December 05, 2005
Solar-powered Motion-sensing Camera
Sure, you've heard of wireless surveillance cameras, but they still have to be plugged in, right? So, how "wireless" are they? Smarthome is offering a 2.4GHz color passive infrared camera and receiver that is powered by the sun. As with regular surveillance cameras, this one transmits images and voices when motion is detected. The data can be stored on a tape or hard drive inside the house. Since there are no wires to run, the camera should be easy to install, even for a non-DIY type. The price for the system is $350.
Solar Power Motion Sensing Wireless Camera
November 30, 2005
Christmas Wine Bottle Toppers
If you're a wine lover, or you know one, these Christmas-themed wine bottle toppers could make a fun purchase. Put out by Gardners' Supply, the miniature, working snow globes are made of polyresin and cork, so they keep your wine fresh while perking up the bottle. The toppers come in a set of 3: Santa, Christmas Tree, and Snowman. The set costs $15.95, not including shipping.
http://www.gardenerssupply.com (look in the "In the Kitchen" section)
November 20, 2005
Christmas Tree Stand with... IVs
Did your Christmas tree get a little dry last year? A bit of a fire hazard? Well, the folks over at Safe Christmas have a solution. They say most stands don't hold enough water, and that cuases the tree's base to dry out, forming a waterproof layer of sap and turning the dry trunk and needles into a fire hazard. Their Christmas Tree Watering Stand with IVs is supposed to be the answer. The stand boasts a set of "intravenous" tubes that feed a constant supply of water right into the trunk. The price is $40 plus shipping.
http://www.safechristmas.com
November 19, 2005
Charge Your Electronic Gadgets, Hide the Cords
With everything from digital cameras to iPods to cell phones needing hours plugged into outlets to charge, you've probably got a plethora of power cords dangling around the house at any given time. Here's a gadget designed to hide all those unsightly tangles. Put out by Design Within Reach, the "MultiPot Personal Electric Charger" hides cords inside a glowing pot (looks kind of like a bucket or a flower pot) that doubles as a light source. The Multipot can charge up to five of your electronic gadgets at a time. It costs $278 and is available via the company website:
http://www.dwr.com
via The Wall Street Journal
November 18, 2005
Solar-powered Battery Charger
Looking for an environmentally-friendly way to power your Walkman, CD player, TV remotes, flashlights, and everything else that requires batteries? Green Home, a store that specializes in "green" products, offers a solar-powered battery recharger for $22. The charger works with AAA, AA, C, and D battery sizes. It can be used outdoors or indoors (if placed directly in the sun in a south-facing window). An adjustable stand lets you position the solar collectors at the best angle. Times very, but the site says it takes about 9 hours to charge a D battery.
http://www.greenhome.com
October 26, 2005
Voice Alert Digital Meat Thermometer
Here's a gadget for the kitchen that's designed to get your meat and poultry done to perfection every time. Put out by Williams Sonoma, the meat thermometer counts down cooking times and automatically adjusts itself if the cooking process is faster or slower than anticipated. When your meat or poultry is almost done, it alerts you with your choice of voice or beep. The thermometer costs $29.95 and is available via the Williams Sonoma web site.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com
October 16, 2005
Portable Ice Maker
If you like to entertain, but you're not looking to install a complete outdoor kitchen (or satellite kitchen in another part of your house), a portable ice maker can make serving chilled beverages easy, without the hassle of installing a permanent unit. This Danby ice maker is available for about $300 online. It makes 33 pounds of ice in a 24 hour period, and you can choose from three different sizes of cubes. The unit is self-contained with a 1 gallon reservoir, so you don't need to hook it up to existing plumbing as you would with a traditional ice machine.
Danby Portable Ice’n Easy Ice Maker
September 26, 2005
Never Drink Warm Soda in the Car Again
This can cooler/warmer from Princess International keeps soda cans cool next to the couch, in your home office, or even in the car via a 12V adapter. The 3-position knob is simple to use, giving you options of cool, off, or warm (warm reaches about 160F degrees). A little light lets you know if it's in warming mode (red) or cooling mode (green). The unit costs about $40 online: Can Cooler and Warmer
http://www.giftsatprincess.com
September 23, 2005
Home Self-tanning Kit
Just because summer is over doesn't meant you have to give up your tan. The Nuress Home Spray Tanning System from Earlex, Inc. is much more economical than visiting the spray-on tanning parlor once a week. You stand in your tub or shower and have your friend or loved one air brush the tan on you. The makers claim the Nuress Home Tanning kit uses a low pressure spray technology so it can be sprayed in fine layers to give the effect of a natural tan. The system is made up of a motor unit, spray gun, and hose. The price is $150.
