Drinking

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

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

The level of sophistication in both professional as well as in home kitchens keeps increasing at a seemingly exponential rate. Part of this acceleration is perhaps due to increased specialization and availability of kitchen gadgets and accessories. Certainly interest in new recipes and procedures seems to be at an all-time high. No matter what one can dream up, equipment as well as online instructions are never very far away. And of course, that goes for booze, too.

The craft cocktail movement of recent years has brought with it the need for specialized tools -- or at least constantly accessible familiar … Read more

It sounds like a dieter's dream. Drink soda and lose weight. It's junk food with a healthy sheen and it's a real Pepsi product coming out in Japan.

Pepsi Special is special because of an added ingredient: dextrin, the same stuff found in Benefiber. It's a water-soluble fiber supplement that may also have some extracurricular effects with feelings of fullness and a reduction in fat absorption.

According to a study published in Appetite in 2011, soluble fiber dextrin increased participants' sense of satiety and decreased the amount of energy absorbed from the next meal. How that finding translates to a dextrin-charged soda is up for discussion.… Read more

The election may be over, but that doesn't have to mean the end of competition. In fact, in at least one area of kitchen concerns, there exists a race that is still heating up. Or in this case, chilling down.

Perhaps it's seemed like there has recently been an influx of non-water ice drink chillers. It has not been your imagination. Water ice may still be the most effective chiller, but the fact that it dilutes as it chills is, for many, is an issue. The recent past has seen an emerging trend in that now drinking chillers … Read more

A watched pot may never boil, but nobody said anything about a tea kettle. The Cuisinart DK-17 Cordless Stainless Steel Electric Kettle ($79.95) incorporates a large viewing window, dispersing at least some of the mystery surrounding the art of tea brewing. Like a window to see into its water-heating soul, the design of the modern kettle gives tea drinkers a glimpse into the inner workings of one of tea-brewing's most unassuming aspects -- even if it is just watching water boil.

But as it turns out the device does have something to hide -- in a good way. … Read more

Halloween is a time for make-believe. Apparently, that goes for kitchen appliances, too. While it could be said that some multitasking appliances are just overachievers (that may or may not perform all of their functions satisfactorily), the make-believe in question here is solely regarding appearances. And in this case, that means a lot of bling.

Halloween is sure to bring an assortment of questionable costume choices; why shouldn't the kitchen want to get in on the act, too? The Limited Edition Cuisinart SCC-1000 Swarovski Crystal 14-Cup Coffeemaker (about $200) offers a shinier alternative to the morning routine. Decked out … Read more

A man walks into a bar. He goes up to the counter and says his last name, followed by his first name and then his last name yet again. The barkeep immediately knows who the man is and what he wants. And more importantly, the bartender knows how the man wants it. Bond...James Bond is his name and he wants his martini shaken, not stirred. Can you be like this man? Probably not; after all he is a fictional character. But you can have your drink made his way -- or yours.

The Metrokane Rabbit Electric Cocktail Shaker or Mixer (about $25) … Read more

More so than any other time of day, every action in the morning is associated with a certain amount of time spent doing said action. After the coffee-making and breakfast-eating have been checked off the list, then the rest of the day can proceed at its own pace with responsibilities being accomplished and reshuffled (or ignored) depending upon the degree of importance. Luckily, the simplified routine of morning gives us all the foundation that we need for the complex actions of the day, now in as few as 45 precious seconds.

If it takes longer than a minute to brew … Read more