Video

Does it Work: Dunking tools keep fingers in the clear

Review by Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on February 12, 2019 •
• Updated on February 13, 2019 at 10:23 am

Video

Review by Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on February 12, 2019 •
• Updated on February 13, 2019 at 10:23 am

Armed with three types of Oreo cookies, miniature chocolate-chip cookies, mini doughnuts and cups of milk, we began a quest to see which of three tools would get a dunked cookie into our mouths easiest and with the least mess. Read More

Does It Work: Right Cup could help curb sugar addiction

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on September 4, 2018
• Updated on September 4, 2018 at 5:24 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on September 4, 2018
• Updated on September 4, 2018 at 5:24 pm

The Right Cup adds scents to beverages to trick the brain into tasting something that isn’t there. Read More

Chef’n’s cherry pitter 2.0 makes less of a mess

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on July 31, 2018
• Updated on August 2, 2018 at 2:14 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on July 31, 2018
• Updated on August 2, 2018 at 2:14 pm

The new Chef’n QuickPit Cherry Pitter is one of several gadgets that can be screwed onto wide-mouthed Mason jars. Read More

Coravin wine preservation system works, but it’s expensive

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on July 3, 2018
• Updated on July 6, 2018 at 12:00 am

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on July 3, 2018
• Updated on July 6, 2018 at 12:00 am

The Coravin wine system’s website claims “the last glass is just as amazing as the very first.” Read More

Egglettes take away task of peeling shells

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on June 5, 2018
• Updated on June 5, 2018 at 5:35 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on June 5, 2018
• Updated on June 5, 2018 at 5:35 pm

If it’s a struggle to remove the shells from boiled eggs, give As Seen On TV’s Egglettes a try. The tiny orb-shaped containers were created to eliminate the hassle of egg peeling. Read More

Powder hardens hot frying oil

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on May 1, 2018
• Updated on May 8, 2018 at 2:42 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on May 1, 2018
• Updated on May 8, 2018 at 2:42 pm

The box of three pouches, found at Marukai Wholesale Mart, is covered in Japanese writing, but a quick Google search uncovered an English description under “Kitchen Cooking Oil Waste Hardener.” Read More

Mini baking kit as easy as pie

Review by Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on April 3, 2018
• Updated on April 6, 2018 at 10:06 am

Review by Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on April 3, 2018
• Updated on April 6, 2018 at 10:06 am

The promise with Lekue’s Kit Mini Pies is that it will “effortlessly prepare 19 mini pies in one go.” Read More

Smoking gun infuses flavor in minimal time

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on March 6, 2018
• Updated on March 6, 2018 at 5:18 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on March 6, 2018
• Updated on March 6, 2018 at 5:18 pm

I really like Breville’s Smoking Gun, which infuses smoky flavor into cooked and uncooked food. Read More

‘Gripper’ gives users leverage with tough jars

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on February 6, 2018
• Updated on February 6, 2018 at 3:56 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on February 6, 2018
• Updated on February 6, 2018 at 3:56 pm

Kuhn Rikon’s Gripper Jar Opener is “good for people with arthritis,” and is touted as providing “strain-free lid opening”and “great leverage” for threaded lids that are 1 inch to 3-1/2 inches in diameter. Read More

iDrink puts sparkle in low-calorie beverages

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on January 2, 2018
• Updated on January 2, 2018 at 5:36 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on January 2, 2018
• Updated on January 2, 2018 at 5:36 pm

The iDrink product adds bubbles to beverages, pulped juices excluded. I tested the DrinkMate on water, juice, tea and cold-brew coffee — all were fun to do and drink, except the coffee. Read More

Fizzics Waytap adds dense foam layer to beer

By Andrew Gomes agomes@staradvertiser.com on December 5, 2017
• Updated on December 5, 2017 at 8:16 pm

By Andrew Gomes agomes@staradvertiser.com Posted on December 5, 2017
• Updated on December 5, 2017 at 8:16 pm

