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Food Tech Gifts

Food Tech Gifts

A Dozen of the Best Food Tech Gifts for Home Cooks

As a company selling and service technology for the food industry, we thought you might like to see some remarkably interesting food tech gifts for your home cook. And while Kevin James once said, “There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap,” these cooking tools are meant for a bit more than takeout food. They may not be designed to keep your food safe, but they are definitely intended to make the food you eat easier to make and more enjoyable to eat.

Favorite food tech gifts are always changing. There’s a new list that comes out every year. Below are some thoughtful best tech gifts for home cooks. From a meat thermometer to a digital food dehydrator, these food tech gifts will help even the most novice home cook enjoy more flavor and fun in the kitchen. Just remember, that as Japanese chef Masaharu Morimoto put it, in cooking there are “No rules. Don’t be afraid to do whatever you want. Cooking doesn’t have to have rules. I don’t like it that way.” Read on…

Acacia Pearl (Coffee) Scale

You probably don’t see many kitchens with a digital scale, but it’s a must-have for attaining the perfect brew. It makes this food tech gift a supreme way to pamper the coffee aficionado in your life. This gadget is a barista-favorite from Acaia and has all the elements you need. Tested in an array of coffee scales, this one has exceptional speed and precision. You will notice how it can keep watch over both weight and time for an exacting pour in every cup. The sleek design is conveniently designed to fit anywhere on your countertop.

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker

The Anova Sous Vide may just be one of the best food tech gifts out there. It could easily be said that every kitchen needs one. This intelligent tool relies on distributed water to cook uniformly and accurately, all without much attending.

The appliance comes with a digital readout on the top that you can adjust as needed, but you can also use an app to control your cooking from anywhere in the house. Set the specific temperature and cooking time and peruse a vast array of sous vide recipes for step-by-step instructions to truly classic meals.

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer

Next on the list of food tech gifts is a forward thinking do-it-all air fryer. This Breville version is both handy and handsome. Not only is it classy on the countertop, but it will pamper that time-crunched cook in tackling a variety of duties, including toasting, baking, roasting, air frying, and slow cooking.

Among the best multi-tool food tech gifts, it features an Element iQ system, directing heat for the most precise cooking environment every time.

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

ThermoWorks’ Thermapen ONE is among the best instant-read thermometers and certainly one of the simplest yet favored tech food gifts. Its accurate, fast read on a variety of different proteins and dishes makes it a handy tool. The fold-out to power-on feature of the thermometer makes for no frustrating “Is this thing on?” moments. It will help you get your meat, poultry, and fish at the perfect temperatures recommended by the USDA.

Miele CM 5310 Silence Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine

I know from personal experience just how bone jarring the noise of grinding coffee beans can be, whether it’s first thing in the morning or at sunset, preparing for tomorrow. This posh Miele machine assures an end to all that acoustic madness with an ultra-quiet grinding apparatus that makes this an ideal food tech gift for you and your coffee-loving friend or spouse.

But the best part is its versatility and proficiency in making a profoundly good cup of coffee. This wonder-working machine can make two different cups simultaneously, as well as warm and froth milk for an impeccable foamy cappuccino. It’s easy to use and has a clear touchscreen display along with the capacity for pre-programmed drinks and individual settings.

BBQ Guys Kamado Joe Konnected Joe 18-Inch Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker

Even neophyte grillers can become grilling specialists with the Kamado Joe Konnected. It comes complete with tech-enabled charcoal grill and smoker functions. Even the professionals are wowed by nearly every aspect of this tool, from the easy setup to the intuitive app.

High tech wifi and bluetooth functionality make this a must have tech food gift for your outdoor chef. It helps monitor the temperature of the grill and the food being cooked. This little genius “Divide and Conquer” grilling system grants the power for multiple configurations and heating zones. You can undertake everything from prime rib to green pepper all at the same time.

Ninja Creami Deluxe XL Ice Cream Maker

Who doesn’t want their very own ice cream maker? The Ninja CREAMi ice cream maker is another must have, especially for the ice cream lover or gatherings of friends and family. This appliance is the perfect gizmo for summer, and you’ll see a multitude of devotees on Instagram and TikTok. What makes it so appealing is that its’ super easy. Add your ingredients, and with the push of a button you can create custom ice cream, deluxe gelato, frozen yogurt, Italian ice, slushies, and more. It’s the ultimate food tech gift for that friend with an unquenchable sweet tooth.

Vitamix A2500 Smart Blender

Next up, the Vitamix should be at the top of every list of food tech gifts. This trademark is essentially synonymous with flawlessly blended smoothies and silky smooth soups. This model brings together everything home and pro cooks love, with a tech-forward surprise that earn it top marks on any list.

The easy-to-read screen and wifi capability connects the machine to rapidly determine the type container you’re using and regulates the settings appropriately. Three pre-programmed functions (smoothies, hot soups, and frozen desserts) are available to fine-tune your favorite consistency  with ten variable speed settings. It’s a food tech gift that will forever alter the daily mealtime routine.

