Zoku Jack

Yeah, you're wondering about that title, right?

Zoku, known for their ice pop freezing gadgets, recently sent me a sweet ice cube maker set. It makes giant cubes that are so popular these days because they melt slower in drinks.

Or not cubes, actually. We seriously need a better name for ice that's frozen into small pieces for drinks, don't we?

Anyhoo, this was a set of two ice molds that were supposed to look like the jacks that kids play with. To be honest, I thought they looked more like molecules, which I think is much cooler than a jack. Bonus for me.

These were super-easy to fill, and the two halves held together tightly, so I didn't need to worry about water spillage in my overcrowded freezer. I hate when that happens!

They were also easy to pull apart when the ice was frozen and it was easy to get the ice out of the mold half. Easy, easy, easy. I mean, ice should be easy.

What I thought was funny was that the first glass I wanted to put ice in had a narrow top, so the fancy ice jack didn't fit. Yup, these are pretty big, so they're not going to fit in your teeny tiny glasses.

On the other hand, I think they'd be awesome floating around in a punch bowl, like a bunch of molecules wandering the universe. Or something like that.

I received these at no cost to me.

Revablend

Among the many interesting items at the Housewares Show, there was the Revablend.

The Housewares Show (it's actually the International Home and Housewares Show or IHHS) is held each year in Chicago, and manufacturers large and small show off their products. Some of the booths are bigger than my house and some are the size of a large closet.

But ... size doesn't always matter. Revablend was in a small booth because it's a small company. I think they only had the one product, but it was pretty unique. It's a bottle - like the many drink bottles that exist - and it has blades in it like you'd see in a blender.

Actually, there are multiple blades.

Unlike a blender, the Revablend operated on people power. You twist or spin the bottom of the bottle to make the blades move.

For something that doesn't need a lot of speed, you can just twist by hand. For more speed, you can run the edge of the bottom of the bottle along the top of a flat surface - like you'd zoom a toy car - and the blades will spin at fast as you can move that bottle.

Zoom zoom zoom.

The lid has a spout for pouring or drinking or sticking a straw in.

This is a really interesting idea. I don't expect that people will throw away their electric blenders, but the Revablend would be great for camping where you can't plug in a blender. Or it would be great for taking to work to blend up a protein powder drink. Or taking on the road.

For giggles, I decided to see how it fared with a smoothie, so I tossed in a ripe banana to start, and I spun the blades to get it mushed up. The banana was ripe, but it wasn't overripe to the point of super soft.

Then I added a good splash of Cholaca. I blended again. Then I added almond milk and blended one last time. It was surprisingly smooth. Not quite as smooth and frothy as I'd get with my Vitamix, but it was nicely drinkable. I have to say I was impressed. So, it's not just for mixing in powders. Whoop, whoop! Mash those bananas!

If you're interested in Choloca - it's awesome - here's a link on Amazon, but I suggest you look for it at your local grocery store. Since it's a perishable item, shipping would be costly if you order online, so local shopping makes more sense.

My first impression was that people probably wouldn't use this on a daily basis at home if they have an electric blender, but it's less to wash than a blender jar. So maybe people would choose this.

I haven't tried emulsifying salad dressings or making mayonnaise in this, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

It would also be useful for blending cocktails. I don't think it would be able to handle ice, but it could make other blended drinks. How fun would that be at a picnic? Cheers!

As far as cleaning, there doesn't seem to be any way to remove the bottom of the jar to get at the underside of the blades, but that shouldn't be an issue if you rinse the jar right after using. Add some hot water and a few drops of soap and spin the blades, and there shouldn't be anything left to worry about.

Who's it for: People who want to blend drinks or whatever without using electricity.

Pros: It works! Huzzah!

Cons: This is never going to be as good as an electric blender.

Wishes: As usual, I'd love to see this in a rainbow of colors. It's already available in six colors, but more would be better, right?

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Drinkmate

Let me get this out of the way. I kind of love this thing.

Yes, I'll be objective, but ... I've been using the Drinkmate just about every day since I got it. And I don't see any sign of stopping.

The Drinkmate is a product that carbonates water, just like all those other products that carbonate water. But the big difference is that the manufacturer says you can use this device to carbonate things other than water. In fact, they say you can use it to carbonate pretty much anything, as long as it isn't "pulpy." I guess that means you'll need to use orange juice without pulp.

I've mostly been using it to carbonate water with ginger flavoring in it. It's refreshing and crisp and not sweet. I'm not a huge fan of super-sweet drinks most of the time, so this is perfect for me.

