Kitchen gadgets just got cooler. And if you are in any doubt, check these out. They’ll make perfects Christmas gifts for the foodie in your family. Or yourself. Go on, indulge. By Ingrid Shevlin

Kitchen gadgets are big business and few celebrity chefs have been able to resist bringing out a range of gadgets or cookware under their name Remember you are paying for that  name, hence the often inflated cost of the items.
But just when you think manufacturers can’t think of anything new to develop – it all having been done before – they do. Ingenuity knows no boundaries.
British company Lakeland is in the forefront of developing new kitchen gadgets and they have recently released a list of must-have products, which are already on sale in the UK.
Now, with Christmas just around the corner, us gadget freaks have a legitimate chance to indulge our obsession.
We buy them because they’re cool, look good and, hopefully, work as promised. And, if we’re really lucky, they actually save us time. Now that’s a win win.
Here’s a list of gadgets to buy now and to aspire to buying. They will help your culinary dreams comes true.

AVAILABLE NOW

Livi’n on the ground floor of La Lucia Mall is my to-go-to kitchen shop because it stocks many of the international products you can’t find easily elsewhere. Here I’ve selected some of the most appealing. Some are pure indulgence while others are practical and/or whimsical and cost under R200 – ideal stocking filler gifts. All are available now at Liv’in. You can also buy from www.yuppiechef.co.za  or amazon.com

Chill Stick (a wine cooler):  Keep your favourite bottle of white wine crisp and chill even when not in the fridge with this  Chill Stick. As well as keeping your wine cool, it also can be used as an anti-drip pourer and as a stopper
Cost: R280

Electric Salt Grinder: This Peugeot product takes the grind out of grinding. For someone who has everything else – and weak wrists.
Cost: R599

Microplane Cube Grater (catch, measure, cover is their slogan): This neatly packaged gadget has three different sized graters allowing you to, for instance, grate cheese (coarse), carrots (ribbons) and lemon zest (fine). It even measures as you grate. And you can store it in the cube which has a lid. How cool is that?
Cost: R349

Tumble Trivets, box of eight: Put anywhere in any formation to protect counters from hot pots. Comes in several colours. Neat.
Cost: R189

Alessi stainless steel stove top kettle:  What’s to say. This is the most stylish of products with a super sleek and classic design – and it’s from Alessi, design leaders. It’s in stainless steel.
Cost: A cool R2,485.

Alessi Ship Shape butter dish. I mean how cool is this butter dish. When you pull off the top, a butter spoon is attached. It’s made from sort of plastic while the butter knife is stainless steel. Comes in several bright colours.
Cost: R416

Alessi Citrus Squeezer with goblet: Can’t get enough of Alessi. A great design which offers one product from which you can juice and drink. Just flip the hat over and you have a citrus juicer which juices directly into the goblet. The squeezer and the butter dish are the work of Italian architect and designer Stefano Giovannoni who describes the products as “playful”.  (Pictured on top)
Cost: R725

MiniPresso: A non-electric mini espresso maker that operates its semi-automatic piston without the need for nitrous oxide cartridges. All it takes is a few pushes of the piston and a shot of espresso travels from the tips of your fingers to the palm of your hand. Ideal for tiny kitchens (haha) or travelling or camping.
Cost: R995

Oregon Scientific Grill Right Bluetooth BBQ Thermometer: This nifty little gadget alerts you when your meal has reached the perfect temperature – no need to wait by the grill to find out when dinner is ready. Programme your choice of eight entrees and choose the desired doneness – and you’re good to grill! And it works on your smart phone.
Cost: R999

Willy Mia Fred bottle opener: German designed this playful gadget is sure to make its recipient laugh. And of course it’s totally functional.
R199

Umbra Drinking Buddy, Charms and Topper: Resolve the dinner party dilemma of which wine glass belongs to who with  a drinking buddy charm by  hanging one around your wine glass stem. The matching bottle topper has been  designed to  look like the small figure going head down in the wine bottle. Made from soft touch rubber.
Cost: R189 for set of six plus topper

LOOKING AHEAD
This list of the latest must-have kitchen gadgets was released by Lakeland, UK,  in time for Christmas. While most on not available here yet, there are two which have an equivalent in another brand. Remember you can also try amazon.com for overseas products.

Masha: A rotor-blade powered masher which pushes boiled potatoes through the perforated foot without crushing the starch and produces a smooth and delicious mash.

Flare pans: Developed in conjunction with a rocket scientist at Oxford University, the ‘fins’ on the pans channel heat from the flame across the bottom, driving it up the sides of the pan, resulting in even heat distribution.

Doughnut making kit: Silicone moulds which can be filled with traditional doughnut batter or roll out your mix and use the stainless steel cutter to shape the doughnuts before baking them in the oven.

Magic non-stick liners: PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) coated, non-stick fabric, which is heat-resistant up to 260°C, will withstand five years or more of constant use and can be cut to size. The fabric ensures that baked or cooked products don’t stick to the pan.
Liv’in in La Lucia Mall sell something similar in a brand called Cookina. The product is available for braaing (R289) and baking/microwaves (R189).

Vegidrill: Is this the new spiraliser? The Vegi Drill cores all manner of fruit and vegetables, hard or soft, big or small, in seconds such with courgettes, carrots, onions, otatoes, tomatoes and apples.

Thermospatula: Designed for recipes that require heating to a specific temperature, the silicone spatula has an integrated digital thermometer that displays a precise temperatures.

Microwave pressure cooker: Cooks meals such as curries, beef stews, and soups in the microwave.

Apple master: Peels, cores and slices apples in seconds and is also great for potatoes. Gefu produce something similar. It’s called a 3-in-one and peels, slices and cores.
Liv’in just sold their last one, a product which does the same job,  but hope to get in more before Christmas. Cost is R599

• Information obtained from the Daily Mail. Otherwise click onto www.lakeside.co.uk