Chemex Coffee Maker
With no moving parts, electronics, or other unnecessary niceties, the Chemex Coffee Maker ($37) is brewing at its purest. To brew, simply place the grounds in the cone-shaped filter at the top and pour hot water over them — the resulting joe should offer rich flavor without the bitterness that you've like become used to. Once it's done, grasp the polished wood collar, pour, and enjoy. It's really that simple.
The Obsessive Chef Cutting Board
Do you — or someone you know — have to have each little piece of ingredient perfectly, uniformly chopped before you can proceed with cooking? The Obsessive Chef Cutting Board ($30) was made for you. This clever 9" x 12" beechwood cutting board features built-in guides for batonnet, allumette, julienne, small and medium dice, brunoise and fine brunoise cuts, as well as guides for cutting on 30º, 45º, and 60º angles. It might not help your actual cooking, but it should give your presentation a boost.
Starbucks Verismo
Single-cup coffee makers are all the rage these days, but most of them have a hard time trying to recreate your coffee house favorites. Which is why they make the Starbucks Verismo ($200-$400). This new single-cup machine uses individual pods to brew espressos and coffees, and separate milk pods to create drinks like Caffe Lattes, all brewed to Starbucks standards thanks to Swiss-engineered high-pressure technology. It's kinda like having a Starbucks in your house, minus the Baristas.
Serrated Ice Cream Scoop
Trying to grab a scoop of ice cream out of a hard slab is about as effective as trying to talk to a wall — unless, of course, your have this Serrated Ice Cream Scoop ($10). It features a die cast head with a serrated edge for cutting into hard ice cream and a textured inner scoop for easy release, and even packs in a soft-grip handle to relieve stress — as if the ice cream wasn't enough to take care of that on its own.
Made-to-order Timepieces by Refined Hardware
The Los Angeles based craftsmen at Refined Hardware have finally released their second edition of luxury timepieces. These industrial conceptions are the ideal extension for the modern man, and follow the highly sought after, and sold-out, 'P1' edition. The 'P2' will showcase a flying tourbillon movement encased in your choice of billet stainless steel, PVD black steel, or a hand-finished bronze. A necessity for any connoisseur, only 33 pieces of each variant will be crafted so you better order yours today.
Death Star Tea Infuser
Give your next tea party a taste of the Dark Side with this Death Star Tea Infuser ($20). Made of stainless steel, it's officially licensed by Lucasfilm, opens easily to let you fill it with loose leaf tea, and even features a TIE Fighter on chain for easy removal — no exhaust port trickery necessary.
Bodum Bean Iced Coffee French Press
We typically like our iced coffee like we like our regular coffee — ready to drink not long after we start making it. For those of you with more patience, the Bodum Bean Iced Coffee French Press ($45) offers a smoother drink in exchange for a much longer brewing time. Just load your ground coffee into the jug as usual, add cold water, and let it hang out in the fridge overnight. In the morning, press it down, and you've got incredibly smooth iced coffee, no (more) waiting required.
Eva Solo Ice Tea Maker
Expand your collection of display-worthy kitchen gadgets with the Eva Solo Ice Tea Maker ($90). Designed by Danish studio Tools, it features a glass carafe, a stainless steel tea filter, a flip-top lid that opens automatically when pouring, a colored silicone neck sleeve for a secure grip when pouring hot or cold liquids, and a one liter capacity. You can spoon tea leaves directly into the carafe for indefinite brewing — the filter will keep them from escaping into your drink — or place them inside the filter to brew for just a couple minutes, then press the plunger and pour.
Otto Espresso Machine
Brew coffee-house worthy cups of caffeine-laced goodness on your stovetop with the Otto Espresso Machine (AU$800; roughly $850). Designed in Australia, it's based on Giordano Robbiati's classic Atomic, made almost entirely of stainless steel for dependable operation year-in, year-out, can brew two cups at a time at up to three bar of pressure, and includes a built-in steam wand. It doesn't look too shabby, either.
Technivorm Grand Coffee Maker
With a nickname like "Moccamaster", it's got to be good. And so the Technivorm Grand Coffee Maker ($370) appears to be, using a copper heating element to keep the water temperature between 195º and 205º for the best possible flavor, an insulated, 64 oz. steel carafe to keep your joe hot after it's done, a 9-hole spray arm for an even soak, and the ability to brew a perfect pot in just 8 minutes.
Laguiole Golden Gate Bridge Knife
Inspired by San Francisco's iconic landmark, the Laguiole Golden Gate Bridge Knife ($300) is handcrafted from stainless steel in the Laguiole region of France. The work of a single master cutler, it features a stylized bee made from steel used in the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, a handle cutout that recalls the structure's shape, and an included storage tube with bridge blueprint. Perfect for preparing a picnic in Golden Gate Park.
Rösle Pizza Wheel
Everyone loves pizza, but not everyone loves cutting it. Whether it be a freshly homemade pie you whipped up yourself or just some delivery action that the stoned carrier forgot to cut properly, the Rösle Pizza Wheel ($35) can help you get it chopped up in no time. Sporting a surprisingly stylish body that puts your hand inside the free-running roller blade, it allows you to distribute pressure more evenly, making for cleaner cuts.
Nomiku
Sous vide is the next big thing in cooking — but unfortunately, you've had to shell out a ton of cash if you wanted to bring the technology home. The Nomiku ($300) is poised to do so at a much lower price and without the need for a large, dedicated machine. It sits down in a standard pot, heating the water to whatever temperature you set -- using the dial control and 1.3-inch OLED screen -- and keeping it there for as long as you need. The result? Perfectly cooked meals, every time, with less fuss than you'd expect.
