We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
One thing you can’t avoid in the kitchen — no matter how careful you are — is making a mess. Whether that’s a knocked-over cup of coffee, splatter from cooking bacon, or juice from a particularly ripe lime, you’re always going to need to have some household cleaning products on hand to take care of business. Unfortunately, these aren’t the most pleasant home products to look at, so most of us end up stashing our cleaning gear in a cabinet, under the sink, in a closet, or in another room altogether. However, while the unattractive bottles of Windex and bulky cylinders of Clorox wipes are out of sight, that also means that these products aren’t always within reach for quick cleanups. Recently, I found a gadget from the genius team at Simplehuman that lets you keep a spray bottle of household cleaning solution right on your countertop — without anyone knowing. Allow me to introduce you to the new Paper Towel Pump.
For more content like this follow
While cleaning gadgets aren’t exactly the most exciting products to test and review, I’ve gotta say, I can’t think of any cooler addition to my apartment’s cleanup arsenal than this bad boy. It’s essentially the same sleek, single-arm paper towel holder that you know and love from Simplehuman, but with one secret twist: The center core of the paper towel rod pops out and serves as a spray bottle for household cleaning solution! Now, whenever I inevitably spill something on my countertop, I just grab a paper towel, pop out the hidden spray bottle, and take care of business.
The gadget also rocks as just, well, a paper towel holder. Until I snagged the Paper Towel Pump, I was using a dinky little metal rod situation that I picked up for a buck at IKEA when I moved into my place. That meant I had to hold it steady every time I wanted to rip off a sheet, and it still ended up tearing and unraveling all the time. With the Paper Towel Pump, the solid base and tension arm put a stop to both of those things, with just enough resistance to tear off one sheet at a time with one hand. The pump is super easy to use, too, with a smooth action and a 6-ounce pump reservoir that holds over 175 pumps. And, you don’t have to worry about accidentally knocking over the base and having the pump roll away, since the tube locks in place with a simple push-to-lock, push-to-unlock mechanism.
And, if you’re not in the mood to precariously pour a bottle of store-bought cleaner into the neck of the inner pump (guilty) you can pick up a pack of Simplehuman’s concentrated citrus grapefruit multi-surface cleaning tablets, which completely dissolve in water to make a powerful solution that’ll make short work of errant grease and grime, and also be safe for all household surfaces.One cleaning tablet makes 6 ounces of cleaner, too, which is precisely how much the pump’s reservoir holds. (No measuring!)
If you’re ready to upgrade your countertop cleaning gear — and save some space while you’re at it — there’s no better move than picking up Simplehuman’s new Paper Towel Pump. It can’t prevent you from dropping an entire bowl of cereal at 1:00 a.m., but it will help you clean it up in style.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
In my kitchen, there’s a drawer full of kitchen gadgets that includes my can opener, milk frother, avocado slicer, ice cream scooper, rolling pin, and measuring cups. It’s not the most frustrating drawer to sift through, (that would be my hair accessories in the bathroom), but to be honest, it could be a lot more organized. I haven’t found a kitchen drawer organizer to solve that problem yet, but I have found a tool to hold me over in the meantime. BLACK+DECKER released their multipurpose Kitchen Wand last year, and I’ve had my eye on it for months. It’s a wonder gadget for the kitchen that can take on numerous duties from food prep to entertaining — all with the same handle. If that could help me cut down my kitchen “junk” drawer, it would be a miracle. So, when I finally got the chance to try it first-hand, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
For more content like this follow
I hadn’t seen the Kitchen Wand in its packaging before I received it, so I was surprised to find that it came packed into two cases that look like toolkits. The wand base and all of its attachments each have their own dedicated space for storage, which is a really smart idea to keep them from creating more clutter in the kitchen. It comes with a milk frother, salt and pepper grinder, can opener, whisk, immersion blender, and corkscrew. In addition to the gadget attachments, the Wand also comes with a mixing cup and charging dock for the base that can be kept on the counter. However, if you need to conserve space, you can leave the base in the storage case and charge it while it’s stored, too. Lights on the top of the Wand let you know how full the charge is at any time of the day, so I never have to worry about picking it up and not being able to power it up.