Changing the way people drink beer, and making brews from the bottle or can taste better than draft beer from a keg — these are claims made by the creators of a device called the Fizzics Waytap, which pumps beer from a bottle or can through a tap and adds a dense layer of suds on top. Read More

Sealer good, but stirrer isn’t useful

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on October 31, 2017
• Updated on October 31, 2017 at 5:37 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on October 31, 2017
• Updated on October 31, 2017 at 5:37 pm

Kitchen Tool’s bag sealer is a pretty good gadget for $2.99. It’s fast and easy to use once you get the hang of it. But Stir Crazy, intended to be a hands-free stirring device, doesn’t live up to its claim of stirring “all sorts of custards, sauces and soups.” Read More

Parsley mill handy, but pain to clean

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on October 3, 2017
• Updated on October 6, 2017 at 12:44 am

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on October 3, 2017
• Updated on October 6, 2017 at 12:44 am

Ipac Italy’s Prezzemolina’s parsley mill is affordable, but cleanup is a hassle. Read More

Wine gadgets help save juice, illuminate room

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on September 26, 2017
• Updated on September 26, 2017 at 4:33 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on September 26, 2017
• Updated on September 26, 2017 at 4:33 pm

Joie’s Expand and Seal Bottle Topper and Rabbit’s L.E.D. Bottle Stoppers are worthy of a place at the table during your next party where wine is served. Read More

Gluten sensor not guaranteed to work

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on September 19, 2017
• Updated on September 19, 2017 at 4:58 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on September 19, 2017
• Updated on September 19, 2017 at 4:58 pm

Nima’s Gluten Sensor is pretty pricey for something that can’t guarantee items are gluten-free. Read More

Yoshi Copper grill mat has pros, cons

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on September 12, 2017
• Updated on September 12, 2017 at 4:59 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on September 12, 2017
• Updated on September 12, 2017 at 4:59 pm

The Yoshi Copper Grill Mat lives up to most of its claims, such as preventing flare-ups. However, it fails in its declaration of producing perfect grill marks. Read More

Cheese papers don’t live up to hype

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on September 5, 2017
• Updated on September 5, 2017 at 6:27 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on September 5, 2017
• Updated on September 5, 2017 at 6:27 pm

Chronicle Books’ Cheese Papers claim to be “ideal for any variety (of cheese)” but don’t really deliver on that promise. Read More

Device preps strawberries in seconds

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on August 29, 2017
• Updated on August 29, 2017 at 9:42 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on August 29, 2017
• Updated on August 29, 2017 at 9:42 pm

The OXO Good Grips Strawberry Huller works just as fast as a straw and removes all the leaves, but it probably removes more of the fruit, too, depending on the size of the strawberry. Read More

Cuber makes quick work of Hass avocados

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on August 22, 2017
• Updated on August 22, 2017 at 4:23 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on August 22, 2017
• Updated on August 22, 2017 at 4:23 pm

The Williams Sonoma Avocado Cuber works best on fruit of a certain size and shape. Read More

Ice cream tool makes users want to scoop

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on August 15, 2017
• Updated on August 15, 2017 at 6:46 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on August 15, 2017
• Updated on August 15, 2017 at 6:46 pm

Urban Trend’s Fruzen Ice Cream Scoop looks — and works — like a standard ice cream scoop, but instead of rounded edges like a spoon, the Fruzen has a zinc alloy “power tip” with angled sides like a shovel. It easily slides through hard ice cream. Read More

Patience is key for Dripo coffee maker

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com on August 8, 2017
• Updated on August 8, 2017 at 5:43 pm

By Michelle Ramos mramos@staradvertiser.com Posted on August 8, 2017
• Updated on August 8, 2017 at 5:43 pm

The Dripo took six hours and 17 minutes for ice to melt and water to seep through two filters and ground coffee to create a finished drink. Read More

Does it Work?