Category: Cooking

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Cooking Food and Beverage

PERES e-nose smells trouble when meat misses the mark

The Premise. Food poisoning is no fun, and also no joke. With an estimated 5,000 deaths related to food-borne illnesses in the US every year, it’s important to be completely confident that any food consumed is safe and free from disease.

The Product. The PERES is an “e-nose” that is designed to do something no other device has been able to offer consumers: test meat for any potential consumption risks. Compatible with beef, pork, poultry, and fish, the PERES takes an air sample from the proximity from any bit of meat and analyzes the sample looking for any harmful bacteria or signs of spoiling. With the ability to detect over 100 different kinds of harmful substances and instant Bluetooth transmission to a phone or tablet, meat can be analyzed quickly and easily to make sure that dinner will be enjoyable and safe to eat.

The Pitch. ARS LAB, the company behind the PERES, introduces the device and discusses its inception after a nasty case of food poisoning suffered by the CEO’s wife. Backing PERES does more than just bring a device to market, a significant portion of the proceeds are also being donated to various relevant charities. PERES needs $100,000 to finish prototype development as well as to complete the included app. ARS LAB offers a referral program that can result in a free device for referring 10 backers, and also has a number of stretch goals. At $135,000, there will be add-ons for the device to give it new features. $250,000 will include a standalone device that can function without a smartphone, while $350,000 will turn the PERES into a home safety device that can detect gas leaks and humidity. At the $500,000 mark, the team claims that PERES can help detect fertility, be a home drug testing kit, and even prevent infidelity with its powerful nose.

The Perks. A PERES e-nose is available to backers who pledge $120. Developers who want to add more functionality to the device can get the SDK and one of the devices for $750. The first batch is expected to ship in July 2014.

The Potential. The food safety industry can always use as much help as it can get, and PERES seems like a great thing for any home cook or even restaurant owner to keep handy. The social sharing aspects of the device seem a little unnecessary (who wants a status update from their friends about spoiled meat?) but overall the device is a great kitchen implement that would be right at home next to any meat thermometers.

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Cooking

Eggxer scrambles eggs inside the shell for those who can’t take a yolk

The Premise. Eggs are a super food for many and folks have come up with a million different ways to prepare them. In Japan, people like to scramble their eggs in the shell — this is they called the Golden Egg — and then hard boil them. People looking to make a Golden Egg have to be creative in doing this, because there hasn’t been any easy way to do this before.

The Product. The Eggxer is a clever little product that scrambles eggs in their shells. One simply places the egg in a protective casing which goes into the device. An LED light makes it possible to see inside of the shell. To scramble, just pull the string a couple of times and then you can easily see through the shell to determine when the egg is thoroughly mixed. The Eggxer needs no electricity to work and comes in three colors: black, yolky yellow and green (to match green eggs and ham).

The Pitch. Eggxer’s campaign video shows its creator, Assaf, and his daughter explaining the inspiration for their product as well as how to use it. In addition, they list the different cooking possibilities that come with a scrambled-in-shell egg. Eggxer is aiming to raise $90,000 in its 50-day Indiegogo campaign.

The Perks. The early-birds get the Eggxer for $29 in either yellow or green or at a standard price of $34. The more sleek black and metallic version goes for an early price of $34 and a regular price of $39. The highest tier of $99 offers a family package of three Eggxers. All tiers have estimated hatch dates of August 2014.

The Potential. While the idea of a mixed scrambled egg isn’t too popular, it’s certainly has intriguing culinary possibilities. The internet offers a slew of tutorials on how to scramble the egg inside of its shell. There currently aren’t other products, however, that do it for you. Eggxer is made even more convenient by the fact that it doesn’t need electricity to work and doesn’t need to be cleaned too often either. All of these features and more make the Eggxer quite a contender on the egg preparation market.

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Cooking

GoCan Drainer makes fixing dinner less of a strainer

GoCan Drainer 70ad20a519fd2b41667e8cdd62cfdbd5_large[1]Getting out the colander to drain the water or juice off of veggies, tuna and fruits can seem like more of a hassle than it’s worth. GoCan Drainer offers a solution that separates food from liquid and minimizes the risk of losing half the contents to the sink. The plastic mini-strainer clips to the side of the can so your fruits and veggies can stop while the liquid goes. For $25, a backer gets them in three sizes, specially designed for a 5 ounce tuna can, as well as 15 and 27 ounce cans — a little pricey when it is possible to find small strainers for less, but having the strainers attach to the can might be useful at a picnic or other settings. Expected delivery is September 2014.

