With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s important to start thinking about what you’re going to serve. No doubt, you’ll have your tried and true favorites…but have you figured out how you’re going to keep all those delicious comfort foods warm? You’re going to be too busy with turkey basting and potato mashing to deal with messy water-filled flame-heated trays. But if you can’t keep your precious side dishes warm, Thanksgiving will be ruined!
The Cordless Warming Tray (Amazon, $70.64) can keep your dishes warm while you finish cooking or while you serve. It’s sleek and simple stainless steel design means that it will fit in with your table decor without looking out of place or taking up too much valuable table space. And it’s way easier to operate/maintain than those messy sterno trays. All you have to do is plug it into any AC outlet and it’s warmed up in just eight minutes. For those of you who don’t carry a stopwatch, just check the ready indicator light to see when you’re ready to detach the power cord.
Then, you can either leave it plugged in (if you like being chained to outlet power), or you can move the warming tray anywhere you need it, and it will warm your dishes for up to 60 minutes after the heat cord is detached. This delightful feature is made possible by the warming plate’s automatic temperature control, which also means that you don’t have to worry about the warming tray overheating. The 3-plate warming surface is 23.75″ x 7.75″ so it’ll fit three small plates/bowls nicely, or two large plates. There is a larger version of this warming tray available at Amazon for $99.95, but if you’re having a small get together then this one should be perfect. Now that you have the perfect Thanksgiving dinner accessory, just be sure you make enough mashed potatoes, because if you run out…god speed.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 26″ x 8″ x 2.5″
-Weight: 12 lbs
-3 plate warming surface; 23.75″ x 7.75″
-800 watt cordless stainless steel warming tray
-Warms up in 8 minutes
-Up to 60 minutes of heat after cord detached
-Power and ready indicator lights
-Automatic temperature control
-47″ detachable cord
-2 year limited warranty
Remember when you had a huge crush on that guy from your English class, but you just couldn’t get up the nerve to talk to him? You wanted to write him that perfect love poem that would express all your love and appreciation for his existence, but you were a terrible poet. So you made him a killer mix tape instead, with handwritten the liner notes and a custom cassette tape cover. Sure, he never asked you out and you found the tape in the lunch room trash can later that day, but at least you know your playlist was awesome.
The Mix Tape USB Drive (Perpetual Kid, $19.99) is a USB stick inside an old school cassette tape. So it looks like you made somebody a retro mix tape, but it’s actually a high tech musical playlist. The USB stick is 64 MB so you can get about an hour of music storage, which is the length of a really good mix tape. Sure, it’s a little less than your regular burnable cds, but it’s a whole lot cooler. So it’s not an actual cassette tape, but honestly, who really listens to cassettes anymore? Well, I do, but my Third Eye Blind cassette tape isn’t the main focus here.
USB memory sticks are great, not only because they’re ultra portable, but also because they’re PC and Mac compatible, so basically anyone with a computer can play them. The bad thing about them is that you can’t just pop this baby in your car and instantly jam out to some tunes. Your recipient of this special gift will have to transfer the songs onto a cd if they want that mix tape on the go. But it’s a small price to pay for a functional piece of nostalgia.
The replica of the C60 cassette tape folds out so you can write your own playlist/liner notes for more of that authentic mix tape feel. So now all you have to do is figure out the perfect 60 minute playlist, lay it down on your USB memory stick, write out some liner notes, and give it to that special someone. Let’s just hope that they don’t throw this one away.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Gift pack includes USB memory stick, replica of C60 cassette tape, and message area
-64 MB memory stick
-Up to 1 hour of storage
-USB stick fits into replica of C60 cassette tape
-PC or Mac compatible
Have you ever tried to charge your cell phone, only to have someone trip over the cord because it was sitting on the floor? Or maybe you left it on the kitchen counter while your mom was cooking dinner, and she accidentally swept it off the counter and into the soup pot with the rest of the veggies. So now you your sister has a sprained ankle, your mom’s homemade soup is ruined, and your cell phone has been boiled. Do you really want to be responsible for this devastating trifecta?
