Herb Scissors
To us, summer flavor means fresh summer herbs. Maybe you have a windowsill herb garden, or you picked some up at the store to compliment a dish. We like to create a dish around whichever herbs we got our hands on, sometimes sage, basil, dill, tarragon or lemon balm. We love these five-blade scissors because we can use them for everything from cutting the herb off the plant itself to finely chopping it up for the plate. No cutting board necessary. How cool is that? With five blades, there’s practically no work to do, be it basil for pasta or dill for stuffing inside grilled fish. Perfect for chiffonades or a mint garnish on a fruit salad, you can even cut directly over your dish, which means less clean up (always a plus in our book). These five-blade scissors...
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BBQ Pizza
Summer practically revolves around the barbecue, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend every meal cooking or eating hot dogs and hamburgers. The backyard barbecue grill is just as great for making pizza. No oven required. This pizza grill pan (pictured right) turns your barbecue into a pizza oven, replete with a unique heat shield that protects the crust from burning and ensures even cooking. Plus, it’s non-stick and surprisingly easy to clean. You don’t have to be a pizzaiolo to use it because it works just as well with frozen dough as it does with freshly kneaded dough. So buy pre-made at the store or make your own, then top it with summer’s finest vegetables, like corn, asparagus, and arugula, along with your favorite cheese. Skip the bbq one warm night this summer and host a pizza...
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Serious about S’mores
We want to be on record that in all of years obsessing over gadgets, we’ve never written about an “As Seen On TV” gadget before. But this one is too good not to share because it actually works. (We tried it ourselves.) When we think of summer, backyard barbecues, and beachside fires, we instantly think of s’mores. While it’s fun to roast marshmallows over an open flame, it can also be scorching hot and most of us have lost a marshmallow or two along the way. Besides, some of us don’t always have access to a grill or a fire pit. This s’more maker (pictured right) is a foolproof way to make six s’mores at once without getting melted chocolate and gooey marshmallow all over your hands. Just layer the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate to your liking. (We...
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Strawberry Stem Remover
It’s summer and that means strawberry season. Finally! Sure, the Argentinian berries are big and admittedly blemish-free, but there’s something much more endearing about the ruby red, wild strawberries we discovered at the Greenmarket this week. Besides, we prefer to eat local when we can. The only problem is just how tiny these are. Try to pull the stem off with your bare hands and you’ll bruise your precious berries. We found an alternative — the Chef’n Stem Strawberry Stem Remover ($7.95). This adorable device, which happens to look like a strawberry lets you remove the stem while leaving the berry perfectly intact. It beats standing over a cutting board, chopping the top of each itty bitty berry and inevitably wasting half of the sweet goodness. It couldn’t be easier to use: Just insert the stainless steel claw into...
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Three-Blade Vegetable Peeler
Have you ever tried to peel something after you’ve just washed it? It ain’t easy, not to mention it can be a little dangerous. But this peeler (pictured right) has finger grips along the top and sides for easy-gripping and it fits in the palm of your hand. What really sets this peeler apart is that it features three different blades, so you can peel, slice and julienne with the same, $12 gadget. We don’t own stock or a free peeler. We just can’t help but get excited to save money and valuable drawer space. It also has a side loop for removing any blemishes on potatoes, apples, you name it. Plus, it’s pretty cool-looking and great for throwing in your bag for a weekend beach barbecue. Just a thought. Three Blade Vegetable Peeler ...
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Self-Stirring Electric Pot
While we enjoy the idea of cooking at home, all the prep work can sometimes seem daunting. We often long for a sous chef to help us chop, season, saute or at least stir the pot, so our pricey greenmarket vegetables don’t burn. And that’s why the discovery of this electric self stirring electric pot (pictured right) has been so clutch. It’s equipped with a rotating spatula that moves around whatever ingredients you throw into the pot from meat to veggies. The spatula can even be timed to stir the food constantly, or just sporadically. It’s an amazing substitute for a pair of hands, and maybe even better. What makes owning this bad boy essential is that it’s also comes with a stirrer. You can saute, braise, boil or simmer meals large enough to feed a family of four. ...
