Add some shine to dinnertime! Kids have done plastic, glass, and melamine, but 2011 is all about stainless steel. The nontoxic, durable, and dishwasher safe material is great for tykes to eat off and sip from. Check out my favorite five eye-catching options!
Here's a question from CasaSugar Community member BirdsFlyingHigh from the CasaSugar Q and A group:
"I just bought my first counter depth stainless steel fridge and I love it. It matches perfectly with my stainless steel dishwasher, oven and microwave. What I don't love is all of the finger prints on the stainless steel. No matter what I do there are always more. Does anyone have any tips on cleaning stainless steel appliances? Is there a good cleaner out there and is there anyways to prevent those pesky finger prints entirely!"
Trendy tots sip from stainless steel bottles! New mamas looking to bypass the plastic bottle drama have other shatter-resistant options than glass. Earthlust's Birds & Bees stainless steel bottles ($24) are eye candy. Insulated to keep beverages cold or warm for up to four hours, the containers are designed to grow with tots, coming with pieces to transition from a slow-flow bottle to non-spill sippy cup. Like Earthlust's grown-up water bottles, the Birds & Bees collection is BPA-, PVC- and phthalate-free, making it a safer choice.
Could stainless steel replace plastic baby bottles? From stainless steel water bottle company Pura, Pura Kiki is a colorful line of baby bottles ($16 each) that convert into sippy cups. They're BPA-, phthalate-, and plastic-free, making them a seemingly safe option for new mamas. Unlike breakable glass bottles, stainless steel can be dropped or thrown and still be no worse for the wear. The bottles are compatible with most major brand's nipples (including Born Free, Dr. Browns, and Think Baby) and can be converted into sippy cups with a simple switch of the nipple. To monitor a lil one's liquid intake, the bottles feature interior markings rather than the traditional exterior versions. Would you switch to stainless?
On Sunday, I asked you whether you loved or hated stainless steel backsplashes, and with 57 percent of you loving the look, you seemed pretty torn. In the comments, a few of you said that you like the look but hate would hate cleaning it. So now I'm wondering what you think of stainless steel countertops? I came across this photo of a bar in a $7.8 million mansion in San Francisco, and I love the industrial-meets-vintage aesthetic here. Paired with the handpainted walls, glass shelves, and a mustard yellow window frame, the stainless steel countertops look much less harsh and sterile. What are your thoughts?
Stainless steals the show right now, and a kitchen planner I recently met with recommended a stainless steel backsplash as a unique way to update my cuisine. Like most folks, I'm already a fan of the finish on appliances and fixtures, but I never considered taking it a step further on the walls too. I love the look of the kitchens from Stainless Living, but I have a hard enough time keeping my metal appliances fingerprint free; I can't even imagine tackling the job of cleaning a stainless backsplash as well. What do you think?
  |
My plastic trash can is smelling not-so-fresh these days. Although I originally scoffed at the price of this VIPP Kitchen Bin ($319), the odor-reducing quality of steel is seeming more and more valuable to me — especially considering how many pricey Diptyque candles I've bought to mask the smell of my garbage can. Then again, a good hose-down would do the trick, too. Do you have a stainless steel trash can?
Stainless steel has magical deodorizing/odor neutralizing power that can wipe the pungent scents from things like garlic, onion, and fish away from your skin. There isn't a clear chemical explanation for this, but it's been hypothesized that sulfurous compounds are somehow catalyzed by the steel. So, some clever entrepreneur came up with a stainless steel "soap" product, essentially a block of metal in soap shape, to rid your skin of whatever stink ails you. 
But rubbing your hands across a stainless steel knife, spoon, or other utensil will have the same effect. Knowing that you can you use any old piece of stainless steel is certainly a deterrent from purchasing a bar of the soap, but I think it makes a good gag gift (or stocking stuffer!) for a fisherman or chef friend of yours. Luckily, the Uma Stainless Steel Soap ($8, reduced from $12.50) is on sale.
