Housewares / Appliances

It seems rice is one thing that is difficult to dispense, there's usually a few that end up on the counter or the floor.  And how do you protect a large open bag of rice from predators (nosy pets and crawly things)?  The best way is with a rice dispenser.  This Tayama Rice Dispenser will easily store up to 50 lbs of rice, dispenses 1/2 cup or 1 cup from the specially-designed pull-out and 5 cups from the drawer.  If your family eats a lot of rice, this rice dispenser will save you time and clean-up.  It's also a great companion item for your rice cooker.

The Tayama Rice Dispenser is 13" x 22" x 14" and holds 25 kgs (55 lbs) of rice. Model PG25

Buying rice in bulk or large bags can save you money and a dispenser can provide safe and handy storage, plus make it easy and mess-free to dispense.

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Photo Courtesy PriceGrabberPhot13 x 22 x 14 inches13 x 22

When it comes to food storage, canisters can be pretty basic and still be functional to some degree, but not all have airtight seals. If your kitchen has a lot of humidity, you'll want a tight seal to keep moisture out. Then there are pests to keep out too. On the other hand, keeping moisture in is what you need when it comes to brown sugar. So an airtight seal is the key mark of a good canister.

In terms of display, some canisters look better than others. The Simplehuman Slim Canisters tend to excel in both style and function. Each canister has a removable inner liner and airtight seal as well as other cool features. They also look stunning on the counter.  The company also has some larger airtight storage containers that are ideal for rice, pet food, bird seed or other use. Learn more about these canisters and the company in my: Simplehuman Slim Canister Set Review.

Photo © Simplehuman

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You can drastically reduce the amount of preservatives and additives your family eats in prepared foods, by making one or two loaves of bread in your bread maker every week. Sugar can also be reduced considerably. Even if your family has no allergies or special dietary needs, you can save on your food budget and deliver tasty bread to your table with little effort.

• Bread Maker Care & Use Tips
• How to Make Braided Bread With Bread Maker Dough
• Bread Maker Baked Bread vs Baking it in the Oven
• More About Small Appliances

Refillable travel bottles are a must if you want to reduce packing weight and cheap, standard plastic ones leave MUCH to be desired. They're frustrating to fill or handle and most leak. The answer? Cool Gear Travel Tubes. Ok, I admit that their good looks did get my attention, but getting up close and personal cemented the relationship. I wouldn't want to travel without them.  Learn more about these handy travel accessories in my Cool Gear Go Gear Travel Tubes Review.

Photo © Cool Gear International, LLC

Gleener Review |Travel Appliances | Gifts for $60

True. The size of the tang, whether it's part or full-tang does matter if you want the knife to last longer. That's because the full tang increases the strength of the knife. That's especially important when buying quality kitchen knives. You want a full tang.  And expect to pay more for a full-tang knife.

Should you be able to see whether it's full or partial tang? You can often  see it at a glance - the steel extends the full length of the knife, from the tip of the blade right into the end of the handle. Sometimes however, the full tang is obscured by the handle. When in doubt, ask or refer to knife specs because the tang does matter.

• What's a Knife Tang?
• Splurge or Save on Kitchen Knives
• Kitchen Knife Buying Tips

If you haven't been to Elephants on the Wall, this is one very creative site you might want to check out. They have these cool paint-by-number chalkboard murals that combine a whimsy decor with function, so you can jot down notes or give some heartwarming praise. The site has a good variety of paint-by-number wall murals - more than 200, so there's a wide choice to chose from, but the chalkboard collection is just so cute and practical.

Each paint-by-number wall mural can be:

• Used on any wall surface, even textured
• Reused as many times as you like
• Repeated in whole or in part
• Used along with similar murals to form a theme
• Painted any color, or use the guide provided

The  Knightly Knotes chalkboard wall mural is 4' x 4' and there's even a Dragon mural (and more) that goes with this collection. The Roadster Ramblings chalkboard mural is 4'-8" wide x 2' tall. And as you can see from the two shown, the wall murals are not just for kids. There's lots for children's rooms too. The price of these paint-by-number murals is very reasonable and consumer ratings for the Elephants on the Wall murals are very good. This is a fun DIY project that's bound to put a smile on someone's face.

