BlueSuitMom's Working Mom Must Haves: Kitchen

By Rachael Bender, Co-founder of BlueSuitMom.com
& Beth Bogerman, Contributing Writer


SKOY Cloth
As the old saying goes, “A great cook has a messy kitchen,” and that kitchen will eventually need to be cleaned up. To help me do so, I turn to my trusted SKOY cloths. Unlike those televised chamois cloths, SKOY cloths are truly biodegradable, made with a non-chlorinated process, and colored with water-based inks. Their 7”X8” dry size will shrink to a 7”x7” square when wet, making them easy to handle and rinse. SKOY claims that use of one cloth is the equivalent to using 15 rolls of paper towels. I tend to use mine for a couple weeks at a time in the kitchen and then switch to the bathroom for a couple of weeks where the grout will start to wear the SKOY out. They dry quickly and can be microwaved to prevent any moldy smells. Do not let the simplicity of SKOY cloths make you skeptical: they are tough, environmentally sensitive, and economical.
Website: skoycloth.com

miBook MKC10 Cooking Kit
Confessions: I love to cook. I love cookbooks. I love watching FoodTV. In fact, I am a bit of a health food fanatic and have been know to say things like, “Feeding your kid XYZ is practically child abuse.” I understand that not everyone grew up in a household with homemade meals and nightly family dinners, and that’s where I think the miBook can help. The miBook is half cookbook, half video player. You choose a title like Healthy Cooking for Kids miBook Cartridge and pop the flash card into the player and hit play. It is super easy to use, and the step-by-step video instructions are much easier than following a printed recipe. The miBook has other titles in categories like home repair, decorating, and parenting. In addition, the miBook can be used as an mp3 player and digital photo frame. It’s truly a hardworkin,g multi-tasking kitchen superstar. The basic unit starts at $69.99, or $89.99 bundled with two cooking titles; additional titles start at $6. The miBook is available at Amazon.com and at most Best Buy stores.
Website: miBook.com

EZ Grill
There is one thing that sums up summer more than a bad sunburn—grilling out! Whether it’s cheeseburgers or portabella burgers, there’s just something about an open fire and the smell of burning charcoal. Personally I prefer charcoal to propane, even though I wrestle with the environmental implications of both. Charcoal imparts that taste of nostalgia that propane can’t match. The problem with charcoal grilling is that you either have to bring your own grill (which probably has a small surface area) or use those nasty public grills that you spend hours scraping down in order to even use. The EZ Grill by P&M Products just may be a solution for you. Using recycled wood scraps and mineral oil as a fuel source for the charcoal and an aluminum container for the grill body, the EZ Grill comes to the party with environmental credentials. Website: EZgrill.com

Keurig Platinum Home Brewing System
My morning ritual begins with a simple cup of coffee or tea as I listen to NPR. My husband trends toward the weekend warrior and shakes his head at my daily caffeinated indulgence. So since I typically fly solo, I look forward to my morning brew via the Platinum Home Brewing System by Keurig. In just 4.5 minutes, from a cold start (quicker if I program the timer), I have a perfect cup of coffee or tea, chosen from a variety of brands’ unique K-cups (the single-use ground coffee/tea container). I pick the cup, pick the beverage, and hit the flashing brew button. Seconds later I have my single serving morning pick-me-up! For those hot summer mornings, or that afternoon motivator, the Platinum Home Brewing System also has an iced drink setting (which allows for a smaller 4-oz serving to be produced, allowing room for ice and/or milk). In this economy coffee can be a luxury—the Keurig Platinum Home Brewing System makes it affordable. Website: keurig.com

Kyocera Advanced Ceramics Line
Of all the kitchen gadgets, the most basic tool is the most essential—the knife. Selecting the right knife can be a daunting task, as knives are now just as specialized as those myriad gardening tools. While we may associate Kyocera with cell phones in the U.S., they are actually celebrating 25 years of producing quality kitchen instruments under their Advanced Ceramics line. Boasting an extremely light feel and opaque blades of ceramic, the knives themselves appear at once fragile and strong. If you have ever broken a ceramic dish, you know the ability of the shards to cut fingertips when you clean up. Those who expect a heavy, weighted balance in the handle may need some adjustment time, as we certainly did. The Advanced Ceramics line of knives is meant to handle vegetables and bone-free meats. We found the knives, the cautiously efficient mandolin slicer, the veggie peeler, and the adjustable grinder/mill to be on par with or exceeding our sharpest steel versions in terms of cutting, dexterity, and blade maintenance. In fact, returning to our steel knives made them feel leaden and fatigued the hand. With a price point that is easily half of comparable steel knives, the Advanced Ceramics line by Kyocera warrants at least a look or a test chop.
Website: kyoceraadvancedceramics.com

