Probably one of the most powerful moments in the history of human unity, the fall of the Berlin Wall was eagerly watched all across the world. As the bricks crumbled, a physical and metaphorical barrier was broken between East and West Germany, marking the official and symbolic end of the Cold War. In this rather dystopian time we live in, it’s difficult to come across such moments of kindred spirit and brother/sisterhood… so the watchmakers and history-buffs at Col&MacArthur decided to turn this moment into a wristwatch. Aptly titled “Wind of Change”, the watch references the popular Scorpions song on the historic event. Not only does it come with a seal of approval from the band itself, but each timepiece actually has a small fragment of the Berlin Wall embedded in its dial and an authentic piece of guitar string from the Scorpions’ guitar, allowing you to wear literal history on your wrist!
Designer: Sebastien Colen
Click Here to Buy Now: $539.1$599 (Use Coupon Code “FREEDOM1989” to get 10% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours. Limited Edition!
Officially launched in partnership with the Scorpions, this exceptional watch features an authentic fragment of the former Berlin Wall covering half of the dial.
Like the song, the Wind of Change watch simultaneously addresses the pain of the past as well as the optimism of the future. Those feelings don’t coexist peacefully, and that’s reflected in the watch’s unique design. The Wind of Change timepiece showcases a one-of-a-kind shattered dial with one half exposing a concrete fragment of the Berlin wall, and another housing a textured dial that features the date of the fall of the wall through the indexes as well as the name of the collection “wind of change”. Look carefully and you’ll see the crack between the two halves traces the actual contour of the Berlin wall, separating the watch into East and West zones. The crack also travels from the 0 to the 28th-minute mark, symbolizing the 28 long years that the wall stood between the two factions of Berlin.
The premium model hosts an authentic piece of guitar string from the Scorpions.
The back cover with the Scorpions logo.
The watch comes in Quartz as well as Automatic variants with a Swiss Normtech 703 and a Swiss Sellita SW200-1 movement respectively. Both designs look identical in their appearance, barring the inclusion of an authentic Scorpions guitar string (taken from their 2023 tour) in the Automatic variant. The fragment of the wall differs from watch to watch too, showcasing a unique part of the original wall, making each watch as individual as a human fingerprint.
The watch comes approved by the Scorpions band
The watch’s design comes co-signed by the Scorpions band itself, along with a seal of approval from Universal Music. Each watch has a graphic of five white doves mid-flight (from the single cover of Wind of Change) at the 3 o’clock position, along with the Scorpions band logo etched onto the watch back cover. The watch is also accompanied by certificates of authenticity of the provenance of the Berlin Wall fragment, and for the automatic version, authenticity of a piece of string from a Scorpions guitar, used to play “Wind of Change” on their last tour.
There’s a beautiful and painful dichotomy to the watch’s design. It embeds history into its classic form factor so elegantly and with the kind of rawness that is sure to evoke strong emotion. For people who were alive, the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall was a true moment of celebration for all of humanity, much like the moon landing. I’d venture that we haven’t had too many such moments of global oneness since, which is what makes this moment (and the watch) so special. While the watch comes in both Quartz and Automatic variants, the latter is limited to 1989 units each, marking the year in which the Berlin Wall was broken down.
Click Here to Buy Now: $539.1$599 (Use Coupon Code “FREEDOM1989” to get 10% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours. Limited Edition!
Probably one of the most powerful moments in the history of human unity, the fall of the Berlin Wall was eagerly watched all across the world. As the bricks crumbled, a physical and metaphorical barrier was broken between East and West Germany, marking the official and symbolic end of the Cold War. In this rather dystopian time we live in, it’s difficult to come across such moments of kindred spirit and brother/sisterhood… so the watchmakers and history-buffs at Col&MacArthur decided to turn this moment into a wristwatch. Aptly titled “Wind of Change”, the watch references the popular Scorpions song on the historic event. Not only does it come with a seal of approval from the band itself, but each timepiece actually has a small fragment of the Berlin Wall embedded in its dial and an authentic piece of guitar string from the Scorpions’ guitar, allowing you to wear literal history on your wrist!
Designer: Sebastien Colen
Click Here to Buy Now: $539.1$599 (Use Coupon Code “FREEDOM1989” to get 10% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours. Limited Edition!
Officially launched in partnership with the Scorpions, this exceptional watch features an authentic fragment of the former Berlin Wall covering half of the dial.
