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Here's a super-cheap way to keep your phone safe while you cook

Keep your phone or tablet safe while you follow recipes with this simple hack.

Sharon Profis Vice President of Content
Sharon Profis is a vice president of content.
Alina Bradford CNET Contributor
Alina Bradford has been writing how-tos, tech articles and more for almost two decades. She currently writes for CNET's Smart Home Section, MTVNews' tech section and for Live Science's reference section. Follow her on Twitter.
Sharon Profis
Alina Bradford
2 min read
Your iPad will stick to its Smart Cover, even in a Ziploc bag. Josh Miller/CNET

When I hastily grabbed my phone to check a recipe during my first attempt at bibimbap, gunk from my fingers landed on the phone screen, nearly seeping into the speaker and damaging my favorite kitchen companion.

And it really is just that. With fruitful recipe apps like Allrecipes and Epicurious, along with my phone's built-in timer and calculator for measurement conversions, my iPhone and iPad are extremely useful tools, right after a freshly sharpened knife and KitchenAid mixer.

There's just one problem: these gadgets are hanging out in the dangerous war zone that is the kitchen. Chopping, rinsing, and transporting ingredients always involves the inevitable splashing, and your phone or tablet is right there, vulnerable to these kitchen elements and your messy fingertips.

Josh Miller/CNET

Some companies, like Chef Sleeve, offer specialized products to protect your gadgets, but why fork over the cash when there's a perfectly useful product already in your kitchen?

Sandwich bags (and freezer bags for tablets ) save your gadget from the messy kitchen, and still let you use your touchscreen's functionality. Even better, place your gadget on a cookbook stand for easier swiping. And when you're done, you can toss the bag or wash and dry it for later use.

If you don't have any plastic storage bags, plastic wrap works, too. Just tightly wrap your phone with a couple layers, then press the plastic wrap together along the edges to seal your phone inside.

Bonus tip: Taylor Martin has a great how-to for mounting a tablet inside your kitchen cabinet for easy recipe-reading.

You're welcome.

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