When thinking of cutting up food, especially meats, most of us will probably think of very sharp and sometimes large knives, from chef’s knives to steak knives. While those are indeed the most common tools, they’re not always the most efficient. Chef’s shears or kitchen scissors are just as useful for cutting up not just meats but also any kind of ingredient. But just like their stationery counterparts, these kitchen tools are often made following a common design, easy to manufacture but not exactly the easiest to use. Fortunately, all it takes is some creative thinking and a deep connection to traditional craftsmanship to design a pair of kitchen shears that are not only a pleasure to hold but also a pleasure to behold.
Cutting up meat using scissors is admittedly not a common practice except for kitchen veterans, but not because it’s that useful. The reason is mostly because of convenience and effort when common kitchen scissors are not cut out for the job, pun totally intended. The common kitchen shears are pretty much just bigger, sharper, and edgier versions of your desk scissors, and not much more. They can cut through some meats, sure, but they don’t always make for an enjoyable experience, especially when the tool starts to get dull and look worn.
The Precision Chef Kitchen Scissors easily set itself apart not just with their looks but also with their performance. It is filled with design details that, at first glance, might look simply aesthetic but are actually carefully thought out to improve the tool’s usability. For example, the serrated cutting edge and curved blade are not just for show, though they definitely make the scissors look more interesting. They make it easier to slide the scissors under what you’re cutting and also prevent the material from sliding out accidentally.
The design of the hinge is also unique, larger than what you’d find even on most kitchen scissors. Because it is fully covered, however, it doesn’t get dirty as easily as other hinges. Along with the thick handles, these kitchen shears lie a bit elevated when placed horizontally on a table, creating a more hygienic design that prevents the blades from coming in contact with the surface. You can also make the scissors stand vertically and it will stay balanced and raise the blades away from the table’s surface. Whichever way you place it, the scissors remain easy to pick up, ready for your next food snip.
It doesn’t hurt that the mighty shears are handsome to boot. Made in Tsubame Sanjo, Niigata, Japan, the scissors take advantage of the region’s world-renowned expertise in metalwork and cutlery to craft such a fine specimen of a kitchen tool. The oxidation coloring method used to give the stainless steel body a distinct black luster also makes it impervious to discoloration after long periods of use. The oxide film even causes light to be reflected in different ways, creating the illusion of colors that add to the scissors’ charm. Whether you’re cutting meat for cooking, cutting chives for garnishing, or even cutting pizza to divide among yourselves, these elegant kitchen scissors promise to deliver a less stressful experience that also makes you look good in the process.
Nothing beats a home-cooked meal, made from fresh ingredients and with a sprinkling of care and love. That said, even the most seasoned home chefs dread the part that comes after the dish has been cooked, served, and consumed: the cleanup. Pots, pans, and cooking tools are pretty much a given, of course, but part of that process involves cleaning up the countertop, stove, or microwave, ready for the next use. Some of the mess could be avoidable if only oils and sauces didn’t sputter and splatter while they simmer, boil, or fry. Fortunately, that messy nightmare is now a thing of the past, thanks to this simple yet ingenious solution that keeps all that cooking goodness inside the cookware and off your stovetop. Best of all, you won’t even have to change a thing in your kitchen or abandon your favorite cookware.
Limit your Mess, Not your Cooking – SplatterDōm is a stovetop protector fitting 2 different-sized pots/pans. It helps keep your cooking area clean.
Cooking pots and frying pans come in many sizes, but they all have one thing in common: they’re just large enough to hold the food you’re cooking. Unfortunately, food has a tendency to splatter outside of these cooking vessels, adding to what you have to clean up after. While there are different types of “splatter guards” in the market, none of them can really live up to expectations. Mesh covers are only effective when they’re completely covering cookware and offer no protection the moment you need to stir the food inside. Metal walls around your stovetop protect everything else except the stove and yourself. Perhaps worst are those flimsy silicone cones that offer 360-degree protection but sit inside the cookware, which means the silicone is actually cooking in your food!
Continuous Access Without the Mess – SplatterDōm offers 100% access to your food without compromising the cleanliness of your stovetop.
SplatterDōm is a revolutionary kitchen tool that redefines what a splatter guard can and should be. This height-adjustable guard pretty much extends the sides of your pot or pan upward, ensuring that none of the mess ever jumps out to ruin your stovetop. What makes it different from regular splatter guards is that you still have complete access to the food that’s cooking inside, allowing you to continue stirring, adding ingredients, or watching your food turn into a masterpiece. SplatterDōm comes in two sizes to fit 8-inch & 10-inch or 10-inch & 12-inch cookware, so you can keep on using your favorite pots and pans without missing out on the mess-free goodness.
Microwave Safe – It’s 100% food grade silicone structure lets you use it as a microwave cover to heat up leftovers.
