Category: Cooking

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Cooking

FAB cuts cooking fat, lets you control taste

When people see or hear ‘reduced fat’, it often translates as reduced taste. FAB (Fat Absorber) reduces the fat in the skillet as the food is cooking and the fat is hot, and gives the user control of how much fat gets absorbed, impacting the taste of the food. The triangular device is made of FDA approved cotton that soaks up the fat and works with most any meat. FAB can absorb a whopping 20-25 grams of fat (equivalent to 150-200 calories), and works best when moved around in the skillet and dabbed on the meat to absorb excess fat. Another nice benefit to this is that it saves cleanup since there’s less fat left in the skillet. Once food is cooked, the item can be pitched in the trash.

In all of its eco-friendliness, too bad it’s not reusable. One will also really have to use this product in order to see if it really works, but the description sounds a little dicey. This campaign seeks to raise £45,000 (~$70,500). For £10 (~$16 USD), backers get two packs of 10 FABs and an expected delivery of March 2015.

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Cooking

Kitchen ‘Made’ measures dry items, won’t cook them

There are those artistic types who are really good at just throwing a recipe together and having it turn out great every time. Then there is the rest of the population that needs to remember where the measuring utensils got stored after their last usage six or more months ago. The thing about eating at home, though, is that it is typically healthier than eating out.

One thing that would likely make eating at home better is if measuring out ingredients was easier and less time consuming. That’s why Made was created. This storage and dispensing tool has a built-in measuring device that tells the user when they have hit the ½, ¼, or 1/8 of a cup mark. The option of four different rim colors and the small window toward the bottom of the product lets the user know whether they have stored coffee, tea, sugar, oatmeal, flour or some other standard kitchen supply that usually has to be measured out. The product also has an airtight seal and is BPA free so that whatever is being stored stays fresher longer.

This product should have a pretty wide appeal, from those who love to entertain and cook to the poor, but busy college student who only cooks when they are too broke to eat out. Other useful kitchen items that backers might want to check out include the Kronholm Design plastic wrap dispenser, Cuffitts, and the KlampShell campaigns. This product seeks to raise $10,000 by December 18, 2014. Backers get one product for $20, with an expected delivery of March 2015.

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Cooking

Gneiss Spice tidies up culinary toys for creating tasteful delights

Some people say that spices are toys for those who love to cook. They’re essential to creating a great meal, but all of those little bottles have a tendency to clog up kitchen cupboards. Gneiss Spice can make organizing them and actually using them much easier. Lids are magnetic so that spices can be stored on the refrigerator or some other convenient metal surface near the stove. It’s also possible to get a plate to go with these – assumedly metal, though that is not clearly stated.

One of the especially interesting goals of this campaign is to allow those who are interested to create their own custom spice rack for manufacturing. Interested backers might also want to check out the Mobin,  campaign, and those who love their fresh herbs may want to check out the Ecofarm and Herb Grower campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $10,000 by December 8, 2014. Backers get three jars for $25 with an expected delivery of December 2014.

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Cooking

Tim3 Machin3 cooks rice quickly, makes time to prepare other foods

Rice cooker on steroids: that’s what comes to mind when considering the multifaceted uses for Tim3 Machin3. The 900 watt heating element is 250 watts more than the average rice cooker, so it can cook faster. The inner pot is manufactured thicker than that average pot, and coated with a long-lasting non-stick spray so rice doesn’t stick to the bottom or burn. A detachable cord means easier storage, but may get lost amongst loads of other kitchen accessories. Besides rice, Tim3 Machin3 also cooks quinoa, oatmeal, yogurt, and can even multitask by cooking rice and steaming veggies and fish at the same time.

Perhaps the best feature of this product is that it can be programmed to cook oatmeal and other foods the night before so that they’re instantly ready to eat in the morning. This campaign seeks to raise $10,000 by December 10, 2014. Early bird backers get one product for $58, with an expected delivery of December 2014.

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Cooking

GrillOven is a dome on the range

One of the best time-saving techniques in the kitchen is when a meal can be cooked all in one pan or baking dish. GrillOven allows for it to be cooked all in one multipurpose gadget. It’s made of industrial quality stainless steel, and the dome shape helps to keep the heat in and reduces the time of cooking. This kitchen tool can be used for baking pot pies, quiches, and pizza; smoking, baking or grilling meats; steaming vegetables and more. It’s portable, but a small chicken or nine inch pizza can still fit in it.

Those who cook know that some dishes require browning on the stove and then cooking in the oven. GrillOven combines these two processes in one in a cool and unique way. It may, however, be a bit awkward to store in over-crowded cupboards. This campaign seeks to raise $35,000 by December 27, 2014. For $13, backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.

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Connected Objects Cooking

MAID smart oven trades in a cookbook for digital display and an app

Burnt brownies? Melted macaroni? Catastrophic couscous? Fear not, intrepid culinary explorer, as the MAID Oven is here to guide you towards gastronomic glory. Let the smart oven be your personal kitchen assistant with its touchscreen display and ability to recognize both gestures and voice to tell you exactly what ingredients to use and how to prepare a dish from a database of crowdsourced recipes.