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Cutting Board 2.0
Don’t you hate chasing just-washed tomatoes or peppers around your cutting board? Slippery produce is not only difficult to work with, but also a little dangerous. Thankfully, someone came up with a cutting board that allows you to wash and cut food on the same board. And when you’ve lost more than your fair share of perfectly good food down the drain, this is a valuable kitchen tool. This bamboo cutting board (pictured right) has a built-in strainer, so you can drain your fruits or vegetables in the board itself without losing any slices in the sink. And there are grips on the board to prevent it from slipping around. It’s perfect timing, considering all the terrific spring produce that’s already making its way into the market. Sink Drainer Cutting Board ...
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Ingenious Microplane Herb Mill
As you probably know by now, we’re obsessed with the best, new kitchen gadgets. (Our drawers are crowded with tools to prove it.) And now that spring is here, we want to make the most of fresh herbs from the Greenmarket or grocery store. But unless you’re a professional cook or Martha Stewart, chopping herbs finely and evenly (without tearing them) isn’t as easy as it looks. That’s where an herb mill comes in handy. We don’t want name names, the blades on last year’s contraption have already dulled, so we were in the market for a new one. One of our favorite kitchen tool sites, Chef’s Catalog has several mills to choose from, but the Microplane Herb Mill (pictured right) is by far our favorite. There’s literally hundreds of tiny and sharp blades that manage to chop...
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Greatest Garlic Chopper
Over the years, we’ve bought, tested and tossed (in the garbage) quite a few tools that claim to ease the burden of chopping garlic and eliminate the lingering smell it leaves on our hands. Apparently, garlic has stumped a lot of inventors. While some worked to magically remove the smell, they didn’t chop. While others chopped, they left us with the task of getting the garlic into to the saute pan or pot by, well, using our hands. We all but gave up on the perfect garlic gadget until now. This Garlic Rocker Chopper (pictured right) does the job of both. All you have to do is rock the chopper over the garlic. Then scoop up all of the crushed garlic into the chopper and deliver to your pan. You never have to touch the garlic with your...
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Bunny Whoopie Pie Pan
Cupcakes jumped the shark long ago. And while everyone’s declaring pie the new cupcake, I beg to disagree. Aside from both being desserts, pie has nothing in common with cupcakes. Now whoopie pies are another story. Just like cupcakes, a whoopie pie is composed of moist cake and frosting, except the frosting is in the middle — a little like a frosting sandwich. And whoopie pies are just as trendy these days as traditional fruit pies. Seeing that Easter is just around the corner, I wanted to make whoopie pies in festive Easter colors, like yellow and pink. But Sur La Table did even better than that with this bunny whoopie pan (pictured right). If you don’t know how to make whoopie pies, they also sell whoopie pie kits with foolproof mix for the cake and icing in flavors,...
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Pinch & Pour Measuring Cups
No matter what kind of cook you are, you need a set of measuring cups. Sure, you can eyeball it, but unless you’re a professional chef, you’ll likely end up with watery sauce or a flat souffle and that’s never a good thing. We don’t believe in gadgets for the sake of clever little tools to show off to guests, but these are too good to pass up. For starters, they’re collapsible, so they practically no space at all, which is helpful when you live in an apartment the size of walk-in closet. Even better, you can pinch the top of the cup for a narrow pour to eliminate any mess or lost measured ingredients. When you’re through, toss them in the dishwasher, push down on the top to collapse them and pop them in the drawer. Whether you’re...
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Easter Rabbit Salt & Pepper Shaker Set
We know it’s not Easter yet, but it’s just around the corner and we think these salt & pepper shakers are perfect for the occasion. They’re the perfect gift for your mom, sister, wife or anyone else that happens take the holiday seriously, or just has a rabbit fetish. We admittedly fallen for them, especially because the ears are ergonomically shaped, so they’re easy to grip and squeeze. Squeeze the white rabbit’s ears and out comes salt or the black rabbit’s ears and out comes pepper. Rabbit Salt & Pepper Shaker Set...
Read MorePizza Making Set
2010 was a very big year for pizza and we don’t expect it to go out of style anytime soon. Really, what’s not to love about pizza? While we love to recreate our favorite dishes at home, the art of pizza making is something we leave up to the pizzaiolos of the world. Besides, most of us don’t have a pizza oven in our tiny urban kitchens. This pizza stone and peel set (pictured right) is a game changer. I’ve experimented with pies at home, but they always come out of the oven slightly soggy. This stone heats up evenly and absorbs all the moisture, ensuring a really crispy pie. The peel component helps you slip the pie in and out of the oven without burning yourself or lifting the heavy stone. You can even leave the stone in...
