TIHS 2024: Bizarre Kitchen Products That Will Surely Surprise You
The Inspired Home Show is taking place in Chicago from March 17 through 19 at the McCormick Place convention center. This event gives countless home goods and kitchenware brands the floor to show off their latest creations. With so many products being showcased, there's no shortage of eye-catching and eyebrow-raising wares. From corn kernel removers to a device that lets you draw with sugar, The Inspired Home Show will have a slew of bizarre, niche kitchen products on display this year.
Mashed has compiled a list of some of the strangest kitchen items that will be present. While most of these won't serve an everyday purpose for a majority of users, they may still be fun to experiment with. Whether you're looking for a fun gift for the home cooks in your life or you consider yourself a kitchen gear fanatic, these unique creations are sure to turn some heads.
ChefDoodler
The ChefDoodler is almost like a 3D printer — but for sugar. This machine allows you to "draw" with the sweet substance and build elaborate structures. In the past, sugar sculpting could be a laborious and time-consuming craft; the ChefDoodler wants to help you make a sugar sculpture quickly and safely. It's also designed to look like a pen that assumedly gives you more control and precision while you work.
You can use this machine to make sugary sculptures or to craft other food displays, like gingerbread houses. The ChefDoodler definitely has the same vibe as those slightly unbelievable products you used to see in old cartoons set in the future, and it's a fun cross-section of technology and daily life. If you've ever disagreed with the rule of not playing with your food, you might be excited to get your hands on this product, despite its odd nature.
BreadSaw
The BreadSaw is fairly self-explanatory in name; the serrated bread knife blade is cleverly fashioned as a miniature saw. This kitsch product features a stainless steel blade and is designed to give you a better grip (literally) on slicing up your favorite loaves. The handle aims to provide more control over the pressure used to slice, preserving the structural integrity of your loaves.
There's no real reason you need to be transported to thoughts of building or construction while making your morning toast, but the product is sure to be a conversation starter. The BreadSaw might be marketed for bread, specifically, but it should also work for other things that use a serrated blade, such as slicing tomatoes.
The Corn Stripper
The Corn Stripper from Talisman Designs is a niche tool containing a disguised, circular blade that makes removing corn kernels off the cob a breeze (theoretically). Its stainless steel blade is covered by a decorative, corn-patterned shield to protect your hand.
Sticking your ear of corn through one end of the Corn Stripper and having it come out the other kernel-free sounds a little bit like a magic trick in the kitchen. Some people might argue that you don't need a single-use product for every cooking task, but at least the Corn Stripper commits to its bit.
Acrylic Kitchenware
Acrylic Kitchenware from WalcoHome aims to elevate your traditional cutlery by replacing the handle with acrylic art. This material provides colorful backgrounds and encases small objects, like seashells or plants. If you are a fan of kitschy items or really committed to your chosen dining room theme, this product may be of interest to you.
The colorful handles bring an unexpected pop of color to objects you might not normally focus on. The physical utensil part is made with stainless steel, but keep in mind that acrylic is not always dishwasher safe, so if you purchase these pretty pieces, use caution when cleaning.
The Cherry Chomper
A choking hazard, cherry pits also aren't safe to swallow and can be poisonous if consumed in large quantities. The Cherry Chomper, however, swiftly removes the pit from cherries while still keeping the fruit relatively intact. Unlike your standard cherry pitter, this product is shaped like a fun character with a gaping mouth and is intentionally marketed toward kids. When you push the head of the Cherry Chomper down, the fruit's pit is pushed into the so-called "belly" of the product, leaving behind a ready-to-eat fruit.
This item seems like a fun and fairly easy way to get children involved in the kitchen. While you could stick to poking the pits out with a straw of a more ho-hum pitter, you'd miss out on the goofy face of the Cherry Chomper and ease of simply pressing down on the top.