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Cooking

Foodini makes you the the prints of food design

editors-choiceThe Premise. Who doesn’t get excited at the revolutions being made possible every day by advancements in the field of 3D printing? And who doesn’t want a personal robo-chef to crank out elegantly designed plates with no effort whatsoever? Here’s what happens when these two exciting ideas are combined.

The Product. Designed to make healthy eating easier and revolutionize the home cooking process once more, the pun-tastic Foodini is a consumer-grade 3D printer that is meant to bring out the best in fresh ingredients. Using a series of reusable capsules that food can be mashed or pureed into, and then after selecting a recipe and design, the Foodini goes to work. For those worried about how to operate a 3D printer, the Foodini has a touch screen panel on the front that connects to its own site where templates can be downloaded and used, recipes can be bookmarked, and even uploaded and shared. From there, Foodini says what to put in when and handles the rest.

The Pitch. Co-founder of Natural Machines Lynette Kucsma introduces us to the Foodini and initially shows that it can make something that looks like farmer’s market baby food, but as the video goes on, and through the campaign photos, it’s quickly mouthwatering just what can be made with this printer. Anxieties about learning a new kitchen tool are also laid to rest with simple diagrams outlining how easy it is to operate a Foodini. Natural Machines needs to raise $100,000 to put together the community site and begin mass production.

The Perks. Unsurprisingly, a Foodini will set backers back $999, $300 off the retail price, and can start impressing everybody else by January of 2015. Those who don’t want to wait can pay extra for an earlier production run, the earliest being available October 2014 for backers who pledge $2,000.

The Potential. It’s impossible not to be excited about the idea of having a 3D food printer in the home. While it’s still a ways off from replicating an Irish breakfast or even downloading pizza rolls, Foodini takes all the convenience of eating out of cans and boxes and brings it to fresh, healthy ingredients. The price point is enticingly low, especially considering that a microwave cost over $10,000 in today’s dollars when they hit the market. It may seem extravagant now, but this is a clear sign of a new era for stomachs everywhere.

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Cooking

Cuffitts turns pot holder into multifunctional kitchen tool

Cuffitt 20140318140833-Cuffitts_Web26[1]Cooking can be a great creative outlet, but on those occasions when you get burned, it takes the fun out of it. Cuffitts blends pot holder, oven mitt and hot pad into one. This cooking tool was designed with safety in mind, protecting hands from burns that come from heat, steam, and oil pops whether in the kitchen or standing at the grill. For $10, a backer gets one Cuffitt, which seems a bit pricy given the fact that there are stores that sell pot holders and oven mitts for less. Expected delivery date isn’t noted.

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Cooking

BaKon BaKer produces porcine perfection in the oven

BaKon BaKer bbcc611fc04d6d57176d1ce96fcc3294_large[1]The maker of BaKon BaKer devotes most of his narrative to a sad tale of unfortunate circumstances. Either he cooks the bacon and cleans up the mess, or his wife will go shopping, spend all his money, and force them to move in with the in-laws because they can no longer make the house payment.  This threat is apparently what inspired the BaKon BaKer, which allows the user to cook bacon in the oven, hence: less mess, easier clean-up, and a peaceful marriage, something both partners can appreciate regardless of who brings home the bacon. For $22, bakers get one BaKon BaKer with an estimated delivery of June 2014.

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Cooking

Brochette Express saves making kabobs from the slobs

The Premise. It’s the perfect summer day and you’ve invited some friends over for a pool party and to show off your grilling skills extraordinaire. The lengthy warm days with weekend cookouts and friends are supposed to be relaxing and fun. But the preparation for those grilled delights can be the pits!

The Product. Brochette Express allows you put that pit back in its place and reclaim your territory as master chef of fine outdoor edible fare. Like so many other important things in life, it all begins in the kitchen. The product was inspired because of how long it takes to cut up meat, veggies, fruit and then put each piece on a skewer. Looking something like an illusionist’s chamber for driving swords through a person, the slatted, rectangular container is placed on its base and holds meat, veggies or fruit. Layer as desired, and once filled, a lid with 16 skewer holes is placed on top. Bamboo or stainless steel skewers are inserted through the holes, cut along the slats, and voila! Sprinkle with your favorite seasonings and grill, baby, grill.

