, and beverages. Naturally, the all-important ice-crushing function is present and accounted for, easily identifiable as a single snowflake.
The blender features some nice modern touches in addition to the iconography. The sturdy housing and control layout signify a no-nonsense approach and impress a workhorse quality. The blender features a built-in strainer or filter, a well-thought-out inclusion that eliminates the need to root around the kitchen for an accessory. And as far as blending options go, don't worry if what you need isn't represented by what is on the buttons; the blender features three speeds and a pulse setting for all your blending needs.
Those little jars of baby food can add up quickly, making you want an alternative. The Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker provides one. It offers one compact unit that can handle every part of the process of preparing baby food, from steaming to blending, as well as acting as a warmer and a defroster. In order to make sure that your baby gets all the vitamins and flavors of the food, the baby food maker steams vegetables, fruits, and meats in less than 15 minutes. It then purees and blends foods to an easy-to-eat consistency. You can also use the Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker to quickly reheat or even defrost baby food you've made previously.
The Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker lets you know exactly what's going into your baby's food, as well as how it's cooked. Because of the fast and easy preparation system, the Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker doesn't require you to spend much more time than going to the store. If you prepare food in batches, it's even faster. The baby food maker's bowl and cooking basket are made from food-grade plastic and are dishwasher safe. It also comes with a spatula and recipe booklet. The Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker is available for $142.99.
About a year ago, we shared with you the miBook, an innovative, interactive cookbook. Just in time for the holidays, the miBook has been upgraded, and the price has dropped.
The miBook is like an e-book reader on steroids. Instead of pages of plain text, miBook offers video and audio clips. So when you pull up a recipe, instead of an instruction like "cut up your chicken," you get a video clip with narration: "Slice your chicken tenders into bite-size chunks." You can see the knife being used and the size of the pieces. And the player's key feature remains: it automatically pauses after each step, to give you time to complete your task. When you're ready to move on, hit play on the included remote.
When you take the miBook out of the box, you're up and running in seconds. Plug in the AC adapter and turn it on. Grab the remote and scroll through menus. The process is intuitive, and the included instruction booklet explains anything you don't immediately know how to do. The upgraded screen resolution gives you sharper images on the 7-inch screen so you can see exactly what you need to do, every step of the way.
The list of available titles for miBook has been expanded, and the cards themselves load faster than ever. As soon as I loaded a card into the player, its contents were instantly available. I could call up recipes and scroll through menus with no lag time. Each recipe book features 150 recipes sorted by ingredient, time to prepare, and cooking method. I played around with Quick and Easy Meals, Pizzas, Pastas, and Salads, and Irresistible Desserts. Other titles include Healthy Cooking for Kids and Amazing Party Food.
A nice touch: the remote is wrapped in plastic with an opening at the bottom to allow you to change the battery without unwrapping it. So if you happen to get it dirty while cooking (not that I would ever do such a thing, of course), you can just wipe it down when you're done.
For $90, you can snag the player with two bundled cooking titles. Additional titles are about $20 and cover not only cooking, but also parenting, home repairs, projects, decorating, gardening, and organizing. And pet care, crafts, musical instruments, technology, and travel are on the way. Content providers include popular TV networks like Food Network, HGTV, and Parents TV, and leading book publishers and authors. Plus, you can load your own content onto the player--music, photos, even PDFs--via SD cards or a USB cable.
TrueCookPlus on a Kenmore microwave oven.
(Credit: TrueCookPlus)The microwave oven is no doubt one of the most popular kitchen appliances available. But before its ubiquity, people had to get used to the idea that a few button presses (or physical dial turn as the case may have been) could produce a hot meal with seemingly little work. Then reality sunk in as this common phrase started to hit home: "Cooking time in your microwave oven may vary." While microwave ovens did not prove to be the easy answer to a properly cooked meal, the promise was certainly still there.
Fast-forward to now, and the promise of the microwave as the gateway to properly cooked quick meals has begun once again. The TrueCookPlus code system for microwave cooking is a simple-to-use numeric code that people punch into their microwave ovens to assure proper cooking time and power level depending on what item they are cooking. More than just a convenient code calibrated to the wattage of a particular brand of microwave, the parameters adjust for your microwave oven.
The code system takes into consideration such factors as voltage, wattage, oven age, hot or cold oven, power levels, and even elevation. (A simple one-time input of your zip code handles that.) Of course, food type, size, and weight are also considerations.
The software used in the TrueCookPlus code system works in conjunction with food manufacturers' test kitchens, so don't expect it to know exactly how to reheat your leftovers just yet. The system works in tandem with a traditional microwave (it will still heat those leftovers just as it does now), so consider this a feature to look for in upcoming microwaves. Currently, the feature is available on LG and Kenmore models with many food manufacturers, such as General Mills and Weight Watchers supplying codes for food products.
With the BAM! Machine from Emeril Lagasse, you can clean off your counters. This 3-in-1 food processor chops, blends, makes dough, emulsifies, juices, and takes care of a half dozen other tasks that you would otherwise need individual gadgets for. Using the food processor is just a matter of switching out blades and discs, and occasionally swapping the blender jar for the bowl. The base of the machine even includes a drawer for storing all those blades and discs, so they don't get lost in your kitchen.
The BAM! Machine is easy to take apart, as well as to clean. The base of the machine is the only part that isn't safe to run through the dishwasher. The base offers a two-speed control, as well as a pulse option. Both the food processor bowl and the blender jar offer more capacity than many other appliances: the food processor can hold up to 12 cups, and the blender can manage 40 ounces. The BAM! Machine also comes with a spatula to make scraping out the food processor after tasks like mixing up a batch of dough a lot easier. It also comes with several of Emeril's recipes. The BAM! Machine is priced at $149.95.
Whether you're a foodie or just shopping for one, the Foodie Survival Kit may be the perfect gift. Meant to make sure that a foodie caught with a less-than-wonderful meal can spice things up to her own tastes, the Foodie Survival Kit contains dill, mustard, cloves, garlic, nutmeg, paprika, wasabi, basil, onion, ginger, thyme, cinnamon, curry, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and Tobasco sauce. I can just picture sneaking into the kitchen, kit in hand, to spice up the big holiday dinner. If you've got relatives with a tendency toward bland dishes, the Foodie Survival Kit may just come in handy during the rounds of holiday visits.
The Foodie Survival Kit comes in a 4-inch-by-6-inch carrying case, which is small enough to fit inside a purse or even a big pocket if you need to get it past Grandma. The spices are packed inside individual tins, with packets of the sauces, and fit well if your case gets turned around a bit. The spices are organic and easy enough to refill if you run out. If you want, you can even replace them with your favorite spice, if it isn't already included. The Foodie Survival Kit is priced at $35.
