Fun Kitchen Gadgets from Wicked Matter

Before moving to New York, I didn't cook. The condo I was living in didn't even have a gas range, so the most I ever did for a meal was to make a sandwich or salad. In New York, however, I was forced to learn as it was the best way to eat well on a budget. Also, I couldn't help but be enthusiastic about cooking as I could easily buy ingredients. We were also living in an apartment that had a really nice electric range/oven—it made cooking surprisingly enjoyable. 

While I am still no Julia Child, I understand how the right gadgets can make kitchen time fun and easy. That's why I got really excited when I received a package of colourful silicone tools from Wicked Matter, a company that, in their own words, "aims to make simple everyday experiences special and extraordinary at a very reasonable price."

My Wicked Matter loot (from bottom left clockwise): ChillBall, Love Cooking Egg Ring, Love Cooking Pot Holders, Lemon Squeezer, and Gerbera Tea Infuser. 

I road tested a few of their products, starting with the Love Cooking Pot Holders, P370. These food grade silicone handles are sold as a pair, come in four fun colours, and give you a good grip on those hot-to-touch pots, pans, and trays. I really needed these since our cotton oven mitts ended up moldy (eeew, right?). A caveat: the pot holders can only withstand heat up to 300°C, so be careful not to use it on anything beyond this temperature. 

Bernadith, our helper, trying out the Pot Holders. 

Another cute product is the Love Cooking Egg Ring, P280, which is shaped like twin hearts. It's so cheesy, it's adorable! If you want to surprise your man (or woman) with breakfast in bed, a heart-shaped, sunny side-up egg on the plate is a surefire way to kick your "Ang sweet mo naman!" level up a few more notches. Simply put it in the pan, crack the egg/s inside it, and wait for the eggs to cook. Once done, you can easily remove the mold. 

Our oven stands on a slightly tilted angle, which is why the egg whites started flowing out of my mold, argh!

I told you I was no Julia Child. I'm quite embarrassed to have messed up a simple sunny side-up egg! I think I overcooked it on high heat.

The following day, Pat attempted another egg, which came out much better than mine!

I was most excited about the ChillBall, P1,100, manufactured by a company called Intelligent Ice. And it's a smart product indeed! ChillBalls are specially designed to maintain the temperature of a chilled glass of white or rosé wine, without having to use ice cubes, which dilute the taste of a drink when it melts.  Each pack comes with six re-freezable food-safe balls and clips that secure the Chill Ball to the wine glass so it stays put and doesn't move around when drinking from the glass. 

ChillBall comes in a handy container that you can take with you on out-of-town trips. 

The clips come in two different lengths that can accommodate standard wine glass sizes. 

I've tested Chill Balls on wine, coconut water and orange juice. The average chilling time is about 30 minutes, which is when the gel contained in the ball fully melts and loses its chilling effect. It doesn't seem like a long time, true, but it's enough to be able to finish a glass of wine, unless you're the type to nurse it for a long time. I'm guessing it also has something to do with our warmer temperature—things just melt faster! To ensure maximum "chilliness", make sure the balls are completely frozen, and once melted, freeze for a minimum of four hours in a freezer at -18 to -22 °C. If pouring another glass, use a new Chill Ball. 

The beauty of Wicked Matter products is that they're uncomplicated, easy-to-use, practical, and just plain delightful with their bright colours and playful designs. They also make for great host/hostess gifts and housewarming presents. They're quite affordable too!

If you want to see the actual products, they are sold in Hobbes and Landes stores in Fort, Greenbelt 5, and Powerplant Mall, Rockwell. You can also shop a wide range of their products over at Zalora. If you use my coupon code KatrinaDy12q (be sure to follow the caps), you'll even get 5% discount! 

Find out more about Wicked Matter on their Facebook page here.