Let’s get creative, shall we? As a Brit + Co reader, it’s safe to assume that you’re the type to think ahead and innovate when it comes to all aspects of your daily life. Like us, inventive idea springboards like Kickstarter and Indiegogo make your hearts go a-flutter. If you’ve found yourself from time to time with pasta water on the floor (guilty) or losing chopped veggies to the edge of your counter (sorry, floor) you’ll be just as impressed with what they’ve got going on in the kitchen section these days. We’ve brought together some of our faves that you’ll love to stock in your pantry. Which pick will you pledge for?
1. A Keg for Your Fridge: Craft beer is currently in a renaissance of sorts. Keep your favorite microbrew fresh and on tap with uKeg, a pressurized growler that promises to keep beer fresh. Both the 64 oz and 128 oz versions will fit in your fridge, and thanks to a built-in system that allows for pressure adjustments, you can BYOB anywhere you please.
2. DIY Kefir: Hey lovers of healthy drinks in all incarnations: we’ve got a pick that’s right up your alley. Quench your thirst with Kefirko, a jar equipped with special lids to help you make your own kefir at home. Get all the probiotics you need and take your morning smoothie to new heights with a pledge of just $29. Bonus: check out those colors — one of these will look good no matter what the color scheme is in your kitchen.
3. A Smart Kitchen Assistant: You might not know it yet, but the meals your dreams are made of can come together with MAID. This “kitchen assistant” and smarty pants of a device is able to pull recipes, learn your calorie requirements and even recommend dishes to you. Make your pledge for one of these and let us know what it serves up when you bring it home.
4. A Rice Cooker You Can Text: No matter what you’ve got in store for dinner, you can probably safely add rice into the mix. Make it easy as can be to prepare rice with Ricewise, a rice cooker you can text to cook for you. It’s capable of storing enough rice and water to serve 18 people — a great option for an epic Taco Tuesday, don’t-cha-think?
5. The Ultimate Prep Board: If you ever find yourself with bits of food on the floor, pay attention to this next invention. The Preparation Board is a cutting board with a built-in space that can hold a container meant to collect whatever you’re chopping. The board-to-pan transition just got waaaay easier, as did slicing fruits and veggies to keep on hand.
6. An Egg Scrambler: It’s common knowledge that eggs are versatile in the kitchen. You can use them as the base of a recipe, as support, or really, in any way you please. If you’re looking for ways to make eggs a little more egg-citing, you need to check out the Goose. Remember the golden eggs of storybook lore? This nifty tool allows you to make your own by scrambling eggs in the shell. We missed the boat on pledging for this campaign, but the Goose has taken flight — shop it here for $25.
7. A Scale With Brains and Beauty: The Internet of Things has brought with it some seriously beautiful products, including this good-lookin’ smart food scale that’s just as beautiful as it is wise. Thin-gk is off the Indiegogo market, but you can pre-order it now from Italy (ooOOOoo).
8. A Double Duty Strainer: Environmentally conscious? We’re right there with you. Taking care to properly clean produce can be frustrating, especially since it wastes so much water. Enter the Strainer Bowl. This is different than your average colander, as it’s also capable of being a bowl with a stand, allowing you to soak your produce and drain it when ready. The sleek design is the icing on the cake when it comes to reasons why you need to put in a pledge.
9. A Smart Storage System: Safe food storage is a must for keeping leftovers and storing properly to get the most for your money. Store food easily with VacuVita, a high-tech storage container in an array of fun colors that’ll beep to let you know when you’re food is A-Okay to save. The official Indiegogo campaign is already successfully funded, but you can still buy the VacuVita at a discounted price through their campaign page.
10. Reinvented Utensil: While we love our kitchen utensils as they are, Balanz has done some revamping to the serving spoon you’ve come to know, and it’s certainly worthy of checking out. With a more grip-friendly handle, a weighted core and a built-in stand, this spoon is going further than what you’ve seen before. It’s also got a magnet inside, so you can keep it handy by sticking it right on the fridge.
Which of these prototypes are you itchin’ to use? Share your picks with us on Twitter!
