I grew up having to split wood when we lived with a wood-burning stove so, I can assure you, these two videos would have done wonders for me, had YouTube been around. The first shows ‘Nordic splitting.’ This is a smart way to splinter off pieces of wood from a log.
The second video shows how to keep your wood bundled as you chop away, being sure to make it safer and quicker to split your logs.
By cutting out a step, yes the pun is intended, this mushroom chopper makes it easier to cut and collect mushrooms right off of the cutting board. As you press down, the blades slice, and then the cut mushrooms fill the transparent cup so you can add them right into your salads, casseroles or soups. Smart thinking!
Yeah, that’s right, a gasket for your switch plates and outlet covers. I have read where this is a great idea to maintain a seal this winter when watching heating costs. Do your own homework, but it looks like heat can make its way out from more than just windows and doors.
This set of coffee cups makes fetching coffee a breeze. No need for everyone to make a second trip back to the coffee machine when you can just link your cups together. The ceramic mugs have male and female ports and plugs to join together as you scoot around the office passing out a fresh pick-me-up.
This cube radio is a button-less radio that takes instruction by motion. The gravity switch enables an interface that increases and decreases volume and changes stations with a simple tilt, spin or roll.
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.
Not known for its style and design, Microsoft caught my eye with this mini mouse. Using a BlueTrack technology, this Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse goes where no other mouse will; carpet, granite and rough wood, to name a few. And neatly tucked away on the bottom you will find the mini wireless receiver. Great for any Netbook or laptop you take on the go.
Apples are at their prime this time of year, and there are countless ways to enjoy this delicious, healthy fruit. But preparing apples for snacking and baking can be a chore if your tools and utensils are outdated. Here are a few gadgets and tools to make it easier to prepare, store and enjoy the year’s best apples, whether picked fresh at a local orchard, neighborhood farmer’s market or corner grocery store.
This apple slicer adjusts to a variety of widths to get the most wedges from each of your apples for snacking, or to cut a few thick ones for baking a recipe.
Coring your apples can be a big task when baking; you might as well do it in style with this stainless steel version.
Thinly sliced, uniform twists make this spiral cutter unique for serving up fresh apples this Fall.
Some picky eaters have to remove the skin before they eat, and this hand-cranked countertop contraption will do the job (it also cores the apple simultaneously). The design is very industrial, implying a perfect peel every time.
For those of you who like overkill and all-in-one machines, I think this may be the one for you. Formerly marketed as the Spirooli, this shredder, slicer, chopper claims to maim any vegetable or fruit you can stuff into it.
Why not have your apples and eat them too? The design of the dehydrator is simple, and it makes storing foods for later use so easy to do.
I will argue with anyone who disclaims the validity of culinary creations as art. Having said that, here is a great way to prepare your fresh apples after you have cored, skinned and sliced them to enjoy.
At one time or another I’m sure we have all been seated at a table, or next to a table, that has used one of these tricks to accommodate less than favorable seating situations. Now they have been designed as novelty products.
This phonebook booster seat is hilarious, and functional too. I come from a generation where I really had to sit on a phone book or two when I was young.
Reminds me of the old sugar packet trick everyone has used to even the height of the table at a restaurant.
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.
