There are many cooking methods out there for chicken. You can roast it, fry it, sauté it and many more. What about slapping? Well, one man did just that by creating a contraption that can slap a chicken until it’s fully cooked. But, how does it taste?
Ask Kim: 'Can you help me choose an Echo device?'
I want to get an Amazon Echo Show, but can’t decide between the 8 or 10 or which version. Can you provide your recommendation?
Rodney in Nevada
Absolutely! First things first, here’s how I like to use mine:
- Video calls on the fly: Forget typing a text or making a regular call. The Echo Show lets you video chat with friends and family by asking Alexa. It’s face-to-face catch-ups made easy!
- Kitchen sous chef: Want to whip up something tasty but need a little guidance? The Echo Show can display step-by-step recipes or even play cooking videos. Now you’ve got a sous chef that won’t talk back.
- Smart home control center: Lightbulbs, thermostats, doorbells — you name it. If it’s a smart home device, you can likely control it through your Echo Show. Just swipe or ask Alexa, and you’re the master of your home tech universe. OK, that was a stretch, but it sounds good in theory.
Now, which one to get?
Both are totally solid, but I would go with the Echo Show 10. It’s bigger, faster and newer, and just about every spec is upgraded. The Echo Show 8 is certainly more affordable, but this is something you want to buy once and forget about for a few years. This model is already over two years old.
A nice in-between budget-wise is a certified refurbished version of the 10. You can return it if there are any issues, but it’s really in Amazon’s best interest to make sure anything refurbished is tested and ready to go. You can get the Echo Show 10 for around $145 this way.
No unexpected Drop Ins
Now that you have the perfect Echo Show let’s do a little cleanup when it comes to privacy.
Drop In connects you to another Echo speaker or display for an instant conversation. “Alexa, drop in on the kitchen Echo Show.” You can announce things through all your Echo devices at once, too. For example, to get the family to come for dinner, the command is “Alexa, drop in on all devices.”
But remember, the Echo speaker or display goes both ways. It lets someone immediately listen in or watch what’s happening in the room after 10 seconds. With the Echo Show, you don’t necessarily want someone with the ability to pop in and see what you’re up to all the time.
You can set permissions to enable or disable a specific device. Here’s how:
- Open the Alexa app, then tap Devices.
- Select Echo & Alexa, and then select your device.
- Tap the Settings gear in the upper right > Communications.
- Select Drop In, then select which permissions to enable or disable.
- Choose On to allow Drop In with permitted contacts only or My Household to Drop In only on devices on your account, or Off, which means nobody can Drop In.
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The future is here: Amazing robots that cook, clean and carry your stuff
Did you ever watch “The Jetsons” and wish the robotic maid Rosey was real? She was responsible for many household tasks, including cleaning, cooking and caring for the family — George, Jane, Judy, Elroy and their pet dog Astro. And boy, oh boy, Rosie was built.
Amazon’s (digital) clearance aisle
It’s called Amazon Outlet and it’s packed with good deals. Here’s a page that displays them all. Below are a few that caught my eye:
- Dull kitchen peelers make cooking more of a chore than it needs to be. Upgrade yours with a swiveling option that doesn’t clog — only $6.99!
- Tidy up under the kitchen or bathroom sink with two-tier adjustable shelves. Heck yes, they’re 50% off.
- Cute outdoor upgrade: Hanging garden pots. A three-pack is less than $12.
- Live somewhere with cold winters? Grab a pack of insulated faucet covers now, while they’re 50% off.
- Straw toppers keep you from spilling your drink everywhere. Great colors, enough to share and 23% off.
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Holiday cooking is already on my mind: An inexpensive cookbook holder will keep your tablet out of the mess of flour, stock and butter. This one is gorgeous if you have a bit more to spend.
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They blue it! LG is cooking up a PHOLED screen to sell next year. Blue phosphor OLED is more efficient, brighter and longer-lasting. The catch? OLEDs are already expensive to produce, so these may cost a fortune.
$1,200 oven
Manufactured by Anova, it uses an internal camera to recognize your food and tell you how to cook it. It uses both wet and dry heat, like ovens in restaurants. In the future, the Precision Oven 2.0 will spot cooking mistakes before a dish is ruined.
5 clever ways to use your Echo and Alexa that you’ll wish you knew sooner
When cooking, it’s easy to say, “Alexa, remind me the cauliflower pizza is done in 15 minutes.” That’s one of the most useful and basic ways to use the Amazon-owned smart assistant.
The downside is that it can pick up conversations we’d rather it didn’t. Tap or click for steps to listen to and erase any errant recordings. I do this regularly. That’s not the only vital privacy step if you have an Echo or more at home. Tap or click here to ensure your smart speakers are locked down correctly.
