Move over microwave ovens, electric can openers and fancy-pants mandolin slicers, there are some new high tech tools in town that can help make even novice chefs true masters of the kitchen. From machines that actually remove heat from food to coffeemakers that do what you tell them to, a gaggle of gastronomic gadgets can make creating meals easy, fun and exciting.
The following high tech tools are sure to find a spot on any home chef’s must-have list:
Fast food, right at home
Appliances that cook food incredibly quickly are also gaining in popularity. After all, why slave over a hot stove cooking up tonight’s chicken dinner when a steam oven can expertly prepare the whole bird in an incredible 20 minutes? Companies like Viking and Miele offer these need-for-speed appliances that can give busy cooks back the precious gift of time, and still prepare delicious and healthy meals.
Smartphones, tablets and Androids—oh my!
Technology has come a long way in recent years, and mobile devices are no exception. Instead of dragging out heavy cookbooks, savvy chefs are turning to their smartphones and tablets and downloading apps that can help them cook tasty and delicious meals. For example, if you have a Samsung Galaxy Note cell phone or Apple iPad, you can find a plethora of recipe apps. Cooking apps feature in-depth and easy-to-follow instructions, full color photos, and can run the gamut from healthy recipes to apps devoted to sinfully delicious cupcakes.
A cup of Joe, please
Hamilton Beach recently invented a voice activated coffeemaker that is programmed to respond to the coffee lover’s voice. After the company realized that most people do not use the various programming buttons on coffeemakers because they are too confusing to learn, they decided to develop a voice-activated unit that uses the sound of a voice to do things like set the brewing timer and clock.
U can’t touch this
As anyone who has ever tried to turn on the kitchen faucet with raw-chicken-covered-hands knows, it can be a challenging experience. Thanks to a hands-free faucet that uses the same technology found in many restrooms, this experience can be a thing of the past. Delta, features the Touch2O faucet that starts the flow of water with a simple tap on the spout from a finger, arm, elbow or other body part.
Make hot foods cold, in a snap
Anti-griddles now allow cooks to freeze foods, almost instantly. The impressive appliance is able to bring down the temp of sauces, ice creams and more to a whopping -30°F. For those who are in the mood for homemade ice cream, but don’t want to wait for it to churn and get solid, the anti-griddle may be just the ticket.
Figure out calorie counts in an instant
Digital nutrition scales allow cooks — and anybody else who wants to know how many calories are in their handful of crackers — to find out immediately the nutritional info for all sorts of foods. After putting the food on the digital scale, you just type in the correct food number and voila — instant nutritional information including calories, carbs, sodium, and much more.