This is what people in the industry call a "conversation piece." What may look like your typical salad tongs also double as a decorative piece in your kitchen. The salad tongs stand upright on their own when placed in the included pot, which can also be used to display the salad dressing. We love when designers allow their imagination to go wild.

The Salad Plant can be found at Amazon
Created by black + blum

I have always been a handyman around the house and I often get calls from people who need some sort of help -- whether it's installing a microwave, getting a PC built, or building a deck outside the house. I guess you can call me a jack of all trades, master of none.

I often found myself without the right tool when someone would call me to do something silly like tighten a screw. I started carrying a Swiss Army Pocket Knife Swiss Champ but lost it. After some time I found myself needing something to replace it and felt that the Swiss Army was good, but it lacked ruggedness. I then went for the Leatherman Wave Multitool, which I also lost after a couple of years of use. I finally decided I needed to replace it, but didn't go for the Wave because all my pants would get holes in the pockets since it was so heavy. So, the end result was something small and manageable.

Enter the Leatherman Micra Multitool. I wish I had gone with this one first as it has proved to be a very rugged tool for its small size. It features a nice set of scissors, a sharp small blade, tweezers, a nail file/cleaner, flat Phillips screwdriver, extra small and medium screwdriver, bottle opener, and a ruler. Best of all it fits easily in your pocket and if you attach it to your keys, you will never leave home without it.

THE GOOD
- Good construction.
- Great assortment of tools in such a small tool.
- Easy to carry anywhere you go.

THE BAD
- A bit expensive.

IN THE BOX
- One Leatherman Micra Tool.

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon

MANUFACTURER
Leatherman

The Nikon SB-600 Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras are nothing new, they've actually been around for years, but they are such a great tool for photographers, we decided to review them for 'ya.

We want to bring to light (hehe!) the fact that our studio product photographers keep buggin' us to review this speedlight because they love them so darn much. Our studio crew owns two of these SB-600 Speedlights and they do wonders with them.

This Nikon Speedlight is the answer to most lighting problems you would find when trying to flash a group of people. You pop it in to your hot-shoe (that little slot on top of your camera) and you are done. It is an easy step for a flash so powerful. Nikon has really put some thought into their speedlights. The flash can be triggered remotely by using the on-board pop-up flash. Nikon calls this the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS). Take note though, this feature is only available in their mid range to high end DSLRs, though it is known to work with some of the higher end Coolpix cameras as well with the use of some extra accessories.

The flash will work in TTL mode (adjust the flash according to what the camera sees "Through The Lens") and for the more advanced users it can be set to manual mode allowing the user to set the power of the flash in increments.

If you are not that serious into photography and are looking for a fancy flash for your DSLR don't waste your money on the SB-900, it will cost you twice as much for more power than you will probably need. I also wouldn't go for the SB-400 just because it is a minuscule step from the pop-up flash. The SB-400 also doesn't let you bounce light from the ceiling or walls which is one of the best advantages of these external flashes. In all, the Nikon SB-600 falls right in between and it is therefore the one we would recommend.

TIP: Flashes keep a great resale value so, don't be shy to put them on eBay when you want to move up. You can't lose (at least not that much).


THE GOOD
- Good construction
- Excellent flash unit delivers what it promises
- Good battery life
- Wireless capabilities

THE BAD
- Expensive
- As far as we can tell it can't be used as a slave for point and shoot cameras like its bigger brother the SB 900 can.

IN THE BOX
- One SB 600 Speedlight
- 1 Stand for the Speedlight
- User Manual / Warranty papers
- Pouch

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon

MANUFACTURER
Nikon

We've all been clamoring for a kickstand for the iPod touch and iPhone for years now, but Apple has always failed to deliver. Thankfully we have companies like magneticNorth who pick up the slack with a product like the MoviePeg.

The MoviePeg acts as both a tripod (to keep the shots steady) as well as a kickstand. What are the uses of a kickstand? You can prop the iPod touch or iPhone down on the counter as your nightstand alarm clock or to view movies hands free while sitting at an uncomfortable plane seat.



For only £4.99 you could certainly do worse.

Found at MoviePeg.

Looking for a small, yet decent set of speakers for your laptop, iPod or portable device? We recently tested the Diamond MSP100B Mini Rockers Mobile Speakers at our labs and were very impressed with the sound quality.

The speakers are shaped like a little capsule with all the cables retracting inside the unit. The capsule breaks apart and delivers a pretty crisp sound with a nice hint of bass. We were pleasantly impressed at the audio that came out of these little guys.

