A folding digital kitchen scale that uses kinetic energy to help you go battery-free

If you don’t always measure ingredients in the kitchen, you might want to get a scale that doesn’t take up space or even needs batteries when it comes time to use it.

There are many things we take for granted until we realize we need them, and they are nowhere to be found. That goes for pens, blank sheets of paper, working batteries, or kitchen scales. Of course, these are also easy to purchase and keep, but you might not always need them all the time. One kitchen scale is designed to stay out of the way when you don’t need it and just work when you do, without having to worry whether it still has a battery inside when you need it the most.

Design: CASO

Kitchen scales come in all shapes, sizes, and designs, both the analog kind as well as more modern digital ones. In almost all cases, they take the same rectangular or circular plates that can take up precious shelf space. Digital scales, of course, also require power to function, mostly from batteries.

CASO’s Kitchen Ecostyle throws all that down the drain, so to speak. You might not even recognize it as a kitchen scale because of its unconventional design. It looks almost like a fat rectangular compass or protractor, with one leg that fans out to the side. This creates a gap where you can securely place a bowl that is too big to balance on the scale’s closed form safely.

Moving that leg also serves another purpose, though. It generates kinetic energy that is used to power the digital scale, at least for a short period. Not only will you no longer have to worry about batteries, but you also won’t have to be afraid of the batteries corroding over time when not in use. You can simply use the scale and then stow it away in a drawer or on some shelf without having to worry about a potential fire or chemical hazard in your kitchen.

The odd shape might need a bit of getting used to, but the benefits outweigh that brief learning curve. The CASO Kitchen Ecostyle’s unique form takes up less space than most other kitchen scales while also providing the power needed to use it. Along with its stainless steel construction, this makes it one of the most sustainable and environment-friendly kitchen scales you’d find in the market.

The post A folding digital kitchen scale that uses kinetic energy to help you go battery-free first appeared on Yanko Design.

Cook the perfect single serve of rice with this portable Japanese rice cooker!

Rice…I don’t think it gets appreciated enough so I am going to tell you how rice is a global food icon. It is found in every country and every cuisine, rice can be fancy gourmet and also comfort home food. Rice can be had for any day of the meal, unlike ‘breakfast for dinner’ no one says ‘rice for dinner’ or lunch or brunch because it can truly be eaten anytime, anywhere. Now that we all agree on its omnipresence in the food world, the Thanko Electric Bento rice cooker is here to make rice omnipresent – literally. This portable cooker will let you cook a bowl of warm rice wherever you are!

It is a perfect gadget for those who want to cook a single-serve in a short time and the LED light will glow when it is ready. It is very optimal for those who travel often or want fresh food at the office instead of takeout. The cooker has the capacity to cook 6 ounces of rice at a time and comes with a measuring cup for convenience. Add water, rice (pro tip: salt the water or use chicken broth to up the flavor!) and depending on the ounces it should be cooked between 14 and 20 minutes. Unlike the usual cookers, this particular device doesn’t let out steam or make any noise so it is discreet enough to use practically anywhere. It only weighs 2 pounds and is compact enough to fit easily in your bag.

What I love the most is that you can eat the rice directly from the container after cooking and that means fewer dishes to do! Rice is a quick meal that goes with everything, and Thanko lets you eat some anywhere, leaving your stomach full and soul feeling fulfilled.

Designer: Thanko.

A coffee grinder that fits your millennial interior aesthetic

My day only really starts once I have had my cup of coffee. To me, it is not a beverage but a life-juice that awakens my mind and my soul! Being a coffee enthusiast, I have a whole mini barista set up in my kitchen – the espresso machine, the steam wand, the tamper – all of it. But what most of us skip is the coffee grinder and it is truly a taste-altering step. This shaded coffee grinder by Husky Design will tempt you into making coffee the right way!

Coffee grinders add a whole new level of “fresh” to your beverage, there is a different quality that bubbles up when you grind whole beans and use it in your machine rather than pre-packaged grounds. Especially when the coffee grinder looks this sleek, how can you not want to get a machine just so that you get to use this grinder? It almost looks so smooth as if it was carved from one piece of glass. The minimal yet eye-catching bright button seamlessly fits into the lid which has a translucent top to give you a peek at your beans.

