I actually like winter (or at the very least having seasons), so I’m a bit miffed that the only real snow we’ve gotten thus far this season was on Halloween. Sure, single-digit temperatures aren’t all that awesome but when you pair it with snow it doesn’t seem nearly as bad. Snow or not, one thing that definitely sucks about increasingly cold temperatures is having to get in your car to go to work in the morning. I hardly ever remember to warm up my car so I end up shivering all the way to work and on occasion have been known to only clear off just a tiny patch of frost on the driver’s side of the windshield. Neither of these things is advisable.
You really should warm up your car before driving it in the winter but if you’re really in a hurry then maybe the Visor Mount Heater And Defroster (Things You Never Knew Existed, $22.98) can help you out a little. While it won’t warm up your engine (yes, that’s important), it will increase visibility as well as defrost your cold appendages. The apparatus mounts to your visor and is powered by your car’s cigarette lighter, allowing it to instantly emit warm air into your vehicle. You’ll still need to turn your defrosters on, but it’ll give you a jump start on warming up.
You might not even need this thing since the world seems to be overheating at an alarming rate. Seriously, pretty soon summer is just gonna be another word for inferno.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 6″ x 4″ x 2″
-Portable heater and defroster
-Plugs into 12V outlet
-Visor mounted
-Blows hot air
-Defrosts and defogs
Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to get back to work. This is never an easy thing to do after a long weekend, much less an extended holiday break. Whether the break is long or short, I think the key to productivity is caffeine. I can safely assume that I’m not alone on this one.
The appeal of caffeine is that it perks you up when you’re feeling less than perky, so it should go without saying that anything that can give your morning a jump start is a good thing. The Morning Mug (Generate Design, $29.00) manages to brighten your day without being overly cutesy or in-your-face about it. At first glance, this ordinary black mug has a white sleeping face printed on it, but that all changes once you pour your hot beverage of choice into it. Coffee or tea (it doesn’t matter as long as it’s hot) will change this black mug to a white one with a new facial expression printed on it. Much like yourself after getting a caffeine jolt, the mug will display a look that can only be described as serene alertness.
Isn’t it nice to have someone to wake up? Especially when that someone know not to disturb you until you’ve had your coffee.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3.75″ x 3.25″
-Mug changes color when hot
-Cold mug is black
-Hot mug is white
When it comes to pie, I have trouble saying no. For example, this past Thanksgiving I ate large quantities of mostly starchy foods and just about stuffed myself more than the turkey. A few hours later, I was presented with no less than four different types of pie. How many slices did I have? Three. That might not seem like a lot, but consider the massive meal eaten barely two hours prior as well as the fact that I also attended another Thanksgiving earlier in the week. Pie is my kryptonite.
What’s better than choosing from a multitude of pies? Choosing from a multitude of mini pies! The Personal Pie Factory (ThinkGeek, $26.00) allows you to make four different types of pie at one time with little to no effort! No one ever eats a whole pie because there are usually so many different choices that it’s hard to pick just one. If you had mini pie selections instead, you wouldn’t be wasting any food because it would be exactly the right amount of dessert. This contraption magically cooks four pies in less than 10 minutes, transforming raw dough into bakery perfection. And cleanup is mega easy because the entire cooking surface is coated with nonstick awesomeness.
You do have to provide your own dough and filling. I know, you might as well BUY a pie then.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Dimensions: 5.9″ x 9.3″ x 11″
- -Makes 4 mini pies in under 10 minutes
- -Nonstick surface
- -Easy removal and cleanup
- -Dough and filling not included
Ladies, I know you put a lot of effort into the way you look. Guys, not so much. As a result, the menfolk have a lot of trouble understanding why women need all these gadgets and chemicals just to get ready to go out. I’m gonna level with you: you’re never gonna understand it so don’t even try. All you need to know is that this is the way it is and you should put your energy into finding a way to simplify your lady’s grooming routine because that way you’ll both benefit.
To that end, the Adjustable Hair Dryer Stand (Taylor Gifts, $14.98) will greatly reduce the aggravation your best girl gleans from trussing up her tresses on a daily basis. Fellas, I bet you don’t understand how hard it is to dry a full head of long hair every day (or maybe you do, Axl), but it’s a chore. If you don’t want your strands getting all tangled, you’d better arm yourself with a brush in one hand and a hair dryer in the other. The problem with this is that it can take awhile to dry your hair completely and a hair dryer can get pretty heavy after holding it nonstop for a half hour. The simple solution is this adjustable stand, which holds the hair dryer via a flexible gooseneck stand and secures with a Velcro strap. Now your gal only has to worry about brushing through her hair because the stand provides a third hand to wrangle the hair dryer.
Ladies, you can also use this stand to hold your hair dryer in place to dry your nails after a mani/pedi!
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Dimensions: Adjusts from 27″ to 39″ in height
- -Saves time styling and drying hair
- -Supports hair dryer
- -Flexible gooseneck stand with Velcro strap
- -Made of aluminum and PVC
Sometimes I feel like I take entertaining a bit too seriously. I mean, I’m the type of person who goes all out for theme parties, making sure that every snack served pertains to event or else it has no business being there at all. Needless to say, I’ve become somewhat of a snack connoisseur and yes, I am judging your snack selection.
Just because you go through all the trouble of making sure you have a wide selection of tasty treats, doesn’t mean that your sustenance will be a success. For that to happen, you not only need to make sure you have enough food but that it stays in optimal condition for the duration of your get together. What you need is the Electric Heated Dip and Chip Snack Tray (Kegworks, $39.95). What good is your homemade queso dip if it congeals into a cold clump halfway through your party? With its removable ceramic dip bowl and heating base with inline power switch, your dips and spreads will stay hot all night long. Sure, you could break out a mini crock pot and a separate chip bowl but why go through all that trouble when you this duo does the same thing all in one convenient location? And if you’re not all about hot dips all the time, you can use this snack tray without the heating base to serve cold dips as well.
I have another chips ‘n’ dip tray that looks just like this one, only it plays “La Cucaracha” every time you open the dip bowl.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 14″ x 3.25″ x 14″
-Capacity: 21oz (dip bowl)
-Electrical: 120VAC, 60Hz, 0.22A
-Keeps dips tasty and warm
-Heating base with attached inline power switch
-Retro 1950s design
-Removable ceramic dip bowl
-Plastic melamine chip tray
-Use without heating base for cold dips
