Gadgets and widgets and thingamabobs

Tell InTents about the inventory, tools and services your business depends on.

I love to cook, but I’m not a fan of most kitchen gadgets. If I’m going to make room in my kitchen for a new tool, it has to serve multiple purposes, not take up too much space and help me perform tasks better and faster than I can do without it. In my experience, most kitchen widgets solve problems that don’t exist or can be handled with a decent knife and proper knife skills.

But every now and then, a kitchen thingamabob surprises me. Several years ago, my little sous chefs (a.k.a. my kids) talked me into purchasing a set of tiny spatulas with Christmas decorations because the little snowman and gingerbread house and penguin in a stocking cap were SO CUTE! Even as I was paying for them I was rolling my eyes—I just couldn’t imagine using them, especially outside of the holidays.

Boy, was I wrong. I use those little spatulas nearly every day. They get the last bit of smoothie out of the blender, the last bit of peanut butter out of the jar and the last bit of honey off of the spoon. I use them so often, they’ve earned a spot on my counter instead of being relegated to a drawer. (Even my wine corkscrew gets tucked away in a drawer!) In one little corner of my kitchen, it’s Christmas year round.

What inventory, tools and services do you need to run your business day in and day out? You may find a new one in this issue’s Premier Product Showcase. And in the coming weeks, we want to hear from you. In the second annual Reader’s Choice Awards, InTents readers tell us about the companies, products and services they depend on. Voting will be open online Dec. 10–31 at www.InTentsMag.com, and the winners will be featured in the April–May 2019 issue.