Catalogs Offer Gizmos for Every Need

I'm not really a sucker for gizmos like one of my aunts; sit her down with a catalog and she was filling out an order form in no time at all. Just what is a gizmo (as opposed to a product to be taken more seriously?) For one, it's cheap -- under $25, these days. And it's usually single-purpose. Finally, it is destined for the Salvation Army or Noah or Goodwill store when it runs its short shelf-life.

There are gizmos that I will buy. Here's one that I have been on the lookout for -- a plastic egg timer. I was given one maybe 15-18 years ago by a physicist friend and couldn't boil an egg without it! How does it function? Let Amazon tell you how: As the timer heats up, its face darkens from the outer edge inward. Because the timer heats in step with the eggs, it automatically adjusts for the amount of water and number of eggs in the pan--even the altitude at which the eggs are being cooked. Living in the mountain world where baking recipes have to be altered big time because of our high elevation, that last item is a real selling point! I'm getting a new one right away, now that I have discovered a source.

As a rule, though, I just like to look at the catalogs and those shelves in the middle aisle where gadgets and stuff reside at the Walgreen store. A solar lily??? Indeed!

The kitchen is the prime location for gizmos. Above, a hotpad to keep your tortillas warm and a folding colander to save space. In my current catalog, teabag tongs, olive tweezers, a peeler for soft-skinned fruit (peaches, tomatoes.)

Potatoes are a favorite for the small-time inventor. How about those scratchy mitts for peeling spuds with your hands? Or a special microwave dish with spikes to cut cooking time in half.

A duster that...get this, spins.

I'm sure any young guy would really appreciate a chick who would carry 20 cans of brew or soda. Hey -- that's a lot of weight! But often these considerations are overlooked in the world of gizmos.

I've mentioned the kitchen as a prime target. Closets are a close second, and then there is that class of gadgets called organizers and/or caddies; each such item is one-purpose as a rule. I'm looking right now at a catalog page with belt and tie organizers, and a special storage bag for one's baseball cap collection. There's also a rolling pant trolley and a handbag holder. What won't some enterprising outfit think of next?