Like the song, the Wind of Change watch simultaneously addresses the pain of the past as well as the optimism of the future. Those feelings don’t coexist peacefully, and that’s reflected in the watch’s unique design. The Wind of Change timepiece showcases a one-of-a-kind shattered dial with one half exposing a concrete fragment of the Berlin wall, and another housing a textured dial that features the date of the fall of the wall through the indexes as well as the name of the collection “wind of change”. Look carefully and you’ll see the crack between the two halves traces the actual contour of the Berlin wall, separating the watch into East and West zones. The crack also travels from the 0 to the 28th-minute mark, symbolizing the 28 long years that the wall stood between the two factions of Berlin.
The premium model hosts an authentic piece of guitar string from the Scorpions.
The back cover with the Scorpions logo.
The watch comes in Quartz as well as Automatic variants with a Swiss Normtech 703 and a Swiss Sellita SW200-1 movement respectively. Both designs look identical in their appearance, barring the inclusion of an authentic Scorpions guitar string (taken from their 2023 tour) in the Automatic variant. The fragment of the wall differs from watch to watch too, showcasing a unique part of the original wall, making each watch as individual as a human fingerprint.
The watch comes approved by the Scorpions band
The watch’s design comes co-signed by the Scorpions band itself, along with a seal of approval from Universal Music. Each watch has a graphic of five white doves mid-flight (from the single cover of Wind of Change) at the 3 o’clock position, along with the Scorpions band logo etched onto the watch back cover. The watch is also accompanied by certificates of authenticity of the provenance of the Berlin Wall fragment, and for the automatic version, authenticity of a piece of string from a Scorpions guitar, used to play “Wind of Change” on their last tour.
There’s a beautiful and painful dichotomy to the watch’s design. It embeds history into its classic form factor so elegantly and with the kind of rawness that is sure to evoke strong emotion. For people who were alive, the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall was a true moment of celebration for all of humanity, much like the moon landing. I’d venture that we haven’t had too many such moments of global oneness since, which is what makes this moment (and the watch) so special. While the watch comes in both Quartz and Automatic variants, the latter is limited to 1989 units each, marking the year in which the Berlin Wall was broken down.
Click Here to Buy Now: $539.1$599 (Use Coupon Code “FREEDOM1989” to get 10% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours. Limited Edition!
We’ve all been through those panicked moments when we try to scramble for a pen or even a pencil and neither is in sight, let alone within reach. Thanks to a renaissance of paper notebooks and analog productivity systems, it’s no longer weird to be carrying a writing instrument with you all the time, sometimes even in your pocket. Not all pens and pencils, however, are made to be shoved in pockets, especially when it comes to pencils that have fragile leads that easily break at the slightest pressure. But what if you had a writing tool that never ran out of ink, never needed to be sharpened, and never snapped in two when you accidentally sat on it? That’s the kind of handwriting bliss that the Pocket Everlasting Metal Pencil brings to your pocket, bag, or EDC toolkit, ensuring you’ll have something to write down your thoughts with at the moment that inspiration strikes.
Although an ink pen is the preferred tool for jotting down notes, some prefer the centuries-old pencil for its more forgiving and expressive properties. That’s mostly thanks to the nature of the graphite core that leaves its unique mark on paper or other mediums. But whether the pencil is traditional or mechanical, it has the almost innate drawback of needing to be sharpened or replaced because the “lead” has become dull or has broken off. When that happens, not only does your flow of thought get broken as well, you also start to get stressed while scrambling for a sharpener or replacement leads.
This all-metal pocket pencil removes that weakness by using an ingenious special alloy core that barely needs sharpening or not at all. That alloy, however, still contains graphite so it leaves the same marks that a regular clay or charcoal-based pencil would. In other words, you get the same writing experience and quality as a 2H pencil, but without the hassles of “running out” of lead or even ink.
What makes this everlasting pencil even more special is its size. At only 4.7 inches (120mm) long, it is the perfect length to keep in your pocket so you always have it at hand when you need it. At the same time, it isn’t too short to make writing for long periods of time uncomfortable. It strikes the perfect balance between portability and ergonomics, something that a regular pencil can’t even achieve.
The design of the pencil is quite distinctive as well, sporting a faceted metal barrel with a matte texture that improves your grip and prevents the pencil from rolling off desks. It also comes with a rather cute leather cap so you don’t accidentally leave marks inside your pockets. Whether you’re scribbling notes or drafting your next designs, you can enjoy a stress-free and expressive writing experience by having this everlasting all-metal pencil always in your pocket.