SplatterDōm is made of BPA-free, 100% FDA-approved food-grade silicone, and it can withstand temperatures of up to 450°F. This means that it is also designed to be used in microwaves to heat up leftovers or cook quick dishes, instead of buying those common plastic covers that are actually bad for your health. The ventilated lid itself can be used as a cover, in case you’re heating up shallow items.
Dishwasher Safe – SplatterDōm washes easily by hand or in the dishwasher.
Folds Flat for Easy Storage – It is height-adjustable to fit your cooking needs, and folds flat for easy storage.
Just as it helps keep your kitchen clean, the SplatterDōm itself is also easy to clean, whether by hand or inside a dishwasher. It folds flat as well, so it gets out of the way when you don’t need it, or you can hang it from its handle holes to proudly display your cooking helper. This versatile and innovative splatter guard helps cut down your cleaning time while providing complete access to your food, letting you enjoy cooking without worrying about the mess. So say goodbye to ineffective splatter guards that get in your way and say hello to a delicious meal from a splatter-free kitchen with the SplatterDōm.
I love food, and cooking it can often be a very therapeutic and intimate experience. And with the pandemic restricting us to our homes, it’s an experience that more and more people are indulging in. However, cooking is not always an easy feat, and having handy kitchen gadgets at our disposal is always great. They can help save up on a lot of preparation time, and turn tedious little tasks into something fun! So, here are a few interesting kitchen gadgets that will help you achieve all your cooking dreams!
Ordine by Adriano Design is an innovative cooking solution designed for the modern user. Optimized for small spaces, the design eliminates the need for a bulky traditional stove, clearing the way for more cabinet and counter space. The design features two hob units that are mounted on a central power hub on the wall. Elevated neatly out of the way, the user must simply grab one or both hobs off the wall and set the desired temperature to activate.
Jesden Tang has revamped the ordinary egg boiler! The new and improved egg boiler, ‘Egge’ has a simple form, the yellow section reminds you of the egg yolk, whereas the transparent portion instantly brings egg whites to our mind! Tang also added a handle that allows you to measure the amount of water you pour into the boiler. Making eggs for breakfast has never been quicker or more efficient.
Squeezing lemons is always a tedious task, however, this Ceramic Lemon Squeezer by Brian Khouw makes it a little more interesting. The aesthetically pleasing squeezer looks like a conch shell freshly plucked off the beach. The curved upper portion is used to squeeze out the lemon juice, which then trickles into the bowl-shaped base.
The Lifting Sink by Chengyong Li, Lei Yang, Sian Lin & Peishan He offers an innovative yet entirely simplistic way to customize the size of your sink while also reducing water consumption. Composed of three nested metal layers, its storage capacity of this sink can be adjusting in a cinch! When only a handful of things or small items need to be cleaned, select the small size or when you have larger pots or many items, select the larger sink. In each case, it will take less water to fill and contain items more efficiently.
The Cheat Sheets by Chris Place & Will Matters of Prepd are basically, and this reference couldn’t be more relevant, social distancing containers for your ingredients. You use the same baking tray, but the Cheat Sheets silicone containers sit ON the tray, giving you miniature compartments to cook your food in. Veggies like asparagus that need shorter cook times can be added in the same tray as salmon, which needs more time in the oven. Once you feel like the asparagus is done, just reach in with your baking mitten and pull just the asparagus container out of the oven and let the salmon still cook inside. It’s easy, simple, and here’s the best part – your baking tray never gets dirty!
Designed to be your go-to for any cooking measurements, the Kitchen Cube integrates all measuring vessels into its singular, yellow, cube-shaped body. With over 19+ measuring units designed into its 6-sided shape, the Kitchen Cube can be used to measure anything from teaspoons and tablespoons to even cups, working with both wet and dry ingredients alike. The cube comes with both metric and US measuring units molded into its unique design, allowing you to even measure out your ingredients in milliliters if the recipe calls for it.
The Aarke Carbonate II allows you to enjoy sparkling water in the comfort of your home. You can now easily carbonate your preferred beverages, by simply placing the bottle on the base and pulling the lever. The stainless steel enclosure gives it a classy and minimal look, unlike other gadgets that can often be an eyesore.
The CleverOne woodnflex is a flexible wooden cutting board! The cutting surface is flexible yet stable and sturdy, allowing you to easily carry and pour the chopped vegetables into another utensil, without dropping any of the chopped pieces. It can also easily fit into your sink when you clean it. It’s a refreshing change from traditional chopping boards which tend to be heavy and cumbersome.
HAPIfork is a Bluetooth-enabled Smart Fork designed by HAPILABS. Basically, the fork tracks your eating speed. It keeps track of how fast you’re eating and informs you if you need to slow down. The fork lights up and vibrates if it feels you’re binging on your food a little too quickly. You can connect it to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and access your stats easily. This is one Smart Fork that won’t let you simply gobble down your food!
