Best Specialty Tools & Gadgets
You can also use these large ice trays to make pretty ice spheres from colourful fruit juice, alcohol infusions, or add edible flowers, lemon slices or lime wedges to the water. PERFECT SPHERES OF ICE EVERY TIME: The sturdy plastic construction, leak proof design and water fill line make this ice tray fool proof and without messy water drips.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was able to get significantly clearer spheres of ice when I boiled tap water before freezing (I poured it into the mold while it was still hot)."
"I recently started drinking The Macallan single malt Scotch. While looking at merchandise on their website, I found an ice sphere press and wanted one immediately. Use as directed and you will achieve a clear practically perfect 2.5" sphere of ice each time. Hardly any dilution of my espresso and by the time I finished there were still 2 resonably large ice spheres in my glass that I could have continued to use in a refill."
"PRO TIP FOR SOLID CLEAR(er) ICE: Fill it with pre-boiled/filtered or distilled water, and place them upside down in a very small cooler with 1/2 inch of water. A cooler like this would be fine: MIER Soft Cooler Bag Small Insulated Lunch Box Bag for Kids, Girls, Boys(Green). You'll have to place your finger over the hole so it doesn't leak and make sure they stay level in the freezer."
"When running "warm" water over the mold to take out the ice -- Read carefully! Run your warm water over the soft silicone lid first and most (the dark colored part) because it just takes a little longer to get the soft silicone to release than it does the hard plastic part of the mold. When running the "warm" water over the silicone lid -- Take care not to just let the water run into the hole for expansion in the top of the lid. After you run your "warm" water all over everything and you remove the silicone top -- the ice sphere will remain inside the silicone portion of the mold and if you do not squeeze it out into the hard plastic part of the mold.... more than likely you will find yourself chasing a rolling, melting, ice sphere across your counter or across your floor and underneath a piece of furniture...."
"Balls work great though."
Track power usage for connected devices and figure out which devices use the most energy. Controlled from different devices and manage your home on your smartphone or tablet from anywhere.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"However, you can "skip" the account login part, face some vaguely dire-ish warning for doing so, and get into the app where you can easily register new devices and use them. If you happen to browse the Settings->Feeback section of the app, you will be treated to a few seconds of chinese text before the english version loads. A boot time, the device uses DHCP nicely, then resolves a hostname and proceeds to establish a websocket connection. - it is very likely possible to design a little websocket proxy that would put itself in between the device and its cloud, assuming the DNS server your DHCP server the device talks to is willing to point it at your proxy (custom router software like dd-wrt or tomato would be a great way to do that). - at that point, it's not terribly hard to imagine short-circuiting their cloud service altogether. In short, I strongly suspect this device can be hacked into being part of something greater than itself, although it seems like it may require having a little server sitting somewhere and being able/willing to tweak your LAN DNS configuration in slightly unusual ways."
"Sorry, I wanted to love this, but sadly it is a potential hazard and now I do not recommend this for safety in electronics is of utmost importance! Smart Outlet device is small enough to allow use of second plug on the wall receptacle. Between the safety certification issue & otherwise loving the overall unit & app performance = 3 stars on the fence."
"I had high hopes for this product but I could not get any of the 4 plugs to connect to my wireless 2.4Ghz network using different security protocols (WPA and WPA 2) and different encryption methods (AES or TKIP)."
If you would love to have ice in your drink, wouldn't you prefer Sphere Ice Balls? FROZ Ice Mold makes sphere ice that have smaller surface area relative to its mass and melts more slowly, chilling your drink evenly without diluting it - making it much preferred than traditional ice cubes. This makes it the freshest, cleanest tasting ice ever. - Our new ice ball molds make 4 x 4.5cm ice spheres that fit ever so perfectly in a rocks glass. Makes four stylish, elegant looking ice balls at a time and releases easily from the silicone ice mold tray without cracking. Sturdy silicone construction makes perfect, slow melting and elegant looking ice that can easily be removed from the ice mold tray.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The holes on the top are not to fill the trays as one might initially expect - rather, they are so water can expand and have some place to go. But, nevertheless, it's not too bad; in most cases, the water is below the level of the holes after you get used to filing the trays a few times. In the directions, they say you need to press up/down around the edge of each ball, in order to break the saturn like ring of ice. This seems to be the result of inclusions formed during freezing, so if you do something tricky to make perfectly clear ice (I've heard you can boil water, but have never tried that successfully) then perhaps this wouldn't be as common an issue. Still, even with a few of the spheres turning into half moons, it's still handy to have large balls of ice around."
