A Rant on Wireless Vacuums

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Did I miss the memo stating that all cordless vacuum cleaners must now look as though they’ve just stepped off a gay pride parade float?! They’ve literally come out of the appliance closet, rainbowing in full force! (No offense to my LGBT friends.) It seems like everyone from Dyson to Black+Decker is spitting out new models that only get more flashy than the ones before. For those of us who care about how things look, even if they rest behind closed doors, there’s CANE.

It’s a modern, minimalist approach to the cordless vacuum cleaner designed for the discerning user. No obtrusive hues, no superfluous shapes that mimic flexed muscles, just the bare essentials presented in a demure design with pure sucking power. Don’t worry, the less-is-more approach doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing features… like the U-shaped handle that provides a simple fix to reaching remote areas or convenient organization stand for keeping specialized pieces together. So, unless you’re planning on taking your vacuum as a date to Mardis Gras in New Orleans, consider a CANE!

Designers: Hyunsoo Choi, Junho Shin, & Joongho Choi

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This Appliance Rocks

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Second to roasting directly over a fire, cooking on hot rocks or stone is one of the oldest methods of cooking. Despite sounding somewhat antiquated, it’s still one of the best ways to experience food cooked to perfection! However, if you don’t have a wood-fired oven or outdoor area to burn, chances are this method is out of reach. Until now, that is! The Stone Cooker brings this age-old technique into the modern home in the form of a compact appliance you can use any place where there’s a power outlet.

The internal volcanic rock is heated with electricity, making it a perfect cooking medium. Safely contained within the unit, chefs and novice cooks alike can enjoy stone cooking’s pure taste and health benefits of using very little oil and less leftover fat. Simply switch it on, set your food type, and place ingredients ranging from meat to bread and cook to your liking!

Designer: Melahat Köşeli

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Be a Chef Show-Off

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Take your social food sharing to the next level with REC, the range hood that goes well beyond simple ventilation. An evolution of Samsung’s smart home product line, it’s designed to both teach and help others be taught.

First and foremost, the wall-mounted unit differs from other bulky hoods with its ultra-slim profile. This flat panel design also makes it possible for a screen to be integrated into the outward facing side. Here, users can follow new recipes with step-by-step video tutorials displayed directly over the stove. The touch-screen interface allows them to easily navigate through the recipe. Furthermore, they can share their own favorite recipes with a built-in camera system that follows their movements throughout the kitchen. Using the dedicated social sharing app called RECipe, they can browse and replicate other people’s secret family recipes or build their own following with how-to videos and yummy tutorials!

Designer: Seong ik Yoo

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Multifunctionality for the Morning Minimalist

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As modern living spaces shrink, so grows the need for more compact and dual-functioning appliances! That’s the idea behind the Grundig Exclusive line by Sıla Tülay Zeytin. These common kitchen products aim to free up counter and storage space so you have more room to live!

The two parts in the series each serve distinct purposes. The central unit marries the functionality of a kettle and a coffee maker – a simple and natural combination. The same water that’s boiled for tea can be used in the coffee filtration process, eliminating the need for a stovetop kettle. As an added bonus, the other appliance in the series is a barely-there toaster that’s so slim you might miss it! Clad in black temperature-resistant material, they’re a sleek and handsome addition to kitchens large and small.

Designer: Sıla Tülay Zeytin

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Whirlpool plugs Alexa and Google Assistant into its appliances

Whirlpool's smart appliances have already had some voice assistant control, but they're about become particularly AI-savvy. The company has unveiled a 2018 lineup where many appliances support both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, letting you contr...

LG’s Alexa-powered fridge sends recipes to your oven

Now that LG's Alexa-equipped refrigerator is no longer a novelty, the company is moving on to the next step: appliances that work in harmony. It's introducing a range of smart appliances that thrive on sharing information to help you get things done....

More Than Just Juice

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The juicing fad drives me bananas! People do it when they’re on a health kick but little do they know they’re trading all that raw beneficial fruit fiber and important nutrients for lots of of sugar. But now they don’t have to! The Denso Pulp Juicer addresses this issue by giving users a choice between thick pulpy juice, or juice with no pulp in it.

Using motor-powered centrifugal force, it strains fruit juice through a specially designed mesh that has pores that either keep fiber out or allow it to pass through. Despite this added functionality, it’s also more compact and sports a chic, contemporary look you won’t mind seeing out on your countertop!

Designers: Kriti Goyal, Rajeev Kumargupta & Karthikeyan Sabapthy

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D20 Waffle Maker Cooks up a Critical Breakfast Hit

Who doesn’t like waffles? I could eat my way out of a roomful of ’em. And what about role-playing games? Well of course, any good geek loves those. So why not combine both of these divine pursuits with a single purchase? What you’re looking at here is the world’s only D20 Waffle Maker!

This thing will crisp up and roll you a delicious Belgian waffle in no time, embossed with numeric markings which will serve to catch some butter and syrup in all their nooks and crannies. Plus, your waffles are guaranteed to always roll a 20, so how can you not buy one of these?

The grill has a non-stick cooking surface and makes waffles that measure about 5.75″ across by 6.75″ tall. It sells for just $29.99(USD), exclusively from ThinkGeek. I wonder what that works out to in silver pieces.