I know it sounds strange in theory to use the same handle for multiple gadgets that perform wildly different functions, but it took using the Kitchen Wand only once to see just how convenient it is. The device has multiple speeds so the proper settings can be applied depending on what you need it to do, and even has safety features in place to ensure that you use it with intention. To operate it, you must press the power button on the front and back of the wand for it to work.
So far, I’ve used the Kitchen Wand’s can opener the most out of all the other attachments. I thought it would be a hassle to have to unpack the attachment from the storage case every time I want to use it, but now I reach for the Wand before I even think about pulling out my old-school can opener. While I can simply grab the latter from a drawer, I actually open cans faster with the Kitchen Wand than doing it only by hand. I can keep the other attachments conveniently tucked away in my pantry until I’m ready to use them, and the storage bins can be stacked or connected to take up less space. Another perk of having the bins is that they’re easy to transport. When my family gets together for big dinners, I’m often asked to come early to assist with preparing a side or dessert, and now I can bring my own food prep tools with me instead of waiting for a whisk to be available.
The Kitchen Wand is currently on sale, but even if it wasn’t, it’s totally worth the price. If I was to buy each of these gadgets separately, it would cost roughly the same amount or more and not save nearly as much storage space. I don’t have a big kitchen, so the more room and money I can save, the better. I can’t wait to see all the ways I can use this ingenious gadget over the course of the year, especially when I get to show it off the next time I host the family dinner.
Sarah writes about all things shopping for Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn, and Cubby helping you find the best deals and the best products for you and your home. A Brooklyn-born Jersey Girl, she loves a good playlist, a good bagel, and her family (but not necessarily in that order).
Sarah writes about all things shopping for Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn, and Cubby helping you find the best deals and the best products for you and your home. A Brooklyn-born Jersey Girl, she loves a good playlist, a good bagel, and her family (but not necessarily in that order).
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
I don’t know about you, but I love a good snack. My go-to? A classic bag of microwavable popcorn. However, dear reader, I do have a confession to make: I often have a very hard time finishing this delectable snack. I know, I know, who can’t finish a bag of microwave popcorn? To quote one Taylor Swift, “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.” My solution for the longest time was to buy loose kernels and make a smaller portion on the stovetop. However, more often than I’d care to admit, I have been left with both scorched popcorn and a scorched pan. As a result, I resigned myself to the fact that when I wanted popcorn, well, some of it was going to see the bottom of my trash can. Luckily, it seems there may just be something out there to solve this problem: the Joseph Joseph Single-Serve Popcorn Maker.
For more content like this follow
Designed with small snackers in mind, this silicone popcorn maker is about to change the game for popcorn lovers everywhere. It couldn’t be easier to use: Simply pour an ounce of popcorn kernels into the cup (there’s even a handy measuring guide in the base of the popper to help you out), close the flaps, start your microwave, and wait for the flaps to open up as the popcorn reaches the top. Best of all, this popper requires no oil or butter (though, hey, no one’s stopping you) meaning it’ll make a healthier portion of popcorn while you’re at it, too.
Amazon shoppers are loving this find with one customer raving, “I looked around at so many microwave popcorn poppers before deciding on this one, but I’m super happy with my final decision. This one just hits all the marks. It pops a perfect single serving, there’s only one piece (no lid to mess with or lose), it’s dishwasher safe, doesn’t take up much space in the dishwasher, and pops popcorn beautifully! Love this thing!”
One common thread we noticed in reviews is people are loving the ease of these poppers. “Popcorn is kind of my thing and since I like eating it almost every day, this popcorn maker is a lifesaver,” shared one reviewer. “No oil necessary, so healthier than stovetop and I’m able to make a single serving without all the fuss.” Another went on to say, “These were so easy to use and clean. They have held up so well. So glad they popped into our lives and made popcorn making a breeze.”
Coming in at just $15, the Joseph Joseph Single-Serve Popcorn Maker Setfeatures two single-portion popcorn makers (in classic Joseph Joseph hues!) so you and another popcorn lover can get it on the fun. So, whether you’re looking to snack a little healthier or be a little less wasteful with your popcorn, pick up this popper — it’ll change everything. Now if you excuse me, I’ve got an order to place.
