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.

Slice by Karim — ceramic kitchen tools for cutting, grating and peeling

slice by Karim

Jazz up your kitchen gadget collection with the set of everyday tools from Slice. Designed by Karim Rashid, the set includes (from left to right), precision cutter, a grater, a vegetable peeler and a y-peeler.

Beyond the classy styling, these tools all utilize ceramic technology as opposed to traditional stainless steel. The ceramic blades used in the peelers and precision cutter stay sharp and have the added bonus of never rusting. The grater uses rows of ceramic teeth as opposed to stainless steel holes, so unlike a traditional microplane or grater, food particles will not get stuck in hard to clean places.

The entire collection is dishwasher safe and affordable at $14.99 for the grater and peelers, and $6.99 for the precision cutter.

UPDATE 7/6/12: Looks like the link above no longer works, but you can still check out the Slice by Karim kitchen tools collection. (Beware though, they seem to be getting low ratings!)

UPDATE 10/21/24: Looks like the Slice collection got cut. Check out the Karim Rashid wiki page here.