An indomitable force in the 3D Rendering space, KeyShot has announced “The KeyShot Colorway Rendering Challenge”, inviting designers to participate and win a free year of KeyShot Pro, Rendering Masterclasses from Will Gibbons, and many more prizes. The challenge is simple – explore KeyShot’s vast color library and render a product (any product of your choice) in multiple color variants. The contest, being held on Instagram, is open to all designers and is free to enter. Participants can download a free trial of KeyShot’s latest 2023 software, exploring its myriad of rendering features including the upgraded color library, 3D Paint, CMF Documentation, etc.
Download and Install KeyShot and use the trial code KSCOLOR23 to get free access
Render your product in multiple color variants
Submit your entry by uploading and sharing your visuals on Instagram. Use the hashtag #KeyShotColorway
The competition, which ends on December 8th 2023, will be judged by Karim Merchant (KeyShot Senior Industrial Design & Creative Specialist), Saskia Failla (KeyShot Creative Specialist), and Jan Simon (KeyShot Product Manager). Winners will be entitled to a free 1-year subscription to KeyShot Pro and KeyShot Web, free 1-week access to KeyShot Farms cloud rendering (64-cores), access to a Will Gibbons Rendering Masterclass, and have their winning designs showcased on KeyShot’s Blog, Social Media, Newsletter, as well as the KeyShot Startup Window for the tens of thousands of people using KeyShot every day.
Benoit Fraylon takes the Revuelto for a visual spin with his color explorations on the car’s angular body. Here we look at a matte-finish silver Revuelto, but Fraylon’s Instagram Post also explores chrome, electric blue, and a rather oddly appealing granite pattern!
Apple QuickTake 2024 by Caleb Taylor
I was today years old when I learnt that Apple actually designed (and sold) a point-and-shoot camera back in 1994. Dubbed the QuickTake, it is believed to be the first step in Apple’s digital photography dominance, and a spiritual successor to the iPhone. Caleb reinvented that point-and-shoot camera into a tiny iPhone-inspired action cam, giving it an adjustable screen, three lenses, and a few gorgeous color options in his IG post.
Meindl Boots by Bradley Brister
Bradley’s Instagram Post puts Meindl’s outdoor boots in their right setting. Nestled in a forest setting amidst some tufts of grass and rocky terrain, the boots look rather inviting with their vibrant yet outdoor-friendly color schemes. The red might be a little too eye-catching amidst the wilderness, but that yellow ocher looks absolutely divine, and for the more visually conservative, the olive green makes for a great pick.
Porsche Carrera Recaro Seat by Glen Cordle
Most sportscar interiors try to mimic the edginess of the car’s exteriors, but Glen Cordle wants variety. His Instagram Post highlights a few neat CMF options for the Porsche Carrera’s seat (manufactured by Recaro), ranging from a racy red black and white, to a rather classic houndstooth and suede variant that I honestly can’t get my eyes off of!
Fountain Pen by Rob Adams
There will come a time in our lifetimes when the fountain pen becomes as unrecognizable to younger generations as the audio cassette or floppy disk… but until then, it deserves every bit of spotlight possible. A successor to the quill, the fountain pen has remained one of the most powerful symbols of literature and even of leadership, given the fact that almost every law, treaty, and bill has been signed using a fountain pen. Rob Adams adds a bit of CMF exploration to the almighty pen in his, experimenting with classic colors like rose gold, but even pushing the boundaries with this fire-inspired variant, and even a transparent version, visible in his Instagram Post!
In the realm of musical craftsmanship, Harley Benton has raised the bar with its recent unveiling of a captivating range of do-it-yourself guitar kits. This innovative lineup not only offers musicians the opportunity to assemble their own instruments but also encourages a unique and personalized approach to guitar building. The collection includes four distinct models, each designed to cater to the diverse preferences and styles of guitarists. Among them, the standout is the unconventional square guitar, accompanied by a thin-line T-style model and left-handed S- and T-style models.
Guitars are not just instruments; they are extensions of a musician’s identity and style. Recognizing this, Harley Benton’s DIY guitar kits acknowledge the personal connection individuals have with their instruments. These kits provide a canvas for musicians to express themselves not just through their playing but also through the process of building a guitar tailored to their preferences.
