If you live in a place with limited kitchen space, you might want to stop reading. At the 2017 International Home and Housewares Show, we saw a bunch of kitchen gadgets and goodies that we wanted to take home, though not all were more functional than fun.
With limited counter space, you might not have room for a device devoted to nut-milk making, but something else in our roundup might be just the thing you’ve been looking for.
Cookut Miam ($20)
A simple device consisting of a wire ball that looks like an old-fashioned kid’s toy and a plastic shaker, the Miam is actually a quick way to whip up pancakes or crepes. (The company is French.) The cup has lines, so you know how much milk, flour, and other ingredients to add. Once you’ve added an egg (because one egg is un oeuf), you cap the container and shake it for 10 to 20 seconds. You can then pour the batter into the pan, right from the shaker. There’s also a version for making mayo and another for homemade whipped cream.
Buy Now ($112)
The Swissmar Raclette is reminiscent of something couples received as wedding gifts back in the ’70s. It’s a bit like a combination grill and fondue pot. Large enough to fit food for eight, the device’s 1200-watt heating element cooks meat and veggies on the nonstick top and melts cheese in individual dishes below. It’s a bit like going to a Korean barbecue restaurant, where you cook the food yourself. Raclettes are very common in Switzerland, and the company has been importing them since the 1980s.
Geoffrey Zakarian storage containers ($45)
If you look inside Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian’s fridge, you’ll see it’s very organized and full of fresh food. Both are thanks to his own brand of storage containers, which use an airtight seal and insert tray to keep fruits and vegetables from decaying right away. The tray keeps berries from stewing in their own juices, and the largest size has a removable colander for rinsing. To help combat cupboard chaos, the two lid sizes are interchangeable for the smaller and larger containers. You can also put them in the microwave and top rack of the dishwasher, and you can scribble on the lids so you know what you put in there and when.
Buy Now ($120)
Another French company, Mastrad had its O’Plancha griddle on display. It’s a simple stainless steel and aluminum device that offers a lot of cooking options. You can use it indoors or out, with our without the lid. Without the lid, you can cook scallops or vegetables plancha- or teppanyaki-style. The lid, which has a built-in temperature gauge, can make pizza or cake. A little ridge around the edge catches juices, so you can suction them out of the moat instead of losing them to the coals below.
Midea NutGrainRice extractor ($80)
It takes a lot of water to grow almonds, and your store-bought almond milk is mostly water, a well. There are lots of ways to make your own, if you’re so inclined, including the Midea NRG Extractor 6000. It grinds the nuts and beans with its two blades and has presets for making nut milk, tofu, and oatmeal. It’s embedded with temperature and water-level sensors to help regulate as it cooks. Once it’s done, you can use the included mesh bag to strain your vegan-friendly milk.
Chefman Perfect Pour Volcano Waffle Maker (TBD)
Were we expecting something different when we saw the words “volcano” and “waffle maker” together. Maybe. But Chefman’s appliance is still pretty ingenious. Instead of opening the waffle maker and pouring your batter into little divots, the Perfect Pour stays closed. There’s a little spout on top where you add the batter, and it should evenly distribute it to all corners of the cooking surface. It’s meant to help avoid what can sometimes be a sloppy process. Wonder how it would work with the Cookut Miam?
BakerStone Indoor Pizza Oven Box (TBD)
BakerStone has had its pizza oven box on the market for a while now. It turns your grill into a lightning-fast pizza maker, cooking a pie in under five minutes. For those that who don’t live in climates that let them grill year-round, BakerStone is introducing an indoor version. It’s very similar to the outdoor model and should make pizza just as fast on top of your stove as it does atop a grill.
Updated 3/30/2017: Updated to correct the price of the O’Plancha Grill.