5 Siri Valentine's Day tips they'll never forget
If you’re on #TeamiPhone, you’re probably a Siri fan. We know we are. With Valentine’s Day coming up, we’re here with five top Siri tips that can help you make this year one to remember.
Read on for some fun ways to incorporate Siri into Valentine’s Day.
Affordable upgrades
Problem, meet solution. Inexpensive hacks that make life easier:
- This fridge lazy Susan spins around the stuff that gets stuck in the back of the top shelf. It’s on sale for $19.99.
- Fix loose outlets — no more half-in, half-out plugs! Get a 15-pack on sale for $6.99.
- Food storage lids can be a mess. This bamboo organizer keeps ‘em all in check.
- Hang up your cooking tools with under-cabinet rotating hooks. A space saver and an organizer for just $7.99.
- Your coffee mug, drink and remote will fit in this pillow. Plus, it’s 14% off in black. Movie night perfection.
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Splitting up the holiday cooking this year? A shared note-taking app like Google Keep, Microsoft OneNote or Evernote makes it a cinch to remember who’s preparing what. This is even easier if everyone already has, say, a Google or Microsoft account. You can also try a dedicated shopping list app like Any List, Out of Milk and OurGroceries.
33 days
How long the average home cook spends planning Thanksgiving. That’s two weeks each on the guest list and menu planning, plus three days of food prep and cooking. Get going! You don’t want to make Thanksgiving a cluster-pluck.
Upgrade your kitchen
I love spending time cooking for the week on a Sunday. And you know what makes meal prep more fun? New gear to get the job done.
- This set of six rainbow-colored Cuisinart knives brightens things up.
- The Rapid Dash Egg Cooker is a sweet solution for making fast hard-boiled and soft-boiled eggs. It’s 11% off — and no more rings around the yolks!
- A marble cheese board with a built-in slicer for a fancy happy hour spread. Yes, please.
- Upgrade your fussy garlic press with a simple and elegant stainless steel rocker. It’s 17% off and super easy to use.
- A DIY indoor organic herb garden, because your food deserves fresh herbs — and so do you.
- I use these to freeze soup. One cube equals one bowl. So easy to thaw. Souper-duper!
- A food scale makes baking so much easier. Fewer measuring cups to wash!
- Sick of cleaning out the air fryer? Grab a pack of liners. I use these every time.
- Grate gracefully with a microplane. I got one — now I have a zest(er) for life.
- Stop buying bags of popcorn covered in yellow gloop. This bowl works with kernels in the microwave!
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🎬 AI love story? TV manufacturer TCL is cooking up the “first-ever fully AI-generated rom-com” called “Next Stop Paris.” The trailer is, um, interesting. Despite the AI claim, they’re using human writers, actors and animators. Sounds like someone really wants investor money.
Not just a rumor anymore: Apple is officially cooking up a foldable MacBook for 2027. This analyst says it’ll have a 20.3-inch screen and could change how we use laptops forever. As for pricing, well, it’s Apple, so start saving now.
Must-have gear for the ultimate sports fan
- Has your old ball cap seen better days? Get a new hat, jersey, sweatshirt or whatever from Fanatics.
- Baseball lovers, keep your can or bottle nice and cold with handy insulators.
- Be the envy of all tailgaters with a portable charcoal grill.
- Don’t forget the grill caddy with insulation to keep food and drinks cold. Plenty of space for utensils and cooking supplies, too.
- Not really into sports and just here for the wine? Grab a fancy Yeti wine tumbler.
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AI-pocalypse: OpenAI admits ChatGPT might, kinda, almost help with creating bioweapons. Its study, with 100 brainy participants, showed AI is just 9% better than humans when it comes to cooking up evil schemes. I don’t feel any better about that.
Review: Will this smart grilling hub boost your backyard barbecue skills?
Speaking from experience, it’s not always easy to grill backyard barbecue favorites like burgers and steaks to the perfect temperature, inside and out, every single time. Variables include what type of grill (gas, charcoal) you’re using, fine-tuning the heat and other factors.
7 Mother's Day gifts that will be a hit with your mom or wife
It’s time to celebrate the moms in our lives. Maybe the mom you’re thinking of is your birth mother, partner or even a friend. Either way, it’s the best time to show how much you care — but it can be tough to pick the right present.
Spruce up your kitchen with these 13 great products
Is your kitchen full of old, broken appliances, cracked cups and stained plates? Yep, it’s definitely time for a kitchen product makeover.
All it takes is a few matching sets, some space-saving items and this list of 13 outstanding products that promise to spruce up your kitchen.