Meet the iWavecube

This is the world's smallest microwave oven, the iWavecube.

A couple of weeks ago, the company behind the iWavecube, iCubed International, contacted me to see if I'd be interested in test driving one of their small microwave ovens. I turn down many more of these offers than I accept but there was something about the description of this appliance I found intriguing. I was skeptical of course but I agreed to have them send me one of their models.

Right now there's a black iWavecube sitting on my kitchen counter and I've been putting it through its paces for a week now. As soon as it arrived I was struck by how small it is. It takes up .73 cubic feet of space, that's less than a square foot for the decimal impaired. Its actual dimensions are 10.5"W x 10"D x 12"H and I can see it fitting in all kinds of tight spaces.

The interior dimensions (8"W x 8"D x 6"H) are just large enough to accommodate a coffee cup, a frozen entree or a bag of popcorn. Considering that I use my microwave as a butter melter exclusively, it makes sense to minimize the space I devote to having a microwave oven. I think that holds true for a lot of people. Despite its small size, it's still a 600 watt appliance and that's plenty of power for its intended uses.

Another thing I like about it is that its controls and display are on the top of the unit. If I don't feel like setting the clock, its unset clock doesn't taunt me every time I walk into my kitchen.

The iWavecube comes in three colors right now, black, silver and white. There are more colors in the pipeline but for now there are three.

But back to its intended uses for a moment, iCubed International has been compiling user feedback on their website and they're uncovering all sort of neat uses for this microwave. Aside from the expected uses like heating cups of soup or boiling water for tea, iWavecube customers are using their appliances to do things like heating shaving soap or hair conditioner in a bathroom. Optometrists and dentists are using them to heat up moldable plastics. Physical therapists use them to heat up gel packs. These microwaves only weigh 12 pounds and come with a carrying handle so people are traveling with them or taking them camping.

I'm sure none of those uses were expected when the product was being developed but the iWavecube's definitely come a long way from the dorm rooms they were intended for.

The iWavecube retails for $99 and is available at Office Depots everywhere and you can buy them from iCubed International directly through their website.

Make no mistake, this is not an appliance you'll be cooking whole meals in. But honestly, how many people use a microwave that way? If you're looking for a compact way to heat up small things, the iWavecube may be a solution.

Joyously desiring Jesu in a Japanese wood

My friend Melody is going through a rough patch these days and I figured she might need something beautiful, clever and Japanese for a distraction.

I can't remember who pointed this out to me originally, or I credit the tipper effusively. Anyhow, this is a Japanese ad for a Sharp telephone. In this ad, a brilliant Japanese production team assembled a gravity marimba that plays the tenth movement of Bach’s Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, usually called Jesu, Joy of Men's Desiring in English.

It's mesmerizing. The video's only three minutes long. Check it out.

Do you take cream and sugar with your solid surface?

This is a coffee shop in Portugal. It looks like a modern-ish coffee house anywhere in the world, so it's not its location that makes it interesting. No, what's interesting here are the brown surfaces on the back wall and behind the white lattice work. That material is called Çurface and it's made from spent coffee grounds mixed with recycled waste electronics. When used in a coffee house it pretty much defines the idea of a closed system, don't you think?

Çurface is the brain child of London-based industrial design firm Re-worked. Now that they have their formula perfected, Çurface is being used to make furniture and counters.

Çurface is available for sale as sheets from Re-worked directly and you can find out more information from the Çurface website here.

As a side note, a Ç makes an S sound in French so Çurface is pronounced "surface." May thanks to my brilliant cousin Tim for bringing this stuff to my attention.

How to buy stone tile, via Houzz

Here's another article in my flooring series for Houzz.com. This time it's all about stone tile. Here's the slideshow. If you click on it, it will take you to Houzz's site and the actual article.

Your Floor: How to Find Right Stone Tile

Houzz- Kitchen Remodels, Bathroom Remodels and More»

Browse Lighting on Houzz- For Example:

Bathroom Lighting And Vanity Lighting · Ceiling Fans · Ceiling Lighting · Chandeliers · Floor Lamps · Light Bulbs · Pendant Lighting · Recessed Lighting ·

New appliances from Fisher & Paykel

New Zealand-based Fisher & Paykel released some new kitchen appliances recently and they have some interesting innovations. First out of the gate is this dish drawer.

Fisher & Paykel developed the dish drawer dishwasher, but this one's pretty unique in that it's 36-inches wide and deep enough to accommodate a 12 3/4" dinner plate. Having access to a 36" single-drawer dishwasher is bound to add a lot of flexibility to kitchen designs from this point forward.

They haven't stopped with dish drawers. Fisher & Paykel has four new refrigerator models this year too. All four are counter-depth, 36" wide and less than 72" tall. Those dimensions ought to make retrofits a bit easier. All four models are Energy Star rated and feature Fisher & Paykel's Active Smart™ technology. Active Smart™ uses two separate fans to circulate air inside of the appliance. This allows for faster cooling and more constant temperatures.

The first two new refrigerators are counter-depth, bottom-mount French door models. They're available with or without water and ice, and both versions have door shelves deep enough to accommodate gallon bottles and jugs.

The third and fourth new models are are counter-depth, bottom-mount single door models. The difference between the two is the presence or absence of water and ice.

Just as is the case with their French door cousins, the single door models have door shelves deep enough to accommodate gallon jugs and bottles.

Fisher & Paykel keeps itself at the forefront of appliance innovation and the quest for ever-increasing standards of efficiency. If you're in the market for new appliances, be sure to include Fisher & Paykel in the mix of brands you investigate.