KitchenGadgets
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Chef Sleeve Dishwasher Safe iPad Stand a welcome addition to the kitchen
Long-time TUAW readers may remember that spring day a few years ago when I cracked open an egg on my iPad. I wasn't worried -- the iPad was protected by a Chef Sleeve, an ultra-thin splash- and grease-proof reusable bag that keeps cooking goo from sullying your favorite kitchen device. The company was at Macworld/iWorld 2013 with a couple of new products, but the one that caught my eye was their Dishwasher Safe iPad Stand (US$34.99). Like the original Chef Sleeve, which basically took some specially designed Ziploc-type plastic bags and did some clever packaging, the iPad stand is pretty generic. Any kid in wood shop could cut out a piece of wood, sand it nicely and route some slots into it. But if you don't have a kid in wood shop and just want something that is going to hold your iPad in one place while you cook, look no further. %Gallery-178371% The best feature of the Dishwasher Safe iPad Stand is the first two words of the name -- dishwasher safe. If this gets a little grease or sauce splashed on it, you just toss it into the dishwasher with the rest of the dirty goods and it comes out nicely sanitized. The product even has an NSF (National Sanitary Foundation) approval stamp; probably the first iPad accessory I've reviewed that has that distinction. The stand has two slots with two very different viewing angles, and is designed to be used with iPad generations 2 through 4 and the mini. There are nonskid feet on the bottom to keep things from moving as you tap through recipes on the iPad, and the weight (a little over a half pound) is helpful for keeping things stable. Chef Sleeve partnered with kitchen utensil design firm Epicurean on the design of the iPad Stand, and it shows in the professional construction. Those with an eye out for green products will love the stand as well, since it's made from Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood fibers that are compressed with a food-safe resin. Sure, it doesn't do much than to just hold your iPad while you're cooking, but I think the Chef Sleeve Dishwasher Safe iPad Stand is going to end up in a surprisingly large number of kitchens worldwide. If you have a Target store nearby, you can pick one up along with a box of Chef Sleeves today. While you're at it, also take a look at their Cutting Board with iPad Stand ($69.99).
Scan Toaster puts the power of 'miracle toast' into the hands of mere mortals
Industrial designer Sung Bae Chang has finally given us mortals the ability to do that which was once considered a bona-fide miracle. Using the "Scan Toaster," anyone with a PC and a USB cable can burn the likeness of the Blessed Virgin Mary (or any image or text that you wish) onto a slice of bread. The toaster utilizes a network of toasting "modules" -- hot wires that rotate within a 30 degree radius -- that burn the image or text you have selected onto the delicious slice of your choice. The peripheral is a finalist in a design competition run by the appliance manufacturer Electrolux, so as-of-yet there aren't any plans to manufacture it on a mass scale. We're guessing that Mr. Sun Bae Chang probably wants to keep the awesome power of the Scan Toaster for himself anyway.
