Kitchen and Bar Gear

Onion Goggles Keep You from Crying in the Kitchen

I tear up when I am chopping onions, and even though sometimes it’s just a sniffle, there have been times — like when I am on a marathon chopping streak while making multiple freezer lasagnas — when the tears just started to flow. What in the world is happening? According to Mental Floss (a fantastic magazine and blog): 1. When you cut into an onion, its ruptured cells release all sorts of goodies, like allinase enzymes and amino acid sulfoxides. The former breaks the latter down into sulfenic acids. 2. The sulfenic acids, unstable bunch that they are, spontaneously rearrange…

Reviews

Review: PadTab iPad Mounting System

When the iPad 2 was released I went to put my original iPad 64GB + 3G on eBay. I was immediately presented with an option to sell it directly and, in the process, pay no shipping or fees. I loved the idea of not having to hassle with an auction and the possibility of being scammed so I accepted the offer. The transaction went through and I was sans iPad 1. My iPad 2 came and I love it. I still had some great accessories for the original iPad though and after a few days, realized I missed using them….

Reviews

iPad Accessory Review: ProClip’s MultiStand

In just a few days Apple is expected to announce the iPad 2 (or whatever they end up calling it). Yes, Apple’s runaway success with its first entry into the tablet market is nearing its first anniversary. Along the way I’ve had the opportunity to look at a wide variety of different mounting solutions for the first-generation iPad. Some have been exceptionally simple while others have been more complex. Some have been highly refined, have an aesthetic that stands out and carry a price tag to match. There is, however, a good deal to be said for accessories which are rather…

Reviews

The Keurig Mini Plus Personal Brewer Review

Given the long hours I spend editing and writing, there are a few things that I need to have available at all times: a good desktop or laptop computer, a decent camera for taking pictures, a comfortable chair, and an ever flowing source of caffeine. The refrigerator behind me takes care of my Diet Cokes, I have a canister of dark-chocolate covered coffee beans on the counter, and lately I’ve been using the Keurig Mini Plus Personal Brewer system to handle my coffee and tea requirements. As the company explains: · The Keurig brewing system offers a coffee house quality…

News, Reviews

iPad Accessory Review: Amzer Foldo Stand Up

There are a ton of different stands now available for the iPad. They come in different shapes, sizes and materials and all make using the tablet an even better experience. Some of the stands we have reviewed have been a bit pricy. For example, the Jadu Skadoosh stand has an MSRP of $69.99, and the ElementCase Joule has an MSRP that STARTS at over $100. Both are fantastic but both are pricy. So what are you to do if you want a good stand for your iPad but are on a tight budget? That’s where the Amzer Foldo Stand Up…

Reviews

Review: Duracell myGrid Charging Pad

Our world seems to become continually more mobile. With all of these mobile gadgets comes a need to charge and charge often. Unfortunately, devices have not adopted a standard for charger connectors so that leaves many of us with a ton of plugs throughout the house. We have a vase on the kitchen counter near a set of wall plugs that holds all of the various charging cords while keeping them hidden. Basically, I throw the rats next of wires in the vase so my wife does not kill me due to the mess. Duracell has released an interesting product…

News

Pad Brackets Lets You Hang Your iPad Anywhere That You Have a Wall…

As the iPad continues to find its way into more and more homes there are more and more uses being found for it. One of the more interesting iPad “accessories” I saw a few weeks back is a mounting kit that literally embeds an iPad in the wall so that it is flush with the sheet rock. It looked great but that strikes me as a bit obsessive… not to mention a whole lot of work to hang an iPad. And then there is the whole… “now how do I get the iPad out so I can use it elsewhere”-thing. Well…

Reviews

Gear Diary Deal or Dud #6: The EZ Cracker

It’s time for another episode of “Gear Diary, Deal or Dud?” This month I take a look at the As Seen on TV EZ Cracker. This kitchen tool promises to make egg cracking effortless and mess free. It also comes with a special add-on attachment that helps separate the egg yolk from the egg white. Here’s what the As Seen on TV website has to say about the EZ Cracker….. The EZ Cracker cracks eggs with one simple motion and separates eggs whites in seconds. There’s no mess, no fuss, no shells in your food. Just place the egg in…

Reviews

iPad Accessory Review: ElementCase Joule iPad Stand

Let’s get this out of the way right up front… at $129 ($139 for Black and Anodized Silver) the ElementCase Joule is an expensive stand for your iPad. It has a simple design, consists of just two pieces, and it serves one and only one purpose… it holds your iPad in either landscape or portrait. So is it worth the money? Read on to find out… From ElementCase: Introducing the new “Joule” work stand for your iPad. Its stable solid base has a simple, clean, and elegant design that enhances your iPad and makes it easier to use. Unlike most…

eBooks, Reviews

Book Review: Cooking for Geeks

I’ve long been the cook in our family. My wife admittedly cannot cook and so she let’s me handle most of the cooking duties in the house. Being a Geek, I have always had a love for science as well as cooking. I always strive to find a better way not only to cook the things I love, but in everything I do. Cooking for Geeks, by Jeff Porter is exactly the book for people who love to cook who are also geeks. The book has recipes, of course, but it fills you in on the whys behind almost every cooking…