This vegetable peeler is simply purrfect! Designed by Myssyria, this peeler has been shaped like a cat. The cute little cover looks like the ears of the cat, whereas the bottom half looks like the paws of a kitty! Simply remove the ear-shaped cover, and start peeling your vegetables with this adorable kitchen tool.
Chop it like its hot! I’ve always wanted to say that but this chopping board truly is one of the best designs I’ve seen and it is 100% going on the top of my kitchen essentials list. Chopbox is a smart chopping board that has so many unique features but the most relevant one in these ‘unprecedented times’ is the fact that it can actually kill germs on your cooking tools and space! Get rid of counter clutter and those extra kitchen accessories with this much-needed upgrade.
You can easily sanitize your knives and cutting surfaces, embrace your inner quarantine chef with germ-free cooking thanks to Chopbox’s built-in disinfecting UVC light – see I told you, this board is lit and literally! We clean our knives but do we ever think about the germs in knife blocks or the crevices of our cutting boards? With Chopbox all you have to do place your knife in between the two cutting surfaces and activate the small but powerful 254nm UVC light that can sanitize up to 3 knives at once as well as both the cutting surfaces. “Just one minute of UVC light exposure is guaranteed to kill 99.99% of germs and bacteria. The 254nm UVC light used in the ChopBox is small and has a limited angle with only a small gap in the boards when in use. It is 100% safe for all humans to be around and near this light. The UVC light will automatically switch off when you separate the two boards or you can press the second button on the control panel to turn it off. You will receive no negative side effects from this UVC light,” says the team.
With two cutting surfaces, you can switch between veggies and meat to avoid cross-contamination. Use the smaller cutting board for food scraps, as a side piece to store chopped produce, or for transferring the ingredients to the stove. The clever design even lets you replace the main cutting surface when needed. Another interesting feature of Chopbox is that it can also weigh your food with a built-in scale. The middle button on the control panel is used to switch between grams, ounces, pounds, kilograms, and a tare function for accuracy so you always have the right portions. Kitchen timers are not revolutionary but this one is integrated on the surface itself and can run for 9 hours! Chopbox also has two replaceable knife sharpeners on the right edge of the board – one is made with a diamond stone and the other is made with a ceramic stone so you adjust your level of sharpness accordingly.
Chopbox is not only smart, but it is also strong and can hold 150 pounds of weight. It is crafted sustainably using bamboo wood which was used for its hard density, durability, and affordability. The board and its replaceable parts are all 100% recyclable as sustainability is important to the designers and the consumers. It runs on a 3000 mAh battery that lasts for 30 days of daily use on a one-hour charge cycle. It is also waterproof and is rated IPX7 which means it can withstand being in water up to 3 feet deep! Since this is a smart cutting board with batteries and other tech features, it is not meant to be put in a dishwasher as the heat will cause damage to an otherwise long-lasting, multifunctional appliance. Even Gordon Ramsay will only have nice things to say about Chopbox!
This cutting board kills germs, weighs your food, and more! Sustainable design, Replaceable parts.
Chopbox protects you against germs and bacteria
Did you know that knife blocks, drawers, and even regular cutting boards harbor tons of bacteria and germs? It seems like no one talks about it, but the hidden germs in your kitchen are very real.
The revolutionary ChopBox makes sanitizing your knives and cutting surfaces easy and brings germ-free cooking to your kitchen with a built-in disinfecting UVC light in the cutting board. Traditional knife blocks and cutting boards with gouges and scrapes can harbor harmful bacteria and germs. But who thinks to sanitize their knife after grabbing it? Now you can place your knife in between the two cutting surfaces and activate the small but powerful 254nm UVC light to sanitize up to 3 knives at once AND both cutting surfaces at the same time! Just one minute of UVC light exposure is guaranteed to kill 99.99% of germs and bacteria.
The 254nm UVC light used in the ChopBox is small and has a limited angle with only a small gap in the boards when in use. It is 100% safe for all humans to be around and near this light. The UVC light will automatically switch off when you separate the two boards or you can press the second button on the control panel to turn it off. You will receive no negative side effects from this UVC light
Replaces 5 Kitchen Gadgets
Instead of needing up to five single-use gadgets and tools in your kitchen, the ChopBox combines all five into one amazing cutting board. You’ll never need to find or store smaller single-use tools like a food scale or kitchen timer again and will have more room for storage and organization in your kitchen.
Two Boards in One: Double up your space and avoid cross-contamination.
With two cutting surfaces, you can switch between raw meat and seafood to other foods without ever having to worry about cross-contamination. You can also use the smaller cutting board for food scraps, as an area to store cut foods, and for transferring your chopped food to the stove. The main cutting surface is replaceable. Buy parts via Kickstarter, or from Amazon after the campaign.