Each DIY kit is meticulously curated to include all the essential components required to build a complete instrument. From strings to pickups, body, and more, these kits are designed to offer a seamless and satisfying building experience. The standard Rengas body, with variations in wood color, is accompanied by maple necks, providing a sturdy foundation for creativity. Musicians can choose to paint the body or leave it in its natural state, with the added convenience of pre-prepared routing for pickups, tuners, bridge, and electronics.
Harley Benton recognizes that true creativity lies in customization. The kits come with bodies and necks finished with a wood sealer, facilitating easy application of lacquer for those who wish to add a personal touch to the aesthetics. The square model, for instance, comes with 22 frets, one volume and one tone control, a three-way switch, a Tune-O-Matic bridge, and two humbuckers, offering versatility and the potential for musicians to craft their unique sound.
There’s a special connection that comes with creating something with your own hands. Building a guitar from scratch provides not only a sense of accomplishment but also a deeper understanding and appreciation for the instrument. When musicians invest time and effort into crafting their guitars, they naturally develop a stronger bond with their creations. This hands-on experience allows them to see every inch of their instrument, fostering a sense of pride and ownership.
As someone who has owned a guitar since the age of 15, I understand the evolving relationship one has with their instrument. The idea of having a DIY guitar resonates deeply with me. I believe that if I had embarked on the journey of building my own guitar, I would have treasured it even more. The process of creating something from scratch adds a layer of intimacy that goes beyond the joy of playing; it becomes a testament to one’s creativity and craftsmanship. However, it may also leave room for some errors.
While the kits provide a solid foundation, it is the individual touch and craftsmanship that will make each guitar truly one-of-a-kind. Whether it’s the choice of color, the style of finish, or the selection of pickups, the creative journey of building a DIY guitar allows players to develop a deeper connection with their instrument. Each scratch, mark, and detail tells a story, making the guitar a unique reflection of the musician behind it.
Harley Benton’s DIY guitar kits are more than just a collection of components; they are a gateway to a world of musical creativity and self-expression. By providing musicians with the tools and guidance to build their own instruments, Harley Benton encourages a hands-on approach to music that goes beyond playing notes on a fretboard. These kits represent a bridge between the technical and artistic aspects of music, allowing musicians to shape not only their sound but also the physical embodiment of their musical journey.
Built-in basic thermostat for automatic temperature adjustment
Great safety features for households with children and pets
CONS:
Needs to be plugged directly into a wall socket
Touch buttons provide no tactile feedback
RATINGS:
AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
EDITOR'S QUOTE:
The GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite delivers quick, efficient, and safe heating wrapped in a compact and stylish package.
The holidays usually mean colder days, at least for those living in the northern part of the world, which also means rising costs in order to keep oneself warm and toasty. Fireplaces might sound and look romantic, but they’re not efficient, sustainable, or even safe. The same goes for gasoline-powered heaters, which also add an element of risk to people’s health. In this day and age, smart appliances play an important role in living a life of comfort without the downsides and expenses of traditional products, so it’s not really surprising that GoveeLife has launched a number of new smart space heaters for that very purpose. While Govee is probably best known for its smart lighting solutions, it established GoveeLife this year to focus on smart home appliances like heaters, humidifiers, smart kitchen appliances, and sensors, aiming to enhance convenience, optimize efficiency, and improve overall quality of life. In particular, the compact GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite piqued our interest, so we took it to the test to see if it’s really such a hot product or just hot air.
Air coolers, purifiers, and humidifiers have started to dress up and look more at home in our living spaces, taking on designs that blend well with the rest of the furniture or stand out in a pleasing way. Most space heaters, in comparison, look utilitarian and uninspired, making you think of them more like movable ovens or furnaces than a distinct class of their own. In that sense, the GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite sets itself apart with a design that is discreet and stylish, making it a fine addition to your room, no matter the motif you have going.
For starters, the smart space heater takes on a cylindrical shape with very minimal markings all around. The most distinctive part of the product is the silver grille in front where hot air blows out. It’s a perfect match for the black colorway, which is the review unit that we got, though the white version isn’t bad either, even if the grille does stand out more. The top holds the capacitive touch buttons and LED status indicators, though you might not look at those that much if you’ll be controlling the heater mostly through the Govee Home app.
The GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite, which is the smallest of its siblings, is only 9.1 inches tall and 5.9 inches in diameter. This compact size makes it ideal for any space, even in cramped corners or shelves. It’s also lightweight at only 3.63lbs, which means you can easily take it anywhere around the house. For bigger rooms and spaces, GoveeLife also offers the Smart Heater Pro and Smart Heater Pro Max. The only consideration you need to have is that the appliance has to be plugged in directly to a wall outlet, now through some power cord. That might be limiting for some, but the included 5ft power cable does address that issue to some extent.
Ergonomics
As mentioned above, the GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite is truly light on weight, so there will be no problem where you want to set it up. It doesn’t require a permanent installation either, so you can just lift it up and put it somewhere else if you’re not happy with the heat distribution. The integrated carrying handle on the back makes that easy, a clear sign that the heater isn’t meant to stay put in a single place forever. Of course, you’ll have to consider the airflow in the room and place the heater where it will have the best effect.
Setting up the appliance is just as easy as well, and all you need to do is connect the Smart Space Heater Lite to your phone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The Govee Home mobile app has all the functions you need to control the heater, some of which won’t be available via the physical controls. Those controls come in the form of very flat, capacitive buttons on the top of the device. This kind of control definitely looks elegant and minimalist, but it lacks the tactile haptic feedback that our fingers and brains need to register that we’ve pushed a button. That might throw a few people off, but not enough to make it a huge issue, especially if you’ll be using the mobile app or voice control most of the time anyway.
Performance
For such a small thing, the Smart Space Heater Lite packs quite a punch when it comes to heating. It uses a 1500W PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) ceramic heating element that only takes 2 seconds to rapidly heat an area. It works best for closed spaces under 200 square feet, so large living rooms might be a bit more difficult to heat up. The heater blasts hot air from the front, but its swivel feature allows that heat to spread across a wider range. You can even tilt the heater up so that it can reach higher areas.
Like air coolers, the GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite has four modes, five if you count “Auto.” These modes, which include fan, low, mid, and high, can easily be set with a single button that cycles through the modes or directly via the app. The more interesting mode, however, is “Auto,” which utilizes the heater’s built-in thermostat. To use it, you set the desired temperature in the app and the Smart Space Heater Lite will heat the room up to that temperature and then automatically switch off once it reaches that point. While you can switch to Auto mode using the heater’s buttons, you can only set the temperature through the app.
Since we’re dealing with heating elements and hot surfaces, it’s no surprise that GoveeLife loaded the heater with a lot of safety features, including a timer. For starters, the product itself is V-0 flame retardant to reduce the risks of fire and burning. There’s a control lock feature in the app that disables the on-device buttons, preventing anyone, especially children, from accidentally operating the heater. One of the best features, however, is the tip-over notification, which immediately alerts you through the app if the heater is knocked over by a person or a pet.
Of course, the Smart Space Heater Lite is “smart” for a reason, and it can integrate well with existing smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. That means convenient voice control, regardless of which platform you’re using. Not only that, but you can also add the heater to programmed scenes so that you can make sure your home is warm and toasty by the time you get home from work.
Sustainability
Unlike mobile devices and some gadgets, you’d expect appliances to be designed for the long haul. The choice of materials and their designs are made based on durability and longevity, though no device is immortal. Sooner or later, they get damaged or even broken beyond repair, which means a trip either to a service center or to a landfill. When this happens, the use of sustainable materials and the application of repairable designs play important roles in helping minimize their damage to the environment.
The GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite isn’t exactly an outlier in that regard, made from the typical mixture of plastics and metal. Self-repair is also out of the question, and you might find yourself striking out in finding a nearby service center, depending on where you live. Maybe the day will come when GoveeLife will be making easy-to-repair products that use recycled materials, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on this rapidly growing brand for that day.
Value
Space heaters are a bit less common than coolers and humidifiers, but they’re numbers are definitely rising. That’s especially true for smart heaters that are trying to ride on the smart home train. With so many to choose from, including from GoveeLife’s own catalogue, it’s only natural to ask what makes this Smart Space Heater Lite desirable enough to be worth your hard-earned cash.
In a nutshell, the GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite checks all the right boxes without going overboard with unnecessary features. The thermostat-driven Auto mode is a great money and power saver, and the rapid heating technology makes sure you get the desired warmth sooner rather than later. Its lightweight and attractive design makes it easy to place the appliance anywhere in the house, while excellent safety features ensure your kids and furry friends are out of harm’s way. Best of all, the $49.99 price tag isn’t too much to ask especially for something you’ll be using for a very long time.
