We have a passion for the perfect cup of coffee and a big appetite for grilled eats, or so it seems judging by the diversity (and number) of gadgets and appliances at the recent 2011 International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago.
But those aren’t the only whiz-bang electrics, gizmos and Rube Goldberg contraptions that attracted 60,000 people to the annual event. There were cleverly reworked kitchen tools, ceramic knives galore and a rainbow of silicone utensils all designed to make food prep, cooking and storage a breeze.
Here’s a look at a few interesting items from the show. Some are available right now; others will become available over the next few months.
Hot-Pot BBQ
A lovely pot of herbs can grow — until you are ready for some grilling. Just remove the pot and a barbecue grill appears. The stainless steel unit with a heat-insulating ceramic coating is for charcoal grilling. It’s $124 at black-blum.com.
Mastrad Chips Maker
Turn thin potato slices (or veggies or fruit) into chips sans fat and salt in a matter of microwave minutes. Or season with a spritz of olive oil and sprinkle of herbs. It’s $20 for a 2-tray set or $20 for a tray-and-mandoline set. At mastrad.us.
Bodum Bistro Knife Block
A mass of plastic bristles tucked inside a plastic block (in a bright array of color choices) allows storage of any shape knife within the block. It’s $45 at bodum.com.
Color Alert 60-Minute Timer
This timer uses color and sound to alert cooks: It stays green while cooking, pulses yellow when there’s less than 10 minutes to go, pulses red with 1 minute or less, then sounds an alarm when done. It’s $10, battery operated and from Amco Houseworks. At chicagometallicbakeware.com
Collapsible mini produce keeper
A plastic produce keeper from Progressive International holds 2 quarts fully opened, can be partially collapsed to hold less, then completely collapsed for storage. It’s $13 at progressiveintl.com.
