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Stir up some tasty popcorn with the Whirley popcorn maker

I used to have a popcorn maker similar to the Whirley Stainless-Steel Induction Popcorn Maker, but it wouldn’t work on our induction cooktop when we upgraded.  We had to resort to microwave popcorn because I wouldn’t allow my husband to shake one of our cast iron pans on the new cooktop.  With the old popper, shaking the pan wasn’t necessary, because the pot lid had a built-in stirring system.  This Whirley popper has the stirring system, and best of all, it works with induction cooktops.

The Whirley popper is made of stainless steel, so it will work on any type of stove, from the old coil electrics to gas to glass tops to induction.  The lid snaps on to ensure that the popping corn doesn’t dislodge it, and it’s vented to allow steam to escape to keep the popped kernels crispy.

The built-in stirring mechanism is inspired by commercial poppers.  Simply turn the crank found at the end of the handle to turn arms inside the pot designed to keep the kernels in motion.  The pot holds 6 quarts of fresh, hot popcorn.  You’ll need to hand-wash this one, but it’s a small price to pay for a healthier snack.

The Whirley Stainless-Steel Induction Popcorn Maker is available for $49.95 online at Williams-Sonoma.

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Stir up some tasty popcorn with the Whirley popcorn maker originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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You’ll never peel another boiled egg again

There are all these tips for making boiled eggs that peel easily, but nothing ever seems to work for me.  Every egg I boil is so hard to peel that I lose half of the egg white trying to get the shell off.  I’ve given up and just started buying pre-boiled, pre-peeled eggs from the grocery store.  But I just found a product that may change my mind.  The Egg Boiler from Eggibles promises to give you six boiled eggs that never need peeling because they aren’t cooked in the shell.

You simply crack an egg into each section; for best results, use medium, large, or extra-large eggs, or you can use 2 ounces of eggs whites.  You could even add spices, bacon bits, or veggies to the eggs before cooking.  Submerge the silicone cooker in a pot of water and boil as you would normally.  Of course, the eggs aren’t perfectly egg-shaped, but neither are the eggs I’ve cooked at home after half has been ripped away during peeling.

The Eggibles boiler is 100% food-grade, BPA-free silicone.  It’s dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.  The Eggibles Silicone Egg Boiler is $17.95 at The Grommet.

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You’ll never peel another boiled egg again originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 2, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Keep your feet toasty warm with this heated pouch

I suffer from cold feet.  They get so cold that sometimes a night sleeping under a couple of blankets isn’t enough to warm them up.  I need the Ultra-Plush Foot Warmer for those days when my feet are so cold that nothing seems to warm them.

The Ultra-Plus warmer plugs into an AC outlet, and it has a 2-hour auto-shutoff and low/medium/high heating levels.  At 35″ long x 20″ wide, it’s big enough for two pairs of feet.  You can use the heated pouch sitting on the sofa, sitting at a desk, or even under the covers in bed.

It has a neutral ivory exterior; a soft fiberfill center cushions your feet for extra comfort.  After removing the controller, the pouch is machine-washable.

Normally, the warmer sells for $79.99, but it’s currently available for $59.99 at Sharper Image.

 

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Keep your feet toasty warm with this heated pouch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 31, 2018 at 8:56 am.

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Enjoy spreadable butter with the Butterie dish

Over the years, there’s been a lot of discussion of how to get spreadable butter here on The Gadgeteer.  We’ve examined heated knives, water-immersion chambers, and even electric butter dishes.  This Butterie dish keeps it simple by just keeping the butter covered and sitting on the kitchen counter.

Butterie is made of 95% BPA-free plastic and 5% silicone.  The flip-top lid never touches the butter or the countertop for cleanliness.  It measures 9″ x 5.5″ x 3″, so it’s big enough for two sticks of butter or one of the larger European blocks.  The included spreader sits on the front knife rest. Keep it out of direct sunlight, and the butter will stay fresh for up to three weeks when kept at room temperature (68-78°F).

Both the knife and the dish are dishwasher- and microwave-safe. The Butterie Flip-Top Butter Dish and Spreader is available in cobalt blue, sunflower yellow, light blue, white, taupe, red, and ivory for $12.95 at The Grommet.

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Enjoy spreadable butter with the Butterie dish originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 24, 2018 at 12:30 pm.

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Ecobee recruits Amazon’s Alexa for their new Switch+ smart switch

The ecobee Switch + is the smarter light switch with built-in Amazon Alexa. Unlike other smart switches that just work with Alexa, the ecobee Switch + has the voice assistant built right in. Use the built-in mic to ask Alexa for lights, news, music, and more. Or control other voice-enabled devices in your home.

Depending on Alexa’s state the built-in light bar will flash different colors.

What else can Switch + do?

With Switch +, you’re in total control of your lighting. Rely on motion and daylight sensors, or ask Alexa. You can even use the ecobee app.

If you’re old-school, a button allows you to turn it on and off manually. But who does that anymore?

The “smart-off” setting senses when a room is empty and automatically turns the lights off. There’s even a nightlight to keep you from fumbling around in the dark.

Any outdoor light will be upgraded to automatically turn on at sunset and turn off at a time of your choosing with Switch +.

Switch + plays well with all the platforms you already know and love, such as Apple Home Kit, Google Assistant, SmartThings, and IFTTT.

Simple do it yourself installation takes about 45 minutes. And step-by-step videos and illustrations in the ecobee app make it easy.

Coming soon

When you’re away on vacation you can randomize your lights to turn on or off at different times of the day. So your lights say someones home even when you’re thousands of miles away. Kind of like auto-pilot for your lights.

And you’ll soon be able to control your ecobee thermostats with the Switch +. Built-in sensors will help you to manage hot or cold spots in your home.

A firmware update coming this summer will add both of these new features.

The ecobee Switch + comes with a wall plate, mounting screws, wire nuts, and install guide. Available on March, 26th it will sell for $99.99. You can pre-order yours now on Amazon.

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Ecobee recruits Amazon’s Alexa for their new Switch+ smart switch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 24, 2018 at 8:38 am.

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