The beverage pitcher that works for you

Interchangeable parts let the Primula Infuser Pitcher create any number of homemade beverages with a minimum of hassle.

(Credit:Macy's)

Not all kitchen gadgets are gleaming devices shimmering with moving parts. Sometimes, utility is provided by something just sitting there minding its own business. Take tea, for example: not much goes on while it steeps. Another example might be ice chilling down a beverage. Finally in a trifecta of passivity, infusions require little more than placing a bunch of sliced fruits, herbs, and whatnot into a liquid. Considering the simplicity involved, it only makes sense that there would be one kitchen helper designed to do all three of these tasks.

The Primula Flavor It Beverage System 3-in-1 Infuser Pitcher, which retails for $45, is a simple device designed to brew, chill, or infuse. Creating the perfect beverage requires little more than switching among the three interchangeable inserts. The tea core includes a fine mesh screen to be used with loose-leaf tea or ground coffee, while the fruit infuser core can be used not only to flavor water with sliced fruit but could also be used in tandem with the tea insert so as to create homemade flavored tea. Finally, rounding out the BPA-free pitcher is the chill core, which is filled with a nontoxic gel. Just keep this part in the freezer and after letting the pitcher do all the work brewing and infusing, pop it in, sit back and continue relaxing with drink in hand.

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2013: The year the smart kitchen finally arrives?

LG's vision of the connected home will have plenty of competition in 2013.

(Credit:LG)

January is a time of renewal. It also happens to be when appliance makers show off their visions of what is to come. The event is CES 2013 and this year, according to those that make kitchen gadgets and appliances, everything is going to be very, very smart. While we have been promised automated kitchens in one form or another since the time of the Jetsons, there is one important factor in the modern world that may see the smart kitchen finally grow up: mobility.

The year 2013 is going to be one marked by plenty of smartphone and tablet sales. All those mobile devices are going to need something to control. Like what's for dinner.

All cooking consists of a step-by-step process; a process that lends itself remarkably well to being transcribed as a set of directions. Having these recipes readily available (not to mention with enhanced content) has become an enticing reality for phones and tablets. Perhaps the next step in the process is the integration of technology into the cooking device itself. Look for the Dacor Wall Oven with Discovery IQ Controller for Android to land sometime in summer 2013. Not only will the oven be able to tell you what's for dinner, but also how to cook it. The fact that it can keep track of what you cook leads to interesting possibilities for the future. Perhaps recommendations based upon eating preferences? Couple recipe choices with what's actually in the fridge and suddenly shopping lists sent to phones can be viewed in a whole new way. The first steps have been taken.

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The dream of connected appliances is happening. LG's Smart Home Service looks to integrate communication among appliances via its SmartControl app. Naturally, LG isn't the only appliance maker looking to dominate the living space. Haier showcased their Smart Living system in an effort to win over future consumers. In what is soon to be a crowded field, Whirlpool announced a new line of appliances featuring their 6th Sense Live technology. When available, the connected kitchen and laundry room appliances still won't be able to actually cook you dinner just yet, but expect to be able to exert simple control over common appliances when they become available for purchase in March.

If the thought of a matched set of smart appliances seems out of reach you are not alone. (Pay attention, appliance makers: make your devices play nice!) Belkin has teamed with Jarden Consumer Solutions (JCS is the maker of Sunbeam, Crock-Pot, Mr. Coffee, and Oster appliances) to bring connected capabilities to everyday kitchen gadgets and appliances via the WeMo SMART platform. Belkin's existing WeMo technology, app development, and cloud server allows for JCS to bring familiar products to market quickly and easily. Look for the first of these to be available later this year.

Smartphones and tablets have certainly changed how we view and interact with the world around us. Now, they look to transform the hearth of the home. With real steps being taken to that future throughout the year, 2013 looks to be the year when long promised smart features finally come home.

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The Bar10der Ten-in-One bar tool has everything going for it

Cheers to anything and everything.

(Credit:Bar10der)

The level of sophistication in both professional as well as in home kitchens keeps increasing at a seemingly exponential rate. Part of this acceleration is perhaps due to increased specialization and availability of kitchen gadgets and accessories. Certainly interest in new recipes and procedures seems to be at an all-time high. No matter what one can dream up, equipment as well as online instructions are never very far away. And of course, that goes for booze, too.

The craft cocktail movement of recent years has brought with it the need for specialized tools -- or at least constantly accessible familiar ones. Taking up where the Swiss Army Knife left off, the Bar10der Ten-in-One Ultimate Bartending Tool ($49.99) looks to help usher in a new era of mixology, one booze-soaked beverage at a time.

Featuring a full bar's worth of gadgetry that all tucks into the handle, the cocktail contraption comes complete with the following tools: muddler, stirrer, knife, channel knife, zester, reamer, jigger, corkscrew, strainer, and of course, a bottle opener. Naturally, it is also available in four different colors. Deciding what to do with all that equipment shouldn't be hard to figure out; everything included is a common enough bar tool. But if inspiration is needed, the product's Web site does include recipe ideas. Cheers!

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Retro popcorn maker blends in

Makes fresh popcorn despite which era the gadget looks like it came from.

(Credit:Bed Bath & Beyond)

Design always has, and always will, play a big part in our purchasing decisions. Kitchen gadgets are, of course, not immune to our personal preferences. Perhaps they are even subject to a more stringent set of deliberations, seeing as additional kitchen appliances require the reduction of a valued commodity: counter space. However a device that may be frivolous or unnecessary dressed in one design sense may look the part of high fashion in another.

Depending upon personal tastes, the Nostalgia Electrics Retro Stir Popcorn Popper ($39.99) may or may not be the perfect accessory for your kitchen countertop. Those who get on board will certainly appreciate the fun design, but it might be the versatile utility that the gadget provides that makes it attractive beyond its appearance.

Featuring a built-in motorized stirring rod, the popcorn maker can do much more than pop kernels. The nonstick cooking plate can be used to create flavored popcorn as well as to make roasted nuts. Whichever snack treat is decided upon, the convenient lid doubles as a serving bucket. Finished in a bright, candy-apple red reminiscent of a bygone era, the modern kitchen contrivance manages to stand out on the kitchen countertop while blending in, too.

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