Zyliss showed off a fascinating new chopper that will come out in Q4. It has with a rubberized "smart" base that enables users to chop even the most delicate herbs. The dark-gray pad absorbs any shock or reverberation from the chopping motion and mutes loud chopping sounds. A continuous stainless steel blade rotates smoothly with each depression for an even chop. The chopper also features a locking plunger, making it a storage-friendly kitchen tool. The chopper will retail for $19.99. While its new introduction seems like a real winner, Zyliss' new Soft Skin Peeler was recognized at the show as a design winner. Also a 2005 international reddot design award winner, the tomato-red peeler's two serrated stainless steel blades follow the food's contours to efficiently and effectively remove skin, not flesh. With a $6.99 retail, you can expect consumers to think it's a winner, too. Call 949-699-1884 for more information, or visit www.zylissusa.com.
EdgeCraft presented their Chef'sChoice Professional Sharpening Station 130, a revolutionary knife-sharpening system that sharpens steels, and strops all types of knives, including those with straight and serrated edges, kitchen knives, sports knives, and pocketknives. Built-in precision angle guides in all three stages eliminate guesswork and produce a consistently sharp edge every time. The sharpening station allows the user to customize the edge for optimal performance, depending upon the cutting task. Three different edges -- Fine Edge, Steeled Edge, and Steeled-Polished Edge -- can be acquired using the different stages. The sharpener has a three-year household warranty and is molded from a sturdy, high-impact polymer. It retails for a suggested price of $139.95. For more information, call 800-342-3255, or visit www.chefschoice.com.
The new Herb Snipper from Messermeister makes including fresh herbs into recipes an everyday affair. Perfect for home gardeners who grow herbs or for those who purchase fresh herbs at the farmer's market or store, it measures 4.5 inches long, rests comfortably in the palm, and has a special opening for the thumb that provides leverage when snipping. The tool is also ideal for other kitchen and home cutting tasks, such as cutting twine from a roast, opening food packages, or cutting items into thin, long pieces. Featuring a double stainless steel blade and a plastic handle designed for either left or right-handed use, the Herb Snipper retails for $6. For more information, call 800-426-5134, or visit www.messermeister.com.
Cutting-edge technology was in high supply at Kai Corporation of Japan's booth. Its Shun line by Kershaw Knives (KAI USA Limited) continues to make headway in the U.S. market. This line of cutlery features the look and benefits of Damascus steel. Comprised of VG-10 "super steel" composed of carbon, chromium, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, and vanadium, the knives have 16 layers of SUS430 and 431 high-carbon stainless steel on each side, producing a rust-free Damascus look. New to the Shun Classic range is the Ken Onion 8-inch Chef's Knife in a bamboo countertop stand. Also new is the KAI Sharpener whose one-button, one-slide feature sharpens blades after they are pulled through the sharpener four to six times. The sharpener will retail for $59.00. Call 800-325-2891 for ordering information.
From Chroma USA is the Kasumi Titanium Knife Set with a blue blade and a black handle. The titanium-coated carbon steel knife works as well as it looks. Another new knife from Chroma is its Japan Chef knife, a forged Japanese-style knife with a riveted handle. For more information, call 407-673-8723.
From Kyocera comes an adjustable Mandoline Slicer with a four-way range. Also new is the "Perfect Peeler" whose adjustable, ergonomic head turns to provide a range of motion when peeling. Available in Q3, the peeler is just one more new twist in this cutting-edge range of ceramic kitchen tools. For more information, call 800-537-0294, or visit www.kyoceraadvancedceramics.com.
Put all those knives away in kapoosh, a utensil revolution that holds all your knives and utensils in a system that redefines the knife block. From Igo Home Products, the woodgrain block is inlaid with kapoosh's "freedom rods" that allow you to mix and match knives from different sets in one block. It's a pretty cool block; check it out by calling 216-514-4896.
To keep cutting surfaces covered, Epicurean Cutting Surfaces, a division of TrueRide Inc., introduced a line of professional-grade cutting surfaces for the kitchen. The same attractive natural wood fiber-based material used to surface skateboard ramps by TrueRide Inc. provides a dishwasher-safe, stain-resistant, and knife friendly cutting surface. For more information, call 218-740-3500, or visit www.epicureancs.com.
Diamond Machining Technology introduced their unbreakable 6-in-1 Diamond-Ceramic Triangle Sharpener with six sharpening surfaces and three different radii, all for sharpening edges. Recently, the sharpener received its seventh Accessory of the Year Award from Blade Magazine at the 2004 Blade Show in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, call 800-666-4368.
