An electric coffee grinder is the quickest, most convenient way to mash whole beans into brew-ready powder on the average work morning, but there are times when only a hand grinder will do. Maybe the power’s out at home, maybe you’re camping off-grid with no available electricity, or maybe you just prefer the way hand-ground coffee tastes. The new Arco […]

Being cooped up in the house for the past year has allowed us to produce a lot of meals, workout regimens, and, in turn, odors. We’re not saying your home stinks, we’re just saying that, at some point, a home full of people who have been properly social distancing may have become a lot more, shall we say… stuffy. And, […]

Helen & Hard has designed a particularly stunning treehouse in rural Norway. Named Woodnest, the forest dwelling is supported by a living pine tree that runs through its center, and it offers a well-stocked interior that sleeps up to four people. The Woodnest shown is one of a pair of identical treehouses situated in a forest near the Hardangerfjord in […]

While double-glazed windows do help save energy, Singaporean scientists have tweaked the concept to make it even more effective. Instead of leaving an air gap between the two panes of glass, the researchers have inserted a heat-absorbing, light-blocking liquid. Developed at Nanyang Technological University, the experimental new “smart window” consists of two panes of ordinary glass, the space between which […]

Voice-activated technology and space-saving furniture helped Sim-Plex Design Studioturn a two-bedroom home in Hong Kong into Smart Zendo, a four-bedroom apartment with hidden storage. Smart Zendo is in Hong Kong’s Coastal Skyline neighbourhood. The project has been shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2020 in the small interior of the year category. Sim-Plex Design Studio converted the home for a couple who […]

Advances in technology have made many household appliances more energy efficient, and even given outdated old ones some energy-saving smarts, but addressing the power usage of each individual device across the home is still a tall order. Researchers at Cornell University have been working on more of a one-size-fits-all solution, developing a vibration-sensing device that can keep tabs on appliance […]

Using a compost heap is a great way of putting food waste to use, but that waste can take several weeks or longer to become compost – in the meantime, it may stink or attract pests. The indoor Kalea device, on the other hand, is claimed to produce compost in just two days. Created by a German team of “material […]

Today’s health climate is like no other: Everyone is wearing a mask, carrying disinfectant wipes, and washing their hands to the tune of “Happy Birthday.” Sterilizing your surroundings has become a necessity, so why not kick things up a notch? Here’s a hands-free portable solution that will have you feeling protected—the ROCKUBOT LITE: Smart Sterilizing Robot. This little guy promises […]

Pastel-coloured aluminium bottles of cleaning products can be purchased once and reused endlessly with UK startup Spruce’s plastic-free dehydrated refills. Spruce offers a more sustainable way of repurchasing its multi-purpose cleaning or bathroom spray. The startup has been shortlisted for sustainable design of the year at Dezeen Awards 2020. The first purchase set comes with what Spruce calls an eternity […]

The Nest Thermostat from Google is one of the most recognizable smart home devices of recent years, though it doesn’t get updated all that often. The latest model to launch simplifies the design and lowers the price, while packing in some helpful controls using technology borrowed from the Pixel 4. That technology is the Soli radar sensor: in the Pixel […]