Best Kitchen Gadgets Of 2017
Sous vide is just the beginning
It's hard to believe that in a few short years, sous-vide cookers—those once-complicated Michelin machines—have come to compete with our Crock-Pot for counter space. And while there's always a place in our hearts (and cabinets) for a slow cooker, each year brings a new set of kitchen gear we can't live without, from sleek smart ovens that use your phone to cook dinner to infamous bacon toasters that have us scratching our heads.
And true, you might be the old-fashioned kind of cook who'd rather die by a mortar and pestle before bringing even a food processor into your life, but either way we invite you to take a peek at the seven best kitchen gadgets of the year so far to see the latest and greatest.
Paragon Induction Cooktop
Meet the cooking tool for people who don't know how to cook. A probe that connects to your pan communicates with the cooktop, making sure you're always searing or sautéing at a consistently even temperature. (You'd have to consciously try to burn your dinner with this thing.)
indiegogo.com, $100 (ships in July)
ChefSteps Joule
Sous-vide cooking at home isn't necessarily new, but the smartly designed Joule—with its svelte size and clever companion app—won us over by turning the once-intimidating method into a weeknight endeavor.
surlatable.com, $199
Chefman Belgian Waffle Maker
It's the little innovations that make a big difference: Chefman's top-filling waffle maker ensures you won't be scraping overflowing batter off the counter during even the most spirited (read: booziest) of brunches.
amazon.com, $50
Alchema Craft Cider Brewer
Set to be released later this year, the Alchema is the answer cider aficionados looking to hop on the home-brew train have been waiting for. Users need just a mix of chopped fruit, a packet of yeast and two weeks before breaking into their homemade hard brew.
indiegogo.com, $429 (ships in September)
All-Clad Prep & Cook
Stick a heating element under your food processor, and you have the next all-in-one tool that might make you forget about your Instant Pot. Chop onions in the processor as you normally would, swap in a mixing blade, and then turn on the cooking function to sauté all in the same container.
surlatable.com, $1,000
Zera Food Recycler
Shipping later this fall, the Zera food recycler is a chic-looking trash can that speeds up the composting process from two weeks to 24 hours. Lack of backyard be damned.
indiegogo.com, $1,199 (ships in October)
Smarter FridgeCam
Glorified refrigerators with built-in monitors haven't become the norm just yet, but the FridgeCam brings even your aging icebox into the future. The mountable camera attaches to the inside of the door, taking snapshots and updating you on what you need to buy during unplanned grocery store runs.
smarter.am, preorder for $130