James Dyson is most famous for his vacuum cleaner design, but he also hosts a design challenge that yields very interesting inventions, as you can see from the examples below. Glance at the pictures then take a look at the video demonstrations to see how each design works.
Chance and close observation are sometimes the catalyst to the wonderful inventions we find all around us. Gizmodo recently listed the Top 10 Greatest (accidental) Inventions of All Time. Yes, of course they are, comically, not the greatest of all time, but they certainly include great stories of inventors discovering that what they stumbled upon was more successful than what they had intended on creating.
Oh, it’s summertime now! Check out these designs that make grilling easy, from pressing the patties, firing up the grill, to flipping the burgers. Let the grilling begin!
All of the above items can be found on Solutions, an online megastore for innovative products around the house. This post, though, is all about nifty kitchen gadgets.
ID Selection has a few designs worth mentioning. The video below is of a sand sculpting tool created by a self-described toy designer. Where were these things 5 months ago when I was at the beach? Simple, yet effective.
Then there are these two kitchen gadgets that are a pleasure to look at and are clever in how they function. First is a lettuce cutter, used to core a head of lettuce. And if it works as I imagine, its plastic edge can be used to press and roll circularly to chop lettuce without browning the edges.
The second, a handled cheese grater, is not only safe but sleek in appearance. Hollowed and with a built-in container in the handle, this grater allows you to shave the surface of a block of cheese (or chocolate) and then pop off the handle to reveal a mound of grated cheese (or chocolate).
Combination gadgets never get old, and here are some new ones to make kitchen tasks a little easier.
Designed to cut through pizza and then flip sideways to dish it up with a flick of the wrist, this pizza cutter and spatula looks like it could even work its way through a dessert or two.
Grilled cheese and soup never look so good as when they are sharing the same plate. This combo bowl and plate set is the perfect size for any soup & sandwich.
Combining a strainer and measuring cup, this fat separator helps to keep the flavor of gravy, soups and stock without the fat. Non-slip grip and see-through design are always useful when working in the kitchen.
Grater, herb scoop, peeler, zester and knife all in one — this combo knife set does it all. Saving drawer space is smart design, and by using this tool, you can ditch those four other tools and save some valuable space.
This 5-in-1 utensil set combines a scraper, strainer, spreader, spoon and server made from reclaimed nylon. It even locks together for storing flat and has a 450-degree melting point.
Thinking outside of the box has been used so many times to describe an approach toward design. I really do think that the designers who worked on this touchpad case were thinking outside of the box. When slipped onto the bottom of an iPhone, this tactile guide gives boundaries to your fingertips, allowing for more than just a visual line between pressing a ‘D’ and an ‘S’ on your QWERTY touch keyboard.
Dahon has debuted an ingenious gadget for bicycle riders at this year’s Eurobike Show. The Biologic FreeCharge, a kinetic powered bicycle adapter, harnesses the energy created as your wheels turn while you ride. This is a means to an end for diehard cyclists who travel great distances and want to avoid having to charge GPS, cell phone or electronics at hotels or public places after a long day’s ride. Available in 2010.
Simple ideas are the best, and this is an example of one – a reusable lid for plastic bags. Buy in bulk, or cut open a bagged package of food and then use this to snap it closed without a twist tie or chip clip. Copoc Bag Clips can be used on big bags of M & M’s, bulk grains, sugar; the possibilities are endless.
A shower in your pocket? A pontoon on your back? A fold away grill? Camping is a little more compact these days. These three designs make packing up your gear a little easier, and smaller, to boot.