Sodastream Starter Kit
While we would never outright recommend that our kids drink soda, we adults still enjoy a diet cola every now and then. That being said, the Sodastream Home Soda Maker has made us at least pause regarding our guilty pleasure. The Home Soda Maker is almost too simple to use and operate. The scariest part is the installation of the pressured CO2 gas canister that comes with the unit and must be twisted onto the rear of the device. From there, a few manual presses of a button (no electricity is needed or used!) that injects the gas into the drinking-water-filled container (allowing for personal fizz preference) and a capful of flavoring is all it takes to create your favorite carbonated beverage! With 25 different flavors, Sodastream is sure to have something you’ll like. Of note, the flavorings do not contain any high-fructose corn syrup or Aspartame—Sodasteam uses natural sugar and/or Splenda brand sweetener. We found the cola, fruit beverage, and energy drink recipes to be spot-on or at least close enough, considering the huge price advantage. Also taking into consideration soda can or bottle recycling, caffeine content, and nutritional differences, the Sodastream makes a compelling argument for itself in those households that enjoy their drinks with bubbles.
Website: sodastreamusa.com

Fusion Brands Iceorb
From the "Huh, That’s Neat!"’ file comes the Iceorb by Fusion Brands. Looking like a modern-designed silicone vase, the Iceorb creates ice pockets by filling the space between the oval cube cutouts of the silicone exterior “skin” and small, hard plastic interior bucket. The effect is much like a wine chilling bucket that has been tweaked and brought into the 21st century. Of course with any type of chilling product, the beverage or food should be chilled initially as the ice can only do so much to bring down the temperature of a bottle of wine or warm food when using the Iceorb directly out of the freezer. In this mode, the included lid can be placed on the interior bowl for transport for the impromptu potluck. Beyond keeping a certain “level of chill,” the ice cubes can be removed from the silicone outer layer (like an ice tray) and placed into the bucket directly for more rapid cooling—especially handy when it’s Bunco night! The Iceorb is also dishwasher safe and has a cute instruction video on YouTube.
Website: fusionbrands.com

Reduce Compactor Can
Like a lot of today’s families, we’ve incorporated green elements into our home—from composting to compact fluorescent light bulbs—and like most families, we still unfortunately produce a decent amount of rubbish. Reduce Products’ “Compactor Can” seeks to assist us all in maximizing each trash bag’s potential by combining a manual compaction lid into a 40L/10.5 gallon stainless steel wrapped can. The compactor lid is designed to assist the user in pushing the garbage down deeper into the bag, allowing a claimed 50% more waste to fit. The mechanism is straightforward and easy to use (it reminds us of those expandable silicone measuring cups), and once the bag nears half-full, it is able to make more room. The heft of the lid takes some time to get used to as it snaps back abruptly with a push of the foot pedal. This clever design eliminates the need to touch the trash with your hands, thereby adding a benefit of enhanced sanitization. A word of caution here: ensure that the bag itself is well secured in the can and understand that very messy garbage will require the interior of the lid to be wiped down. All-in-all, the Compactor Can is another small step we all can take to help reduce our environmental impact.
Website: reduceeveryday.com

HoMedics, Inc. Restore Clean Water System
Taking filtered water to a whole new level is HoMedics’ Restore Clean Water System. Having grown up and currently living in the South, I’m used to bad rainstorms and failing wells that leave the water supply in question. While I usually filter my water using a widely available brand’s water pitcher, I had to try HoMedics Restore due to its use of a second-stage purification system that utilizes UV light to kill bacteria, viruses, and microbes (much like what is used in factory farms). While some may scoff that this is overkill, I didn’t have a problem with a little more assurance, even if it might make me seem paranoid. The water tasted like filtered water does—slightly absent of taste and best when ice cold. What did give me pause was the premium price for a suped-up water pitcher, albeit one that has carved its own niche in the category.
Website: www.homedics.com/restore



Over the next year, we'll continue to add to the list, so if you know of something we missed, please send us an email.