"The mold is nice and flexible but that also make it a little difficult to work with when filling it with water and transporting it to the freezer."
"Would have worked better the first time I tried them had I read the instructions on how to fill them."
"PROS: -These don't take up much space in the freezer. -Nice to have 4 of these per tray. -Pretty easy to get the spheres out of the mold when frozen. CONS: -I have a 50% success filling these in the perfect way and creating true spheres. I'll try some of the tips others have mentioned for properly filling these and see if I have more success with consistently getting the sphere shape."
"DO NOT use the holes to fill up the mold!"
"100+ degrees , both our cups with the Froz Ice Balls ( 2 in each cup) ."
"It's also made me realize that silicone ice cube trays in general are awesome and I plan on getting more in other shapes and sizes."
"I purchased the ice ball maker for when I'm having a drink at home but ever since I got it, my wife has been taking my ice balls to put in her water bottle for the gym."
Best Can Crushers
Simply hold the large cushion grip handle and pull it down to crush cans into a much more manageable size for recycling. It is constructed of heavy. gauge steel with a large cushion grip handle and built-in bottle opener. Save space in your recycling area by crushing your cans easily and quickly. The sturdy all-steel construction is durable Includes a built-in bottle opener for multifunctional convenience. Mounting locations: Garages, Laundry Rooms, Pantries, Lower levels, Places of work, Recreational Property, Schools, RV's, Hunting Camps, and many more. THE CAN CRUSHER / SMASHER makes recycling a breeze: Recycle aluminum soda, pop, and beer cans. crusher can be used for 12 oz.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As with all, you need to dent in the can just a little first, then Squash Away. The side mounted pull-down bars do not bind against anything, and the main frame is pretty heavy powder coated metal. It came with the necessary 4 mounting screws (you'll have to provide your own wallboard anchors), and installation was straight forward. The Crush stroke does NOT go all the way to 180 degrees - rather just about 135 degrees - to full crush. There is a cutout in the bottom tray that is supposed to accommodate beer bottles - but mine failed to catch the underside of the beer cap. See Photos. Overall - I did not buy this to open beer bottles, but rather to crush soda cans, and for that, this is one of the best."
"My crusher could not crush the water bottles of cans that had a bottleneck type design so I went ahead and got this."
"Great for crushing cans and keeping things compact for limited space."
"Works as described and looks nice too."
"I had to replace the handle because it fell off almost right away."
"He’s gone through several can crushers in as many years (different brands) and has been frustrated by how easily they have broken."
"I smashed 140 cans in just a few minutes."
"Very solid, works quite well."
Best Cream Chargers & Whippers
As part of the Kilner Create And Make range, its practicality and rustic charm is ideal for any kitchen, allowing you to embrace a passion for the tradition of homemade butter. The handy recipe guide included in the set is a great starting resource for you to begin creating delicious butters in a range of exciting flavors. Along with the 34 fl oz Kilner Jar, and the Butter Churner mechanism, the set comes with easy to follow instructions for care and use, as well as a selection of tasty recipes for you to try at home. CREATE YOUR OWN INVENTIVE FLAVORS: Kilner Butter Churn brings the traditional method of butter churning into the 21st century, and allows you to create your own inventive flavors by adding herbs, spices, garlic or chilli, or whatever takes your fancy; STEP BY STEP RECIPES INCLUDED: Makes butter within 10 minutes of churning; Includes a selection of recipes and a step by step instruction guide; Cinnamon & Honey Butter, Parmesan Basil & Tomato Butter, Chili & Lime Butter and Buttermilk Fruit Scones.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great little gadget."
"Made great butter and feels like a solid unit."
"This works perfectly."
"Makes wonderful butter with very little effort!"
"Gears ground together causing metal shavings that could potentially end up in the jar."
"There's a set of gears and rotors to operate the churn and during the long, long time it takes to turn cream into butter, the gears work loose and no longer mesh which makes it impossible to continue turning the handle."
"cranking the handle whips the cream and when it gets to the point where it gets hard to turn the crank stops working."
Best Egg Separators
Crack the eggs into the top and gently tilt forward over a bowl to release the whites from the yolk. Perfect gift or present for your Mum Dad Uncle Niece Nephew Brother Sister Boyfriend Girlfriend Wife Children.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It looks really cool sitting up on the back of the stove but, ah yes, the sacred But, have yet to figure out how to get it right."