Scale: Built-in digital scale weighs up to 6.6 pounds
The built-in scale is part of the cutting board on the left-hand side. You can measure your ingredients in grams, ounces, pounds, kilograms and the scale weighs up to 6.6 pounds. Always get the exact right portion! The middle button on the control panel is used to switch between grams, ounces, pounds, kilograms with a single long-press. The scale features a tare function. To zero out the scale for a bowl or other vessel, just place the bowl on the scale and press the third (middle) button on the control panel to zero out the scale so that you’re only weighing the goof, not the container.
Timer: 9-hour kitchen timer
Your food will come out perfectly every time with our 9 -hour digital kitchen timer built-in to the ChopBox. Unlike traditional kitchen timers which can only go up to 59 minutes, the ChopBox timer has a longer readout and can be set for up to 9 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds, so even big meals and slow cooker meals can be set on this timer.
Knife Sharpeners: Dual Inset Knife Sharpeners
It’s tough to remember where you put that small knife sharpener or know you’re using the honing steel type of sharpener correctly, so we made it easier than ever by putting two knife sharpeners right on the side of the cutting board. They are easily accessible and simple to use. There are two different knife sharpeners built into the ChopBox. One is made from diamond stone, and the other is made of ceramic stone, so you can pick your level of sharpness. The sharpeners are replaceable. Buy parts via Kickstarter or from Amazon after the campaign.
Groove for catching runoff
There is a groove surrounding the cutting surface on the larger cutting surface for catching any juices from falling off and onto your counter, clothing, or floor. Just another small feature to make this the best cutting board you’ve ever used.
Use the second board as a presentation plater
In addition to food preparation, this smart cutting board is a perfect food presentation platter for parties and guests! With two clean uniform surfaces, you can use it as two separate food serving surfaces or as the perfect cheese or charcuterie board with the second surface coming out from the bottom to hold cheese knives and catch any drips.
Long-lasting battery life: lasts up to 30 days on a single charge
The ChopBox has a large battery inside [3000 mAh] which charges quickly. With just one hour of charging you get up to 30 days of regular daily use of your smart cutting board.
Completely waterproof for an easy clean up
IPX is a waterproof rating system that refers to the ability of an object to resist water. For example, IPX0 means something is not water-resistant at all, such as a book. IPX2 means your object is protected from “some water drops when the device is tilted up to and including 15 degrees.” The rating goes up to IPX8, which means your object is protected even if it is dropped in over 3 feet of water and is fully waterproof.
The ChopBox is rated IPX7, meaning it is fully waterproof and can withstand being in water up to 3 feet deep! However, we do NOT recommend putting the ChopBox in a dishwasher, as the high heat in dishwashers warp and break down all natural cutting boards over time
Durability tested and high strength
ChopBox is incredibly strong! It holds up to 150 pounds of weight. Bamboo is completely natural and organic and is considered a “low maintenance wood,” meaning it is very hard and dense, so it keeps water out of the wood itself so it will not warp or crack as other woods can. Other woods like maple, walnut, or cherry require regular maintenance with mineral oil or beeswax to keep it from cracking and warping. Bamboo is also resistant to knife scarring, due to its hard density and is known for its durability and affordability.
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)!
I love to cook, but I hate to do the dishes after. The soaking dishes, the wet cloth, the soapy sponge – it is all so damp! Designer Gil Cohen has created Pelix for Peleg Design, a cute kitchen companion that will reduce your internal shrieks and actually lift your mood while doing dishes. This little pelican shaped cloth and sponge holder will be perched on your counter and the only thing that will fly is the time taken to do chores.
Pelix’s bright break is actually a cloth holder, so hang up that dishcloth while the body of the pelican is a cup for your sponge. Pelix makes it easy to keep dish cleaning essentials right where they are needed with its suction cup bottom, but unlike Ross Geller, it can pivot and make your life easier! Usually, we always look for a blind spot in our kitchen that guests cannot see to keep dishcloths and sponges because having them dry right there can ruin the interior aesthetics of your space, however, this handy pelican will fetch many compliments for its form while being super functional.
That is why it is called a pelican, not a pelicant – get it!?
Kitchen tools are a very interesting design study. Many of the elements we use in the kitchen are classic, may it be a spoon, fork, knife to even the stove we use for cooking, all of these objects have largely remained unchanged over the centuries, almost since their inception, that is until now. Imagine a cooking station that is mounted on the wall, and using a hob for cooking only as required. Now, this is one of the designs we have shortlisted as a part of our curation of kitchen tools that are designed to redefine your kitchen as well as your cooking process. Let us know how these designs inspire you to innovate and reinvent your kitchen to suit your design style.
