The holiday season is here and you’re sending out family photos that include your pet. So is everyone else. Want to command the best real estate on your recipients’ refrigerators? Tap or click here for creative ways to include your pet in this year’s holiday cards.
But wait, Turkey Day comes first. Here are a few last-minute items to make the day run smoother.
A better way to carve the turkey
An electric carving knife doesn’t sound very modern, but it sure can make turkey carving much easier. This model from Black+Decker features stainless steel blades, an ergonomic handle, and a safety lock button that prevents the knife from turning on while it’s plugged in.
The serrated blades saw rapidly and evenly through meat, cheese and bread. Plus, they are easily removed at the press of a button and you can toss them in the dishwasher.
This is the ultimate in basic Thanksgiving technology.
RELATED: Want to keep your surprise gifts a surprise? Tap or click here for tips on hiding your purchases.
And make sure you don’t overcook the bird
There’s a fine line between a perfectly cooked turkey and one that’s overdone. This wireless meat thermometer will help spare you the embarrassment of a tough, dry bird.
You’ll need to download the Govee Home App and pair your phone with the thermometer via Bluetooth. When you’re ready, simply insert the probes into your turkey and place it in the oven. The thermometer device remains outside the oven.
The app includes USDA-recommended temperatures from rare to well-done for beef, lamb, chicken, fish, turkey, pork and more. You can also set your own temperature. The app will alert you when your food reaches the target or exceeds the range, and you can open the app to monitor the cooking at any time.
Get a little help around the house from Alexa
There’s nothing wrong with getting a little help. An inexpensive smart speaker can help you prep your meals and get more out of the holidays.
The latest version of the Echo Dot has improved audio and a sharp LED display that can show you the time, weather, song titles and more.
Ask Alexa how long you should cook the turkey or request a simple recipe for stuffing. Set a timer hands-free or ask for traffic updates to see how long your guests will need to arrive.
Once the party starts, ask Alexa to play some holiday tunes. Yep, Alexa can do it all.
Let a robot help with the cleaning
The holidays are a messy time for households, and keeping things clean during all the planning and celebrating is difficult. Send in the robots!
The Roomba brand is synonymous with robot vacs for good reason. Kim has one and loves it.
The iRobot Roomba 694 works on carpets and hard floors, picking up dirt, dust, pet hair and other debris. This bot learns your cleaning habit and offers up custom cleaning schedules.
Let it run while you’re preparing for your guests. After the party’s over, run another cleaning cycle to take care of the mess they left behind.
This Roomba lasts for 90 minutes before automatically recharging. And the best part? Using voice control — “Alexa, tell Roomba to vacuum the kitchen.”
A fancy kitchen tool that’s easy to use
A sous vide cooker circulates water at a precise temperature to make sure your Thanksgiving cooking will be perfect. This model attaches to any stock pot or container so you can keep the sides cooking while focusing on your turkey in the oven.
Just clip the cooker to your pot, add a sealed bag of your food (sous vide is French for “under vacuum”) and set the controls via the device or the Anova app. The cooker circulates water at the temperature you set to perfectly cook turkey, chicken, fish, vegetables, eggs, beef, lamb, pork and more.
You can control and monitor your food from your phone via the app.
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