Six of the best kitchen gadgets (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Six of the best kitchen gadgets

7:00am Saturday 16th March 2013 in Lifestyle

Six of the best gadgets and gizmos on a theme. This week: Six of the best kitchen gadgets.

By Peter Jenkinson

While you slave over that hot stove, you may decide your kitchen is in need of a couple of quirky, colourful and useful additions.

There are no electrical can openers or other such Eighties paraphernalia here.

This selection of six is a combination of form and function that won't be consigned to the back of a drawer within a week of purchase.

Entertainment centre - Spiderpodium Tablet - £24.99 from www.firebox.com Load you iPad in this arachnid-style gadget so you can lean it on any work surface or wrap it around a cabinet handle for the perfect view. Its non-slip legs and durable form make it a must-have - it's ideal for following online recipes hands-free.

Rounded revolution - Spoutnik - £179 from www.fagor.co.uk A few decades ago, the microwave helped to transform the way we cook and eat. This new 700W microwave is one of the most innovative designs to date. Available in green, purple or blue, the see-through spherical dome can hold a wide range of dishes and gives you a 360-degree view of the cooking process.

Light fry - Tefal Actifry - £199.99 from www.homeandcook.co.uk Cook up delicious crispy fries and roast potatoes inside this marvellous machine. It needs only a spoonful of oil, making it a healthier way to feed the family. And its talents don't stop there. The included cookbook will guide you on how to create puddings and stir-fries, with ideas for meat, fish and vegetables, too.

Get spicy - Scientific Spice Rack - £19.99 from www.firebox.com Fill up these five test-tubes with your seasonings and spices for a laboratory look in the kitchen. The set comes complete with silicone stoppers to keep the contents fresh and 36 easy-peel, re-usable labels. They're stylish and practical for the scientist in your life.

Perfect balance - Heston Blumenthal Orb Scales - £39.99 from www.salterhousewares.com With these good-looking kitchen scales out on display, you'll likely be more inclined to do some baking. You can measure multiple ingredients in the same bowl with the 'zero' function, and it has an aquatronic feature for liquids - with all the measurements read out on a rather decent backlit LCD display.

Flat out - Bakeball Bat - £15 from www.suck.uk.com This may be an over-the-top approach to the humble task of rolling out your dough, but this is sure to make a great addition to your kitchen. It's certainly one way to ensure no one complains about your cooking skills, and it makes a great unique gift for sport fans.

App of the week: Sleep Art - Free on iTunes From the hotel group Ibis, this rather nifty app is free for all to use.

Just plug in your iPhone before you nod off and the app will run throughout the night. It captures sound, movement and vibration through the motion sensor and, when you are woken up by the app's gentle alarm, it'll present you with an image that portrays your sleep pattern.

It certainly makes getting up more enjoyable.