kitchen gadgets

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on kitchen gadgets:

Keep your kitchen knives razor-sharp with this deal on Angle Pro sharpeners

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Save nearly $300 on this two-pack of highly rated Angle Pro kitchen knife sharpeners.
This two-pack of knife sharpeners costs just $109.97 (regularly $398) for a limited time.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re looking to take your cooking to the next level in 2024, a kitchen knife sharpener can make a major difference. Routinely, so much of meal prep comes down to the quality of kitchen knives, and now there’s an affordable way to upgrade the set you already own.

The days are dwindling to take advantage of an end-of-year offer on a two-pack of highly rated Angle Pro knife sharpeners. Normally sold for $398, this pair is available at only $109.97 through January 1 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

Foodies love this 8-piece Japanese knife set

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This Japanese knife set is the perfect gift for the chef in your life, now under $130 with guaranteed Christmas delivery.
Home cooks will love this Japanese chef’s knife set.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Want to indulge the chef in your life with an updated set of tools? This Seido knife set — featuring eight expertly honed, made-in-Japan blades — is now discounted to only $129.97 (regularly $429), with free shipping until December 17.

This isn’t just a regular knife set, either. These blades could unlock a whole new world of culinary possibilities. They will upgrade the kitchen arsenal for home cooks and professional chefs alike.

Hone your knives with this precision sharpener for only $60

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Hone your knives with this precision sharpener for only $60.
Slice nicer with this $60 professional knife sharpener.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Home cooks depend on their knives more than any other utensil in the kitchen. Unfortunately, blades also need the most care, and too few of us can fully provide it. If you already invested in a decent set of knives, it pays to find a sharpener that can keep their edges keen. The Angle Pro Knife Sharpener is a unique tool that gives you custom blade sharpening and care, no matter what kind of knives you have in your kitchen arsenal.

Luckily, giving your beloved blades TLC doesn’t have to come at a steep cost. You can score the Angle Pro Knife Sharpener with Angle Gauge for only $59.97 (regularly $199). You’ll have to act fast, though, since this deal only lasts until July 23 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific!

You won’t find this $140 BOGO chef’s knife set on Amazon

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You won’t find this $140 BOGO chef's knife set on Amazon.
Get two high-end Japanese chef's knife sets for the price of one with this pre-Prime Day discount.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you have a passion for cooking, then you don’t have to debate whether or not it’s worth investing in quality tools.

capable and high-quality knife set is a great place to start. Luckily, you don’t have to wait for Prime Day to score savings on new, much-needed kitchen artillery. During Deal Days, our version of Prime Day, you can grab this exclusive buy-one-get-one (BOGO) deal on this eight-piece Seido Japanese knife set with gift boxes for only $139.99 (regularly $429). Act fast since this deal only lasts until July 14 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific!

Sharpen knives like a pro chef with this discount kitchen gadget

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Sharpen knives like a professional chef with this discounted at-home tool, now only $60.
Keep your favorite knives cutting their best with the Angle Pro Knife Sharpener, now less than $60.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When it comes to knives, a dull blade can make even simple tasks a pain. Whether you’re meal prepping for the whole family this Memorial Day, or just a casual home cook, a proper at-home sharpener can ensure you get the most out of your knives.

For a limited time, you can purchase the highly rated Angle Pro Knife Sharpener with angle gauge for $59.97 (regularly $199) or pick up a two-pack for $114.97 (regularly $398). These are the best prices you’ll find online. But act fast, as these price drops only last until May 31 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

This 8-piece Japanese Master Chef knife set makes a sharp gift for Mom

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This eight-piece Japanese Master Chef knife set is perfect for the chef-mom in your life.
Help your mom cook like a pro with this impressive gift box of Japanese chef's knives.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and if your mom is typically the one who handles meal prep and loves cheffing up new dishes, she deserves the best tools. A high-quality, pro-level knife set can majorly impact at-home cooking, reducing the effort required and resulting in consistent, seamless cutting and chopping.

Fortunately, you still have time to access savings on this eight-piece Seido Japanese Master Chef’s knife set with a gift box. Typically $429, this package is now only $89.97 through May 14. But if you want this gift delivered by Mother’s Day, order by May 3 to ensure on-time delivery.