http://www.nuress.com
September 15, 2005
Waffle Cone Makers
Do you always go for the waffle cones when you visit Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone Creamery? Well, with a waffle cone maker, you can enjoy them without leaving home. The grills plug into any kitchen outlet (or any other room for that matter) and typically come with cone rolling forms and recipes. The Chef's Choice 838 Waffle Cone Maker has several positive reviews at Amazon and can be purchased through them for about $50: Chef's Choice 838 Waffle Cone Maker
September 14, 2005
Home Soda Maker
Are you one of those people who prefers the fountain-style sodas you get at restaurants to the stuff that comes out of the can? The Soda Club, a home soda maker, gives you sodas or seltzer water with the push of a button. The machine doesn't require batteries or electricity. The company says you can eliminate your pop can contributions to environmental pollution by making your sodas at home. They have low sugar and low calorie options for those looking to improve their diet without giving up carbonated beverages completely. The price for the Soda Club is $89.99 (though the mixing ingredients are an ongoing expense--albeit a cheaper one than forking over money for 12 packs of soda every week).
http://www.sodaclub.com/
August 31, 2005
WaterCop Automatically Stops Water Leaks
Heading off on vacation or a business trip? If you've ever had water leaks and damage in the basement or other parts of the house, you may have trouble resting peacefully while you're gone. WaterCop is an emergency water shutoff system that utilizes sensors to detect water leakage. It then automatically cuts off the water supply before it can cause damage. You can also wire WaterCop to many home security systems in order to alert your monitoring company that there is a water problem.
http://www.watercop.com/
August 28, 2005
PowerSquid Replaces Your Clogged Power Strips
Maybe you weren't that impressed by the Power Strip Liberator. Well, the PowerSquid replaces your current power strips completely. Since most appliances seem to come with big blocky plugs these days, you're lucky to get three things plugged into a traditional power strip. The PowerSquid's squid-like shape offers plenty of room; each socket comes with its own cord so you don't have to worry about plugs blocking more than one outlet. The price for the power strip is $15: PowerSquid Outlet Multiplier
August 12, 2005
Burger Press Makes Grilling the Perfect Burger Easy
There's nothing like a good hamburger charbroiled to perfection on the old backyard barbecue. Unless you make them too fat and the insides are still pink when you bite into them. Or you make them too thin and they fall apart when you try to flip them. Come to think of it, grilling that perfect hamburger can be a pain. Along comes the burger press. This non-stick aluminum meat mold is designed to give you burgers of just the right shape and just the right thickness every time. The Burger Press will run you just under $20 through Amazon: Burger Press
via Kitchen Contraptions
August 08, 2005
Granite Wine Opener
Opening a bottle of wine with a corkscrew is an art that takes a bit of experience and finesse to master. If you're one of those people who frequently finds pieces of cork floating around in your glass, maybe it's time to try a more user friendly wine opener. Frontgate's Granite Wine Opener is designed to match those trendy granite countertops and make corking and recorking your favorite vintages a little easier. It retails for $179 via their web site.
http://www.frontgate.com/
July 31, 2005
Fingerprint Activated Door Lock
I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to the day when we can chuck keys completely and just go around starting our cars with our voices or opening the front door with a touch of our fingers. Well, that day is at least partially here for those willing to spend a little extra for the convenience (all you people out there who lose your house keys, repeatedly, this post is for you). The Biocav Fingerprint Recognition Deadbolt is a lock for your front door (any door actually) that only opens when you press your finger to the reader or enter your unique access number. Keyed to your fingerprint, it allows you to throw away your house key forever. The Biocav lock holds up to 50 users and runs on battery power so there's no need to worry about being locked out during a power outage (a low battery warning alerts you in advance when it's time to change the batteries). The MSRP is $499, but Smarthome has it for $399 at the time of this posting: Biometric Fingerprint Door Lock
July 28, 2005
IngenuiTea No-Pour Tea Server
I had my first experience with an "IngenuiTea" teapot at the local coffee house the other night. Adagio Tea's 16 ounce teapot requires no pouring--it drains tea straight out the bottom. Don't worry it's easy to work. Basically, you pour the hot water into the clear pot, toss in some crushed tea leaves (no need for a bag or strainer), let the drink steep, then set the pot on top of your favorite mug. Responding to the pressure of the cup, it drains the tea out the bottom, leaving the leaves behind for easy dumping. Sitting it on a table doesn't make it drain; it has to be on the rim of a cup (it works best with a standard mug--you have to get a little creative draining it into over-sized cups).
