Icy kitchen gadgets
I needed to do another kitchen gadget video, it was a very hot day when I thought about this, so I made one themed around ice.
In the cold light of day though, it’s definitely best not to try any force an idea into existence. There’s not enough going on in this video for my liking.
I’m going to get back to my soldering iron to work on something more elaborate. Enjoy your Sundae/Sunday.
UPDATE
New shorter-intro version embedded above. Less of me, same amount of tat.
Comments (57)
Really need UB40 to do the intro music for this one... "There's a Mat in mi kitchen"!
Hey Mat, do you have a desire to visit Japan sometime? I know you can't with the no flying and all, but does your interest in Japanese tech expand to the conditions that existed around the products? I just think about those Super Famacon Disk copying kiosks in the 80s and have to assume it was the future.
I once wanted to visit - especially back in the 1980s when it seemed like a wonderland of tech. I don’t think I’d find it as interesting now though, even if I could go.
I saw this on the BBC.com today. A 1964 Kenwood food mixer. I thought of Technmoan immediately and what do I find when I arrive on this site? He's reviewing kitchen gadgets. Love it! https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52965974
I don't think I need either of these machines, but it was fun to watch :-) For a moment I was wondering why you didn't describe the taste. Then I remembered you mentioning you didn't have a sense of taste back in the chips/fries video. Has this ever improved?
No it’s gone for a few years now. I could possibly temporarily bring it back with an operation, but that operation (and associated medication) also risks my eyesight. Last time I lost most of the sight in one eye permanently. So in a choice between going blind and never tasting anything again, I’ve got to err on the side of caution.
And that sno-cone machine workes way better than I was expecting!!
The fact you have to put salt in that Kirin unit got me thinking, I wonder if you can just put the whole brine container in the freezer then use it? Salt has a lower freezing point so *should* stay liquid, and thus freeze the stuff in the container (beer, or whatever) It also seems a LOT less stuffing around than ice!
That kiren machine is so cool. I wonder how it would work with diet coke.
Kitchen gadgets are my least favourite but still more than welcome any day. Cheers!
Enjoyed this! Had to laugh at the picture of the little girl. Thought she was wearing a mask... Upon closer observation, I see it is bubblegum. You had me with the snow cone machine, until you showed the price. I was thinking about half that price. I'm not a beer person, but the other thing was interesting. Looks like it could be used for all sorts of drinks and deserts. I probably wouldn't buy one, but if someone gave me one, I'd use it... at least once.
Given you can get (probably bad) mini fridges for a similar price, it's a shame they couldn't have made a beer frother that does the cooling itself. Seems like that would be less of an ordeal.
I like the idea! After taking the melting ice into account, ~400 ml of water + 120 g of salt means the saline water solution in this gadget has ~23 wt% of salt. This equals a freezing point well below -15°C: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saline_water It's literally operating with liquid ice! Cheap mini fridges - like the desktop ones that are only large enough to chill two soda cans - use a Peltier device for cooling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_cooling These are entirely dependent on the ambient temperature around them: "A camping/car type electric cooler can typically reduce the temperature by up to 20 °C (36 °F) below the ambient temperature" So unless the now Peltier-equipped beer froth maker is in a room with an ambient temperature equal to, or less than, 5°C there's little chance of success. 😃 This means we would need to go the traditional vapour compressor route for adequate refrigeration, and we'd have built a different beast entirely. 😳 So I'm afraid the Kirin construction is likely the most feasible one, unless going for an industrial catering type device...! 🤓
"Mat tries a thing so that you don't have to!" Lol! Fun video but ... yeah ... not for everyone.
Hi Mat - Fun video! Regarding the pronunciation of "Kirin", you actually nailed it! Back in the '80s there were commercials (at least on American television) for the brand. The jingle was "Kiirin when you're beerin' " (catchy, eh?)
The beer foam device is actually super popular in Japan. Fancy bars in Roppongi do that all the time, and in reality, you need more beer in the glass, as it's made to be like a "topper" of foam for the top of your beer. Excellent video as always!
I like the second machine - Guinness and blackcurrant topper might be nice...I actually might buy one! Great video, really enjoyed this.
There’s a man who never had a Mr Frosty when he was at school! I didn’t either, and when another pupil brought one in I was gutted to find out just how useless it was.
I was just thinking of the Mr Frosty I had as a kid...and how utterly naff it was.
I love the kitchen gadget videos, thank you, Mat! I used to beg Mom to buy all this gadgety crap as a kid. Now I'm an adult with zero space for such stuff so I live vicariously through you.
Love your summary, made me LOL. Thanks for the entertainment, a fun watch. S.
No beer in the house! What sort of house are you running here?
Really needed a Barney Gumble-style belch as you put that empty beer glass down. There's few things in life that can't be improved with a bit of low comedy.
I considered it...but I feared the lawyers.
👍🏻👍🏻
Maybe a funny kitchen gadget review bit in the future on something obvious like a kettle or a toaster with the Moans?
I LOVE that idea! Maybe an April fools video wherein Mat pretends he's never used or heard of a toaster. "I don't know why anyone would want dry, slight burnt bread...but there you go."
