Induction cooking is fast, efficient and now there's a model under $100.

The Fagor Countertop Induction Burner doesn’t have a very glamorous name. It’s called Item # 670040610! But the technology behind this device is amazing. Induction cooking heats only the food and the pan - not the cooking surface! There are no open flames or heating elements, so the glass induction surface remains cool to the touch. So cool in fact, you could place an ice next to the cooking food, and it wouldn’t melt! An induction cooktop has a series of copper coils under the glass surface. They generate a powerful magnetic energy current when the cooktop is turned on. This high-frequency electromagnetic field induces a heating reaction in iron and steel based vessels. This way, the heat that will cook your food is actually created in the pot: in other words, the pot itself becomes the heat source, not the cooktop! This eco-friendly cooktop can be used wherever an outlet is available. There are 10 power settings, a built-in count down digital timer, and even a child lock out. Another nice feature is that the stove won’t turn on until a proper pan is in place on the burner. You do need pans that have a magnetic surface, but any pan you have now that a magnetic will stick to, will work. Perfect for tabletop cooking, for use as an extra cooking area.  Its lightweight construction and portable size is also well suited for college dorm, boat & RV’s. Induction cooking has been around for a long time but for some reason it just doesn’t seem to catch on and go mainstream. Price used to be part of the reason, but this new Fagor Induction Burner can be found on the web for just about $100.           

http://www.cookware.com/Fagor-670040610-fgr1101.html 

Bagels are great to eat, not so much fun to slice. Till now.

Now slicing a bagel is child’s play – actually, make that adult’s play with the Bagel Guillotine. It’s real easy to use. I can’t even remember if there were instructions in the box because there’s not much you can do wrong. Just position the bagel in the acrylic holder, place the blade handle unit over the cradle and push down with a rapid motion. Done. The blade has a sharp, pointed end that’s protected by the plastic shell, but you still need to use caution not to stick up fingers up into the unit where they don't belong. There have been bagel cutters like this before, but I've never seen one with such a sharp stainless steel blade. The Spoon Sisters website said the Bagel Guillotine has actually been clocked at 24 bagels sliced per minute. It requires so little force to use; it won the American Society on Aging Silver Award as recognition for its ease of use. So it’s good even for people who might have trouble slicing a bagel by traditional methods. And sometimes it's scary to see people trying to slice bagels by standing them on end or lying them flat on the counter with their hand on top as they weird a sharp knife. I sliced a few bagels with this gizmo and I agree, it’s a breeze. The blade is non-stick coated high-carbon stainless steel for easy slicing. And the company says it's top-shelf dishwasher safe. Silver & black color combo looks high tech too. Price: $24.95  

 www.spoonsisters.com

Cold weather. Hot Chocolate, steamed & frothed milk, all automatically.

Capresso Froth Pro is designed to create thick, rich frothed milk for cappuccinos, steamed milk for café lattes, and frothy hot chocolate. It’s real easy to produce super results with the touch of a button. There are three temperature settings – hot, warm and cold. The company says the warm button might be used to make hot chocolate for the kids, while the hot button would be used to make hot chocolate for the adults. This stand-alone appliance is an ideal complement to any coffee maker, espresso machine or use it to satisfy the hot chocolate lover! The unit features a black pitcher along with a black base with stainless steel accents and illuminated touch pad buttons. The smart design includes dual auto shut-off for safety and a storage compartment in the bottom of the base to hold the two frothing discs and one heating disc that come with the unit. Large Capacity cup hanldes 8 oz for frothing or 12 oz for heating without frothing. Under $60

http://capresso.com/water-kettle-frother-frothpro.shtml

Lift that knife, lift that fork! Exercise as you eat.

For years we’ve been told that you if you slow down while eating you won’t eat so much. True or not, here’s something that will slow down even the fastest eater and give them a bit of exercise at the same time! The Knife and Fork Lift is a combination of utensils and dumbbells! Yep you read that right! These dumbbell utensils can serve as a constant reminder that eating puts weight on and requires exercise to take it off. Lifting food with these utensils is like doing curls with dumbbells because each one weighs 1.5 lbs! So if you’re cutting a piece of steak with the knife & fork you’re working with 3 pounds of stainless steel. Knife and Fork Lift’s inventor, Tom Madden says. “Everybody approaches it as a joke, but when you think about it, it does require you to eat more slowly.” Eating more slowly, say many health experts, allows the brain time to register feelings of satiety, resulting in eating less. That’s why Tom came up with a knife and fork encased in a dumbbell-shaped handle. I ate with these things and you definitely feel you’re lifting some weight! They’re beautifully made and can be used a table centerpiece if you don’t want to actually use them. They can stand on end as a silent reminder to slow down and chew! Heck, there's even a medical warning about using them to exercise on the company website! $39.95, plus shipping and handling. And now there's a newly added matching spoonlift. 

 www.knifeandforklift.com

Here’s a device that can help you save energy year round.

Black & Decker Thermal Leak Detector lets find leaks around doors, windows, your air conditioner, etc. It even can check to see if air is coming in around electric outlets. If the light is green, there’s no leak. When you first turn it on it will get a ‘reference’ temperature of the room and the light will turn green. Then you start your scanning, moving the device 1 to 4 inches from each part of the room where outside air might enter. If the beam turns blue it means cold air is leaking in. Use this when checking for leaks in the winter. When the light turns red it means hot air is getting in. Use that in the summer when you want to keep cool air-conditioned air inside. You also set the Leak Detector for the range of temperature difference you want, 1, 5 or 10 degrees. Black & Decker says their Thermal Leak Detector could save you up to 20% of your heating and cooling energy costs. Not bad for a device that sells for under $50. Runs on one 9-volt battery. 

http://blackanddecker.com/Energy/ThermalLeakDetector.aspx?WT.mc_id=BDThermalLeakDetector