I’ve been testing a new deodorizer called MultiFresh. It is made with pyroclastic rock called Ignimbrite, which is found in volcanoes. This natural deodorizer absorbs odors like baking soda, but it is said to be many times more effective. Ignimbrite is one of the few negatively charged minerals in existence, so it also works by adsorbing molecules to its surface. This type of material can be placed in the freezer to ensure your icecubes don’t absorb unwanted odors, for example. To recharge MultiFresh you place it in a fresh air environment for 24-48 hours to release trapped odors. It’s available from Amazon. See also our previous post on Zeolite.

^{A Fagor Duo Pressure Cooker}

Pressure cookers are efficient cooking devices –  they are up to 70% more efficient than conventional pots. Their lids are built to completely seal the pot so that the contents can boil easily inside the pot. Food cooks faster because the liquid inside rises to a higher temperature before boiling. Cooking times can be reduced by a factor of three or four. Choose a stainless steel pressure cooker instead of aluminum one because the stainless steel does not interact with the food. (more…)

Foot pedal faucet controllers allow you to control a faucet hands-free. These devices are efficient and hygienic — they are commonly found in commercial kitchens and hospitals. I’m not sure why we don’t see them in more homes. You can reduce water use by 50% using pedal controllers, and if it’s hot water, you’ll be saving power too.

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One of the least expensive ways to increase the efficiency of your home is to install low-flow aerators on your faucets. These devices save water, and lower utility bills as well, because less hot water is used. Because of this, low-flow aerators will generally pay for themselves in only a few months. (more…)

This attractive tray is made from 100% organically-grown bamboo, held together with non-toxic adhesive, and finished with natural, food-safe wood oil. It’s by Bambu, a company that is committed to environmental protection and fair labor practices in China. They also ensure worker health and safety measures, and fund third-party auditing. Available from Branch for $32. Found via productdose.

Washing soda is an efficient substitute for conventional toxic solvents. It cuts grease, cleans petroleum oil, removes wax, and neutralizes odors in the same way that baking soda does. Washing soda is sodium carbonate — it is in the same family as baking soda, but it has been processed differently. It is much more caustic/alkaline, with a pH of 11, and while it doesn’t give off harmful fumes, you do need to wear gloves. Don’t use it on fiberglass, aluminum or waxed floors — unless you intend to remove the wax. Washing soda can be found at most supermarkets.

The book Better Basics For the Home has many other non-toxic recipes and suggestions.

Via: Care2

Made from thin ribbons of fine-grit sandpaper, these biodegradable scrubbers come from Japan. They are called “Sandclean Scrubbers” and they are said to outperform regular sponges and steel wool. They are quite durable and do not beak apart. They work well on tea or coffee stains in teapots and cups. Also shown here is a Tawashi Brush — it’s a natural scrub brush made from palm fibers which are tightly bound with thick wire. It is a great utensil for scrubbing root vegetables and other items without bruising the skins.

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Corelle dinnerware is efficient because it is highly durable — it doesn’t break, and the designs on the plates cannot be scratched by knives. Corelle is actually made out of glass, but it is created like a sandwich with a glass core that’s thermally bonded to an outer glass glaze. The lamination creates a finished product that is much stronger than its individual components. Corelle has been around since the 1970s, and they’ve just released a new Square collection, designed by Studio Levien of London. It’s available from Amazon for $42.99 (16 piece set).

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Orikaso, a design firm in the U.K., has released these foldable polypropylene cups, bowls and plates for backpacking or travel. They can actually hold liquids without leaking.

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Here’s a promising product that will be introduced soon — the Zevro Perfetto is a pasta cooker said to save up to 70% of energy and up to 50% of water compared to cooking pasta in a traditional pot. Only about 32 fluid ounces (1 liter) of water is needed and there’s no need to stir or watch the pasta while cooking. You can store pasta in it when not using it to cook pasta.

Zervo Perfetto Pasta Cooker via KitchenContraptions

If you are going to be doing any kind of cutting in a kitchen, it is definitely worthwhile to invest in a quality chef’s knife. Experts say you don’t necessarily need to buy a lot of knives — a single quality chef’s knife can handle most cutting tasks. It’s generally agreed that the best knives are forged — a process where a single piece of metal is hammered into shape.