Very enjoyable video, Mat – I always like your kitchen appliance reviews. Only thing I would suggest is that intro feels very long and wonder if that might put some folk off the rest of the video – feels like you could cut it down quite a bit.
I'll upload a new shorter version more suitable for busy people. Sorry about that.
Icy what you did there, Mat.
I can't believe you didn't finish the video with making a beer sorbet with the red and blue flavours poured over it ;) Fun video anyway, you have that talent of taking something I have zero interest in and making it enjoyable.
I could see these devices being kind of nifty if you had guests over for a party outside during the summer. The shaved ice machine might make enough for several guests, but if the beer foam machine takes 5-10 minutes to make one frothy beer, the results could be disastrous. Not that I'm the type who entertains guests anyway (I suppose not many are during the pandemic).
But, but...aren’t you guys famous for warm beer?
Only in America’s fokelore.
Well my comment disappeared.. maybe it was a bit long but funny..anyway nice relaxing video.
That's a shame. Maybe it'll reappear, stranger things have happened.
👏 for “ice ice maybe”.
That Kirin machine, I wonder if you could make ice cream in it. I bet you could. Budweiser was probably a pretty accurate alternative to the intended Japanese beer. Thanks for these, always love a kitchen gadget video.
Prison Kitchen Tech is where all the views are. ;)
I think you’re right - in the prison tech comments loads of people linked to channel talking about Prison Pizzas etc. I never watched it because it wasn’t my cup of tea...but it seems it appeals to lots of other people.
Kitchen tech is what introduced me to Techmoan... I say keep them coming?
I’ve had a frozen top beer in Ramen shops in UK and Japan, it’s a fine thing on a hot and humid day, but as you say big too much a faff to make your own at home. Brilliant vid though ! Look forward to more random pieces like this
Just wait until they discover beer floats in Brooklyn. Hipsters will be demanding them at microbreweries everywhere. 😁 I'm guessing there are plenty other insane kitchen gadgets like this in Japan. Looking forward to your reviews on the automatic wasabi grater, or maki roller. 🤓
Naturally this video sent me on a trek, and it looks like I found the mother lode! https://www.japantrendshop.com/kitchen-trends-c-56.html I'm guessing you already know about this webshop, but there's a lot of amusing items for sure: In keeping with the theme, here's a seemingly powerful beverage cooler: https://www.japantrendshop.com/thanko-super-cold-box-for-drinks-p-4694.html Here's a 'Deluxe' ice shaver: https://www.japantrendshop.com/automatic-taiwanese-snowflake-shaved-ice-snow-cone-machine-p-3898.html This "Raw egg rice breakfast food maker" certainly looks more impressive than the Rollie: https://www.japantrendshop.com/ultimate-tkg-tamago-kake-gohan-machine-p-4078.html Digital rice paddle with calorie calculator: https://www.japantrendshop.com/digital-rice-paddle-with-calories-calculator-p-2893.html A 3D printer for your latte: https://www.japantrendshop.com/3d-latte-art-maker-awa-taccino-p-2614.html Tons of other stuff there as well. 👍
'TM in the Kitchen' videos? Why not! You are capable to make interesting any kind of gadget, even a kitchen gadget :-)
A lot of work to have some beer “sorbet”. And then all the cleaning afterwards, more like a gadget that you use one and then ends up on the big pile of gadgets in the attic. Amusing to watch anyway. See you next time 😂🤣
Enjoyable video! I was just thinking about 'TM in the Kitchen' videos the other day when I was checking out the Mitsubishi Electric TO-ST1-T Bread Oven on Amazon Japan and thought "now that might be something up Techmoan's alley - a £300 single-slice Japanese toaster".
I've considered it - but also decided nope. It seems very basic for what you pay.
Mat, Thanks for the fine bit of "Edutainment". Appreciate the diversion.
Wonderful demonstrations, Mat! I've got numerous gadgets lurking in the deep dark recesses of the kitchen cabinets - things that seem like a good idea at the time, used once or twice then abandoned for being more trouble than they are worth. At least the the snow cone maker won't require much cleaning. You do show them off well - maybe you actually should consider making adverts as a side line for one of those channels in the lower reaches of the tv guide - I can see why your viewers ask for you to show kitchen equipment, you do it so well! And at least we now know whose fault it is the good weather went away. I had thought it was mine for watering the lawn. PS, I wonder if the second machine could make regular fruit-based sorbets if you find a recipe?
No it was definitely my fault about the weather. The same thing happened the last time I bought a convertible car - ‘wettest year on record’.
Thanks a lot Mat! Going to enjoy it now. Incidentally, I think you're mistaken about dividing your viewers. My missus loved your vectrex mod video - it's all about you!
Looks like a mr fusion unit from the delorian !
It looked familiar.
That was good! Just fun edutainment. Might actually get one of those snocone thingamabobs! :D
Wow yes me and the missus are gonna love this! Japanese beer float? What on earth... Thanks!
Just watching it now, I’ve been wanting a kitchen gadget video for a while, Thanks Mat 😊