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.
Periscope not included.
(Credit: Irawoods.com)Few eating or imbibing customs are steeped so deeply in ritual as is the making of tea. From little cucumber sandwiches on one side of the world to medicinal uses on the other, tea has long been held as much more than simply being some leaves soaked in water. As tradition dictates, even a simple modern cup of tea must be attached to at least some sort of process; one that automates the steeping like a submerging submarine seems as good as any.
The Zarafina Tea Maker Suite entertains users while it brews a proper cup of tea. The automated machine features steeping settings for different types of tea. Depending on whether you are making a pot of black, oolong, green, white, or herbal tea, the time and temperature will vary.
The device--which sells online for $60 and up--accomplishes this variety of tea-making by floating an infuser basket full of tea over the heating water. When the temperature is right, the basket is released directly into the tea, sinking much like a submarine would into the ocean.
Featuring a payload of your favorite tea, the maker doesn't stop at simple mechanics when the water is just right--there is the steeping time to consider. Complete with a ceramic teapot, teacups and a serving tray, the do-it-all appliance automatically pours your tea directly into the teapot when it has been steeped for the appropriate amount of time. With or without ceremony, your favorite tea is now ready to enjoy.
My husband is one of about six people on the planet who drinks Vanilla Coke Zero. This flavor is so unpopular that it's extremely difficult to find in bottles, which means we buy a lot of 12-packs of cans of soda.
On occasion, my husband doesn't finish a whole can at once. And the leftover soda loses its carbonation and eventually gets dumped down the drain. And then I get annoyed because I hate wasting money. And food. But mostly money.
So as much as I might enjoy making fun of late night informercials, I was intrigued when I saw an ad for the Bottle Top. It looks like the top third or so of a plastic water bottle, with a lid that seals shut. Snap the top right onto your soda can to keep your soda carbonated and prevent spills. A south Mississippi TV reporter evaluated the Bottle Top and found that it did meet most of the ad claims.
The Bottle Top comes in six different colors. The ad says a set of six is $10, but what you can order online is actually a set of 12 (plus a pop-top opener in case you've never mastered the fine art of opening a can of soda) for $10, plus $6.99 shipping and handling...plus another $6.99 shipping and handling for the second set of six. Or, head to the store and grab a box of 12 for $10.
It seems like unusual coffee mugs are a good fallback plan if you can't think of a holiday gift, but even among all those unique mugs that get given out every year, the Link Mugs stand out. The ceramic coffee mugs are white and generally look like typical mugs, except for the sides, near the base. Each coffee mug in the set of three links together by way of a plus-shaped plug on one side of each mug and a corresponding socket on the other. Link your mugs together and you can carry them all over your home or office without needing to worry about spilling hot tea or coffee on yourself or on the floor.
The Link Mugs were designed by Johnathan Aspinall, with the intention of solving how one person can carry several mugs at once without resorting to a tray. The design is based of a standard builders mug. The mugs are approximately 3.75 inches tall, with a diameter of about 3.25 inches. The Link Mugs come packaged in a gift box that includes instructions on how to connect the mugs, making them a useful choice for holiday present. The set is priced at approximately $54.
No ice needed.
(Credit: Bed Bath & Beyond)While nothing beats enjoying a cooler full of ice-cold beverages at the park, beach, or backyard barbecue, there is a bit of a downside risk: wet cans. As drinks are plucked from the murky depths of the ice chest, ice that is no longer ice clings to the can. It's something even cold-activated cans cannot fix.
Since the dawn of mankind (or at least the invention of the tailgate party), people have looked for a way to enjoy the crisp, clean taste of their favorite drinks without the inconvenience of wet fingers. Now, finally, there is a way.
The Wine Enthusiast Koolatron Rechargeable Bar On Wheels provides a way to cool your drinks anywhere, without the use of ice. The rechargeable cooler cools contents to a "near refrigerator" temperature of 40 degrees F.
Plugging into a standard home outlet, the 41-pound portable cooler also includes an AC/DC adapter for vehicle charging. One charge is good for up to four hours of active, quiet cooling, and for easy portability, two wheels are attached at the base.
With three removable shelves and space for in-door bottle cooling, the portable party-maker has a versatile interior capable of cooling all types of beverages. Complete with a flat work area on top and a hanging basket for accessories on the side, this cooling solution is sure to be a hit at your next outdoor event.
But it will cost you--$449.99 in at least one listing we saw. What do you think? Is saving the ice for putting in your drinks instead of on them worth that tag?
What's the first thing you do with a new kitchen appliance? In our house, I go for the instruction manual, but my husband tends to plunge right in. This has resulted in more than a few mishaps over the many years of our marriage.