So which knives are top rated? If you go by sheer number of recommendations, Wüsthof knives come out on top. These are the overwhelming popular choice of both chefs and enthusiasts. Wüsthof knives are forged from high-carbon stainless steel and are said to be very well balanced. Wüsthof has three lines of knives: Classic, Grand Prix and Culinar. They all feature the same blades, but have different handles (most reviewers prefer Classic and Grand Prix handles).

Also highly rated are Japanese knives, like Global (pictured here) which are prized for their sophistication and elegant construction.

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This attractive bamboo bowl is made using the “vertical grain” or the side of the split bamboo pole. The dark border color is achieved by a steaming process that brings out the natural sugars in the bamboo, carmelizing it to a permanent stain. It’s priced at $40 and available from IKH

If you really appreciate a well-designed dishrack this may be up your alley. It’s designed by simplehumans and is priced at $63. Aaron Ebata explains why he thinks it’s worth the money, on the review site Cool Tools. The manufacturer says:

The flip-top dishrack adjusts to hold the different tools you use throughout the day. A compact shelf provides quick access to glasses, but after a big meal it flips out of the way to make room for pots and pans.

Available from: Cooking.Com

Manufactured by: simplehumans.

Manual juicers are handy to have in the kitchen — they don’t require electricity and are relatively inexpensive. They can juice a surprisingly large variety of fruits and vegetables. Best of all, they are usually easier to clean than their electric counterparts. Many people use manual juicers to squeeze wheatgrass into a nutritious drink.

Most reviewers seem to recommend Z-Star Manual Juicer by Tribest, as the best juicer for its price. It was chosen by Discount Juicers as their top manual juicer.

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Rice cooker reviews are little hard to find — the bigger consumer magazines don’t seem to cover them, but some other sources on the web do. Reviewers on Cool Tools and Sally’s Kitchen both recommend Zojirushi Rice Cookers.

Popular in Japan, Zojirushi cookers are pricey ($150-$200). But they also have no-frills models for about $60.

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These devices make grating Parmesan and other European hard cheeses a breeze, compared to a plane or box grater. You can use any reasonably sized blocks of cheese (1/2″-2″). Soft cheeses do not work well in this grater — they become stuck in the grate barrel and become glued to the internal structure.

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​​​​Soapstone is a stone that retains heat efficiently and evenly. It’s an excellent material for cookware. Soapstone pans and pots are handmade in Brazil and are able to withstand temperatures twice as high as cast iron and other metal cookware. Soapstone develops a natural non-stick surface and lustrous black patina finish after curing. They can be put in the oven or on the stovetop. Greenfeet sells a range of soapstone cookware. The 12″ pizza stone show here sells for $55.

Toaster ovens are very handy devices in the kitchen, but often overlooked. They can be used to heat and reheat a variety of meals(not just toast), and they are also quite energy efficient when compared to regular ovens. So which oven is top rated?

Reviewers fairly unanimously chose the Cuisinart TOB-175 Convection Toaster Oven.

It gets 4.5/5 stars from buyers on Amazon — over 200 people reviewed the oven in all. It also received good reviews from Consumer Reports, Wine Spectator Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, and Consumer Search.

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This espresso machine was the top pick on CoffeeGeek, for a home machine under $500. It gets a 9 out 10 rating, based on 118 reader reviews.

According to Consumer Search, the most attractive features of this machine are the three-way solenoid valve, three thermostats, and machine-forged brass boiler, brew head, and filter holder, as well as its ready lights for brewing, steaming, and hot water. The Rancilio home units contain parts from study, commercial Rancilio units, which increases their durability over time.

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These dishes are made of lacquered, wound bamboo, which comes from Cat Dang, Vietnam. The soaked bamboo is cut into very fine strips and pressed into a curve. The strips are then coiled outward from the centre of each dish. A frame is used to achieve uniform depth and angles. After a coating of cashew oil-based glue, the work is left to dry. Each piece is cut, shaped and smoothed by hand, as many as four times, and then polished repeatedly. This set of 3 dishes available from Kasbahouse for $34.