http://www.adagio.com/
July 19, 2005
Motion-Sensing Tiles from SensiTile
If you're looking to do something unique with a backsplash, shower stall, bathroom wall, or what have you, SensiTile offers "motion sensing tiles." The tiles sense the movement of a passing person and create colorful ripples in response. The tiles are passive and don't need to be powered; they use ambient light and daylight as their source of power.
http://www.sensitile.com/
July 15, 2005
Bathroom Scale Measures Weight & Body Fat
The Tanita Innerscan Body Composition Monitor is a bathroom scale designed to tell you not only weight but body fat percentage. As those of us with big bones know, weight isn't always the best measure of health. Skinny people can have a lot of body fat while stocky people can weigh more but have less. The Innerscan scale doesn't stop with body fat though. It reads: your body water percentage, metabolic age, bone mass, visceral fat and daily caloric intake. It works by sending a low-level electric pulse through your body. The scale can "remember" up to four users so you can compare results over time, and there's also a guest mode. It's available via Amazon for $120: Tanita Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor
http://www.tanita.com/
July 14, 2005
Motorized Paper Towel Dispenser
Oh, come on. You've never dreamed of a motorized paper towel dispenser? Point and Cut's "No Touch Paper Towel Dispenser" means no more goobering up the rest of the paper towels or the rack with sticky fingers when you need a sheet. This motorized paper towel dispenser mounts under a cabinet so as not to take up counter space, and comes in stainless steel to match the rest of your classy kitchen appliances. Just wave your hand once to unroll the desired length, then wave again to cut the towel.
http://www.pointandcut.com/
Camouflaged Air Purifiers
Air purifiers can be helpful additions for homeowners with allergies, but putting a humming box in your bedroom or living room maybe be a decorating faux pas for some. You may consider hiding that air purifier in... a tree. The Amcor Group offers an air purifier that doubles as an artificial ficus tree. The purifier's filter is washable, so you don't need to order replacement parts (and the tree never needs to be watered). The price listed on their site is $89.50 though Amazon has it for a few dollars cheaper.
Ficus Tree Air Purifier at Amazon.
http://www.amcorgroupusa.com/
July 05, 2005
Snazzy Caller ID Message Center
The Sharper Globe Message Center with caller ID has sort of a high-tech scifi look to it. When a call comes in, the call information (caller name and number) scrolls via LEDs across the globe-shaped top. The message center also doubles as a clock with the time and date. Reviewers over at Amazon say the globe makes it easy to see time/date/call information from anywhere in the room whether the lights are on or not. So, if you're one of those people who are too lazy (er busy) to walk over to the phone to see who's calling, this might be just the gadget for you.
Sharper Image Globe Message Center with Caller ID
June 22, 2005
How to Save Energy at Home with "Kill A Watt"
Whether your house is 1,000 square feet or 5,000, we're all looking for ways to save energy. Why pay more than you have to? It may come as a surprise to you to realize how many devices in your home are sucking up power 24/7. Some of of them are obvious: alarm clocks, VCRs and DVD players with clocks, cable modems, your computer if you leave it in stand-by instead of turning it off... Other devices are less obvious. For example, my cable box doesn't have a clock or any LED indicators that would suggest it's on even after I've flicked it off, but electronics like this continually use power in order to remain receptive to the remote control signal.
So, how can you save energy at home? Well, an easy way is flick off the power strip that controls your computer, home entertainment system, etc. at night, but who wants to reset clocks everytime you use them? It might be easier just to look for appliances and electronics that use less energy than others. How do you do that? That's where P3 International's Kill A Watt comes in.
By attaching your devices to the Kill A Watt, you can figure out how efficient (inefficient) they are. This will help you know which energy hogs to replace with more efficient models down the road. To work Kill A Watt, you just plug it into a wall outlet, then plug the device you want to test into the Kill A Watt meter. The LCD screen displays energy consumption by kilowatt-hour, much like the utility company does. It shows volts, amps, and watts. It also forecasts costs so you can figure out a device's electricity expenses by the hour, day, week, or year. Cost is about $40 for the Kill A Watt unit.
Kill A Watt
http://www.p3international.com/
May 31, 2005
Powerstrip Troubles? Too Many Cords?
True luxury is being able to find space to plug in all your cool electronics and appliances, right? In theory a powerstrip can handle several things plugged into it, but it seems like everything comes with a double-sized bulky plug these days, the kind that blocks two other outlets on the strip. The Powerstrip Liberator offers a simple but handy solution. These foot-long extension cords, allow you to plug everything into one powerstrip without blocking any of the outlets.
Source: Cool Hunting