Use these silicone pan liners for more than protecting your pans. They work great as trivets, pot holders or jar openers. Available at Crate&Barrel.

This off-the-wall measuring cup by Dr. Harry White will entertain cooks no matter what age they are. Next to each measurement is a fact, some of them rather funny. For instance, my favorite is the volume of body cells that die on a good day. Another is the “amount of table salt in a large human,” which equals 150 ml. All of you salt lovers, beware! Kids can also find out how much a the brain of a Tyrannosaurus weighed.

Like the traditional measuring cups, you can measure in cups and ounces as well. Made out of heat-resistant glass, this measuring cup is safe for both the microwave and the dishwasher.

I love hot tea in the winter but hate the mess the spoon can make if I don’t rinse it before putting it in the sink. This concept cup is supposed to eliminate the need for a spoon. The designer(s) of this cup have replaced the spoon with a floater and a marble that mixes your drink when you swish it around.

While this a good concept and a neat design, I wonder how well the drink will mix without giving the cup a good shake. Then there is the cleaning issue, which wasn’t discussed.