temperature

In a world where mad cow disease infects beef and E. coli infests tomatoes, a conscious eater can never be too safe. Freak disease outbreaks aside, perhaps the most preventable method of preventing unsafe food is to store and cook food at the right temperature.

Although there are plenty of thermometers out there that can do the trick, it seems counterintuitive to use the same thermometer to check the temperature in the refrigerator the inside of a rump roast, and the surface temperature of a griddle. The spread of food cooties would undermine the thought of trying to make cooking … Read more

I like my bread with butter. Call me a purist, but something about the processed quasi-butter spreads really freak me out. Even though it spreads straight out of the fridge, it usually tastes like it came out of a chemistry lab and not from a farm.

The problem with liking butter, however, is that including it in your brunch table spread requires some advance thinking. If you don't remember to take it out until your guests arrive, then you end up with a rock-hard block that folds over the edge of your knife when you try to spread it, … Read more

We're somewhat dubious about any machine that serves cocktails but, the way things are going, we may be faced with a robot the next time we belly up to the bar. Still, a martini--now that's something sacred.

So we pray that Hammacher Schlemmer did its research before coming up with "The Perfect Temperature Martini Maker," a digital appliance that shakes or stirs its stainless steel tumbler "until it reaches the optimal drinking temperature of 34 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring perfect homemade martinis at the touch of a button."

The ritual of mixing the ingredients, … Read more

The weather seems to be on people's minds a lot lately, and tech companies are responding in kind. Even better, the individual weather stations that have become so popular in recent years are finally beginning to get some interesting designs, unlike so many previous products that looked like they belonged at a Coast Guard station.

Case in point: The "Crystal Weather Station," which blends Oregon Scientific's meteorological expertise with a decidedly un-institutional look that features "laser engraved 3D icons in crystal," according to Newlaunches. It's still at the conceptual stages, but knowing how … Read more

The contraption displayed here may look like some kind of ill-conceived device from the days of bloodletting, but it's actually a physiological instrument for the 21st century. "CoreControl" is described as a "cooling glove" that increases the flow of blood to the palm's "radiator zone" and lowers the body's overall tempurature two to five times faster than ice packs, fans and other traditional methods.

Avacore Technologies, which makes the device, claims remarkable success in tests with athletes, firefighters, military personnel and others. "You don't necessarily feel cooler; you just … Read more

If you don't have small kids, skip this item because it'll probably seem like a waste of money. But if you do, you'll totally understand why it's a good idea. How many times have you or your rug rats ended up with scalded fingers after checking the bath faucet? Same here.

The "Digital Bath Spout Cover" is designed to keep you and your family out of the burn ward by automatically monitoring the water temperature as it rises. Even better, its digital display uses a simple color code ("red means too hot") … Read more

How can you make ice at 15 degrees higher than freezing? You're looking at it.

This tub pictured here, made by Transphase Phoenix, is designed to hold water permeated with various salts so that it will freeze at 47 degrees rather than the standard 32. That means ice can be made at night without as much electricity when power is cheaper. The idea is to reduce peak demand in the afternoon, when electricity is most expensive, and obviate the need for "peaker" plants.

The ice melts throughout the day, providing air conditioning in as many tubs as … Read more

Japan may have robots that can clean and tend to hospital patients, but German scientists are working on a model that can do both.

In addition to mopping floors, the "Nursebot" can reportedly take a patient's temperature with laser beams and thermal camera imaging. And, as Technie Diva says, "this means no more rectal temperature-taking treatment for you."

The Nursebot is scheduled for 2010, but we're looking for ways to donate contributions to speed its release.

You may be quite pleased with yourself, having mastered your new WinePod. And you conveniently forgot to peel off the $3,500 price tag, thereby impressing everyone with your commitment to your latest hobby/indulgence/waste of time.

But once you begin the anticipated decanting ritual, how will you be certain that your liquid gold has reached the optimum temperature? This laser wine thermometer lets you test it from afar, without opening the bottle. "Simply point the thermometer at your bottle of wine, and with the press of a button, the thermometer registers the wine's internal temperature," … Read more