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Calamente Fork Good For Twirling Spaghetti, Unspeakable Torture
Posted by John Herrman at 10:01 PM on October 21, 2008
In the pursuit of a great idea, inventors can sometimes lose sight of the big picture. I don't doubt that the Calamente Noodle fork is fantastic at spinning up a nice, big fork full of pasta, but I also don't doubt that before the end of a meal with this medieval war museum display piece I would have at least three gruesome lip piercings that I hadn't really planned for. I'll stick with a fork and spoon for now. Or my hands. Or, honestly, anything but this. [Trends in Japan via BBG]
Admit it. At least once, during a long road trip, you've pulled over at a gas station, filled the tank, grabbed a US$5 bottle of Desani and, just as you were leaving, inhaled a particularly saltilicious scent. Scanning through the aisle, you see its source. Hot dogs. Preservatives with a side of meat. And they are spinning on their rollers with all the gloss of a sports car unveiling. Just for a moment, you think of what could be should you be willing to sacrifice intestinal comfort for the next week. Recreate the magic at home with this US$40 Automatic Hot Dog Grill Roller. And don't even think about those taquitos, either. [
My parents have reached the awkward age of "pretty old", which means they're so picky about cleanliness that they carry their own chopsticks out to eat. Rather than call them weirdos, which I already have, I can buy them these FlipSticks folding chopsticks. This way they can fit two sets in the space of a single pair, plus have something to fiddle with while complaining about the wait staff. Then again, it's US$22 for a pair, which has to violate some kind of obscenity law in a Southern state. [
This mallet is the most ingenious thing I've seen for a long time. While not normally a fan of flat-pack stuff — the only thing I have ever assembled from scratch (a wooden shelving unit from 
Getting toast out of your toaster without lighting your fingers (or eyes, if you turn it upside down and shake it like we do) on fire is difficult. With these magnetic toaster tongs, you can reach in and grab your toast, then stick the tongs back on the side of your toaster when you're done. Sure, wooden tongs means they may actually light on fire too, but...uh...whatever! [
The Froggetmee chopsticks may not be electronic, but they are a gadget nonetheless. Combining chopsticks and spoons into one utensil, the culinary world is calling the Froggetmee the biggest breakthrough in efficient eating technologies since the spork.
I've been wanting a pair of reusable chopsticks and these run a reasonable $8. What do you think? Should I lean toward practicality, or a just pick some up with a badass dragon design that I'll then enlarge for my car to match? 
