Gadgets | Beyond The Kitchen Sink

Know when to be hungry with the Cube Timer

Kitchen timers may not be difficult to operate, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t be made easier to use. The Cube Timer takes the process and makes it as easy as possible. Just pick up the cube and put it back down again with the desired time interval on top. The timer counts down from a 5, 15, 30 or 60 minute setting, while the ‘0’ setting stops the timer in progress. For those that can’t stand the suspense, an LED readout displays the exact time remaining–good news for the hungry clock-watchers that tend to gather by the stove around dinnertime.

***UPDATE 1/7/2025: Wouldn’t ya know it: time ran out on this little guy. Here is another option that uses 15 20 30 60 timer increments. Check out the Feilifan Cube Timer and remember to keep track of time.

Feilifan Cube Timer, Time, Kitchen Timer Kids Timer for ADHD Productivity Workout Flip Timer Classroom for StudyTime Countdown Management Settings 15 20 30 60 Minutes-White

Mysterious Russian nesting dolls measure accurately

It must be by some prescient force of Russian magic that Sergei Maliutin and Vasiliy Zvezdochkin created Russian nesting dolls. How else would they have been able to know that over 100 years later, the toy would be discovered to be an actual tool? Whether you call them nesting dolls or matrioshka, matryoshka, babushka dolls, or stacking dolls, the fact remains: they accurately act as measuring cups.

Okay, so well, you need the M-Cups from Fred & Friends to actually use the nesting dolls as measuring cups, but the fact remains that this set is just as home in the kitchen as it is on the tchotchke shelf. At least in the case of this set, they accurately measure 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4 and 1 full cup. How? We may never know. Like how the moon can be just the right size to cause the occasional perfect solar eclipse, some things may never well be answered.

Past and present collide with this kitchen tool

If only all kitchen tools were this easy to use. You look at it and you know what it is used for: anything it wants. The Homo Sapiens Caveman Kitchen Tool is a throwback to the earliest days of cooking. While I doubt too many cavemen were concerned with grating garlic or ginger (as this sandstone tool is capable of), the simple effectiveness of a heavy object as a useful cooking implement cannot be denied (nor will it).

Useful for tenderizing meat or grinding herbs into a paste, the tool also features a flat edge for sharpening knives. Unlike the cooking tools of the far past, this one has one additional benefit that eluded our caveman ancestors: it is dishwasher safe.

When life gives you lemons, make lemon wedges

Sure, you could do as the old saying suggests and make lemonade, but why stop there? Lemon wedges are totally the way to go. Besides being convenient and versatile, they have the added benefit of being a delicious ingredient in many an adult beverage. Save the lemonade for the kiddies, and give life a kick right back in the pucker.

Easily slice and divide lemons and other citrus fruit into uniform slices with the Citrus Wedger from Williams-Sonoma. Accommodating fruits up to 2.75-inches in diameter, the kitchen gadget creates six wedges with one simple motion. No matter how many lemons you may have hanging around, a handy device such as this makes prepping them that much easier.

UPDATE 6/30/12: The link from Williams-Sonoma no longer works, so check out the Norpro Lemon Lime Slicer instead. Four-and-a-half stars and less than ten bucks!

Zombie-bait salt and pepper shakers

Trying to catch a zombie? Youâ€™ll need some bait. That is unless you wish to put your own braaaaaains at risk. While Brain Salt and Pepper Shakers might not contain all the smarty goodness that zombies crave, the discerning zombie will surely seek out a way to season their victimâ€™s braaaaaains. When not attracting zombies, the two hemispheres hold together via a magnet and supply your dining table with good olâ€™ salt and pepper. Meanwhile, when you want to take a break from your zombie hunting, check out this Crawling Zombie Torso Gelatin Mold after the jump.

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Flying the caffeinated skies with the TuGo Cup Holder

Once upon a time, coffee was abundant but really not that good. Then along came the coffee craze and suddenly everybody was drinking well-crafted coffee drinks. More importantly, everybody was drinking coffee suited exactly to their tastes. As the nation became entranced with the beverage, it became imperative for us to get our coffee fix anytime, anywhere. The coffee chains were only too happy to oblige.

Running concurrently with this phenomenon was an increase in the ever-exacting standards of the airline industry. It only makes sense; efficiency is next to safety when we take to the skies. No longer would the passenger who insisted on stuffing all of their luggage into the overhead bins be tolerated. The size of carry-on luggage became quantified and baggage companies stepped in to create TSA approved bags.

Fast forward to 2009 and we have the inevitable conclusion: airports full of travelers all balancing a cup of coffee while struggling with their nearly identical carry-on bags. Clearly, something had to be done. Enter the TuGo Cup Holder. Simply attach in-between those two bars (donâ€™t tell me you use something different!) that comprise the handle on your luggage and rest your double soy latte half cream mocha right on in there.

(Via bookofjoe)