Verdict
There has been a lot of focus on air coolers, purifiers, and humidifiers in the past year or so, but unpredictable weather and freak blizzards remind us that the other extreme is just as bad. Not many people give much thought to their heaters, at least until the electricity bill arrives. That’s when they need a smarter and more cost-efficient way to stay farm.
The GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite definitely fits the bill in that regard. It might not be sufficient for very large areas, but it’s more than enough for the majority of households and rooms. Smart and safety features take away most of the worry involved with appliances that generate heat, and integration with major smart home platforms means that you can be even more energy-efficient by only using the heater when it’s actually needed. More importantly, the Smart Space Heater Lite looks quite elegant in any setting, making it a potential centerpiece for your smart home decor.
Winter is slowly setting in, and if you’re someone who loves the chilly season and the outdoors, then you will need an excellent fire pit. Whether you need one for your yard to relax on those cozy winter evenings, or to keep you warm on your outdoor camping adventures – we have an effective and functional fire pit for every need and requirement. From an innovative 8-panel fire pit design to an envelope-sized portable fire pit – we have everything in here! Pick the fire pit that perfectly suits your needs and add it to your shopping cart. Winter is coming, and we need to be ready!
1. The Rocco
Designed by Moróro, the Rocco multifunctional outdoor furniture functions as a fire pit, barbecue, sofa, champagne bar, and more! It is an all-rounder piece of outdoor furniture that would make an excellent addition to your yard.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Rocco is a clever design that can transform from a fun barbecue into a sofa, a champagne bar, or even a smores pit. You can add a fire bowl to the base or pick other accessories such as a grill, tabletop, ice bucket, and parasol base.
What we like
Multifunctional design that can be customized to fit your needs
What we dislike
Large, space-consuming design that isn’t well suited for smaller yards and spaces
2. UM 8-Panel Fire Pit
Designed with a unique, modular 8-panel design, the UM Fire Pit is a portable sheet metal wonder for the outdoors. It can be used to build a warm and cozy campfire in the winter, or as a high-temperature grilling pit to cook up some delicious barbecue for a satisfying outdoor meal.
It is the ultimate lightweight fire-building gear for experienced outdoor lovers who need to quickly and effectively build campfires without any hassle. It features a cinder within, which keeps the fire enclosed, preventing embers from falling out.
What we like
Disassembles into different parts, and can be stored in a special carrying case, making it travel-friendly
It can be set up within a minute
3. PuzzleGrill Mini
The PuzzleGrill Mini stands out for its unique puzzle-like assembly, which sets it apart from traditional fire pits. This portable fire pit stand is not only a source of warmth but also doubles as a cooking station, making it perfect for winter gatherings.
Crafted with special sheet metal technology, it resists warping or distortion from heat, ensuring longevity and safety. Its compact size and ease of assembly make it ideal for various outdoor settings, from backyards to camping trips.
What we like
Puzzle-like design allows for quick and straightforward setup
Sleek, industrial look that enhances outdoor decor
What we dislike
Not suitable for larger groups due to its compact dimensions
4. Fire Safe
Designed by Wolf & Grizzly, the Fire Safe is an envelope-sized, portable fire and cooking companion that lets you start up a warm and cozy fire wherever it is permissible and safe. It intends to foster communal campfires, and cooking experiences with friends and family.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Fire Safe creates campfire and cooking experiences while minimizing the environmental footprints left behind by most typical campfires. It has a hinged collapsible design that supports a large fuel capacity, as well as a strong and mighty fire.
What we like
Slim pack down size, and lightweight design
Portable and easy-to-carry design
What we dislike
It is built from stainless steel, which allows a patina to form over time, which may not be preferred by all users
5. BioLite Firepit
Dubbed the BioLite Firepit, this smoke-less wood burner allows users to have a sneak peek into everything going on inside the fire! It doesn’t need chemical fuel or gas to create the ultimate fire.
Why is it noteworthy?
The BioLite Firepit uses standard wood mixed with some clever engineering, which basically means that air is injected through 51 air jets, which ensures that the temperature is quite uniform throughout the firepit, allowing improved combustion.