The Pitch. The video for the $30,000 campaign doesn’t explain what type of material the rectangular container is made of, though it appears to be some form of plastic. Gender war aficionados will appreciate the video in which of the lady of the house skewers her kabumbling male cohabitant. After showing him how to do brochettes the express way, she lets him save his masculine face by carting them out to the grill for testosterone-tinged heating.

The Perks. There are seven tiers from which backers may choose. For $25, backers get a complete product plus 16 bamboo skewers. $50 gets stainless steel skewers rather than bamboo. The estimated delivery is May 2014.

The Potential. Brochette Express is ideal for adults those who really enjoy entertaining and grilling, no matter what their age or gender. While it’s quite easy to find skewers, there doesn’t seem to be anything out there that aides with a quick and easy preparation process for those who enjoy cooking and dining on kabobs. Brochette Express appears to make the cut.

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Cooking Food and Beverage

Uten-sil raises silverware to a (slightly) higher level

Uten_sil 52a63e8206d9c92f76d6ef886259fe38_large[1]Why should smartphones have all the fun? The fork and knife finally have their own dock. For those who want someplace to lay their eating utensils during mealtime that doesn’t involve a napkin, the edge of their plate, or just on the table, Uten-sil Fork & Knife Rest might just make your day. The high-grade plastic and silicone wedge raises utensils slightly above the table’s surface so that there is less mess, potentially also keeping silverware free of tabletop germs. Prehaps the bigger benefit is keeping the tablecloth a little cleaner, assuming, o fcourse, that the utensils don’t get too covered in dropping substnaces such as sauces. For a pledge of at least $10, backers will get a two-pack of Uten-sil in their choice of black or white and an expected delivery of July 2014. Other colors and amounts are available for a higher donation, and it does appear to be a one-of-a-kind idea.

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Cooking

Liquidy-Split! comes in in a pinch, offers precise portions

The Premise. When cooking, most people follow recipes pretty closely. It’s hard to do this, however, when using measuring spoons. Either you end up putting in too little or too much of whichever ingredient into the mix. It can also be frustrating to have to rinse measuring cups and spoons as you go.

The Product. The pun-embracing Liquidy-Split offers a solution for measuring out fluid ingredients. It looks like a simple squeeze bottle, but has a dial on top with different measurements from ¼ tsp to 1 tbsp along with comparable metric measurements. To use, simply turn to the dial to the desired measurement and squeeze the bottle. Liquidy-Split will dispense the correct amount and then all you have to do is pour. Any excess liquid is sucked back into the bottle. Each bottle has a label section on it to write what it contains. The bottles are compact and easy to sot

The Pitch. Liquidy-Split’s Kickstarter campaign outlines the different problems that the creators’ product solves such as pouring out too much liquid or having to use several measuring spoons for one ingredient. The video contains a demonstration of Liquidy-Split along with some awkward footage of its creator. The campaign has a low goal of $5,500 in 60 days and a series of stretch goals that range from $15,000 to $35,000. These consist of different sizes and colors possible for the Liquidy-Split bottles.

The Perks. The Liquidy-Split campaign features only three reward tiers — $1, $10, and $15. The early-bird tier of $10 and the regular priced $15 tiers are the same; both include one Liquidy-Split bottle with the choice of size and color. Estimated delivery is set for July 2014.

The Potential. The Liquidy-Split bottle is a neat little invention for cooking and baking enthusiasts. Similar products exist, but most claim that they are only for oil, such as the Portion Pro Oil Dispenser. Liquidy-Split’s Kickstarter campaign is a bit lacking in reward tiers, but the product is still a good one. Liquidy-Split also would benefit from creating an equivalent product that could be used for solid, powdery ingredients, such as flour and sugar: Powdery-Pinch?

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Cooking

Bottle Opener Board helps you slice, opens soda for ice

For those who like to enjoy a beer along with their cooking preparations, Bottle Opener Board (BOB for short) is likely to be your best buddy forever in the kitchen or at the grill. The Bamboo cutting board sports a bottle opener at the end of its handle (or in the corner for the travel size version) so that when you’re on a roll with that knife and somebody wants a drink, you just slide BOB over so your guests can pop their top. Now, if you’re going on a picnic or doing some camping, BOB might be just the thing. However, you might be just as well served by putting a bottle opener on your key ring or making certain to bring along your Swiss Army Knife — unless you’re going to be with an uptight group of stuffy accountants or attorneys and you want an effective conversation starter. For a pledge of at least $9, a backer gets a travel-size BOB (more like Newhart), or for at least $20, a standard-sized BOB (smaller than Saget). Either option has an expected delivery date of June 2014.