mixer

Hand mixers are necessarily quite powerful. Their function requires fast spinning beaters, designed to plow through everything from thin cream to thick dough. One of the first kitchen-related things we learn as children (other than stove equals hot) is not to stick our fingers into the cookie dough. While hygienically speaking this is a bad idea anyways, the presence of rapidly spinning beaters teaches us that it is a good idea to practice patience. (All bets are off though, when those beaters are detached from the mixer and are begging to be licked clean.)

A not-necessarily welcome result of all … Read more

WireTap Anywhere is a professional audio-capture utility that can take input from any source and redirect it to any audio-recording application. That means you can take audio from your entire system, a hardware input, or an app like Skype, and then take that directly into GarageBand, Peak, or any other recording app.

You manage WireTap Anywhere through your System Preferences, and you can create and save any number of "virtual microphones," which show up almost as if they were hardware. There are other apps (including open-source ones) that can help you with this kind of redirection, but WireTap … Read more

Hand mixers are convenient little devices. Small and efficient, they are essential appliances capable of doing the hard work that comes with creating everything from dough to whipped cream. As with any handheld tool, utility is ultimately decided by comfort: if you can't hold a tool comfortably, then there is probably a better option available. Not only does the Dualit Professional 5-Speed Hand Mixer (model 88520) look the part, with its chrome-plated retro styling, but it also provides convenience in actual usage.

The five-speed 240-watt motor is a workhorse, spinning at a rate of 540rpm to 1,200rpm; the … Read more

It seems as if powdered sports drinks and supplements are becoming more and more common. But mixing them up doesn't always end with a tasty drink: they're hard to dissolve entirely in liquid and can leave grit at the bottom of the glass. The Sports Drink Mixer makes those drinks easier to get down. It quickly mixes and dissolves any sports powders. It's not too different from mixing up your drinks on your own: you measure the liquid and the powder into the glass and fasten on the lid. From there, you push a button and the … Read more

Twitter is usually the subject of steamy acquisition rumors, but chose perhaps the deadest afternoon of the business year to announce that it has made an acquisition of its own.

Twitter has bought Mixer Labs, the company that created the GeoAPI location service for developers building application atop Twitter. Evan Williams, CEO of Twitter, announced the acquisition on the company's blog, saying "when current location is added to tweets, new and valuable services emerge--everything from breaking news to finding friends or local businesses can be dramatically enhanced."

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it … Read more

Music-tech entrepreneur Aviv Eyal, who's behind the excellent Livekick concert-tracking site, has a new project: a DJ app for the iPhone and iPod Touch called DJ Mixer Pro. (It was formerly known as DJ Player Pro, but the name has changed to avoid a conflict with another app.)

The concept is similar to Touch DJ, an Amidio app that I wrote about last month. While the iPhone naturally restricts you to playing one song at a time, these apps function like a virtual DJ booth, letting you play two tracks simultaneously, jump to any point in either track with … Read more

Have I mentioned that I have five kids? Once or twice, right? Yeah, so, when you have a lot of kids, you need ways to keep them entertained. And the Moo Mixer totally does.

This fun mug comes in several different versions, but the basic premise is this: pour in your milk, add your chocolate syrup or hot chocolate powder or whatever you're adding to your drink, and press the trigger button on the handle to create a "whirling vortex of power" your kids will go crazy for. The Talking Moo Mixer adds a moo sound to … Read more

I've frequently expounded on the virtues of stand mixers: they have a wide assortment of attachments that are able to handle many kitchen chores. From pasta attachments to meat grinders, this one kitchen appliance churns through daily and not-so-daily tasks. However, for all the convenience these devices offer, there is one feature that I have not come across: the ability to actually cook a meal. Until now.

Combining food prep and induction cooking, the Kenwood Cooking Chef is a stand mixer like no other. The 1,500-watt mixer works in tandem with the 1,100-watt induction burner, allowing for … Read more

Kitchen appliances can be great time-savers. Chopping, slicing, and dicing needs can be met with a food processor, microwaves can cook up entire meals with a press of a few buttons, and blenders can rapidly turn chopped vegetables into smooth purees for sauces, soups, and drinks. But when it comes to pure strength, one appliance stands out above others: the stand mixer.

The Viking Professional 5-quart Stand Mixer makes it easy to whip up labor-intensive recipes without strain or stress. The 800-watt motor with metal gear transmission powers through common kitchen tasks such as whipping, stirring, and beating. The locking … Read more