Don your apron with pride when you expand your talents by discovering little-known recipes from around the world, and share yours with the world when you feel experimental. Don’t get lazy though, and make sure that apron continues to fit with the dietary and exercise suggestions provided by the companion iOS/Android app which interfaces with your smartphone to track your activity during the day and suggests appropriate foods. These recommendations are tailored to your culinary habits and caloric needs over time, factoring in the adjustments you personally make to recipes as well to make them all your own. Throughout all of this, you still retain control over every part of the process , but when the MAID Oven can automatically set time and temperature during cooking, why would you care? The MAID Oven can be had for a donation of $449 for delivery in November 2015. The campaign is seeking to raise $50,000.

Having been in production for about two and half years now, the time and effort put into this product shines through. It’s incredibly robust and fully featured, offering a full oven that can make sizable amounts of food. Here’s hoping the build quality is something that will last. The box is mighty big, too, and finding space for it in smaller places might pose a challenge. To be honest, the only thing the MAID Oven is missing a 3D printer capable of creating the food itself, but we’ll wait around to see where subsequent versions lead before getting ahead of ourselves.

 

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Cooking

EZ Scramble has eggs skip the skillet, lets you nuke it

Eggs and toast can be one of the most satisfying breakfasts. But the amount of time it takes to cook scrambled eggs combined with all the preparation means that most people can only enjoy them on the weekends. EZ Scramble aims to change that. Made of flexible, FDA grade silicone, the microwavable gadget holds up to four eggs. One beaten egg fits in each pocket, and it takes one minute for each egg to cook. Eggs are actually healthier when cooked in this way because it’s not necessary to use any oil or butter, and they still turn out light and fluffy.

While it is possible to cook eggs in a microwave using a glass bowl, the cooked on mess is a real pain to deal with when it’s time to clean up. The silicone holder apparently prevents that, and it’s dishwasher safe too. This campaign seeks to raise $10,000 by November 20, 2014. Backers can get their very own EZ Scrambler for $15, with an expected delivery of February 2015.

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Cooking

Trivae shifts from holding pot lids to plates with aplomb

Open flames, piping hot pots and pans, and never enough room — kitchens can certainly be a taxing environment, and cooking in one can be a bit of a puzzle. With so many moving pieces floating around, you’re bound to get tied up with hands full while a pressing matter is vying for your attention. In an attempt to free up hands stuck in indecision, Trivae is a heat-resistant, cast iron lid holder and dual trivet that always gives you a place to put down random lids, plates, or pans. It makes the transition from kitchen assistant pretty well when you expand it out to serve as a presentation stand as well. Some smart design decisions were implemented into the design of the product, including a spine that curves away from whatever is on top in its flat layout, and non-slip rubber pads to avoid slippage. When you’re done, the product’s single trivet option also doubles as a way to conveniently store the product, addressing storage issues just like the Armadillo Colander does. A donation of $50 gets interested backers their very own Trivae in May of 2015. A $50,000 campaign goal is the only thing stopping Trivae from beginning production.

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Cooking

MasterPan has the master plan for cooking a whole meal at once

When cooking a quality meal on the stove, multiple pans are always needed in order to keep everything separated. This results in more energy used, more pans to wash and a cluttered kitchen. The aptly named Master Pan combines the functionality of several different pans into one. The non-stick skillet has five separated sections, one long one in the middle and two on each side. This product is perfect for cooking a variety of delicious items. Safe for the dishwasher and oven, the Master Pan is a great addition for the kitchen. One will cost backers $49 with estimated delivery in December 2014. The Master Pan hopes to cook up $45,000 on Kickstarter.

Other sectioned skillets on the markets have fairly specific functions, like the Lodge Cornbread Skillet which has eight pizza slice looking sections and is intended for cooking cornbread. The Master Pan features differently-sized compartments, making it easier to cook different types of items at once. With the added bonus of saving energy and pans to wash, the Master Pan has many desirable features. The campaign shows several examples of menu items that can be cooked with the pan, including an egg sandwich in progress with bacon in the middle, and eggs, onions and peppers on the sides. Because of the smaller sections, the Master Pan couldn’t really be used for large families, however, it is still a great product for those living alone who don’t want to dirty large pans for small food.

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Cooking

The Egg boiler tells water it can go to shell

We love eating eggs and there are a million ways to prepare them: boiled, sunny side up, scrambled, over easy, and the list goes on. However, eggs are delicate and to get a hard boiled or soft boiled egg, it’s difficult to tell how runny the inside is without cracking the egg open. The Egg is a portable egg-boiler. Set up to four eggs inside, close the lid, and hit the button. When it’s done, you’ll have perfectly soft boiled eggs. The Egg comes with size and temperature monitors for the eggs, runs on ion battery and allows the owner to calibrate how cooked they want their eggs to be, much like a toaster. The Egg can be used anywhere from picnics to camping trips because it doesn’t require water to use. This British product will cost backers £75 (about $121) on Kickstarter with estimated delivery for April 2015. The Egg is looking to raise £50,000 (about $80,000) in its campaign.

While a little steep in price, The Egg offers a cool kind of convenience unthought of before. Not only is it useful that The Egg soft boils eggs to perfection, but it’s also portable, a nice feature. The Krups Egg Cooker boils eggs in a neat, little package as well, but plugs into the wall and requires water. In order to up its game in future models, The Egg may want to consider adding more slots for more eggs. Even so, for quick, easy, albeit expensive egg-cooking, consider donating to The Egg.