"We got one for each of our sons (22 & 23) for what we thought were going to be belated Christmas presentsThey are both into food so these are functional as well as hilarious."
"This is so much fun to use in the kitchen!"
"The perfect gift for a baker with a sense of humor."
"I bought 2, one for me and one for my daughter."
"Just as great and gross as the picture :)."
"Disgusting! Revolting!"
"I bought this for my grandmother, it reminds me of some of the German gnome folklore we heard about growing up she sets it on her windowsill and we have had many compliments because of it."
Best Funnels
Measures: 3" x 3" x 3" / 7.5cm x 7.5cm x 7.5cm. Set of three stainless steel funnels: Large Mouth: 2.75" / 7cm Stem: .5" / 1.25cm Medium Mouth: 2" / 5cm Stem: .4" / 1cm Small Mouth: 1.5" / 3.8cm Stem: .20" / .5cm. Each funnel has a perfectly narrow stem, ideal for filling small bottles and containers while keeping the kitchen counter free from spills. Small Mouth: 1.5" / 3.8cm Stem: .20" / .5cm.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My husband bought a gallon jug of Tabasco, so we are faced with a dilemma of pouring some of its contents into a smaller bottle for easier dispensing."
"I used the larger one for a hat on my Tin Man.."
"I find these funnels similar in size to the Norpro 243 3-Piece Plastic Funnel Set, however the plastic set has a tapered stem while the stainless steel set is straight."
"I'm not sure why the funnel has a crease on the part that's inserted in the bottle, it slows down thick sauces to the point of stoppage."
"I am also finding other places in my kitchen where small funnels are useful beyond my original purchase."
"These work very well for adding a powdered drink mix to a fairly small bottle of water."
"I didn't notice the lip in the pictures, but it is great for preventing spills outside the funnel."
""Downside" is that the tube part has a slight rim/flange to it where it meets the inside of the cup part, and you can see in the pic it's more like a basin with a little tube attached vs a funnel."
Best Honey Jars
Fill glass base with 1/3C / 3oz of hot water to prevent honey from crystallizing around spout. A sophisticated alternative to those pudgy plastic honey bears, this honey dispenser releases a thin drizzle of honey into your tea or steamed milk or on top of toast, hot cereal, pancakes or cornbread. When you press the spring trigger, which is attached to the lid, honey flows from the glass nipple at the bottom of the dispenser. To prevent honey from forming a crust at the bottom, limiting the flow, rinse the glass nipple after use. Set the glass in the base to keep honey or syrup fresh and soft.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Your best bet to avoid raw honey from crystalizing is keeping the dippers, spoons, knives OUT of the jar. You have to plan ahead and not just pull out the stopper and watch the honey run all over the floor. 1) Open the jar of honey you will use to refill the dispenser and set the lid upside down onto the counter."
"It has been filled with local organic honey and on display on my kitchen counter for less than two days. It hasn't leaked, and is easily filled with honey or syrup by using a bit of common sense."
"The water heats up the honey making it easy to flow from the dispenser."
"The plugs fit perfectly in the bottom so you can fill up the bottle and when you insert the plunger it pushes out the plug leaving no sticky mess."
"This works great and I love that it's glass although, I would prefer a metal handle to plastic and would have been wiling to pay more for that but I use it almost daily and everyone who stops at my coffee bar has to touch it."
"I love using this - I fill it with honey and leave on the table for quick access to add to food, drinks, etc."
"i just put honey yesterday morning and the drip cup was more than half way full when i came back from office."
"I have little confidence that this design with plastic parts will last longer - I will update this review after using the dispenser for some time. Please note the Use and Care Instructions: it is recommended to fill the base with water - I see how that would work but I do not care myself too much about the idea of having to worry about spilling water mixed with honey ..."
Best Ice Cube Molds & Trays
Style Name: Sphere Mold. Whether it is our Spatulart silicone spatulas, our assortment of frozen pop molds or our whimsically shaped ice molds, we strive to add a colorful element of fun to each of our items, to do just that. You can also use these large ice trays to make pretty ice spheres from colourful fruit juice, alcohol infusions, or add edible flowers, lemon slices or lime wedges to the water. PERFECT SPHERES OF ICE EVERY TIME: The sturdy plastic construction, leak proof design and water fill line make this ice tray fool proof and without messy water drips.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was able to get significantly clearer spheres of ice when I boiled tap water before freezing (I poured it into the mold while it was still hot)."
