Author: Kitchen Gadgets Blog

A Toaster For Eight Bucks

MoMA Stovetop Toaster

Morning is the one time of the day best served on automatic. From timed coffee makers to toaster-ovens that deliver perfectly browned toast, bagels or pastries, breakfast probably is the last meal that anyone wants to pay any attention to while actually making it. Still, I can’t help being drawn to the MoMA Stovetop Toaster.

Looking somewhat like a rectangular un-popped Jiffy Pop container, the handheld toaster is meant to be used on a gas or electric range. Place a slice of bread on top of the gridded side and set it on the burner. It might not be the most precise of kitchen gadgets, but for only eight bucks, it won’t cost a lot to find out just how asleep you really are in the morning while making breakfast.

Saltine Bling

Golden Saltine Necklace by Emily Elizabeth Jewelry

Food-inspired jewelry will never go out of style (as long as we keep eating, that is). However, it’s usually not the lowest rung on the food chain that gets the gold. Usually. In this case, it does get the gold. Literally. The un-fanciest of crackers, the lowly saltine, has now become elevated in status with the Golden Saltine Necklace. The 14 karat gold-plated brass cracker, handmade in New York by Emily Elizabeth Jewelry is stylish, unexpected and fun. I wonder if there is a real saltine under all that gold?

Click on the link and also check out two other food-related items, a turkey wishbone, and a gold-plated fortune cookie. Yes, that’s right: a gold-plated fortune cookie.

Crushed Garlic, Sliced Garlic, One Tool

Garlic Press & Slicer

I like crushed garlic; I also like crushing garlic. Take a big ol’ knife, place its broadside over a clove of garlic, and whack! There is no easier way to separate garlic from garlic paper. Certainly no way is more fun. Alas, not all garlic applications call for crushed garlic; sometimes sliced garlic is what you need. And slicing garlic is no fun.

The Garlic Press & Slicer solves all that. Combining a garlic crusher with a garlic slicer, the simple-to-use handheld kitchen gadget makes garlic-slicing a breeze. (Or garlic-crushing, I suppose, if the garlic-whacking knife is dirty.) Creating eight 1/16-inch slices of garlic at a time, the press also comes with a cleaning attachment and dishwasher safe construction—which may be the most fun of all.

Things To Do: Buy Beer

Haier 1.7-Cubic-Ft. HNSEW02 Dry-Erase Write Fridge

Having a small, dedicated fridge for the garage (or office, as the case may be) is a beer-drinkers luxury that offers much-appreciated convenience. However, the same small size that can be such a convenience can also be a hindrance, as it constantly needs to be refilled. Luckily, some appliances are prepared. The Haier 1.7-Cubic-Ft. HNSEW02 Dry-Erase Write Fridge tells you when it’s empty (assuming you remember to jot it down, that is). Complete with non-permanent markers and eraser, the mini-fridge not only keeps cold items always within reach, but also provides for that all-important artistic outlet that inevitably occurs while emptying out the fridge.

The Picnic Tote That (Thankfully) Doesn’t Know When To Say When

Bottle Bag by Reisenthel

If you see someone walking around with one of these bags—follow them! Chances are they’re going to the best picnic in the park. Holding nine bottles of wine at a time, the Bottle Bag by Reisenthel makes it easy to transport wine to any occasion. Featuring individual compartments that keep each bottle secure while en-route, the foldable bag with padded Velcro handle is sure to be the number one picnic accessory of the year—certainly the most appreciated by those in attendance.

Rack Up Some Fruit On The Grill

Fruit Grill Rack

Some grill accessories create inspiration simply by existing. Burgers and hotdogs may dominate the grilling landscape, but the proliferation of specialized grill racks means that those old standbys are going to have to give up some space on the grill. We’ve seen the Chile Pepper Grill Rack, we’ve seen the Chicken Rack, and now we have the Fruit Grill Rack to add to the arsenal.

Priced at only twelve bucks, the stainless-steel contraption provides an inexpensive way to secure round fruits and vegetables on the grill. Perfect for apples, peaches, pears or even tomatoes, the no-nonsense design eliminates the balancing act normally required when jostling round food about on the grill. Safely secured in one location there may even be enough room left over for the occasional hamburger and hotdog.