What we like
Equipped with a fan that controls the fire’s intensity
What we dislike
You need to have access to chopped wood at all times to use it
In the world of innovative design, industrial designer Lea Lorenz has unveiled Tony, a revolutionary portable refrigerator and food container that takes inspiration from an age-old tradition of using clay pots to store fruits and vegetables. Tony represents a modern reimagination of the traditional clay jug cooler, utilizing the power of evaporative cooling to create an eco-friendly and electricity-free solution for preserving perishables.
At the heart of Tony lies its porous raku clay shell, a material that naturally absorbs water from a reservoir. Through the process of evaporation, this unique cooling system brings the interior temperature to a range of 13°C-17°C without relying on electricity. Lea Lorenz explains that this temperature range creates an ideal storage environment for foods that are sensitive to extreme cold, such as fruits and vegetables, which can lose flavor and undergo undesirable post-ripening processes in traditional refrigerators.
To achieve the optimal cooling effect, Lea Lorenz conducted extensive experiments with different types of clay and clay mixtures. The results revealed that a Raku clay shell absorbs water from the tank most effectively. Each Tony clay container comprises a water tank, a food container, and a lid, allowing each section to operate independently with its water supply. The outer wall’s surface is meticulously subtractively machined to increase the surface area for enhanced water evaporation and a quicker drop in temperature inside.
Understanding the impact of external factors like sunlight and nearby heat sources on internal temperature, Lea paired Tony with a wooden stand for increased mobility. This allows users to move the clay cooler around, ensuring optimal storage conditions for fruits and vegetables.
Lea Lorenz addressed the importance of proper fruit and vegetable storage by designing Tony as several rectangular clay containers of varying sizes that can be stacked on top of each other. This innovative approach provides a designated space for each group of produce, contributing to longer freshness and reduced spoilage.
Lea emphasizes the environmental sustainability of Tony throughout its lifecycle. The Raku clay is responsibly sourced from the Westerwald region of Germany, minimizing transport routes and reducing CO2 emissions. The production process involves firing the clay coolers at the lowest possible temperature of 1000°C for minimal energy consumption. Furthermore, Tony is built to last, and if it becomes non-functional, the clay coolers can be recycled by grinding them into fireclay, which can then be used to manufacture new coolers.
Tony by Lea Lorenz is not just a functional and aesthetically pleasing design; it represents a thoughtful and sustainable solution to food storage. By marrying traditional methods with modern technology, Tony offers an eco-friendly alternative to conventional refrigeration, promoting food longevity, reducing waste, and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Designed by interior architect Ntaiana Charalampous, co-founder of Dedàleo, this customizable kitchen system is called the Ilo+milo 2.0. It is built from stainless steel modules, and is designed to be an alternative to “the rigid and static nature of traditional kitchens”. Having a flexible and functional kitchen is important in today’s homes which tend to be cramped and stuffy. Hence, a modern kitchen system needs to be adaptable and should perfectly cater to our contemporary homes. And, the Ilo+milo 2.0 makes for an excellent kitchen system for our homes.
Designed for homeowners and young individuals, the Ilo+milo 2.0 is meant to be an adaptable solution to help users obtain the perfect kitchen layout “Recognising that modern lifestyles are dynamic and ever-changing, the project aims to provide a solution that allows for flexibility and versatility within the kitchen environment,” said Charalampous. “By introducing a revolutionary modular system, Ilo+milo 2.0 enables users to rearrange and reconfigure their kitchen layout effortlessly.”
Measuring 60×60 centimeters, the stainless steel system can be combined and configured in multiple ways to build a personalized design that will cater to the niche needs of users. Users can build a generous and open layout by merging the various wall units with a kitchen island, or they can create a compact and space-saving configuration that is better suited for homes with space constraints.
The various modules can be customized in different finishes and materials, and accessorized with drawers, metal doors, and pull-out tops that are available in different colors. Users can pick the color and material options that perfectly suit their taste! The vertical metal elements can be customized as well – plain, perforated, and corrugated. On the other hand, the work surfaces can be built using stainless steel or a terrazzo-like material made from recycled metal and glass waste. The recyclable stainless-steel frames and the worktops built from recycled materials ensure that the product is sustainable, and that waste is minimized during its production. The potential for reuse is also amplified, owing to the use of recycled materials.
Never before has it been easier to create things at home thanks to 3D printers, but we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible. There are still some limitations, especially for desktop 3D printers, dictated by economies of space or price. Something that may sound as basic as 3D printing objects with multiple colors turns out to be quite a chore because most of these printers are designed to handle a single filament at a time. Most of the time, you’re forced to print different colors as separate pieces and then just assemble them after the fact, a process that takes more time than necessary and is prone to error. You could buy a larger, more expensive multi-filament 3D printer, or you can upgrade your trusty machine with this revolutionary module set that makes printing different colors or materials at the same time easy as pie.