It uses a large 60-liter carbonation tank rather than the single-use little cartridges. It comes with a smaller 3-ounce tank, but the larger ones are available in stores, or from Amazon. I actually found them at my local Ace Hardware, so that's really convenient.

This thing is easy to use - just press the button on top to send carbonation into the liquid. When it's at capacity, you hear it hiss a bit. Or you can make your drink less carbonated, if you prefer.

There's a screw-on top that you can use to store the bottle in the fridge. I usually end up drinking it all in a short time, so I really don't know how long the carbonation lasts. I'd guess you wouldn't have any reason to make it in advance though, since it's so quick to make a batch.

Who's it for: People who like fizzy drinks but maybe don't want all the sugar. Or folks who want to create their own flavors or have fizzy water for cocktails.

Pros: It's easy to use, doesn't require power. Not huge. You can buy a spare fizz infuser, so if you lose it or your dog chews it, it's not tragic.

Cons: The 60-liter gas canisters aren't super cheap - probably less expensive than soda, but still not super-cheap.

Wishes: Spare bottles are about $20 for two, which is kind of spendy.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Barbarian Bar Tool

If you ever happen to need to squeeze a lime at the same time you're fighting off a bear in the woods, the Barbarian Bar Tool is for you.

Okay, just kidding.

The Barbarian Bar Tool is a citrus squeezer with other tools attached - opener, corkscrew, zester, knives, can opener - pretty much everything you'd need to make cocktails.

Well, except the glass and ingredients. You need those, too.

While it might be easier to pick up a knife to cut a lemon, if you've got limited space for tools or you're taking this with on a picnic or camping, or you want to show off a fancy cocktail tool at a home party, this is definitely for you. It just looks mean.

The citrus squeezer itself is sturdy and works well. I haven't used all of the other tools, but I've fiddled around with them and they all seem appropriate for their tasks.

Who's it for: Cocktail makers.

Pros: It does pretty much everything.

Cons: It's a tad expensive.

Wishes: What! No grater? Just kidding. I think it does enough.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Bear Hands

You wouldn't grab a hot cookie sheet from the oven with your bare hands. But you could do it with Bear Hands.

I mean, you could do it if you have Bear Hands Mitts. You know, potholders.

The mitts are thick and padded and heat resistant. The details are silicone, so they're nice and grippy and even more heat resistant.

But seriously, they're just FUN. Funny. Humorous. Comical. Amusing. Cute.

But, unlike some kitchen things that are so cute they sacrifice some functionality, these are completely useful. Well, okay, the little claws don't serve an actual purpose, but they don't hinder use at all.

And they're fun to wear. I tend to wave them around and say "rawr" when I'm wearing them. It doesn't really amuse the dog, or the meatloaf. But it amuses me. And that's enough.

If you're looking for a really fun but useful gift for someone who cooks or someone who spends quality time at the barbecue grill, look no further.

Who's it for: People who cook, grill, barbecue or bake, and who don't want to burn their fingers off.

Pros: Thick, grippy, attractive.

Cons: Honestly, I've been a bit hesitant to get these dirty just because they look cool. After the first stain, I won't care, But for now, I'm being careful with them.

Wishes: Polar bears need love too. Just kidding. White would get dirty way too fast.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Vacu Vin Multi Jigger

Vacu Vin is probably best known for their vacuum tools for wine that remove the oxygen to keep wine fresh.

But that's not all they make. Much of it is barware related, like the cute little multi-jigger that's taken up permanent residence near the rum and vodka portion of my life.

First, let me be honest. I have a weird fetish for measuring tools. I have two scales, more measuring cups than should be legal, and a whole lot of measuring spoons.

But that doesn't stop me from ogling even more measuring tools.

Funny thing is that except for a couple of shotglasses with no measurements at all, I didn't have any sort of dedicated cocktail measuring tools. So I was more than happy to take the Vacu Vin Multi Jigger for a test pour or two.

With jiggers, you really don't need a lot of measurements, and generally you're measuring by ounce. This measures 1 1/2, 1  1/2, and 1/4-ounces and also shows the measurements in mililiters.

But no tablespoons or teaspoons to get in the way of proper drink mixing.

To measure, you tilt the glass in different ways to get the three larger measurements. The bottom side of the glass measures 1/4 ounce.

Yes, it's a little gimmicky, but it's also fun. And once you remember which angle is which measurement, you don't need to look to see the lines at all.

Who's it for: People who like fun, unique, yet useful bar tools.

Pros: It works. It's different. Relatively unbreakable.

Cons: Because it's different, it might befuddle guests at your bar until they use it.

Wishes: Measuring lines in color, maybe? Just for the fun of it.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.