This kitchen composter turns food waste into organic fertilizer

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Enrich your garden with organic fertilizer this food waste composter, on sale for $479.
Save big on this innovative food waste composter, and feed your garden naturally.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With spring right around the corner, it might be time to take a much-needed look at your garden. Believe it or not, your plants could get a big boost from the stuff you typically toss in the trash.

Featured at CES 2023, Reencle’s composter that turns food waste into fertilizer presents an innovative alternative. It lets you mix mindfulness toward the environment with results you’ll see in your plants and soil. And through March 5, during our Tech Innovations Seen at CES sale, you can get this high-tech composter for only $479 (regularly $699).

Snag premium Japanese chef’s knives for less than $140

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For under $140, you can snag these premium Japanese chef knives.
Choose your set of high-carbon stainless steel Japanese chef's knives.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A premium set of kitchen knives is one secret ingredient to a solid kitchen. Whether you’re a master of the culinary arts or just want to evenly dice an onion, quality cutlery is a worthwhile investment.

If you’re looking to upgrade, you’ve got two options with these Japanese knives from Seido. Both the five and eight-piece sets of these chef’s knives are on sale (for $99.99 and $139.99, respectively). But wait until you see what makes these blades a cut above the rest.

Upgrade your kitchen gear with this gorgeous, durable Japanese chef’s knife

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Upgrade your kitchen gear with this multi-tasking chef knife.
The Sakana chef knife is the multi-tool your kitchen needs.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Upgrading our Apple products is something we do regularly, but how often do you upgrade your kitchen knives? If you can’t remember the last time you gave your cooking tools an overhaul, it may be time to find a new, high-quality tool that can do it all.

With this Japanese chef’s knife, you can put a multi-use tool in your rack for all your slicing and dicing. And it’s now on sale for just $79.99 (a 73% discount).

We slashed the price on this Japanese kitchen knife set to $90

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This set of forged Japanese knives is a pretty knife gift for the chef in your life, especially at just $89.99.
Sharpen the look and feel of your kitchen with this set of razor Japanese chef knives for $89.99.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Want to buy your favorite chef a gift that’s a cut above the rest? A set of high-quality chef knives could be the missing ingredient in their kitchen, and this set of Seido Japanese Chef Knives even comes with its own gift box. Plus, these high-carbon kitchen knives are price dropped to $89.99 for a limited time.

Don’t miss this slashed price on a stylish, high-carbon chef’s knife

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It's your last chance for a chef's knife that's a cut above for sheared off prices.
Act now to save big on this stunning chef's knife.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re a wizard in the kitchen or a novice at the countertop, one tool you should definitely own is a quality chef’s knife. If you’re in the market for a razor-sharp blade that will keep its edge and become a statement piece for your kitchen, check out the Kiru Knife Kitchen Master 8-inch Chef Knife.

This is your last chance to purchase this high-carbon steel blade at a Deal Days price. It’s only $69.99, but this deal ends Thursday.

Learn to make hot wet rice with a $2,000 gadget on the funniest cooking show ever

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The Katerings are ready for their close up. Photo: Lead Balloon TV
The Katerings are ready for their close up. Photo: Lead Balloon TV

If you’ve been longing for a cooking show with smart writing, attractive hosts and a ton of sexual innuendo, look no further than The Katering Show, where Aussies Kate McLennan and Kate McCartney smile for the camera while comparing too-expensive German multi-mixers to gangbangs.

“So, ‘What is a Thermomix?’ I hear anyone under the age of 33 ask,” says the perky McLennan. “It’s a blender, a microwave, an ice bucket and a set of kitchen scales. It’s a gangbang of kitchen appliances that’s created a futuristic robot saucepan. It’s the kind of appliance that your rich mother-in-law gives you as a wedding gift because she doesn’t think you can cook. Or something that you buy yourself because you’ve always wanted to join a cult, but you don’t have the energy for the group sex.”

Right? Now you need to watch the funniest cooking show I’ve ever seen, with the episode about making risotto (hot wet rice) in a gadget that looks like (and costs like) it might have come out of Jony Ive’s design shop.

Best List: Apple wrappers and other showstoppers

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The Microplane Classic Zester Grater ($12.95) looks more like a bastard file than a kitchen utensil. But don't let its woodshop aura fool you: If your recipe calls for a little lemon zest or grated Parmesan, this inexpensive tool will get the job done right — pronto.