Learn more and buy direct from Elephants on the Wall.

Elephants on the Wall has graciously offered a 15% discount on your order from May 11th to August 9th, 2012, but you must use this promo code: ABOUT15

Photos © Elephants on the Wall

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If you're looking for a large and highly functional beach tote, the Saltwater Canvas Whale Bag is it. Over-sized and with several pockets, you'll have ample room for towels, gear and whatever else you like to take to the beach.

I' ve also recently tested their Shower Bag and it's the perfect personal grab-and-go accessory to hold your shampoo, conditioner and such for the dorm, gym or pool shower room. Learn more about Saltwater Canvas bags and why these bags are so popular and practical in: Saltwater Canvas Whale Bag and Shower Bag Reviews

Photos © Saltwater Canvas

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Is baby just starting to crawl and every time he/she wanders close to the kitchen cabinet, you start to fret?  Under the kitchen sink is the most common place where we tend to keep cleansers, bleach and other harmful stuff.  You could relocate all this hazardous stock to a safer place, but maybe there isn't another good spot.   Take a few minutes to install a child lock on that cabinet door and rest easier, knowing you've safeguarded this corner.   Wonderful!  Now are there other places where junior should be locked out of?

More about home safety

Why not organize the cabinet too!  Find handy cabinet organizers that will make better use of the space.

You won't find yourself throwing out the CM Scrubber after one or two uses, it really should last you a lifetime. And when you thought ye old knight's clothing material - chain maille - was mostly used for jewelry nowadays, think again.  Someone with a very innovative mind has found a new use for an old material - cleaning cast iron cookware.

If you're at all familiar with cast iron, you can understand how some folks can be easily turned off of this excellent performing cookware, simply because of the usual labor-intensive clean-up and care.  You can make clean-up a little easier if you get cast iron that is enamel coated, but a good scrubber can make the world of difference regardless of the coating, when it comes to cleaning.

The chain maille CM Scrubber is 4" square and made of  5/16" stainless steel rings with a 1" stainless ring attached so you can hang it where it will be the handiest. It will never rust or wear out, so not surprising that it has a lifetime guarantee. It sells for $19.98 and there's a flat shipping rate regardless of how many you buy.

Cleaning it is super easy since it is not a ball design and doesn't have a 'nest' where food residue can hide and bacteria can flourish, like most other stainless scrubbers. Though it was designed for cast iron pans and skillets, the manufacturer says it can also scrub stainless steel, hard anodized and enameled cast iron, as well as glass casseroles. But take time to read the care information on their site.

Learn more and buy direct from the manufacturer: CM Scrubber

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Photo © CM Scrubber

There's nothing more frustrating than finding pills on your new dress pants after only a couple of wears, but it happens all too often. Fuzz can make a new garment look old and worn in a hurry. While you can sometimes reduce the amount of pills by sorting laundry properly or hanging garments to dry, you can't avoid pills altogether.  A good fuzz buster is essential to freshen your garments after laundering.

Pill removers, fuzz busters or clothes shavers (they have various names), are essential tools for keeping your garments looking good. Some work better than others and while some require batteries, many are electric. But all have one function - to remove fuzz or pills on fabrics.

Just when we thought you really couldn't improve on the standard design, in comes Gleener - the Ultimate Fuzz Remover. Its main function is removing fuzz or pills, but that's where the similarity ends. With Gleener, you can match the correct blade to the fabric, so it's more effective. It also has a built-in velvet lint brush. Learn more about this new fuzz remover and why it leaves the others in a cloud of fuzz in my: Gleener Fuzz Remover Review.

Photo © Gleener

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