Read MoreOnion Goggles
Finding these goggles (pictured right) was fate. Just last night I was tearing up as I chopped onions for a few batches of soup. If you’re wearing eye makeup, forget it. You’ll have to wash your face and start from scratch. Unless you have a pair of onion goggles. It undoubtedly sounds a little silly to buy goggles, never mind wear them, to chop onions, but it makes the process much more pleasant and practical, especially when you’re entertaining. Guys don’t have to wear pink. They’ve made a white pair as well. So now you can avoid tearing up, red eyes and squinting, which isn’t exactly the safest way to chop onions. Onion Goggles...
Read MoreThe Ultimate Whisk
‘Tis the season for baking, so we’ve been on the hunt for tools that make our life a little easier. When you’re baking sugar cookies, meringues and gingerbread cake, you need a really good whisk. We thought we had one, until we got the rapid whisk (pictured right) for the holidays this year. This is literally two whisk in one. The inner whisk is a double metal whisk and the outer whisk is made of silicone. The combination of the two not only cut your whisking time in half, but also produce fluffier egg whites and cream. Our favorite part is the easy-to-grip handle, which is super comfortable. Take advantage of the holidays and linger in the kitchen over freshly baked pumpkin bread and peanut butter cookies. Ultimate Rapid Whisk...
Read MoreChristmas Tree Pan
Baking a cake that tastes good is one thing, but making it look good is another feat. We all can’t be Martha, but we can certainly try and the holiday season always get us in the spirit to give it a whirl. This year, we might just succeed with this 3-D Christmas Tree Pan (pictured right). We’re not only fans of multi-purpose gadgets, but also baked goods. With this 3-D mold, we can bake up a holiday cake and decoration in one. Use any recipe you’d like, pour the batter in the mold and pop it in the oven. When it’s done, let it cool, then decorate your Christmas tree anyway you like. Set it on a table and when you’re through with dinner, you can serve it for dessert! Xmas Tree Pan...
Read MorePerfect Brownie Pan
I’ve never been much of a perfectionist because, well, I’m not very good at it. I consider remembering to take my brownies out of the oven before they burn a success. Even when I do achieve moist brownies, I still have to tackle the daunting task of cutting them into squares. I usually end up with different size rectangles, which are too uneven to give out for for the holidays. But this year I was determined to make my neighbors’ brownies, so I hunted down this pan (pictured right). It’s called the “Perfect Brownie Pan” because it has a divider that cuts your brownies into perfect squares for you. Even better, it bakes each brownie separately, so every one comes out as if it was an end piece — with crispy edges and moist interior. Now all I need...
Read MoreCake Server
Baking a cake is the easy part. The hard part is slicing and serving it. Unless you’re some sort of domestic goddess, this can be a daunting task. I don’t know about you, but when I cut a cake, it’s a messy sight. Just in time for Thanksgiving, I found this ingenious cake server. Not only does it cut the perfect slice every single time, but it also helps you serve it. Just press straight down to slice, then press the two metal sides together to pick it up. It securely clamps the slice, allowing a safe drop off. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe and works on ice cream cakes too. Cake Server $44.50...
Read MoreAdjustable Rolling Pin
I absolutely love the holiday season because it’s synonymous with gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, bread pudding, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and apple pie. Even if you don’t cook, most people get the festive itch to give baking another try. Now, pies aren’t my forte, particularly the crusts. Most cooks have their strong suits and, well, not-so-strong suits. No matter how hard I try, the crust always comes out bumpy and uneven and that’s not even the worst part. The worst is rolling it out to find it’s too large or too small for my pie pan. What usually happens is I call it a day and make cookies instead. This year, I’m determined to roll out a perfect pie crust, so I hunted down this adjustable rolling pin (pictured right). It comes with three removable discs to raise or...
Read MoreDouble Kitchen Timer
If you were in charge of cooking Thanksgiving dinner last week, you probably realized how hard it is to keep track of all the dishes — stuffing, turkey green beans, sweet potatoes — you’re making, so none of them burn. Where cooking is concerned, timing is everything. Leave a dish in the oven a little too long and you might as well order in. The most important dish usually ends up with the timer, while the rest are left up to fate. Not anymore. This two-faced timer (pictured right) allows you to simultaneously time two different dishes. Instead of eyeballing a dish, you can set one side of the timer to your meat or fish and the other side to a side dish or your cake. Now, you can multitask in the kitchen and save yourself a whole time...
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