This onion holder won’t prevent tears as you cut, but its “pitchfork” design will allow you to create straight, even slices from one end of the onion to the other. When you’re finished, wash the onion juice off your hands with water and the stainless steel deodorizer bar.

Prepara has released an innovative peeler that allows you to control how you slice potatoes and vegetables. The Trio Tri-Blade peeler contains three blades for soft, firm and julienne slicing. I think that’s pretty cool. But what I liked is the way these blades retract inside the handle when you’re not using them. Available at Sur La Table.

Tovolo Standz is the latest of several kitchen gadgets to hit the market recently. What’s neat and practical about these tools is the ergonomic soft-grip handle with a flat 1-1/2″ base, which allows the tools to stand up on the counter. You can order all 22 pieces, although I can’t imagine having all of those gadgets sitting on my counter. I’d be more apt to buy the potato peeler and the basting brush, since both tend to get buried in my drawer.