The guys at Studio Neat, makers of the Glif tripod mount for the iPhone and the Cosmonaut stylus for iPad, are putting on another Kickstarter for a...cough...neat kit for making super-clear ice at home. It uses an insulated, block-shaped ice mold to freeze water from the top down, pushing impurities to the bottom. The resulting ice block looks like this: Using the…
I've been cooking a lot of pasta at home lately, and it's gotten a bit tiresome transferring noodles back and forth between the cooking pot and our colander, possibly losing some noodles along the way. The 5-quart Bialetti Pasta Pot looks like it'll solve this problem for me, because you can merely lock the lid into place and easily pour the hot…
There have been a lot of coffee makers and accessories on Tools & Toys over the years, but somehow, the Toddy Cold Brew System has never been featured (only mentioned once by yours truly). Maybe Shawn and Stephen just aren't big fans of iced coffee, but it's definitely one of my favorite things in the world, and this system is my favorite…
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…
The kitchens of many coffee nerds are practically overflowing with coffee paraphernalia, but a lot of that stuff isn't very well-suited for traveling. Electric burr grinders are no exception to this, which is why hand grinders are so great. They can be tossed into a bag alongside your AeroPress for easy traveling. And if you're willing to put in a little elbow…
The generically-named Belkin Kitchen Cabinet Tablet Mount is a great way to use your tablet (ok, let's face it, your iPad) in the kitchen without putting it in danger of being spills and accidents. With an easy-to-install arm that requires no tools, putting this mount in is a snap. It's compact enough to fit easily in a silverware drawer, and comes with…
When it comes to kitchen accessories, do you prefer the boring old-school tools, or gadgets that look like they were stolen straight out of a MoMA exhibit? If you're in the latter camp, you should check out the Rösle Pizza Wheel. This beauty is perfect for cutting thin-crust pizzas and flatbread, and it disassembles for easy cleaning. Alternatively, you could just hang…
We've mentioned the standard Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle ($42) before, but the kinds of coffee nerds who experiment with AeroPress recipes are likely to want very precise temperature control. And that's exactly what the Bonavita Variable Temperature model ($90) brings to the mix. It rocks the same 1-liter stainless steel design and distinct spout that allows for greater pour control, with the addition…
A good drink — hot or cold — should be about more than just the taste. The smell and look of a beverage round out what can be a simple, yet enjoyable, experience. That's one reason I like the Moderna Artisan Double-Wall Thermo Glasses. These 8-ounce, heat-resistant glasses insulate your drink while showing it off. Don't be shy — tell the world you…
This mini skillet is designed to bring some rock and roll to the kitchen. Made in the USA, it's even the right brand of rock and roll. At 10-3/4 inches by 4-5/8 inches, some Amazon reviewers claim this makes a better spoon holder than actual Skillet, but hey, that's life in the fast lane.
Anxiety is a very real foe, and these plates are here to help. Handcrafted from white earthenware clay with lettering in black glaze, they remind you to keep cool and stay calm. These dishes are made to order, and are all slightly different from each other, which is pretty cool. Pick up a set of five for $24 over on Etsy.
The Espro Press makes an amazing cup of french press coffee. It has a double-walled steel vessel that is rugged and durable. After brewing you can leave the coffee in the pot and it will stay hot for over an hour. But the real magic is with the double micro filter. The Espro Presses uniquely-designed micro filter is designed to help keep…
One of the best parts about summer is traditions. Trips to the beach, family reunions and extra hours of daylight all add up to some great memories. One such tradition for many families — mine included — is enjoying homemade ice cream. While some might wimp out and use an electric motor, the White Mountain Appalachian Hand Cranked maker harkens back to a simpler,…
Bear Paw claws are standard equipment in any BBQ King's castle. They come in great for handling meat during three types of occasions: (1) when you're dealing with raw meat and don't want to wash your hands every time you need to move one slab of ribs to marinate the other; (2) when you've got an enormous freshly-cooked turkey, pork shoulder, or…
This here is the Cadillac of blenders. The Vitamix 5200 has a 2 horsepower motor (that's one-third the power of my Craftsman lawnmower out back). My wife and I saved up for this thing so we could make our own baby food for Noah, but the perk is that you can make so much more: smoothies, soups, rice milk, powdered sugar... the…
Here you'll find one of the most effective — and manliest — ways to tenderize your steaks. Alas, this meat tenderizer is illegal in 17 states.
When you buy an AeroPress it comes with a pack of paper micro-filters. These work fine and are easily disposable. However, for something different, there is this stainless steel AeroPress disk. The disk is reusable and has ultra-micro perforations so that only water gets through the filter, even when brewing a super-fine espresso grind. Many people prefer the flavor that stainless steel…
When I brew coffee each morning, the items I pull out onto the kitchen counter consist of a conical burr grinder, and electric water kettle, a bamboo stir stick, my coffee brewing device (such as the AeroPress or French Press), my coffee beans, and a digital scale. It may sound like a lot but it isn't really that bad. For years I…
Two things about the knives from New York-based Schmidt Brothers: (1) they offer high quality and longevity for an unusually affordable price; (2) the downtown block is a very cool and unique holding block that uses acrylic magnets embedded inside the wood to hold the knives in place. This 15-piece set was done in collaboration with West Elm and is a great…
Not all teas are brewed the same way. Different types of tea (green, black, white, etc.) require different water temperatures and extraction times in order to brew just right. The Breville One-Touch Tea Maker takes all the guess work out of tea brewing. It is fully programmable for all types of tea, water temperatures, and steep times; it has a moving tea…