Technology For The Adventurous Cook

PolyScience Smoking Gun
Sprinkle hardwood sawdust into a pipe on the top of this device, light it up,
and poof!-- instant smoke you can infuse into your roast, pot of 
vegetables or vacuum bag for smokehouse flavor without the hazy kitchen.

Acti-Fry
Using a rotating heat-pulse system, this fryer can fry up a couple pounds of
potatoes on a single tablespoon of oil, 3 percent of what ordinary fryers
require. Toss in strips of meats or vegetables for more (relatively)
healthy fried snacks 

Gastrovac
Think of the Gastrovac as a crock pot, vacuum pump and heating plate in one.
Suspend your food -- pear slices, for example -- in a basket above a flavorful liquid,
such as wine broth. Seal the machine, and hit a button to turn the cooking chamber
into a vacuum. The low-pressure environment pulls all the air out of the food,
compressing it like a squished sponge. Near the end of their cooking, drop the
pears into the broth and restore the pressure. The liquid rushes into the cells,
infusing the fruit with an intense wine flavor. And no oxygen means no
oxidation -- so instead of turning brown, fruit comes out as brightly colored
as it was when first sliced.

Check out more cutting edge gadgetry at PopSci.