The unit has a universal 3.5mm audio plug. Its power output is 4W and has an internal Li-Polymer battery that will give you about 6 hours of playtime on a single charge. The speakers measure 4" x 2" and fit snugly in the included carrying case.


The Diamond Mini Rockers in Action

For around $29.99 we feel the speakers are a good buy.

THE GOOD
- Loud with good bass
- Great price

THE BAD
- Cables do not retract well
- Battery does not seem to be consumer replaceable
- Cables could be a little longer. The cable that connects the left to the right speakers are a little short for comfort.

IN THE BOX
- One set of Diamond Rockers Speakers
- USB Y-Cable for charge while listening
- User Manual
- Pouch

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon

MANUFACTURER
Diamond

Got a need for an extra long shoe horn -- a 2ft long one? We came across this odd shoe horn while strolling through our local Ikea store. It is specially useful for people with back problems that prevent them from bending over (or the unbelievably lazy).

The shoe horn is priced at a whooping 99 cents. Hell, we can't even buy a soda at that price anymore. Best of all it comes in three colors for you to choose from.

iamhuman fabric skins for your MAC (and other laptops too) will make you an even bigger hipster. They use different fabric patterns like plaid, wool and so forth. Prices vary based on which fabric you fancy. Expect to pay at least $30 a pop.

Found at iamhuman.

Ice cream making, like ice cream, comes in different flavors: You have manual machines, pre-frozen bowl motor-powered machines, and built in freezing mechanism. The Cuisinart ICE-30BC 2 Quart ice cream maker is the pre-frozen bowl variety.

The Cuisinart ICE-30BC 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker allows you to create frozen yogurt, sorbet, ice cream, and gelato. For a typical ice cream, the machine will take about 30 minutes to churn your custard to tasty ice cream.

The Cuisinart ICE-30BC 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker is housed in brushed stainless steel. At the top you'll find a large ingredient spout, which allows you to add your mix-ins (think crushed Oreo cookies for example) during the churning process. In the lower part of the machine is where you'll find the automatic motor unit and the space for the double-insulated 2 quart freezer bowl. Tucked away underneath the body is the power cord, which can remain hidden until it is necessary to use. We wish however, that the cord was a foot longer than it currently is. Since this is not the kind of device you keep on your counter space (it is BIG!), most of the places where you'll plug this in will be taken away by devices you use everyday. So, having a longer cord would allow easier placement on the counter. Although the device is really heavy, it is very well constructed and does not feel cheap.



To use this machine you'll need to pre-freeze the freezer bowl for at least 8 hours before, so it is always recommended with this kind of ice cream maker that you store the freezer bowl in the freezer. Heed that as a warning, if you have a small freezer, you are better off buying the one of the smaller Cuisinart ice cream makers on the market. You'll also want to prepare the custard or non-custard ice cream before hand to keep the ice cream cool during the whole process. When you are ready, you turn the unit on and pour the ice cream mix slowly into the Cuisinart.

The device is not quiet, but it is not louder than similar devices and it is the nature of a device that has a motor running through a thick liquid like this to make a certain amount of noise.



We made recipes from the included recipe book and the fabulous ice cream book Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovits.

If you like your ice cream smooth, rich and creamy, this machine delivers in spades. As the machine churns, the custard slowly starts thickening. You should add your mix-ins about 5 minutes before you think you'll stop churning the ice cream.

One other note about the pre-frozen bowl before we go. To clean the bowl you'll need to run it through warm water and let it sit to essentially melt before being able to freeze it again. If you plan to make back-to-back ice cream, you should buy a separate bowl.

We wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Cuisinart ICE-30BC 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker over other pre-frozen bowl home ice cream markers -- specially when you can find it online for less than $70 dollars.


Watch our video review:


THE GOOD
- Makes soft creamy ice cream
- Good built quality
- Great price

THE BAD
- Heavy
- Long re-freezing times for the bowl
- The power cord is too small

IN THE BOX
- The Cuisinart ICE-30BC Ice Cream Maker
- 2 Quart Freezer Bowl
- Recipe Book

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon

MANUFACTURER
Cuisinart

Kaboom Candles add an explosive touch to any party (without the explosion part). These clever candles were designed to resemble cartoon and video game bombs and have a sparkling wick that adds even more authenticity.

Found at Spoon Sisters

I'm not the kind of person to spend over $300 on a wall clock, but if you are, I can say that the iconic George Nelson Ball Clock would be a mighty fine candidate for your cash. You can read more about George Nelson and admire some of his other awesome work at georgenelson.org

Found at Amazon.