Home and Kitchen

News, reviews and articles about home and kitchen products.

Build an organized home office without permanently modifying the room

elfa home office

If you live in an apartment where you can’t make permanent changes or in a 60-year-old house with 4″-thick plaster-and-lathe walls that make finding the wall studs impossible like I do, you may have thought a wall organizer unit and desk like the one in the photo was impossible for you.  Usually this type of

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Add a pouring spout to make life easier in the kitchen

silpoura spout

This little doodad can keep things neater while you’re working in the kitchen.  The Silpoura spout was the brainchild of  a couple who are avid campers and needed a way to dispose of cooking grease without dumping it in the woods.  Gail suggested there should be “a ‘Thing’. Like a spout. That you could clip

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Diamond Multimedia PlugnView Remote Home Monitoring Internet Night Vision Security Camera kit review

diamond plugnview 5

I like having the ability to check in on my home even when I’m not there. I do this using small security cameras connected to my wireless network. I’ve reviewed several of these cameras over the years and the latest one to be offered to me for review is the Diamond Multimedia PlugnView Remote Home Monitoring

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Hear NOAA weather information in every room of your house

eton zoneguard plus

It’s not even officially summer yet, and already storm devastation has begun with tragic loss of life.  Whenever there are dangerous conditions in your area, you need to be informed so you can protect yourself and your family.  There’s already a nationwide NOAA weather alert system that works in conjunction with the FCC’s Emergency Alert

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Star Wars Cookie Cutters for your next May the 4th Be With You party

starwarscookiecutters

If you want to be a real Jedi Master party host at your next May the 4th Be With You celebration, hop in your T-16 Skyhopper and brave the Jundland Wastes to score a set of these Star Wars Heroes & Villains Cookie Cutters from Williams-Sonoma.  They include the four iconic likenesses of Darth Vader,

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Un-invite mosquitoes from your next outdoor activity

terminix allclear tabletop mosquito repeller

I think most states joke about mosquitoes being their state bird, and North Carolina is certainly a state that could make the insect their official bird.  It’s been warm here for a while, and I’ve already gotten bites.  Terminix has a line of AllClear mosquito “solutions” that looks interesting.  Instead of using light to attract

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Keep your coffee hot during your morning commute

hotrod mug

Are you still trying to figure out what to give your dear old Dad for Father’s Day? If he’s a coffee or tea drinking commuter, the ThinkGeek Hot Rod Heated Travel Mug might be a good option. This insulated mug features a 12-volt DC adapter that you can plug into your car’s power socket to

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Make Dad the true King of the Grill!

five cooking methods grill

Does your Dad (or your hubby) fancy himself the lord of the BBQ?  Father’s Day is coming soon, and here’s a gift that could make him the true king of the grill.  This Five Cooking Method Grill from Hammacher Schlemmer puts five cooking methods at his fingertips.  (Click the photo for a larger image.)  This

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Need to adjust your bed? There’s an app for that

reverie

Reverie sleep systems feature mattresses with air cylinder technology which can be customized to your personal level of firmness. Combined with an  adjustable base that offers a Zero Gravity position that emulates weightlessness and a 4-wave massage function, you may never want to get out of bed. You can control this bed with a boring

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Put a little Zing in your water, vodka and salad dressings

zinganything

I was finally able to kick my daily 20 oz Diet Coke habit several months ago by using a 24 oz. Bubba Brands Hero insulated steel bottle. I fill with 5 ice cubes from home and when I get to work, I fill it with cold water and 2 Twinings Cold Brew iced tea bags.

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Trongs – Eat with your fingers, skip the mess

trongs

If you dislike the greasy, sticky fingers that go along with eating BBQ ribs, wings, corn on the cob and other foods, consider using a pair of Trongs next time. Trongs are made of food-safe polypropylene and have been  designed to help you grab food with your fingers, without actually touching it. These one-size-fits-all flexible

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