Articles by Christine Persaud

The last thing you want to do while your hands are dirty with food or wet from washing dishes is to tap a button on your smart speaker. When entertaining, don’t you find that so many parties congregate in the kitchen? Smart kitchen products are pretty standard nowadays, but most useful, in particular, are those you can control by voice. They help simplify things when you’re multitasking and make for a super-cool kitchen that will be the envy of all your friends and family. Here are some of the best kitchen products with Alexa to make your life a little easier.

Versatile multicooker

Instant Pot Smart WiFi Multicooker

Staff pick

The best multicooker you can get is the Instant Pot, and this smart version allows you to remotely control it from a smartphone app as well as by voice using Alexa and a compatible smart speaker. Control what you’re cooking, receive status alerts on your phone, and access more than a thousand pre-programmed recipes.

$130 at Amazon
$150 at Best Buy
$130 a…

Every kid wants a tablet. But deciding to invest in a tablet for your child is a big step, and there are several features to consider: price, parental controls, and perhaps most importantly, durability. The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is a top pick not only for offering tons of great content for kids but also for its included protective bumper case and parental controls. You can manage what your kids do and not worry that they might be accessing questionable websites or web content.

Best Overall: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is packed with some of the best hardware and software features you could ask for as a parent. Amazon took its top-of-the-line tablet and loaded it with parental controls, kid-specific content, and wrapped it up in a durable and functional case. While the screen size might be difficult for smaller toddlers to hold, the provided case does include a fold-out kickstand to prop up the tablet.

At 1080p, the full-HD display p…

While the world of photography has, for the most part, gone digital, there’s still something about a physical print that can make you smile. So, it’s no surprise that instant printers are seeing a resurgence. But unlike the big, clunky Polaroids of yesteryear, the latest ones are tiny, pocketable cameras that can spit out cute little photos for sharing and displaying. And among the best is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11, which comes in a series of fun colors and includes useful features like a selfie mode, automatic exposure, and slow synchro so you can still get good photos, even in low light situations. It’s a fun little camera that is even better when purchased in a kit that comes with film and other handy accessories.

Best Overall: *Instax Mini 11 *

Made by Fujifilm, a company with a long history in the photography business, this camera is a cut above the rest for several reasons. First is the compact design: it measures just 107.6 x 121.2 x 67.31 mm and weighs a mere 293 (witho…

Worth the upgrade

Fitbit Charge 4

$150 at Best Buy
$150 at Walmart

Pros

Better battery life
Swimproof design
Active Zone Minutes
Built-in GPS
Built-in Spotify control

Cons

Expensive upgrade
Not as many color options
Proprietary charger

The Fitbit Charge 4 is a worthwhile upgrade for features like built-in GPS and Spotify Connect that let you leave your smartphone at home. You also get Active Zone Minutes, Quick Replies via compatible Android devices, a swim-proof design, SPO2 sensor to measure blood oxygen levels, Fitbit Pay, and generous seven-day battery life. That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to why you should upgrade from a Charge 2.

Still a decent tracker

Fitbit Charge 2

$160 at Walmart
From $60 at eBay

Pros

Has all the essentials
Five-day battery life
Same app dashboard

Cons

Only water-resistant
No built-in GPS
Outdated

If you already own the Fitbit Charge 2, it’s still a pretty decent activity tracker. You get access to the s…

Digital photo frames were once pretty hot items but they sort of fell off the map — until now. The latest and most premium models include cloud connectivity that allows you to download a mobile app and upload photos, slideshows, and sometimes even videos wirelessly to a frame anywhere in the world. This has reinvigorated the category and sparked interest in even standard digital frames that can display a slideshow of photos. So which should you choose for yourself or a gift? My favorite is the Nixplay 10.1-inch Smart Digital Picture Frame because it has everything you could want, including Wi-Fi connectivity and a gorgeous screen, plus it is super easy to use. There are some other great options, too.

Best Overall: Nixplay 10.1 Inch Smart Digital Picture Frame

I have the larger version of this frame and set it up at my parents’ house so I could surprise them with a new set of photos, whether from our recent vacation or just a slideshow of photos of their grandson. It’s one of ma…

While you might not initially think that you need voice control in the kitchen, it can be a game-changer. Your hands are probably dirty while you’re in the kitchen cooking up a storm, or, you’re busy multitasking as you prepare a meal. Imagine still being able to adjust songs on your playlist, pause a recipe video you’re following to grab the ingredient you need or find out how many ounces are in a gram without having to tap the screen on your phone. There are plenty of products you can use in the kitchen that come with Google Assistant built-in. Here are some great ones to consider.

Your guiding chef

Google Nest Hub Smart Display

Staff pick

Imagine having your own assistant in the kitchen. While this smart display can’t stir sauce or chop veggies, it can playback cooking videos for you to follow along with, let you add items to a shopping list, play music, do measurement conversions, set timers, and more, and it’s all controllable with your voice.

$80 at Best Buy
$79 at Walma…

Instant Pot fans are a loyal and passionate bunch who swear by cooking a multitude of foods in the versatile small kitchen appliance. I’m one of them, and over the years, like many others who love their Pots, I have spent tons on different accessories that come in handy when cooking a variety of foods. In many cases, cheap accessories can make a world of difference. Here are some great ones that are worth considering if you’re looking for something new to add to your Instant Pot accessories collection.

Steam to perfection

Kitchen Deluxe Vegetable Steamer

Staff pick

This convenient basket expands to fit all Instant Pot sizes (as well as stovetop pots) then collapses to put away when not in use. It is great for steaming vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, or use it as an egg rack or colander. A center handle makes for easy removal. It comes with a recipe ebook and julienne peeler, too.

$17 at Amazon

Squash the smell

House Again 3-pack Silicone Rings

The sealing ring n…