Wannabe Rube Goldberg kitchen gadget

Upright Peeler With Stand

There must be more to this Upright Peeler With Stand than is seen in this picture. I say that because of the simple fact it looks like the final stage of a Rube Goldberg kitchen device. Through a process of deduction involving rolling marbles, fire, and darts popping balloons, I have come to the conclusion that this peeler is simply not complex enough; there must be more to it.

This actual product is designed, oddly enough, to streamline the process of peeling carrots. Simply set the six blades in place, set to an optimum height, tighten down the screws, place the carrot in the hopper and use the included plunger to strike down and peel your carrot. See? One simple motion. If you need to peel a vegetable other than a carrot, an additional cucumber accessory is available.

To be fair, like all Rube Goldberg contraptions, this one has a real goal. If you were suddenly tasked with peeling thousands of vegetables carrots or cucumbers, this one-motion gadget might seem to fit the bill. If you set up some sort of carrot trolley then you’ll really have it made. After all, there is only one proper way to make ramen, deal with a Cadbury Creme Egg, or even mix a drink. Remember, proper kitchen technique is always important.

i-Roast your own coffee beans

i-Roast 2 Coffee Roaster

Serious coffee lovers are always looking for a new way to enhance the experience. I know from a personal standpoint, I have tried every type of coffee maker imaginable. Lately, I have centered on the stovetop espresso maker, but I’m always open to anything that might make my morning brew better. Perhaps it’s time to look past the method and focus on a different step: coffee roasting.

If you are drowning in a sea of megabrew, it might be time to take your coffee game to the next level. The i-Roast 2 Coffee Roaster is a home device capable of producing fresh roasted coffee beans right on your countertop. With features such as five stages and preset roasting curves, your coffee-roasting game can be off and running immediately.

When you find your perfect roast, the machine can store it (along with nine other preferred roasts) in the on-board memory. The included timer and temperature gauge allow for consistent results. With a little experimentation, you can achieve quality results every time. Oh, and if you want to have ultimate precision with every cup of joe, check out some advanced tips and tricks, here.

(Via Home Appliances)

Parents: should you be wary of whiffing?

Le Whif

It’s a little late for an April Fool’s joke, so let’s consider the Le Whif as a real soon-to-be-everywhere product. Apparently, Harvard professor David Edwards has developed a way to aerosolize chocolate and deliver it via an inhaler.

Available in four flavors, the super-smalled chocolate treat is tiny enough to carry in a pocket or purse. The idea is to partake of whiffing as either a flavor compliment to a meal or as a dietary aid by having the user ingest the micron sized particles instead of actually, you know, eating.

With a not-so-humble approach, the team behind Le Whif considers their innovation as an inevitable conclusion to the evolution of humankind dining. Me, I’ll stick with the fork. However, if you do bite, the makers plan on continuing to surprise by unveiling Le Whaf at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

(Via Wired)

All-in-one breakfast sandwich maker

Back to Basics Egg and Muffin Toaster

It doesn’t take much to get knocked off-track in the morning. The simple task of creating breakfast can be like navigating a hazardous course fraught with peril. Dodging pots and pans while trying to create some simple sustenance can be quite the chore for the non-morning person. That’s why we have the Back to Basics Egg and Muffin Toaster.

The device streamlines the process of feeding slow-moving, half-awake people by combining popular features into one unit. Everybody likes breakfast muffin sandwiches, but not everybody likes dealing with the assorted cookware needed to produce them. The combination appliance is capable of making poached or steam-scrambled eggs and warming pre-cooked ham or sausage, all while toasting bread or an English muffin. Producing complete sandwiches in about 4 minutes, the toaster saves enough time for other important morning activities — like trying to remember how to make coffee.

Light-activated Recording Can Fridge Guard confirms the refrigerator light really does turn off

Recording Can Fridge Guard

The Recording Can Fridge Guard is an inconspicuous looking device capable of answering an age-old question: Does the refrigerator light really turn off when the door is closed? Simply record a message and stick it in the fridge. It is cleverly camouflaged as a cola can, so any fridge gnomes (I suspect) will not be distracted as they go about their light-turning-off duties. When the door is opened, and light hits the can, your message will play. Pretty simple stuff; if you don’t hear the can talking to itself when the door is closed, well then, the light is indeed off.

Of course, you could use the can to leave recorded shopping reminders or encouraging words for a dieter, but where’s the fun in that? I can’t think of any better way to make sure the light goes off other than opening and closing the door really, really fast.

Handpresso: Espresso to go…anywhere

Handpresso Wild Portable Espresso Machine

If you’re like everybody else (and really, who isn’t?), then you are sure to have more than a mild appreciation for coffee. Unfortunately, there is not always a coffee house nearby to fuel our caffeine needs. The Handpresso Wild Portable Espresso Machine solves this problem by working without electricity. With only hot water, an ESE coffee pod and some elbow grease, you could have espresso style drinks anywhere.

All you need to do to enjoy espresso anywhere is pump up the machine until the pressure indicator is at 16 bar, and then press the start button. Up to 1.5-ounces of smooth espresso is served in an instant. As we all know: when it comes to coffee, soon can never be soon enough.