GE Profile Opal 2.0 Countertop Ice Maker

It may seem a bit weird to say an ice maker lives rent-free on your countertop, but that’s just how this GE should dwell. While ice makers have historically not been a long-lasting appliance, this ice maker should be somewhere on the top of the list of required food tech gifts.

Not only will it toss out batch after batch of everyone’s preferred ice shape, but it has many techie features that make using it a breeze, like wifi and voice control, as well as the ability to program fresh ice using the SmartHQ app. In other words, if you need a generous portion of ice for an impending party, this time-saving apparatus makes it happen.

Ember Temperature Control Mug

Take it from me when I say nothing says “I care” better that the food tech gift of perpetually warm coffee or tea. Perhaps you have a significant other who enjoys a long-lasting cup to sip throughout the morning, afternoon, or evening. Ember’s clever mug warmer does just that, with an remarkable battery life, keeping liquids at the preferred temp for over an hour off the charging dock, or all day while it’s plugged in. The synced app allows even more fine-tuning, like the proficiency to modify the temperature and presets to guarantee the sips stay just right through that morning appointment or sending the children off to school.

Instant Pot Pro Plus Wi-Fi Smart 10-in-1 6 Quart Pressure Cooker

The Instant Pot Duo Plus WiFI Pressure Cooker is unique in that it offers terrific flexibility and countertop space-saving. It combines a diversity of cooking methods (including pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming, and more) into one simple implement, redeeming time and space in the kitchen.

WiFi capability means you can control it from anywhere, from the den in your home to your desk at work. The app also reveals more than 1,000 recipes, so creativity for dinner is just a touch away.

Tribest Digital Food Dehydrator

Producing dried fruit or beef jerky used to mean standing by an oven closely supervising the process, but that is no longer true. This Tribest appliance removes the guesswork from food dehydration, with a peaceful, cleaning-friendly design with eleven trays large enough for everything from herbs to those previously difficult to fit fruits and veggies.

This top choice dehydrator is visually appealing and user-friendly.  It includes an easy-to-read display and glass front to watch your dream treats come to life.

Here at testrods.com, we’re committed to our part in keeping the food chain safe. But underlying that desire for safety is a good wish that your customers in the grocery store, bakery, deli, and meat house will enjoy your product to the fullest. These food tech gifts can help do just that.

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Floatable Thermoform Test Cards

Some applications involve large tubs, vats, or some other type of product travel where it would be nice to have a test piece that floats. Once again, our thermoform cards provide the simplest solution. We simply insert some type of structure that forces the thermoform card to retain air, which, of course, is what makes it float. We have also manufactured floating rods, which are more difficult because there is less space to close in enough air to make the rod float but is doable.

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We took an ordinary plastic “chip clip” as defined by the customer and embedded the contaminant into the clip. The clip can be attached to the product on the line without damaging or opening the product for testing purposes.

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Bone is a difficult contaminant to find because it can vary widely based on the size, age, and calcium content (as well as feed used) of the animal. After working with several customers, Regal Packaging Services offers Pork, Beef and Chicken Bone Simulate. We have a small range of sizes at a variety of depths to simulate whatever you might expect to find in the product. Our recommendation (assuming your x-ray has visual display) is always to start with a multi-card. Using a multi-card gives you an easy way to test several sizes and depths to determine what matches the bone you’re using. Once you’ve made a comparison, testing the card against the bone you’re looking for, you can purchase a card with a single contaminant for regular testing.

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This small pill shaped test piece is used in a system with a vacuum tube that shoots the test piece through the aperture and returns it to the “home” base. Your system may never be like it, but the point is that we can make a customized solution no matter how unusual or impossible it might seem.

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As you may have seen in some of the other thermoform card descriptions, we can put nearly as many seeds as you can imagine on a single card. Pictured here you will find a wide variety of configurations and contaminants. Just let us know your specs: size of the card (up to 8” x 8”) along with size and type contaminant(s) and we’ll get you a quote as quickly as possible. Working with a multi-card is especially helpful when you are looking for multiple types of contaminants or when you want to determine what size of the same contaminant you are able to detect. In that event, once the size is chosen, you can order individual card(s) for regular, standard inspection and detection.

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There are a wide range of applications that require a test piece much longer than our standard 5” or 6” Testrods. We can make up to 3/8” x 34” or 1/2” x 34” rigid test pieces which can then be extended well beyond that length with a “handle” made of acetal cylinder larger than the 3/8” or 1/2” extension. In the photos, we used a 1” x 24” cylinder handle with a 3/8” x 24” inch extension.

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Test pieces can be made in a variety of sizes and given a pointed end in applications that require the contaminant (metal) to be inserted into a food package such as sugar or some other soft packaged food product. This allows the metal to reach the center of the aperture.