It's quicker and more precise than a standard box grater, especially for small jobs, and it's far easier to clean. Run it over a hunk of hard cheese and you'll be rewarded with thin shreds that seem lighter than air. Rub the Microplane over a nubbin of ginger and you'll reduce that root to a juicy pulp.


So, what makes this Microplane a

The Microplane Classic Zester Grater ($12.95) looks more like a bastard file than a kitchen utensil. But don't let its woodshop aura fool you: If your recipe calls for a little lemon zest or grated Parmesan, this inexpensive tool will get the job done right — pronto.

It's quicker and more precise than a standard box grater, especially for small jobs, and it's far easier to clean. Run it over a hunk of hard cheese and you'll be rewarded with thin shreds that seem lighter than air. Rub the Microplane over a nubbin of ginger and you'll reduce that root to a juicy pulp.

So, what makes this Microplane a "Classic"? The company peddles a "Premium" model that, for a measly two bucks extra, puts a prettier face on the grater. It's essentially the same design, only with brightly colored soft-touch handles and "non-scratch end tabs." I've tried them both, and the Classic's old-school black plastic handle works fine for me. Try either model and you'll wonder how you ever got through your kitchen routine without it. — Lewis Wallace

Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac


Best List: Gear so great we can’t stop talking about it

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If you don't have a dedicated roadie or one of those robotic tuning guitars, there's no easier way to tune your ax than with a Snark. Just squeeze the thumb-size mount and slide your headstock between the rubberized grips. Then press the little button on the front of the Snark's colorful LCD readout, pluck a string and get your instrument ready to play.


Lightweight and accurate, the Snark SN-2 All Instrument Tuner works with acoustic or electric guitars and basses, mandolins, banjos, whatever. It's perfect for situations like in-studio radio shows, where you don't want to drag around a stompbox tuner or a large amp that might have one built-in tuner. It also boasts pitch calibration, which lets you tune to something besides A-440, and a metronome that I can't complain about because I've never used it. The Snark SN-2 is a great buy at $39 list (and a steal at Amazon's price of $12.99). — Lewis Wallace


Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

If you don't have a dedicated roadie or one of those robotic tuning guitars, there's no easier way to tune your ax than with a Snark. Just squeeze the thumb-size mount and slide your headstock between the rubberized grips. Then press the little button on the front of the Snark's colorful LCD readout, pluck a string and get your instrument ready to play.

Lightweight and accurate, the Snark SN-2 All Instrument Tuner works with acoustic or electric guitars and basses, mandolins, banjos, whatever. It's perfect for situations like in-studio radio shows, where you don't want to drag around a stompbox tuner or a large amp that might have one built-in tuner. It also boasts pitch calibration, which lets you tune to something besides A-440, and a metronome that I can't complain about because I've never used it. The Snark SN-2 is a great buy at $39 list (and a steal at Amazon's price of $12.99). — Lewis Wallace

Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac


This 80-year-old coffee pot still makes an amazing cup of espresso

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The moka pot was designed over 80 years ago, but still beats most modern methods. Photos Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Designed more than 80 years ago, the moka pot still beats most modern methods. Photos: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Before the AeroPress, there was the moka pot, or cafetera as it’s called in Spain. There is at least one cafetera in every Spanish kitchen, and if you want a quick fix of something strong and good, it’s your go-to coffee gadget. Not bad for something invented way back in 1933.

I’ve had a moka since I first saw one in action a couple decades ago. Up until I bought an AeroPress, I used a moka every day, never tiring of its old-school charm and serious wake-me-up taste. But what is a moka exactly, and why is it so good?

Smart scale slims down even the devs who program it

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The folks at The Orange Chef prepare lunch in their San Francisco offices. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The Orange Chef's Claire McClendon, left, and Amy Wu lead lunch prep at the company's San Francisco offices. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

SAN FRANCISCO — James Armstrong might be one of the few iOS engineers who loses weight while on a coding bender.

Armstrong is lead developer at The Orange Chef Co., the company behind a smart kitchen scale called Prep Pad. It weighs your food and, based on the nutritional profile you set, gives you a more accurate idea of how much you should eat. While working on a companion iPad app called Countertop, Armstrong beta tested his meals and realized how super-sized they were. So he cut the portions and shed 30 pounds.

“I had to buy new clothes twice,” he says.”I bought a bunch of clothes, then I had to buy ’em again — it’s made that much difference.”