What it is:
A sharpener. For knives.

Why you should have one:
Pro chefs are adamant about keeping a razor edge on their tools, and sharpen their knives before every use. You should do the same.

How to use it:
That all depends on which one you choose. The sharpener on the top left, from Vulkanus, is made of heavyweight Austrian-made steel and uses sharpening bars in a V formation, with spring tension, to deliver the perfect amount of friction needed to sharpen your blade, without scratching it. It's also designed to take both straight and serrated blades, unusual for a sharpener. All you need to do is slide the knife through the V from the handle to the tip, with a slight downward angle. The levers automatically adjust to the original angle of the blade.

The sharpener on the bottom right is Kyocera's new steel knife sharpener. It's got an advanced ceramic sharpening wheel, (close in hardness to diamond), that puts an incredibly sharp edge on knives. You can only use this one on steel double-edged knives though. And it won't work on serrated blades either. But it does make it easy to get a serious edge. Hold onto the ergonomic handle and slide the blade back and forth several times. Then go slice and dice yourself silly.

The sharpener on the right is what's commonly called a Chef's Steel. The one shown, also ...More

What it is:
A slicer, usually made of strong plastic or metal, that lets you slice tomatoes, onions, carrots, etc, into perfect slices, or potatoes into fries, quickly and without cutting your fingers off.

What it's not:
A musical instrument, or that cheap infomercial product from the 80s.

How to use it:
Take whatever you want to slice and jam it on the prongs on the underside of the hand guard. This keeps the food securely in place and keeps your precious digits away from the blade. Some mandolins have adjustable blades so you can select the thickness of your slices. Some also have julienne blades that cut potatoes into fries or smaller veggies like carrots into matchsticks for salads or for garnishes. Sliding the blade guard back and forth over the blade produces the slices.

Why you should have one:
You can whip through a ton of tomatoes and onions for the tailgate or bbq in a fraction of the time as hand slicing. And without a trip to the ER. You can also make impressive and fancy veggies and garnishes for her salad when she comes over for dinner. (Anything to score extra points.)

What to look for:
Adjustable blades are a must (and make sure the blades are stainless steel so it will last), as are ...More

There are few products on the market that turn users into fanatics - think anything Apple - but the people who use the Magic Bullet might as well be getting paid commissions to push it.

Stand in the appliance section of Macy's, like I did a few weeks ago, and just pick up a Magic Bullet box. Then wait for the Bulletheads to rush over and tell you how much they love it. And I'm not talking your typical they'll-buy-any-piece-of-crap-as-long-as-it's-on-TV QVC shopper. When my tester arrived in a marked box, a very attractive, well-dressed older woman who got out of a Jag told me she loves hers so much, she's bought one for everyone she knows. Not a high-end Cuisinart. A $99 infomercial blender. Is this thing pureeing people's brains?

The concept behind the Bullet is simple: you measure, bled, serve and store whatever you've made all in one container. Perfect for a guy making a protein shake for one, frozen margaritas for two, or a batch of salsa for a tailgate, with minimal cleanup. And the less I have to clean, the happier I am.

The main bullet piece, a sleek, black and stainless blender bottom, has a motor 40% more powerful than the previous version. But no blades. Those are ...More

If you've ever been woken up in the middle of the night thinking, "I could really go for a beef and bean burrito right now", but were too lazy to get out of bed to heat one up, you need an iWave Cube.

A portable 600 watt microwave, the iWave was designed to bring the heat to any place where space is at a premium. Taking up less than a cubic foot of space at just 10" x 10.5" x 12" and weighing in at only 12 lbs, use it in the bathroom to heat towels for a better shave, in the bedroom to warm up heating pads after a workout, or on your desk to heat stale office coffee.

The built-in handle makes it perfect for tailgate parties, dorm rooms, picnics or pool parties - wherever you can find a standard outlet. Add a mini fridge and anywhere becomes a satellite kitchen.

$129.95 in Black or Silver
Available at SharperImage.com

When you're cooking, the final product is only as good as the ingredients you use. The best cuts of meat, the ripest fruits and vegetables, and, ideally, fresh herbs. Nothing comes close the flavor of using, say, fresh basil in your pasta, over using the dried stuff kept in a jar over the stove.

The problem is fresh herbs only last a few days in the fridge. If you don't use it all, the rest goes to waste. The Prepara Herb-Savor let's you hold onto those fresh herbs longer.

Fill the base with water, snap on the plastic cover and place in the fridge. Your fresh-cut herbs should last about three weeks. Long enough for you to invite her over for another gourmet meal.

$29.95
www.prepara.com

[VIA www.random-good-stuff.com]

You opened a pack of hot dogs for your last barbecue. You put the rest in the fridge. Quick: How long have they been in there? And more importantly, how long before they go bad? If you're like most guys you answered, "I don't know" and, "Hot dogs go bad?" Followed by, "I don't feel so good."

Because it's easy to forget when you put leftovers and open jars in the fridge ...More

Once you've been messing around in the kitchen for a while - getting more comfortable, showing off for your dates, getting feeling back in that reattached fingertip - you're gonna want some better tools. The knives you bought on late ...More