VEGE

Here's a seed of an idea one hopes will take root commercially. The concept, cultivated by Thai student Teeravit Hanharutaivan, lets you have your organic greens and eat it. All thanks to a fridge-like appliance which turns you into Farmer Brown, without the hassle, right within your kitchen. The VEGE can hold up to 40 plants, growing them hydroponically, while a digital display lets even green-thumb cretins know how many days are needed to achieve full growth for each row of plants. A brill idea for space-starved flat dwellers who desire a healthier diet. Electrolux, are you listening? More competition entries at the Electrolux Design Lab here.

Zoom in for full fridge | close up

Price: N.A.
Availability: Concept
Device: Vegetable grower
Specs: N.A.

Talking Plate

Forget diets. The Talking Plate will shame you into watching those Christmas and New Year calories you are about to, or have piled on. Ukrainian scientist Dr Hryhory Chausouvsky ma have taken on more than he can chew, with a plate that will scold you for being a glutton, lipping off with stock phrases like "where's your willpower?" and "stop right there"! It'll even beep a discreet alarm when the maximum allowable amount is piled on the dish. And if your cutlery strikes the plate much too rapidly, it will play fast and aggressive music. And we thought the Academy Awards' imposed time limit for speeches was bad. Lest you're tempted to hurl this nagging plate into the bin, remember that this is one pricey invention. It comes attached to a contact sensor and palm-sized computer. This good doctor also lays (and we say that loosely) claim to inventing a musical condom with built-in motion detector, which lets sex partners vary the music played according to the intensity of their love-making.

Via Ubergizmo

Price: N.A.
Availability: Concept
Device: Computerized plate
Specs: 15cm in diameter

Toast Printer

Remember that really weird eBay item of Virgin Mary on a piece of toast? No miracle there. Just gullible bidders who've probably never heard of Inseq Design's Zuse toaster. Quite simply, it's a printer and the bread's the medium. In any case, the Zuse allows you to burn custom images onto your toast, going one slice up on Sanyo's Hello Kitty toaster. Contrary to naysayers, there's a multitude of uses we can think of for this nifty gadget. Once your toaster gets Internet-connected, there's nothing to stop you from downloading quick news bites onto your bread. Or personalize your toast to make that boring loaf an inspiration for breakfast, to say nothing of making an impression on your guests, ai?

See larger image

Via Dr Toast

Price: N.A.
Availability: In concept mode, more information here
Device: Printer in a toaster
Specs: N.A.

Rollertoaster

Looks like a scanner. But this little device is something for Singaporean Jaren Goh to toast to, since it garnered him the 2006 Red Dot Award. Nice going for a homeboy. The product name itself should clue you in. You stick your sliced bread through one side, and it rolls out the other end, nicely browned. While it's not a kitchen appliance to put near tiny fingers, the Rollertoaster scores brown-ie points for being compact and portable enough to pack into your bag, and best of all, easy to clean for busy homemakers.

See larger image | how it works

Via Engadget

Price: N.A.
Availability: Still in concept, more information here
Device: Portable toaster
Specs: N.A.

Smeg fridges

Despite the industrial-sounding marque, these Smeg chillers look downright groovy. Loads of colors to choose from to dress up your kitchen, though the one-tone fridges are a mite too reminiscent of Ikea play cupboards from the kids section. Our favs, naturally, are the ones that toss on the retro spunk, such as the cheerily rainbow-striped edition and Union Jack. These ones are certainly licensed to chill. Alternatively, if you're more inclined toward the bovine, you could beef up Gary Larson-style with Cowstickers to add some cool moo-ves to your icebox.

See single hues | fun designs

Via Crave

Price: N.A.
Availability: More info at Smeg
Device: Fun refrigerators
Basic specs: N.A.

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