Gizmodo: home appliances

Happy 100th Birthday To The Toaster

Sean Fallon — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EDT

The internet loves the toaster. Why? Because it makes toast...which reminds us of breakfast...which reminds us of bacon. So, it is only fitting that we wish it well on its 100th birthday.

Indeed, 2009 represents 100 years since Frank Shailor and General Electric came up with the D12 in 1909. It may look like a major fire and burn hazard, but this device was the world's first commercially successful toaster and it paved the way for the Pop-Tart you had this morning. That's right—without Frank Shailor's invention, nerds would surely starve. [Daily Express via Fark / Image via Jitterbuzz]

Tri3 Trash Can Recycles Your Waste Stylishly

Elaine Chow — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:00:00 EST

The Tri3 trashcan stacks three cans together to make recycling even easier than normal. It's also much neater, and more stylish, than my solution of throwing recyclables into a heap in the kitchen corner.

The top can, which also contains a bag dispenser, is for disposable goods. The middle can is for packaging and the bottom is for recyclables like bottles. Foot pedals open up different parts of the can. Stepping on the left pedal opens the top can, the middle paddle revolves the central can outward, and the right pedal turns the bottom can towards the user.

Unfortunately, it's just a concept for now. But I can't imagine why some entrepreneurial trash can manufacturer wouldn't pick it up in the near future. [Constance Guisset via The Design Blog]

Kitty Cat Hitches Ride on Back of a Roomba

Elaine Chow — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:50:00 EST

If there's anything that makes me squeal like a little girl on a pixie stick high, it's watching videos of pets playing with gadgets. This little kitty uses the family Roomba as its own amusement park ride, presumably vacuuming up the mess it sheds everyday on the side. I'm not sure how they managed to get it so close to something so noisy—my own cat freaks out every time the doorbell rings. [Neatorama]

Almost Transformers: When Home Appliances With Australian Accents Attack

Sean Fallon — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:50:00 EDT

Since I don't live in Australia, I'm not familiar with the comedy sketch team of Merrick and Rosso. However, I must admit that I am slightly amused by what they have done with Almost Transformers. Now I want all of my appliances to talk to me in a Australian accent. [Geekologie]

Laundry Concept Hides Washing Machine In Lounge Chair

Elaine Chow — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Someone I know once had the awesome idea of turning a laundromat (popular here in my neck of the woods) into a singles bar. With this concept washer and dryer from Indian designer Harsha Vardhan, we could up our prospective plans a notch and instead turn laundromats into singles lounges. The make believe washing machine doubles as a large seat whether it's in active or passive mode. The inner chamber of the chaise acts as a pressure washer and cleans clothes with ionized air instead of water.

While the Alternative Clothes Cleaner unfortunately still remains in the realm of fantasy, I'd like to believe that someday an appliance like this will finally exist. Then we can all place bets on how many cosmopolitans I'd need to chug before I can pull out my unmentionables in front of the cutie two sofa-washers down. [DVICE]

Samsung Silencio Is Unofficial Halo Vacuum Cleaner

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:20:53 EST

The Samsung Intergalactic Empire, makers of everything from memory chips to TVs to gas tankers and probably complete Death Stars, also make vacuum cleaners like the new Silencio ("silence" in Spanish.) It doesn't only trap 99.3% of the dust with a suction power rating of 360 "air watts" (whatever that is in the metric system; perhaps 124.5 Jenna Jamesons) and is coated in silver nano-particles to avoid bacteria and smell, but it also looks like a a sci-fi helmet. And not any helmet, but our favorite: Master Chief's helmet. [Samsung via OhGizmo!]

Asko's Home Pub Fridge is a Fridge for Real Men

AddyDugdale — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 08:00:04 EDT

The inventor of the HomePub, a fridge freezer with built-in draught beer system, is, it goes without saying, a genius. Designed with special people in mind, the kind who like to pour beer on their cornflakes or drink their coffee with beer and two sugars, there's designated space for two five-liter kegs.

The HomePub is available in Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the UK (where it costs around 450, or $1000) and there are plans to bring it to the US. [HomePub and Asko via Appliancist]

Miele designs Modular Kitchen Concept for Offices

AddyDugdale — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 05:05:13 EDT

Designed by Simon Kingston and James Rennick for German appliance ber-maestros Miele, this modular kitchen is perfect for those long hours we Giz worker ants have been putting in this week as we bring you all the iPhone coverage* as fast as our sweaty little paws can type.

With spaces for either Miele gear or seating (I guess it depends just how lazy/minimalist you are) I think that if this concept gets the green light, it may soon be finding its way into many a minuscule NY apartment.

FLOTspotting: James Rennick and Simon Kingston [Core 77 via Born Rich]

* Did you like the gratuitous iPhone mention? Thought not...

Espresso in the Wall, For a Price

Charlie White — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 14:00:00 EST

Here s a tricked-out espresso maker that saves space because the sucker is built right into the wall. The Zanussi ZCOF636 Professional Coffee Maker also has a hot water dispenser and a built-in bean grinder, along with an accessory drawer that holds your little espresso cups. This is some pretty high-end kitchenosity, as evidenced by its plump price tag of around $775. A swank way to get your latte on, looks like this would be a great companion to that Sub-Zero cabinet-depth built-in refrigerator.

Zanussi's built-in coffee maker [Tech Digest]

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