Commercial 3D printers, especially the most popular FDM or Fused Deposit Modeling kind, are designed to be quick, efficient, and easy to use. Given the parts and processes involved, that means limiting the printer head to handle a single filament of material at a time. With this technique, you can only print a single color or use a single type of material for a single pass, switching filaments when you need to print out a different color or material. After that, you have to glue the pieces together, which relies on your own precision and steady hands to achieve the desired design. This has been the status quo for many years now, not unless you buy an actual multi-filament 3D printer, which is bulkier and more expensive, especially if you already have a working 3D printer or two.
ChromaPad – Excels in color, material, speed, and control, unlocking limitless potential.
Fastest Multi-color Printing Experience – ChromaPad pushes the usual boundaries of 3D printing speed for both single and multi-filament projects. Accelerate your print up to 300+ mm/s and get your project in hand three times faster.
ChromaScreen Advanced Klipper Software – Comes with features like the ability to control multiple extruders, a helpful setup wizard, and the ability to manage multiple printers at once.
Manage Multiple Printers Effortlessly – ChromaPad allows you to control up to 8 printers in a single simple panel.
The Co Print ChromaSet is a collection of modules that basically upgrades almost any old 3D printer to be able to handle multiple filaments in one go. It allows you to use the same trusted machine you’ve been working with for years and, with just a few easy-to-install parts, turn it into a multi-color, multi-material 3D printer that is just as easy to use as any other regular 3D printer. Instead of being forced to print multiple parts because they’re made of different materials or colors, you can save time and a lot of work with a single printing pass that can use a variety of colors as well as filaments, including PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, ASA, Wood, and more.
ChromaHead – Designed to match your needs on multi-filament 3D printing. When combined with ChromaPad or KCM, it minimizes all the issues that can occur such as jamming and clogging.
Filament Cutter for High Quality Prints – Powered by a robust servo motor with up to 20 kg of force and supported by a durable Japanese blade, ChromaHead’s precise filament cutting mechanism achieves a success rate of 99.9% in clean cuts.
Universal Rail Plug System – The design allows you to match with different brands and different models, and solves the compatibility issues.
Supports all the Materials you Need – Different colors, different materials. Your creative journey knows no bounds.
The different pieces of the ChromaSet work together to accomplish this seemingly magical feat. The ChromaHead with the embedded ChromaHotend, for example, attaches easily to almost any 3D printer thanks to its unique rail plug system, making it compatible with different brands, models, and mechanical setups. It is designed to support at most four filaments at the same time, with a special design that minimizes jamming and clogging, as well as employing a Japanese blade for precise and clean filament cuts. The CX-1 Extruder, engineered with Titanium gears, a dual-drive system, and high-torque features, is responsible for pushing those four filaments and can be just as easily installed on any 3D printer.
KCM (Klipper Chroma Module) – For users who already have a Klipper-based 3D printer. KCM gives you all the great features of ChromaPad right out of the box, so you don’t need to buy ChromaPad separately.
ECM (Extended Chroma Module) – Designed to increase your extruder limits. ECM allows you to add up additional 4 extruders into a single output via USB.
If you need more than four filaments, the ECM or Extended Chroma Module adds four more extruders into a single output for a total of eight. You can have up to five of these extruders for a whopping 20 filaments, each carrying a different color or type of material for an even faster workflow. Making all these different parts work together in harmony is the job of the ChromaPad, the world’s first multi-filament 3D printing pad. Running the ChromaScreen software based on Klipper Screen, the tablet gives users unprecedented control not just over multi-filament printing but as many as 8 printers at the same time as well. But if you already have a Klipper-based 3D printer, you can use the Klipper Chroma Module (KCM) instead, delivering the same features without the extra cost.
The Co Print ChromaSet was made in collaboration with major 3D printer brands, ensuring that it will work with almost all 3D printer models in the market. A $349 discounted bundle lets you get the ChromaSet with the Klipper module instead of the tablet, while the $499 set includes the ChromaPad without the KCM. Whichever bundle you choose, the ChromaSet is guaranteed to upgrade your 3D printing experience, allowing you to make magnificent colorful designs in a fraction of the time and with less effort.