News

UpStand iPad Stand Looks OutStanding

The iPad is a runaway hit. We all know that. We use it at our desks. We use it in the kitchen. We use it in the living room. We use it everywhere. And it’s lack of a built-in stand is, at times, a pain. Let’s face it, you don’t want, or can’t, always hold the 1 1/2 pound device. Fortunately there are a growing number of excellent options out there. And those ranks just grew by one with the announcement of the UpStand from Just Mobile. As The Company Explains- The UpStand™ will float your iPad at just the…

Reviews

Wowee One Portable Speaker Review

There is a constant issue I am on a quest to resolve. With all of these wonderful mobile devices and streaming music etc, I have spent a lot of time listening to my media on what are, at best, sub-par speakers. My iPhone, iPad and even MacBook Pro are all amazing devices, but none provide audio of acceptable quality. I do have several speaker devices around the house that sound great but none of them are particularly mobile. Recently the folks at Wowee One allowed me to review their new Gel Audio mobile speaker unit. The company promises full range…

Reviews

Review: Altec Lansing MIX iMT800 Dock for iPhone and iPod

I grew up in the 80’s. The 80’s was the decade of big hair, hair bands, break dancing and boom boxes. Never have I seen a dock for iPhone and iPod that brings back memories from the 80’s like the Altec Lansing MIX iMT800. The MIX has big boom box looks like no other dock I have seen. In the 80’s, the middle portion of the boom box would have been dominated by a cassette deck. Instead of a cassette deck, this one has port with a dock connector and an arm that slides up to take the iPhone or…

News

Element Case Introduces the Joule for iPad

This has certainly got to be one of the most elegant iPad stands I’ve yet seen! Element Case has just released news and images on their new Joule iPad Stand, and it’s a stunner. Crafted from solid aluminum, the Joule “has an adjustable tilt angle with three settings and provides one of the most solid bases for an unsheathed iPad in the home, office or at work.” Designed With Both Landscape and Portrait Modes in mind. Introducing the new “Joule” work stand for your iPad. It’s stable solid base has a simple, clean, and elegant design that enhances your iPad…

Reviews

Primo Bottom Loading Water Dispenser Review

We have all seen them and most use them daily. The old office cooler. The place where office rumors are spread and the big game or reality show is discussed. There is something about that cool clean water that makes the day seem to go by faster. What about having on in your home? Some people might, but the main reason for not having one is that they are not exactly attractive. For those who agree with this, Primo has released a new era of water coolers for the home. The unit Primo allowed me to review has a stylish…

Reviews

Teavana Perfect Teamaker Review

Being the gadget freak that I am, I like to have gadgets in the kitchen almost as much as I do in the office or on the go. I am a big fan of drinking tea (both hot and cold), but often I only want one mug of tea at a time, not a whole pot. I was looking around at tea flavors I wanted to try when I happened upon the Perfect Teamaker from Teavana. It seemed like the perfect solution, so I promptly added it to my Christmas list.

Editorials

Get Your Caffeine on with Gear Diary

It started innocently enough. One morning last week Wayne sent an email asking if any of the writers liked Starbuck’s after he had accumulated a fairly large amount of points — $370 worth — on his own Starbuck’s rewards card. Then today Carly spotted a great deal on Woot! for a Breville 15-Bar Expresso & Cappuccino Maker for $179.99 (that’s it pictured above). These messages sparked an entire back and forth coast to coast between what gear we each used to quench our lust for caffeine. See what the team is using, and sound off in the comments on what…

Gear Bits

Hour Glass Coffee: The World’s Coolest Coffee Maker

Soon temperatures will finally start to cool off here in South Texas and it will finally be time for some serious coffee drinking. Yes, I know many of you cannot live without your daily dose, but I only drink it when it is cool outside and without caffeine. First of all, I don’t do caffeine at all, and if I drink coffee everyday the acid starts to bother my stomach. The Hour Glass Coffee maker produces a low acid coffee extract via a cold brew process. (hence the title “World’s Coolest Coffee Maker”) The video shows how the system works. …

Reviews

Soda Stream Penguin Starter Kit Review

I’ve been writing for a long time, and one of the things that I learned early on, is that there’s a lot to like about most everything you get to review. Your TRUE opinion usually hits after the honeymoon period is over. THAT can last a couple of months, depending on the device/gadget/thingy you’re reviewing. Getting past the WOW factor is important, and most product reviewers just can’t do it in a couple of days to a week. When I saw the Soda Stream Penguin Starter Kit, the wow factor for me was pretty high – a nine or a…

Reviews

Fawski Feeder Review

There are close to a million choices when it comes to bowl feeders for your dog. Most are of the plain jane variety, either stainless steel or hard plastic. A few are ceramic and have painted designs on them. But what about those people who leave their dog’s bowls out all day and are interested in maintaining the overall look and design of their kitchen? Or those just looking for a way to make easting easier on their dog? The Fawski feeder might be just what you’re looking for.

Yum Log

Bear Paws Meat Handlers – Shred Hot Meat Safely

This weekend was spent attending Kevin’s family reunion, David, one of his cousins, smoked a couple of pork shoulders. Instead of using a knife and fork to pull the pork, he was using these bear paws meat handlers claw things… I’d never seen them before, but they looked like something that would be indispensable to anyone who grills.

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