Unlike the usual black or grey coffee grinders, the gradient shades of this radiate a happy feeling and give the underrated gadget a colorful personality. For me personally, the whizzing sound of the coffee grinder also wakes me up, it is like a sound signal to my brain that we must start functioning which is then rewarded by the smell of fresh grounds. Take that extra step and grind your beans, you will love coffee even more (if that is still a possibility)!

Designer: Husky Design

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You can now barbeque on the cooktop of this multifunctional induction plate!

There are some of us who love food and want to cook some gourmet level stuff but are quickly intimidated by the complex instructions for using appliances. If you are trying to bake a dish that also requires you to sauté ingredients, it could be easy to mess up what level of heat should be used where. It is daunting, especially if you have just graduated from cooking pasta and want to move on to some grilled chicken! The need for a simpler appliance that makes cooking easier for beginners resulted in this conceptual multifunctional electric baking plate made by a student who probably wants to fill the gap she experiences herself!

The electric baking plate has a very modern and minimal design, unlike the usual bulky ovens or gas stoves. It has a black cooktop with a bordering aluminum finish which gives it an elegant aesthetic that will fit the interior theme of any kitchen. The cooktop also has markings to show the hot points and simple logos for the user to choose from three settings – warm, grill and fry. Another underrated feature that I love in modern kitchen appliances like this one is the digital display for the temperature – it really makes things easier and you don’t have to worry about the degree marks fading over time!

The temperature can be adjusted using the dials that seamlessly fit on the grey border and it also allows you to set two different temperatures for two halves of the cooktop – now you can fry some crispy bacon and make soft scrambled eggs at the same time – this is HUGE because one always gets cold while the other is done. This multifunctional electric baking plate also comes with modular attachments so you can attempt to do a Korean hot-pot or barbeque with your friends without investing in a separate appliance – truly a blessing!

Designer: Y 君

This wall-mounted microwave is the perfect addition to any tiny living space!

Today, it has become increasingly important to own gadgets and appliances that are efficient, effective and space-saving. When it comes to kitchen appliances such as microwaves and ovens, they do tend to be bulky and space-consuming. They’re complex to operate, and the whole process of inserting and removing a dish via the little door can be tedious. Hence designer Kevin Choi designed the Wall-Mountable Oven. Choi’s microwave is a smart one, that as its name implies can be mounted upon a wall.

Designer: Kevin Choi

Winner of the iF Student Design Award 2016, the microwave can be easily mounted upon any kitchen in the wall. Its dome-like structure creates an ergonomic form that is easy to access and operate. To be honest it almost reminds me of a Stormtrooper for some reason!

You simply press a button that brings down its front cover, which doubles up as the platform to place your dish upon. You then pull down the main cover, enclosing your dish within the microwave. The entire act reminds me of putting on a helmet, and then sliding down the visor, for some reason!

The main cover features a touch screen menu, where you control the settings for the microwave oven. Simply put in the temperature and time, and wait for your favorite snack to get heated up! Owing to the cover’s translucent nature, you can watch it cook away. Space-saving, intuitive, and not to mention fun to use, the Wall-Mountable Oven is the kind of modern kitchen appliance we need for our modern homes. Also, an extra brownie point for its cool futuristic looks!

Is this panini spatula the greatest 21st century invention or another dust gathering kitchen tool?

Whenever a one of a kind product comes out, it always sparks some form of debate. We have the enthusiasts and then the naysayers. I guess you could say the same for the Chef’n Panini Spatula. There are those who doubt its relevance and actual usage in a kitchen, but for anyone who has burnt their fingers while trying to pick up a panini or sandwich from the grill, you know the potential this product possesses!