The Primula Speak n' Brew, the world's first talking coffee maker, aims to simplify the coffee brewing process and eliminate the need to push a dozen buttons to program the machine. Instead, you can just tell this 10-cup stainless steel coffee maker when you want your coffee made.
It's pretty straightforward: press Talk, then tell the machine you want to set the coffee brewing time, and tell it when to brew. The machine repeats the time back to you as confirmation, and then, at the proper time, it goes to work.
Too tired to talk? The machine also uses old-school button-type programming.
It's available now for about $80.
Don't look now, but your coffee is ready.
(Credit: Hammacher Schlemmer)They say a watched pot never boils, and in the morning it is especially true. Waiting for the water to get hot enough to pour over coffee grounds can feel like an eternity. If you are using a French press for your morning brew, you know exactly what I mean. But it is not just the coffee addicts who must wait to get into hot water; tea drinkers suffer the same fate. Either way, in the end it comes down to needing hot water for your beverage. But what about the people who prefer coffee and tea?
More water means more waiting, but at least with the Complete Coffee And Tea Station, it's all in one place. While the press pot steeps the coffee, the integrated electric kettle could be brewing tea. (Or heating up water for the next round of coffee with no waiting.) The kettle may not make water boil faster, but unlike a pot on the stove, it knows when to stop. With the capability to provide water at temperatures specific to distinct drinks, the kettle heats perfect water for brewing coffee (198 degrees F), steeping tea (190 degrees F) or making hot chocolate (165 degrees F). A warming plate under the press pot keeps your beverage warm until the next round.
I'm not sure of the math, but I would like to believe that if a watched pot doesn't boil, two somehow makes it quicker. While that may not be true, at least the integrated timer will beep when it is ready.
Tame the taskmaster.
(Credit: Kalorik)It's a good feeling when at the end of the workday all that is left to do is to go home. While a pile of completed tasks and jobs may appeal to our inner need to check things off of a list, our productivity needs fuel to sustain its drive. Hunger can be a powerful distraction, as well it should be. But sometimes, its too powerful. A 2-hour lunch break is nice, but sometimes you've just got to bear down and plow through the day. Next time, don't settle for a candy bar to power your way through those long afternoon hours; instead, make a meal.
The Kitchen Outpost (aka Kalorik Breakfast Set) is a small desk or countertop appliance that provides throughout the day. Featuring a coffeemaker, a toaster oven, and a griddle all in one, the multiuse appliance measures 20.25 inches across and 9.3 inches in depth, with a height of 9.25 inches. With such a degree of usefulness, you'll be sure to revisit the device many times a day. Use it to heat up a prepared sandwich, or create your own. The integrated coffee maker supplies the ever-important caffeine fix throughout the day. With such conveniences right in front of you, your productivity is sure to shoot right through the roof--just be sure to come up for air every now and then.
Ready to go.
(Credit: Hammacher Schlemmer)The chaos of the morning can be a time-crunching affair. We fall out of bed, slam the alarm clock off, and proceed to get ready for the day. Most people enjoy a set routine and stumble through it on autopilot. Anything that shaves a moment or two off the routine gets us out the door that much sooner. (In theory, at least; in reality it just translates to extra time in bed.) Instead of waiting for the coffee to be ready, you can save a couple of minutes by taking it with you and have it when you're ready.
The French Press Commuter Cup is a 16-ounce travel mug that also happens to brew your morning beverage. Add freshly ground coffee or loose-leaf tea to the bottom of the mug, pour in hot water, and head out the door. Sometime down the road, hit the plunger and the grounds are separated from the resulting brew. The double wall construction along with an incorporated rubber grip ensures that it is easy to grab this beverage cup while on the go.
Everybody needs a time-saver in the morning, and one that helps us to grab our coffee to go is an added bonus. No added parts are necessary, as the plunger features a built-in screen, so getting out the door becomes a breeze. At the end of the day, you're going to want to wash this commuter contraption by hand, unless of course you want to add it to your morning routine.
Anamorphosis refers to a distorted image that only appears normal when reflected from a special device--generally a cylinder with a highly reflective surface placed the in the center of a painting lying face up. This visual play, popular in 18th century Europe, has been modernized in the Anamorphic Cup, created by American-born designer Ross McBride, now living in Tokyo.
The cup is stainless steel with a polished mirror finish. Its porcelain saucer is printed with a distorted image. Separately, the cup and saucer are ordinary--an unlikely match, even. But put them together, and that indecipherable graphic is suddenly reflected in the surface of the cup to reveal a word--coffee, tea, his, hers, and so on.
The cups are great conversation pieces--but a little hard to track down in the States. You can, however, find them abroad, or contact the manufacturer directly for a special order.