"PRO TIP FOR SOLID CLEAR(er) ICE: Fill it with pre-boiled/filtered or distilled water, and place them upside down in a very small cooler with 1/2 inch of water. A cooler like this would be fine: MIER Soft Cooler Bag Small Insulated Lunch Box Bag for Kids, Girls, Boys(Green). You'll have to place your finger over the hole so it doesn't leak and make sure they stay level in the freezer."
"I recently started drinking The Macallan single malt Scotch. While looking at merchandise on their website, I found an ice sphere press and wanted one immediately. Use as directed and you will achieve a clear practically perfect 2.5" sphere of ice each time. Hardly any dilution of my espresso and by the time I finished there were still 2 resonably large ice spheres in my glass that I could have continued to use in a refill."
"I was hesitant at first not understanding how this would make a Ice ball, but after receiving it I could easily tell how it works. Unlike other rubber trays which can easily bend and release the trays, with this mold, I would need to smack it a few times or gently hit it against something for the ice to pop out."
"The molds worked great."
Best Ice Pop Molds
Kids and kids-at-heart alike will enjoy making and eating these cool treats, and at 3 fluid ounces each, they’re the perfect size for an afternoon snack or dessert. BPA and phthalate free; Classic Pop Mold has 3 Fl Oz capacity; do not wash the Zoku Classic Pop Molds in the Dishwasher, clean with mild soap and water.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So here's a photo of two of them."
"Something you have to shake your head at and wonder how you have managed to walk among others for so long and they haven't yet figured out that you're totally bonkers? My son got these molds and made some with fresh fruit and white grape juice."
"These popsicle molds are OK. The lip needs to be higher to hold more liquid."
"I added a little clip on basket from an old dish drainer I replaced recently, to the front of the top rack in which to place the sticks and bottom covers and it worked so well, I'm leaving it permanently in place for small items like that that need top rack washing only."
"The shape is a little odd, and doesn't necessarily lend itself well to recipes that call for solid ingredients (gummy bears and sprite had a great start but a boring end, since the gummies sank to the bottom.)."
"Getting good (and affordable) no sugar pops in stores is not easy and this little gizmo has already paid for itself several times over since the Trader Joe's Coconut Water Ice Floes disappeared and I started making my own version. I need a few more sets so I can have different kinds of pops all going at once (and backup pops freezing because we eat a LOT of popsicles around here.)."
"NO mention of the actual brand Zoku on the box, the Popsicle mold, nor directions."
"They look cute, and probably make nice little round pops, but the handle and cap do not actually fit on and seal to the base part."
Best Ice-Cream Scoops
Dig in with the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop. Pointed tip easily scoops even hard ice cream.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My son is autistic and VERY picky, so in order to get him the nutrition he needs we have to sneak protein powder, fruits and veggies into a vitamix smoothie for him every day and mask it all with a couple scoops of sorbet or frozen yogurt. We have now broken more cheap store bought ice cream scoops than I can count. I had finally had it with the cheap generic store brands and decided to search for and buy a real, solid, well made scoop that would work well and last longer than a few weeks. I have had great experiences with other OXO products (see my reviews) so I decided to give this scoop a try. The first time I picked this scoop up I felt like I was lifting the hammer of Thor, and that's exactly what I wanted!! It's so easy to maneuver into all corners of the carton and to break the surface to get that first good scoop even when frozen solid."
"This peaked design makes quick work of preparing a dish of your favorite frozen treat. The features claim that it's dishwasher safe, but I'm not so sure."
"Although it is strong, it has thin edges that help cut through the frozen ice cream. I recommend this - it is stainless, strong and the tapered thin edges cut through the ice cream. I use our insta-hot or just place in a cup of hot water for a few seconds - then it glides through ice cream."
"The thermal mass in the spoon part is nice too, but you don't really need to melt your way into the ice cream, because this cuts it and curls it easily."
"This is the one you need to buy."
"This is, hands down, the best ice cream scoop that I have ever used."
"My favorite ice cream scooper."
"This is a very good ice cream scooper."
Best Nut Crackers
The Hillary Nutcracker will stand upright and has internal stainless steel components and spring. Stainless steel teeth secured inside upper legs to grip and crack nuts in their shell.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My husband and his buddies love using this!"
"I received this Package as a Present for a Relative."
"The back of the box has funny quotes (of course not true at all) from random people - Obama, Giuliani, McCain, etc."
"big hit a white elephant gift exchange."
"This made for the perfect white elephant gift last Christmas but I notice that the price has gone up since Hillary is running for President!"
