Appliances

There exists a balance in the kitchen. Actually, there exist many balances in the kitchen. Not only are food and cooking so often about finding the right balance of spices and ingredients, but there is also a necessary balance going on behind the scenes. Kitchen appliances come in all shapes and sizes, but that doesn't mean the kitchen has to spend any amount of time out of balance.

The GE Artistry Series is a new kitchen appliance line designed to combine style and affordability. The kitchen suite consists of a bottom-freezer refrigerator ($1,099), a top-control dishwasher ($499), an … Read more

Of all the kitchen appliances that make their home in the busiest room of the house, there is one that refuses to budge during mealtime. Sure, the refrigerator and the dishwasher aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but the big meal-maker is the oven, and it historically hasn't been very mobile. Unless, of course, you have a mobile phone.

Expanding the capabilities of its wall oven line, GE has introduced True European Convection with Direct Air. Available for 30-inch models, the addition of a top interior vent allows for better circulation of heated air in the oven cavity. The … Read more

Hot water has a way of transforming things; coffee, tea, and soup would all be very different without it. Like any transformative technology, it all has to start somewhere. Sitting on the kitchen countertop, electric teakettles are convenient devices that heat water quickly and efficiently. No matter what they look like on the outside.

The Panasonic NC-ZK1V Kettle with High Quality Stainless Steel and Violet Finish ($179.95; also available in a cool smoke finish) can become part of a kitchen's routine without blending in. The distinctive appliance, Panasonic's Breakfast Collection, is one way to deck out your … Read more

They say we eat with our eyes first, yet that is only half the story. Clearly, whoever this "they" is either has a terrible sense of smell or a very bad cold. Eyes are great for getting a sneak peek of what's to come, but it is the nose that knows before all. Naturally, some edibles have more odiferous enticements than others with breakfast having a pretty big hold on olfactory actions. However, bacon and the scent of toasting bread are not the beginning of the story.

Wafting into the bedroom first thing in the morning, the … Read more

Waffle evolution has had a long and twisty course. First, there was the waffle iron; somebody poured batter in it and all was well. Eventually somebody took a freshly cooked waffle and rolled it up, inventing the ice cream cone. After that, not much happened until one enterprising fellow ruined his wife's waffle maker and changed athletic footwear forever. Now, there is a new course set for the home kitchen with upside-down, inside-out waffles.

The CucinaPro Bubble Waffler (around $45) offers a fun take on traditional breakfast waffles. Modeled after the street food, eggettes, or even their cousin, ebleskivers, … Read more

What goes into an oven isn't necessarily what comes out. One may think they are placing a pizza in the oven, but the dough, cheese and sauce combination that comes out quite often is not pizza. Sure, it may be that the dough, cheese and sauce will have been cooked and transformed into crust, melted cheese and cooked sauce, but that doesn't mean it deserves to be called pizza. Pizza is more than the sum of its parts.

The Teka wall oven (model: HL 45.15) looks to turn the home kitchen into a pizza parlor. The two-compartment … Read more

Grilling is an active endeavor that requires making choices. Like any other cooking method, decisions must be made about what to prepare. For the grill, the options are seemingly endless. This is how it should be: a versatile heat source should be capable of producing versions of almost anything. However when looking to cook a quality meal on the grill, the list of choices to make usually do not include whether to go outside or to stay inside. Or if one should mortgage the house.

The Lynx Downtown Electric Grill ($1,499.95) is rated for indoor or outdoor use. … Read more

In addition to raising $5.4 million in Series A financing led by investors Voyager Capital and Crosslink Capital, Ayla Networks announced collaboration with the Chinese online media company, Sina, in creating the Wi-Fi Weather Station. The device is designed to deliver targeted weather information for wherever one of the devices is located. Sina customers will be able to access these personal weather reports through their smartphone or other device.

It's another step forward in the "Internet of Things."

Buzzwords aside, this is a real thing.

It doesn't matter what you call it, it is happening. … Read more

The hunt to find contrast in the kitchen is a never-ending one. Luckily, it is also a delicious one. Well, usually. For every wonderful taste combination that is uncovered, chances are a few mistakes litter the path that was taken to get there. That's OK, though; meandering away from bland and homogenous food is worth the effort. All it takes is a little imagination and a willingness to take an extra step -- but that doesn't have to mean traveling very far.

The small confines of the average home kitchen don't embrace excessive maneuverability, but that doesn'… Read more