Gadget Mashups: The FoodPod

This futuristic-looking FoodPod manages to cross boil-in-a-bag cuisine with a strainer, steamer, and a bouquet garni.

According to the manufacturer, FusionFoods, the device will save "time and water when preparing a meal, keeps foods together for easy removal and even cooking and acts as a strainer, reserving the cooking liquid." With a 1.75 quart capacity, FusionFoods says it can hold up to a dozen large eggs or several heads of broccoli.

The FoodPod is made of dishwasher-safe silicone and nylon and has a built-in clip for attaching to the side of the pot and for use as a handle to yank it out of the water at the end of cooking.

$15 at the A+R Store.

The Holiest of Tongs

These ingenious Perforated Tongs created by Japanese designer Sori Yanagi have tiny holes so that as you pluck your food, the liquids drain right away. Imagine grabbing some spaghetti out of a pot of boiling water (click here to see what I mean)? You might never need to wash a colander again.

$24 at the Tortoise General Store.

Squisk: Whisk 2.0

With its long-legged shape and large surface area, the üutensil Squisk is designed to incorporate more air and reduce whisking time -- from whipping egg whites to cream -- by a purported 40 percent.

$10 at Chef's Planet.

Use Your Noodle

On a recent visit to to the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, I picked up this nifty Spaghetti Scrub for washing dishes.

Made from recycled corn cobs, the golden strands look like a real nest of noodles. The scrubber is not a replacement for a material like steel for removing serious stains, but the noodly scrubber worked fine on easier jobs.

$11 for a box of two scrubbers at the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum Shop.

A Tagine for the 21st Century

Called a Slow Cooker, Dutch designer Margriet Foolen's terracotta baker is really an updated version of the traditional Moroccan tagine.

Use it as you would as a traditional tagine and the white-glazed base, which has a heatproof silicone ring, can go straight from the oven to the table. Invert the device, and the top becomes a serving bowl, with lid.

$64 at the A+R Store.

Measuring Spoons for Odd Sizes

Flummoxed by how to measure an 1/8th of a teaspoon of salt? This set of five odd-sized measuring spoons includes tools to measure a "pinch," 1/8 Tsp., 2/3 Tsp., 1½ Tsp, and 2 Tsp. $15 at The Spoon Sisters.

Corner Colander

These ingenious Corner Colanders are designed to fit in the corner of the sink, freeing up some precious sink space while draining your just-rinsed berries. They're also designed for one-handed use. $10 each in red, green, or white at Sur la Table. [via Charles & Marie]

Jam on It

Williams-Sonoma's stovetop Ebelskiver Pan will turn out a batch of seven Danish-style pancakes filled with jam, fruit, cheese, or whatever you please. In fact, you might want to toss in some diced octopus and use the non-stick, cast-aluminum pan to make your own Japanese takoyaki. $39.95 at Williams-Sonoma.

Mussel Vessel

There's really no good reason to drop $89.95 on equipment for cooking mussels. Toss the shellfish into any old pot along with some onions and white wine, slap a lid on top, turn up the heat, and you're virtually home-free. But, if you have cash burning a hole in your pocket, Staub's Mussel Pot, made of enameled cast-iron, has a beautiful design that evokes the shape of the bivalves themselves. What's more: A strainer inside the pot separates the mussels from their broth as they cook for efficient tableside bread dipping.

Mussel Vessel

There's really no good reason to drop $89.95 on equipment for cooking mussels. Toss the shellfish into any old pot along with some onions and white wine, slap a lid on top, turn up the heat, and you're virtually home-free. But, if you have cash burning a hole in your pocket, Staub's Mussel Pot, made of enameled cast-iron, has a beautiful design that evokes the shape of the bivalves themselves. What's more: A strainer inside the pot separates the mussels from their broth as they cook for efficient tableside bread dipping.