Williams Sonoma’s Chef’n Panini Spatula has one aim; to be your handy sidekick while you prepare some paninis. It’s your usual everyday spatula except it has a “strip down the center of the handle (that) guides slicing”. The wide platform helps to scoop the sandwich off the grill preventing any collateral damage to your fingertips. It “simplifies lifting even the largest sandwiches.” Now the slit down the middle allows you to place a knife within it, enabling you to hold down the sandwich, and cut it in half without any of your precious ingredients oozing out!

Of course, the question arises whether such a product is even needed in our kitchens, but for home cooks like me whose fall back option after a long tiring day is always the humble sandwich, the Chef’n Spatula is sure going to make my life easier!

Designer- Williams Sonoma

Beat Your Meat with Thor’s Hammer

If you like to tenderize your meat into submission before cooking it, we have the tool for you. This meat beater looks like Thor’s Mjolnir hammer, and if thy are worthy of the most tender cutlets, you can wield it.

Underground Toys’ little kitchen gadget is official Marvel merchandise, and unlike Thor’s regular hammer, it has nubs on each side to pound meats of all sorts for the best tenderness and making the flattest cutlets. The hammer has print on the side that reads, “Whosoever holds this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of… Thor.” It also has a silicone grip, so your hands don’t slip during your meat beating sessions.

Get one at GameStop for $24.99. This would go perfectly with that Thor hammer toolset.

[via Comicbook]

This Contraption Makes Cold Brew Coffee, Not Frankenstein’s Monster

A quick glance at this unique device over at Hammacher Schlemmer, and you most certainly wouldn’t think this is a coffee maker. It looks more like something you would use to infuse embalming fluid into Frankenstein’s monster. But it is, in fact a Japanese slow-drip coffee maker. It’s made of fancy wood and brass with a glass sphere and cylinders to hold your brew.

You put 100 ounces of ice water in the glass sphere up top and the spigots over the glass cylinders allow you to adjust the strength of the brew by controlling how slowly the water drips out. Coffee grounds are placed in the top of each cylinder with a filter as the cold water passes through Chinese water torture style.

The drip speed can be controlled from eight to 16-hours, which is a long time to wait for coffee if you need it in the morning. Word is that the cold brew concoction can be stored in the fridge for up to a week to maintain the rich and bitterness-free flavor cold brew coffee is known for. This thing stands 41″ (h) x 11 3/4″ (w) x 11 3/4″ (d), and weighs in at 20.5 pounds, and will set you back the princely sum of $1,950.

Sword Cheese Grater is Perfect for Marcus Aurelius Cheficus

We all need to grate cheese, at least those normal among us do. I say normal because only an insane person doesn’t need nachos in their lives every now and again. You could grate your cheese with a normal boxy grater liek your grandma did, or you could get an awesome cheese grater.

This one is shaped like a Roman sword and has a hilt for a handle. It looks to grate up cheese in a fine pattern, but it all melts the same.

The fine grate mens it’s probably meant for parmesan and the like, but I’d totally grate cheddar for nachos. It’s not like any kitchen enemies could stand before the might of this grater and question your recipe prowess. Are you not entertained?

[via The Awesomer]

GetTen One-Step Corn Kerneler Gives Corn Cobs a Close Shave

I am definitely a big fan of corn on the cob. It tastes way better than corn from a can, especially when you slather the corn on the cob with lots of butter and Cajun seasoning then grill it. I also loathe corn on the cob. The corn never ceases to get stuck as deeply as possible in my teeth so I end up picking kernels out with toothpicks the rest of the day. It’s a real love/hate relationship.

kerneler-1

This kitchen gadget might be the perfect answer to my corn-cerns. It looks like a donut, but is made to slide over your cob and neatly cut off all the kernels. That means the same buttery, spicy flavor that you get on the cob only you don’t get as much stuck in your teeth.

kerneler-3 kerneler-4 kerneler-5 kerneler-6 kerneler-2

I’m no corn expert, but some cobs definitely have more girth than others, and this thing is supposed to adjust to the width of the cob too. There are lots of other weird kitchen gadgets out there, but this is the one I want most. You can pick one up on Amazon for $6.99(USD).

[via GeekyHostess]