Gadgets | Beyond The Kitchen Sink

Spin me a (half-baked) pizza

A buddy of mine at one time owned an old â€˜portableâ€™ CD player in name only. Smaller than the actual CD, the payer operated by spinning the disk in the open air. As the disc passed the enclosed portion the laser read the CD and sent the music to attached speakers or headphones. Of course, the fact that the CD was spinning furiously meant you could not move it while it was playing. Yes, it may have been as small as an iPod, and yes, it did actually play CDâ€™s, but it may as well have been a stationary player.

Despite instantly reminding me about a ridiculous concept for a portable CD player, the Presto Pizzazz Pizza Oven, rates surprisingly high in customer reviews at Amazon. The rotating pizza oven (with â€˜RotaBake(TM) technologyâ€™) has top and bottom heating elements for precision baking control. Self-rising pizzas can be baked by running the bottom element first before turning on the top element. If you like your pizza with a crispy crust, that can be achieved by letting the bottom element run for a little longer. Clearly designed for the frozen pizza market, the oven looks like it might be able to step up to the task â€“ like a half-useful portable CD player.

(Via Boing Boing)

Cherry Chomper hungry for cherry pits

Cherry Chomper Cherry Pitter by Talisman Designs

This cherry pitter looks hungry. In fact, judging by the expression, I’d say the Cherry Chomper Cherry Pitter downright loves cherry pits. Which is OK, because as much as this little guy appears to like ’em, I don’t like cherry pits.

The cherry pitter chomps down on inserted cherries — or olives too, but don’t tell him that — and collects the pits in a reservoir in his belly. Pop the cherry out via access in the back, and you’ve got yourself a fresh cherry ripe for eating. With the enthusiastic Cherry Chomper by your side, it won’t take long before you have yourself a nice big bowl of (pit-less) cherries. From Talisman Designs.

Roll the salt, please

Salt and pepper shakers seemingly have no end to their variations. Which is good news for all of us kitchen gadget hounds. Priced right, these table essentials make great gifts and are the easiest way to change your tablescape. Besides, sometimes they are just plain fun.

The Boogie Woogie Salt & Pepper Shakers feature a (presumably) bottom-heavy tumbler fastened with two large wheels. Designed to give new meaning to “pass the salt,” the spice shakers are meant to be rolled between diners. While it may be impolite to play with your food, I don’t think that includes table accessories that roll around. Ms. Manners however, may still have to look away.

Bacon Genie grants one wish

I’m not sure how far microwave bacon technology has come along, but I’ll bet a grease-splattered microwave interior that there is still progress to be made. The Bacon Genie serves up bacon, although probably not quite done just how you wished. Just drape your bacon slices over the device and pop in the microwave. As the bacon cooks, fat drips down the bacon (the fat that doesn’t splatter onto the microwave walls, that is) and collects into a spouted dish below. Those paper towels that you normally use to wick up extra fat from the bacon can now be used to clean the interior of your microwave.

I’ve never had delicious microwave bacon before, but maybe times have changed. Maybe this Genie can grant that wish. Instant microwaved bacon would certainly be a treat – depending on how it came out. It would still be bacon however, so be careful what you wish for.

(Originally via Kitchen Contraptions)

***UPDATE: The Genie has escaped the bottle and that product is no longer available. However, like asking the Genie for infinite wishes, here along comes the Makin Bacon.

Wannabe Rube Goldberg kitchen gadget

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.

Parents: should you be wary of whiffing?

Itâ€™s a little late for an April Foolâ€™s joke, so letâ€™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, Iâ€™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)