A hole in one

While there are plenty of great doughnuts shops out there, sometimes I just have a craving for plain, old-fashioned doughnuts--and none of the shops really have something that tastes just right. That can mean making my own, which is a process I don't mind making easier. That's where the Norpro Donut Maker comes in. I can mix up a batch of batter, pour it in to the doughnut maker and push the plunger. Perfectly shaped doughnuts are released; you can drop them straight into hot oil, or make up a whole batch to drop in at once. The resulting doughnuts have a professional appearance and a homemade taste. It doesn't hurt that I can actually adjust the recipe and get a healthier doughnut for my troubles, either.

The Norpro Donut Maker is useful for more than just making doughnuts, though. You can use it with pancake or waffle batter, dropping the batter straight into the pan without having to mess with measuring cups or other utensils. You can get pretty evenly sized pancakes by using the doughnut maker. It is made of aluminum, with a plastic plunger. The combination does make handwashing a better idea than dropping this particular utensil in the dishwasher. It's priced at $12.