MEGATech Showcase: Get Your Kitchen Geek On

Everyone needs to eat, right? Some of us are good at cooking, some of us are good at microwaving something from a box, and some of us are better off paying someone else to make us food. Me, I fall into the first category, but my love of food dovetails quite nicely with my geek tendencies, especially given some of these kitchen gadgets and accessories. I’m already making my Christmas list.

First we have the Darth Vader toaster. Really, I don’t know what more to say to explain the awesomeness of having the Dark Lord’s image burned into your breakfast. Unless of course it’s the fact that the toaster itself is also shaped like Vader’s helmet, because that pretty much demands to sit on my kitchen counter. The bread comes out toasted with Darth Vader on one side and Star Wars on the other. It won’t be available until July, but you can pre-order it now for $44.99 US.

Source: Geek Alerts

If you’re gonna have a Darth Vader toaster, you pretty much also have to have a Death Star cutting board, no? It’s made out of glass, and measures 30 cm x 30 cm. You can use it as a cutting board, a trivet, or a platter… or you can prop it up against the wall behind your toaster for a tableau in your kitchen. It’s not dishwasher safe, but it is odor-, stain-, and scratch-proof. You can pick one up for about $20.00 US.

Source: That’s Nerdalicious

These are the measuring cups you’re looking for. How could they not be? Everybody’s favourite astromech has been transformed into something of a matryoshka doll that breaks down into four separate measuring cups and four separate measuring spoons in the usual sizes. The handles are all located on the back so as to not detract from the aesthetic pleasure of having R2-D2 standing on your countertop. This bit of fabulousness runs $19.95, and I just placed my order.

Source: Geeks Are Sexy

Moving on from Star Wars, hard as it is… Molecular Gastronomy! This is the ultimate cookbook for science geeks, employing techniques involving foam, spherification, emulsification, deep freezing, and reverse frozen spherification among other things. Wait, what? I have no idea what some of those even mean. Anyway, there are 40 recipes included, tons of illustrations, and it ends up being a darn fine introduction to food science. Add one to your collection for $24.95 US.

Source: Geek Alerts

If for some reason the Death Star cutting board doesn’t appeal (I don’t get it, but whatever), maybe this seemingly simple one will. It looks like a standard wood cutting board, but this is GKILO. In addition to offering a chopping surface, it acts as a kitchen scale. If you have no use for the scale, flip it over and it becomes a clock. But wait, there’s more! Pair it with the accompanying app, and it can recommend cooking times based on what you tell it you’re chopping, and will act as a kitchen timer for that food. GKILO is currently seeking funding on Indiegogo, and with about three weeks left they’re just under halfway to their funding goal. A pledge of at least $100.00 US (plus shipping outside of Italy) will get you one, which is a sizable discount from its estimated $225.00 US retail price.

Source: Craziest Gadgets

Finally, meet TowlHub. I’ve been going back and forth on whether I think this is neat or too goofy to use, but I think I’m coming down on the side of neat. Why not put your normal old paper towel holder to an additional use? TowlHub has four USB 2.0 ports embedded in its base, allowing you to charge up to four gadgets at a time. It also has optional Bluetooth speakers, so you can charge your iPod while you jam to your tunes, and at the same time you can wipe up any spills caused by your taking “dance like no one is watching” a little too literally. Standard model is $49.95 US, add the speakers for $79.99 US.

Source: Red Ferret