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Grilling & Cooking Gadgets
By Dawn Gordon Luks
With the summer in full gear, let's take a look at some of the latest high-tech cooking and grilling gadgets available this year.
The Motorized Hot Dog Griller from Brookstone ($70) grills hot dogs and sausages perfectly every time, with no burn marks or cold spots. The electric motor rotates hot dogs so they cook evenly. It's also a great way to cook sausages, bratwurst, and kielbasa.
The VacuVin Innovations Instant Marinater ($40), available at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, is a nice addition to your grill accessories line-up. This product makes it possible to marinate food in a matter of minutes - instead of hours. Marinating helps retain natural juices, enhances flavors, and helps deliver better results when grilling, baking, or pan searing. To use, simply place food inside, either in a single layer or stacked. Pour a marinade over the food, close the lid, and pump out the air to create a vacuum. Pumping out the air causes the pores of the meat to open and the juices to get pulled in, which not only creates an even marinade, but also tenderizes the food.
There's nothing that can ruin a family BBQ faster than running out of propane. Fortunately, the LP Propane Tank Gauge ($30) from Improvements will keep you advised of your propane level - all it takes is a glance at the color-coded window. Other features include a leak detector and easy no-tools installation.
Cook Number 20" Electric Grill ($312+) from Frontgate is perfect for condo or apartment dwellers. Made from commercial-grade stainless steel, the grill's hood design creates natural air rotation for true convection cooking. The product can be used indoors or out, and quickly reaches temperatures up to 500°F for searing. The grill features a 250 square-inch cooking surface, and plugs into a standard 110-volt outlet for use on any smooth surface. The grill is also lightweight (30 lbs.), making it portable.
For evening grilling here's an idea that puts the spotlight on your cooking. Brookstone's Handle-Mount Grill Light ($40) takes the guesswork out of your outdoor cuisine, allowing you to see what's ready and what needs more time over the heat. And, it's water-resistant, so you can leave it mounted all year long.
Features include a pivoting head to let you direct the light where you need it; two 8-inch cathode bulbs; auto shut off after six minutes. Uses four DD batteries (not included).
The 2-in-1 BBQ Tool ($20) from Brookstone has a unique design, incorporating an oversized stainless steel spatula and tongs in one convenient tool. This cooking gadget lets you easily flip meat, fish, vegetables and more without piercing or dropping your food. Extra-long rosewood handles keep your hands away from the heat.
Brookstone's Grill Alert Talking Remote Meat Thermometer ($70) allows you to step away from the grill. A wireless belt-clip monitor tells you when your entree is ready from up to 300 feet away. Just insert the stainless steel transmitter probe into the center of the meat, select the type of meat, choose how you want it cooked, and then walk away. The voice prompt alerts you when your entree is "Almost ready" and "Ready." Great for use inside with your oven or stovetop, as well as outdoors on the grill.
Finally, at the end of your meal, Brookstone's Motorized Grill Cleaning Brush ($20) makes BBQ cleanup easy and hassle-free. Now you can spend more time cooking and less time cleaning. Rotating brass bristles polish away sticky grime and residue, while the built-in stainless steel scraper removes tough buildup, keeping your grill sparkling clean and ready for the next use. A comfortable ergonomic handle helps reduce wrist strain. Brass brush removes for easy cleaning. Uses eight AA batteries (not included).
For additional information:
www.brookstone.com
www.frontgate.com
www.bedbathandbeyond.com
www.improvementscatalog.com
Dawn Gordon Luks is a veteran consumer electronics journalist. In addition to her writing schedule, Dawn also designs home audio, home theater, and home automation installations in South Florida. Send an email to Dawn Gordon Luks.
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