If there's one thing we at Tools & Toys (and many of our readers) are not in need of, it's another coffee-making contraption. I mean, the lot of us are nearly full-on baristas at this point. But this beautiful, upcoming device called the Ratio Eight coffee machine definitely seems worth checking out. This machine looks like a cross between a Chemex coffee…
I recently linked to a shave kit that was really only missing one key item: a razor of some kind. Now I've come across the Baxter of California Shaving Kit, which has a double-sided safety razor, as well as a nice Dopp bag to carry everything around with while traveling. Also, where the previous kit I mentioned had a simple boar hair…
Before the coffee geeks cry out with indignation: yes, I realize I am linking to a Nespresso product and Nespresso is a blight on the coffee-making world, but this is not one of their wasteful coffee pod contraptions. No, the Aeroccino 3 – no relation to the AeroPress – is merely a milk frothing machine, and a good one at that. It…
Dartstrip is a Kickstarter project that aims to make the process of hanging art, photos and posters super easy. It's an 8ft-long strip of white steel, scored in one-inch increments and backed with a non-residue adhesive, all stored in a tin that would fit right in at the tuna aisle. The strip is dispensed from the side of the can like scotch…
Designed in Japan (or by bees, we're not sure yet), the Aero Sphere Fan sports a unique look that can only be described as a "honeycomb teardrop". Supposedly this honeycomb design allows the fan to cool a larger room than you might expect, but if nothing else it will certainly be a conversation starter. It's admittedly not a very cheap fan, at…
From the same folks who brought you the Compendious Coffee Chart poster (which is now available in coffee mug form) comes another coffee-themed print, Exceptional Expressions of Espresso. This beautiful 18"x24" poster breaks down the ingredient ratios of 23 different espresso beverages, some of which we've not heard of but sound delicious anyway. We recommend hanging it near your coffee-making area for…
For nearly two years, the Dropcam HD has been a very popular remote-viewable security camera for your home. Its new successor, the Dropcam Pro, ups the ante with an all-glass lens and a 130-degree field of view (compared with the HD's 107-degree FOV and a lens that was partly plastic). The Pro model also has a new sensor that captures twice the…
One of my favorite ways to take my coffee on-the-go is with my Contigo Autoseal Tumbler. It keeps hot drinks hot for several hours, and cold drinks cold for half the day (not that it takes me that long to drink my coffee, of course). It only holds 16oz of liquid though, so if I'm having the kind of day where I'm…
Sean McCabe is a very talented hand-lettering artist and designer, and sells a number of awesome prints and other goodies. My favorite of the bunch is the 'Influence the World' poster, not just because it's beautiful, but also because it's a much-needed reminder for us to strive to find our own voice rather than merely follow the crowd. I recommend hanging it…
There's certainly something to be said about having a minimalist workspace, but it can be a little...well, plain. The Satechi Desk Mat & Mate can help spice things up a little bit, give you a comfortable place to rest your hands while typing or writing, and protect your desk surface from scratches and spills. It's also available in a wide variety of…
The OTTO is a super-quiet, lightweight fan contained within an eco-friendly bamboo frame. Well, I say bamboo, but the more accurate term here would be twice-oiled African sapele wood. The fan itself is of the standard 3-speed variety, with the entire unit weighing in at 9.8lb and dimensions of 7.3" x 13.6" x 14.8". Perfect for a small office. At $200, there…
As with the BeoPlay H6 headphones I mentioned the other day, the Beoplay A9 speaker is a beautiful way to listen to music. Somewhat resembling a UFO, the A9 is nearly 3 feet tall and boasts some pretty powerful sound, thanks to its 2.1 bass reflex loudspeaker – which also acts as a handle and wall mount on the back of the…
There were tons of amazing things announced during Apple's WWDC 2013 keynote the other day, but two of those products that are already available for purchase are the new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule Base Stations. These bad boys are now equipped with 802.11ac WiFi technology, which is said to be up to three times faster than the previous 802.11n. Each one…
If someone were to ask me what the best AirPlay speaker setup is, in most cases I would point them to the Sonos system. It's super easy to set up, especially if you want multiple speakers throughout your house. But if you only need a single speaker and you want the best sound from it, it's hard to beat the current deal…
The Classic Station by iSkelter ($40) is a handsome, handcrafted bamboo dock/caddy that will seat just about any smartphone, along with some of your smaller personal items. There is no dock connector, nor any wires to fuss with, just a nice little solution for keeping your workspace tidy and beautiful.
The desks of most people I know are huge, clunky monstrosities, much larger than any of them actually requires. We're talking about desks that take up 1/4 of a room here. I've helped some of my friends move those kinds of desks from one house to another, and what a pain that is. I think from now on, I'm going to start…
There are, give or take, about a billion and one ways to hang or store large headphones at your desk. One of the more stylish ways you could do it is with the HeadStand made by Just Mobile. Like so many great desk accessories these days, it's made of high-quality aluminum and looks great with any Apple geek's setup. A particularly nice…
I enjoy having freshly grated cheese over a store-bought package, but what I don't enjoy is the inevitable cleanup afterward. The way most graters are designed, the cheese just falls all over the place if you're not careful, but not so with the Eva Solo Grating Bucket. It catches everything at the bottom of the grater, and you can simply pour out…
I should state up front that I have absolutely no current need for this thing in my life. It's completely superfluous since I never forget to lock my door, due to a near OCD-level habit of checking it several times. But I want one anyway, and here's why: All you have to do is install the Lockitron device over your existing deadbolt…
I love it when someone takes a standard idea and puts an interesting new spin on it. Such is the case with the tome-like Lumio Lamp, a Kickstarter project. This object opens up like an accordion into a pleasantly bright lamp, which can run for eight hours continuously on a single charge. It's charming, aims to be eco-friendly, and thanks to the…