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Double-End Test Whips are also available, with metal in both ends. One consideration is to make certain that the whip is long enough to keep the metal on the non-testing side of the whip outside the metal free zone of your detector. If you insert, for instance one end of a whip with 2.0mm and 3.0mm Ferrous, you need to make certain that the 2.0mm metal doesn’t affect the detection of the 3.0mm metal (and vice versa). If the 3.0mm metal is inside the metal free zone, then the detector will be reacting to the 2.0 as well as the 3.0 as if they were combined.

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Multi-seed laminate test cards are designed for seeds 4.0mm or less. Multi-cards are useful in x-ray inspection to determine what sizes and types of contaminants your system can achieve. They can be especially useful in temperate environments and applications. If your application is rugged or wet, or your standards are larger, we recommend our thermoform multi-cards.

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We can simulate a variety of packaging in an application where you need the test piece to mimic what is traveling down the production line. In this case, we manufactured a clear “package” with the seed inside. With this method, the customer is able to reject the container appropriately, and, in the event the package is not rejected, it is easily seen by the line worker for manual removal.

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There are two types of “candy bars” pictured here – one similar to a flat candy bar and the other in a custom, near perfect copy of a candy bar. Since we’re now able to produce many variations using colored material, the copy was made in red (Fe), green (NFe) and blue (SS 316). We have the equipment to accomplish nearly anything you can imagine, and these kinds of designs are proof positive.

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Need a test piece that looks and handles like chicken nugget? We can do it. Interestingly enough, in this situation, our first version for the customer left too much “void” in the hole where the metal was placed. Given the sensitivity the customer system was using, the void had the effect of causing false positives. We were able to minimize that hole and supply the test piece with almost no void. It’s an example of how we can work with you before, during and after manufacturing to ensure all the specifications were met.

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Our standard acetal card is 2 1/4"x3 3/8,” but if needed, we can cut that size down to as small as 1 1/4” x 1 1/4” (with limited engraving). If a larger card or a card with multiple seeds is needed, see our Custom Shape-Size Blocks and Tablets.

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This distinctive test piece was created to mimic an actual hamburger patty. The customer supplied photos of the raw product, which we were able to reproduce and then we placed blue glove contaminant. Using this configuration, the customer was able to determine what size piece the vision scanning system could detect with the raw burger as the background. Had they simply used a blank card with the glove, the system could easily have achieved contaminant rejection, but they needed to be sure the system could “see” the blue against the product itself.

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A card with 100 seeds in a 10x10 configuration is used to place beneath whole chickens on a production line. This gives the x-ray system operator the ability not just to see IF the equipment can detect the metal in the card, but also WHERE the equipment can detect it. If there is a problem, the operator (or company) can make any changes necessary to achieve the end goal – safe chicken in this case. This card really highlights another valuable facet of our thermoform cards.

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In this scenario, a company processing sugar needed to have a “bag” simulated with the same weight in order to accurately fall through the reject mechanism. A lighter test piece had the risk of passing over the reject mechanism.

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Our standard cubes are 1” and 1.5,” but we can also manufacture other sizes if needed. The cubes shown here are 1/2" in dimensions. Cubes can be helpful in applications where a ball or cylinder may bounce or roll away during testing, making their retrieval difficult, or, in some cases, present a hazard to the product or production equipment.

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This is a test piece that is dropped into a bottle. It’s designed so that the metal appears in the center of the aperture when testing the metal detector. In addition, the round stop makes the test piece easily removable after testing.

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Hexagonal Shaped test pieces can be very useful in places where a cylinder or ball might roll or bounce around a production floor whether dropped by a line worker or ejection from a reject mechanism. Hexagons are similar in weight to the 1inch cylinders without having the smooth, rounded cylinder edge.

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Our customer in this plant needed a test piece with a thickness less than 5.0mm. Because we have the capacity to customize sizes and shapes, we were able to mill down a product that met their specifications. That’s always our goal, meeting the specs you need for your product, testing environment and contaminants.

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We can custom cut nearly any shape needed to fit your application. At times, you may want the test piece to look like your product in its raw form or after packaging. In many instances, we can supply the standard colors for ferrous (red), non-ferrous (green) or stainless steel 316 (blue) used in food and other industries. If your project is larger than 1” in thickness, we can always manufacture in white and color the letters.

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This flat tablet or card with multiple seeds and a diagonal configuration is used for x-ray inspection. The various contaminants are different densities and represent the type contaminants that might appear in the end product. We can manufacture a broad array of sizes and thicknesses with as many contaminants as needed for testing your x-ray inspection equipment.

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Sometimes a cylinder or “puck” is needed to mimic product shape moving down the line. We’re not limited to any particular shape. Pucks can range from 3/4" all the way up to 8.” So, if you’re running hamburgers or some other puck shaped product, this may be the solution you need.