Swissarmius brings the utensil drawer into the open

Swissarmius

Has your utensil drawer decayed into a mish-mash of semi-pointed objects in which the needed tool is always just out of reach? Admit it, it’s easy to stay unorganized when it comes to cooking tools that we can store out of sight. Perhaps the best thing might be to bring the dark corners of your utensil collection out into the light. With the Swissarmius you can store all of your kitchen essentials right out in the open, organized and with style. Plus, it gives you a chance to really examine your need for owning three melon ballers. Trust me, you can let one of ‘em go.

(Via Wired)

Retrosink: Pac-Man drinking glasses

Pac-Man Drinking Glasses

Here’s a blast from the past: Pac-Man Drinking Glasses. You may not be able to pick these up new anymore, but they’re still around. I stumbled across this recent eBay auction and thought they deserved a mention. Plus they look so damn cool. These fine glasses are meant only for the discerning consumer, of course. The set of eight went for $23.00. Click on the source for other great Pac-Man goodies.

(Via Jennie Says Relax)

The inventor of the personal microwave is… Heinz?

Heinz Beanzawave

There are portable microwaves already on the market, but those suck up a lot of juice. Since these contraptions require a lot of power, you see them designed for cars, boats and the like. The Beanzawave changes all that and brings microwaveability to the desktop, powered only by a USB connection.

The mini-mic is only a prototype for now, but apparently Heinz and partners claim the technology is ready. Heinz says they will usher in production dependent on consumer feedback. C’mon, who wouldn’t want a low-powered microwave (that works)? Adapting it for battery use (also in the plans) would unleash the microwave and bring true portability to the market. I’ll believe it when I see it. Chances are it will turn out to be a glorified Easy Bake Oven.

***UPDATE 7/2/15***
Try this one on for size.
RoadPro Electric Lunch Box Oven
Not a microwave, but highly rated and most importantly, real!

No more boring round pancakes

Garden Creatures Pancake Molds

Pancakes are more fun when they are not round. Something that lives inside each and every one of use inspires us to manipulate pancake batter as often as we can. Perhaps it is because the pancake is so round that we are urged to improve upon it. After all, it pretty much is a round blank canvas, and maple syrup only goes so far.

If you’re not the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity type, then perhaps you can indulge your pancake-manipulating fantasies with the Garden Creatures Pancake Molds. A set of three, including a snail, a butterfly and a ladybug, the nonstick cookware makes transforming your breakfast into an easy affair. Just pour in the batter and after it sets remove the mold. The result is a metamorphasized breakfast meal and a deep inner satisfaction that no boring ol’ round pancake is safe around you.

Bacon forever–or at least seven years in your stomach

Bacon Gumballs

Bacon is so 2008… and 2009… and will be so 2010, 2011, 2012…

You see my point: Bacon never goes out of style. It is just too delicious to ignore. The bacon meme has given us everything from the bacon bra to a Bacon Explosion (not necessarily at the same time), and it’s a trend that may never let up. Think of it: bacon (and all that it goes with) could attain that iconic status only reserved for the pinnacle of American taste and culture. I’m talking the level of Elvis on a UFO here.

If the wonderful taste of bacon suffers from anything, it would be portability. It’s rather hard to fry up some bacon anytime, anywhere, which is why we have Bacon Gumballs. One tin supplies 22 bacon-flavored gumballs, each one a potent defense against bacon cravings. While the real thing will never be replaced by any novelty, bacon on the go sure makes it easy to counter the cravings while dreaming up what to do with those five pounds of bacon you have waiting for you at home.

Ultra-hyper-mega-cute animal drinking mugs

Upside Down Animal Mugs from Décole Japan

They look like little ultra-cute pieces of chotcke sitting on a shelf into you turn them over, and then you see these pieces from Japan’s Décole are actually drinking mugs. The Upside Down Animal Mug collection measures about 4 inches tall each (upside down or not) and come in three hyper-cute versions: cat, panda and piglet. These mega-cute little drinkers will set you back $20 each. Too much cute? Yeah, maybe.

***UPDATE 9/29/13*** Looks like things got a bit topsy-turvy at the link above; they are sold out. However, here is a link to the upside down panda mug: Decole Animal Face Mug – Panda. Hyper-mega-super-cute lives on!