"Box is ripped and wrapped in Saran Wrap, I didn’t order used and this looks like it was owned previously, kinda lame to give this as a gift as it’s wrapped in plastic wrap."
Best Splatter Screens
Our splash shield will trap all the hot oil splatter and leave your kitchen sparkling clean. Finally, you can cook a big pot of tomato sauce without the lid on and check on the food while steam escapes perfectly and you have zero worries about messy splatter. The tool will save its original form and last for years thanks to thick stainless steel and rustproof wire mesh. Made of 304 grade stainless steel and extra fine mesh, BergKoch splatter guard stops 97% of splash, lets all the steam out and allows you to watch the cooking process easily. Give your splatter screen a wipe and wash it under running water or simply place in a dishwasher. BergKoch is a small family company engaged in production and distribution of premium kitchenware in the USA, Canada and Europe. Our mission is to help people of all walks of life to enjoy cooking at home by providing them with affordable high-grade kitchen utensils. We are dedicated to providing highest quality kitchen products for clients that seek deluxe kitchenware online. We take pride in providing premium products at affordable prices combined with the best service and fast shipping. Protects from hot oil and keeps kitchen clean: Made of 304 grade stainless steel and extra fine mesh, BergKoch splatter guard stops 97% of splash, lets all the steam out and allows you to watch the cooking process easily.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My last splatter screen didn't hold up well (it actually melted because it was 100% silicon) so I'm happy to have one that I know will last a very long time (forever right - lifetime guarantee :-). Highly recommend this high quality splatter screen from a great company with superior customer service."
"Recently remodeled kitchen and this helps to control splatters and keeps area cleaner."
"They are sturdy and well made, with a very fine mesh to reduce grease splatter."
"Haven't had the chance to use it yet, but it seems very well built, and not flimsy like most."
"Helps keep the grease splatter from sautéing off the stove top and counters, etc."
"quick and easy transaction, and the screen sits nicely on the rim of my new T-fal E93808 Professional Total Nonstick Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Fry Pan, 12.5 Inch."
"I felt some hot oil on my hands while standing close to the pan."
"I made a mistake and I got to high flame in my stove so it burned a little, but I sent massage toCustomer service and they help me.in solving the problem."
Best Ice-Cream Servers & Slicers
Carlisle 10-inches diameter accommodates standard 3 gallons ice cream tubs. Extra insulation surrounds refrigerant gel for maximum cold retention. Coldmaster system eliminates the inconvenience and mess of ice, as well as reduces the potential of bacterial growth. Keeps ice cream frozen up to 8 hours when charged overnight.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Ordered this for a graduation party and it kept two 3 gallon ice cream tubs (One at a time of course) the perfect temperature for six straight hours."
"We have used it once with a 3 gallon tub of ice cream that fit right into the ice cream server."
"Did an amazing job keeping ice cream cold, outdoors in 90 + degree heat and oppressive humidity, for 5 hours."
"Absolutely great, used at outdoor weddings, indoor functions, ice cream stayed frozen for at least 3 hours before starting to get "droopy", wish I had room for several of them."
"Very useful and keeps ice cream cold for over 8 hours!"
"Did an outdoor catering event."
"Works great and is very useful for doing our off site caterings !"
"Fantastic , I just put my open container of ice cream in it and put the lid on ."
Best Rock Salts
Our salt plate holder eliminates excess pressure to any one area of your plate, while protecting fragile edges and extending the salt plate's life. As your salt plate begins to wear down, you will get more use of the cooking surface by using the holder as a frame to hold together the pieces of salt. If you have any concerns with your salt plate or salt plate holder, Charcoal Companion will refund or replace immediately. Set Includes 8" by 12" Salt Plate and Porcelain-Coated Steel Salt Plate Holder.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have an electric stove so I purchased two Quiche Pans (Round) with Removable Bottom to put over the burners, and it worked well to create an air gap. The scallops and shrimp were amazing on the salt block, but I recommend you drain the food well and pat dry with a paper towel before cooking."
"The only problem is that you can't really cook more than 3 different things or the last thing is too salty."
"I brushed a little oil on the block and cracked two eggs. Maybe the block wasn't hot enough to cook them quickly."
"I purchased this for my father-in-law and instantly became jealous."
"cooking side is perfectly smooth except of edges bottom is a little cavernous."
"Thankfully I was not standing there with the grill lid open when it exploded."
"Beautiful stone and awesome idea but the fish and veggies were way too salty."
"BE CAREFUL WHEN HEATING- IT Exploded."