When Ryan decided to meet his wife's request to install a computer in the kitchen, he went all out to create a custom touch screen system that continues to grow with their family. This wonderful DIY device is connected to the internet access, acts as a digital picture frame when not otherwise in use, includes a barcode scanner for grocery list creation, acts as a TV, and so much more.
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Unplggd's Sonia Zjawinski recently moved to a new house in Northern Cali outfitted with a common feature in Europe and Asia, but still a rarity in the States: the tankless water heater. We've discussed the importance of the installed location of these energy saving appliances, and now Sonia goes into detail about whether the on-demand heaters are the right choice for your household for the NY Times' Gadgetwise blog…totally worth a read if you're considering switching to a tankless setup.

• Read the full post at "Home Tech: Tankless Water Heaters Explained"

Q: I need to get basic kitchen stuff for my new apartment like a toaster and a blender, but I don't know if I should try to coordinate colors, stick to neutrals or just ignore it all together. Advice?
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How many times have we been in the middle of a cooking project and realized with dread that we were out of a crucial ingredient? Too many times, that's what. Now there's an app to help us in our hour of need for those of us who include an iPhone or iPad amongst our kitchen tools.

• Read the full post at The Kitchn

Maxwell has been testing one of these in our NYC office for the past few months, and like us here at Unplggd, he's discovered it's a winner. Strange at first to have the top automatically open for you, it has changed the way we've worked in our own kitchen, making it more convenient to dispose food waste and garbage when our hands are full (we now sometimes hover our hands over other waste receptacles thinking they will open automatically too!). This is a good example of where a little technology makes certain household tasks notably easier and you soon find yourself surprisingly wondering, "How did I live without this?"...

• Read the full post at Marketplace

We've griped about tiny under-counter fridges in the past, so we’ll spare you the litany of complaints today. Suffice it to say; while a regular old Frigidaire would set our heart to palpitating with desire, these dreamboats have us positively swooning!

• Read the full post at Apartment Therapy

simplehuman Sensor Pump

• $39.99
• simplehuman

We've been using a refillable glass spouted soap dispenser in the kitchen for awhile now, purchasing soap in bulk to cut down on packaging waste. But something that always bothered us with both this and every other bottle is the mess we often transfer while pouring/squeezing the liquid soap out while cleaning up (aka spaghetti stain fingerprints), alongside the risk of it slipping out of our soapy hands. Call us neat freaks, but we LOVE the automated simplehuman sensor pump, which eliminates the need to touch anything. Just place your hand underneath it and the right amount of dishwashing soap is dispensed onto the sponge each and every time (you can adjust the amount), with nary a fingerprint. And anything that makes dishwashing easier is a welcome addition into our home.

With the warm weather finally rolling in, and with summer right around the corner, its time to start planning those weekend get togethers. Whether with family or friends, backyard grilling is a favorite past time of many. It provides a great opportunity to socialize over delicious food and drink. That is unless you are the host, in which case you will be running around making sure everything is perfect. This year, try helping yourself out with a little outdoor tech gadgetry.
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Have you ever wished you could make a major interior element of your home just disappear? Web developer Tim Thaler faced the dilemma with a kitchen island which he found a horrible eyesore. Being the DIY sort, he got onto eBay and found the solution in a $380 hydraulic scissor lift. Unplggd and New York Times Gadgetwise contributor , Sonia Zjawinski, reports on this most amazing DIY disappearing act. Get ready to be amazed under the jump... More

You've carved your own chopsticks. You've built your own computer. You've sewed your own tent. What else can you do to make your life more insular? The answer: brew your own beer. But how to get started in the ancient art of transforming grain into something more tasty and intoxicating? The process may be ancient, but many of the brewing tools have gone hi-tech, offering amateur and pro-sumer beer brewers a variety of hardware, software and online community resources to tap into... More