The Cell Phone Holder (Solutions, $7.95) hangs between your battery charger and the wall to safely assist you in all your charging needs. This small piece of plastic makes it possible for you to charge your cell phone, iPod/mp3 player, PDA, and whatever else can fit on its 4″ wide platform because it keeps the cord out of sight. Here’s how it works:
1. Put your cell phone on the platform.
2. Wrap the battery charger cord around the platform.
3. Insert the battery charger through the hole and plug into any wall socket.
It comes in a variety of colors, including black, lime, red, and white. And not only does Solutions offer free shipping on this item, but also discount pricing when you buy two or more – just $6.95 each! You can buy multiple holders for around the house or, depending on your benevolence factor, you can be extra generous and buy one for a friend.
Voila! Your charging can commence with no hassles or injuries of any kind, which is really beneficial for everyone.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4.5″ x 4″ x 3″
-Weight: 1.1 oz
-Hangs between battery charger and wall socket
-Made of hard plastic
-Supports your phone and creates storage while charging
-Compatible with cell phones, iPods, PDAs, mp3 players
-Available in black, lime, red, and white
You know what I love to eat during the winter? Ice cream. Strange, I know, but I love to eat ice cream, even when it’s cold out. I will go to an ice cream stand on the last day it’s open, in the rain, sleet, and snow, and sit in my car with the heat on while I eat my ice cream. True story.
If you like to eat ice cream within the comforts of your own home, then Cuisipro® Ice Cream Scoop & Stack (Wrapables, $14.95) is your new best friend. This little guy boasts to cut through the hardest of ice cream to deliver a perfect circle of creamy goodness, which is perfect whether you’re just having a few scoops or you’re creating a triple caramel brownie nut concoction. All you have to do is jam the Scoop & Stack into a tub of ice cream, then shimmy it out of the carton once it has reached the desired depth. Then you simply push the button on the top of the Scoop & Stack to release the 3.75 oz circle of ice cream. Then you add some nuts, some caramel, a bunch of sprinkles, a little bit of hot fudge, a dollop of whipped cream…sorry, I got a little carried away.
Made of a plastic body and a stainless steel bottom, this emperor of ice cream is available in four colors: white, pink, red, and green. The Scoop & Stack is top rack dishwasher safe, so cleaning it is a breeze. It also comes with a 25 year warranty, should any mishaps occur during the quest for ice cream.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 7.5″ x 2.25″
-Holds 3.75 oz ice cream
-Available in 4 colors
-Plastic & stainless steel
-Cuts through the hardest ice cream
-Push button release
-Dishwasher safe (top rack only)
-25 year warranty
That winter season is closing in on us, and let me tell you, it is getting a bit brisk out there. I’m not one to be all about the outdoors, but sometimes you just have to be outside, and there’s only so much bundling up you can do before it starts to get a bit A Christmas Story. So what can you do to stay warm during your outdoor activities, but not completely restrict your mobility?
Heatmax Hot Hands 2 Handwarmer (Amazon, $34.99) is here to rescue you from a winter full of bitter cold. Ok, I know what you’re thinking – $34.99! What exactly could Heatmax Hot Hands 2 Handwarmer be doing for me that is worth such an extravagant amount?! Well, for starters, that price includes 40 pairs of 2″ x 3″ handwarmers that can be put in your gloves, jacket pockets, or basically anyplace that needs a bit of warming up. Also, did you notice I said pairs? That’s right, even if you only used these little guys in your gloves, you could have 40 straight days of warm hands, and for less than $1 a day!
I know, you’re thinking that this deal is too good to be true. You’re thinking, “sure I get 40 pairs of handwarmers, but I bet they don’t last very long.” How does 10 hours sound to you? Is that enough warming action for you? That’s what I thought. Once exposed to the air, these handwarmers only take 10-20 minutes to reach their optimal temperature. How it works is, the natural materials since the handwarmers react to each other and create heat through a quick and easy oxidation process. It’s all very technical, but the important thing for you to know is that the process allows the handwarmers to get hot fast and for an extended period of time. And with these increasingly dropping temperatures, ain’t nothing wrong with that.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: Each packet 2″ x 3″
-Up to 10 hours of heat
-Air activated
-No odor
-Versatile for many uses
-40 pairs
