News, reviews and articles about home and kitchen products.
If normal switch plate covers are too mundane for you, try these Toggle Switch Plates from UncommonGoods for a little Rube Goldberg steampunk style. They are designed by father and son Lance and L J Nybye. The plates are made with brass hardware and laser-engraved plywood. You can attach them over your existing standard switch plates […]
Add a little steampunk ambiance to your home with these switch plates Read More
I take good care of most of my tools and equipment, but my garden hose is an exception. I think it’s because we share a mutual dislike. The hose kinks when I uncoil it, then tangles and resists when I try to put it back neatly. And the connections between hoses and nozzles always manage
Gilmour LeakFree garden hose system review Read More
The Mini Eco-i-Lite from the Container Store plugs into an outlet and can serve as a dim nightlight. If you need a flashlight, just lift the cylinder out of the charging base and turn on the LED flashlight. If you lose power, the flashlight comes on automatically, and it can provide 7 hours of continuous
Mini Eco-i-Lite is a power failure light, flashlight, and nightlight in one Read More
If your coffee is the key to a good morning for you, and if the cost of getting it your way is no object, then the Blue Bottle Coffee Travel Kit from Timbuk2 Bags is the perfect addition to your travel gear. The kit is packed in a Timbuk2 bag with 14-oz waxed canvas exterior with
Brew your coffee your way with this Timbuk2 travel kit Read More
Living in Wisconsin (we lived there years ago) meant aeon long winters, heart stopping heating bills, and desert dry air. We used humidifiers to try to add invaluable moisture to the air to help decrease respiratory illnesses or alleviate the symptoms, but also to keep from shocking each other to a fine char. While cleaning
Dyson’s new humidifier kills bacteria using ultraviolet light Read More
It goes without saying, but I’m saying it anyway, that I love gadgets. I even love gadgets that I’d never buy and that have been designed to fix a problem that is best fixed with a solution that is much less expensive. Today’s example is the Savel by Dreamfarm. What we have here is a colorful
Savel saves half of your fruit for later Read More
It is not that the Logitech Alert video surveillance system we use has become all that long in the tooth. It still works well enough. The fact is I want/need to expand my coverage and their outdoor cameras are difficult to get ahold of and surprisingly costly when you do. Julie and I have been discussing surveillance
DIY Project: Dropcam Pro outdoor enclosure Read More
Having a full fridge is actually a good problem to have, right? It probably means we aren’t going hungry. But not having enough space in your fridge can be a bit frustrating at times. Brian Conti, creator of the successfully funded Strong Like Bull Magnets Kickstarter projects, is back with a new crowdfunded—and of course, magnetically-powered—product. The
bottleLoft magnetically helps save fridge space Read More
Everyone wants to be more secure in their home. One way we achieve this is by the use of security cameras. Wired security cameras have been around for a long, long time, but all in one wireless systems are more recent to the market. Swann who has been selling security cameras for a while has
Swann Secure Wi-Fi HD monitoring system review Read More
ThinkGeek has a set of plates designed by Leah Yael Levy that feature a planet from our solar system on each plate. The Planetary Plates are 10″ in diameter. They are made of melamine, so they aren’t microwave safe. (There’s a bit of confusion as to whether they are dishwasher safe.) You get a set of
Planetary Plates take your meals to new heights Read More
Vornado fans have been around since 1945, and while the style looks very much the same today, the materials used in the fans have changed over the years. Vornado fans use their signature “Vortex Technology to provide complete circulation of all the air throughout a room. Twin air cones and a deep-pitched propeller compress and move
This fan won’t just keep you cool, it will keep you retro cool! Read More
I’ve seen various “charms” that help you keep up with which glass belongs to whom at parties, but most of them only work with stemmed glasses. What if you aren’t having wine? How do you identify your soda glass or beer stein or your coffee cup? It won’t be a problem with the Drink Ink
You’ll know which glass is yours when you tat it up! Read More
The Dropcam Pro is my all time favorite security camera. It’s my favorite because it provides the best wide angle image I’ve found in a security camera, it’s easy to setup and has a very good web viewer and mobile app for remote viewing. Of course no gadget is ever 100% perfect for everyone and the main
Mount your Dropcam outdoors with the Dropcase Read More
I am the quintessential handyman…always building, repairing, and/or tearing out something. I started my first home improvement project nearly 25 years ago. Back in the day, there were limited battery operated tools and work typically involved dragging electrical cords everywhere you went. As battery technology improves and becomes much more cost effective, we find it powering devices/tools
LOFTEK 10 Watts Rechargeable LED Floodlight review Read More
The Vitesse Aerator is a two-piece set that was designed with dual functions – to easily decant and aerate wine. The set consists of a mouth-blown, lead-free crystal decanter and an adapter that fits securely onto both bottle and decanter for a stable, hands-free decanting. The crystal decanter has a “narrow neck and wide base
Decant and aerate your wine in one easy step Read More
In a carnival world where just about everything from chicken to butter can be eaten “on a stick”, it was only a matter of time before the fad made its way to your kitchen. Now I’m not particularly talented at making eggs either, although rarely have I faced the issues plaguing these poor people. However, who
How do you take your eggs–on a stick? Read More
A year ago I told you about teen product designer Nick Bain and his dry-erase light switch cover. Now he’s launched the Switch Port as a Kickstarter project seeking $750 in funding. The Switch Port is a replacement light switch cover that doubles as a dry-erase message board. The cover has been CNC milled and
16yr old’s dry-erase light switch cover goes to Kickstarter Read More
A couple of weeks ago I told you about the Skydrop sprinkler system which uses your soil conditions and local weather to better schedule when it waters your lawn. That system was priced at $299. If you want a slightly less expensive solution, consider the Rachio Iro smart sprinkler system. Priced at $249, this system also mounts on
Rachio Iro smart sprinkler system keeps your lawn green while saving water Read More
Racing fans will no doubt be interested in these very cool Pitstop office chairs from Intro-Tech Automotive. There are several versions of the racing inspired Pitstop chairs, but I think the most impressive model is the LXE, which is available in four color combinations. The LXE features tire tread style arm rests with racing suspension springs,
If you can’t own a race car, how about a race car chair? Read More
Roommates, cleaning staff, house guests – it doesn’t matter who, but you may find you need a way to prevent someone from drinking your expensive wines and liquors. If you don’t have a locking cabinet, or if you don’t mind people helping themselves to some but not all of your bar stock, you can use
Lock up your expensive wine and liquor bottles Read More