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Maybe you didn’t know: At Bon Appétit, we have a team of editors that are entirely dedicated to finding the best kitchen gear and housewares for you. We’re like full-time professional shoppers who take their jobs way too seriously. We’ll test toaster ovens for days before we recommend them to you. We’re here to guide you through which cocktail glasses to buy and the espresso machine that’s best for your morning routine. We scour Amazon pages so we can point you to the deals actually worth your while. And we are always looking for the next new thing to recommend to you.
Normally, we only cover products we’ve already tried out or used in our own homes, but there’s also a whole world of stuff that’s brand new to market—stuff that’s about to hit online shelves or already has—and that we’re eager to try (and tell you about before your Instagram algorithm does). Which is why we’re here with What’s New—a biweekly column in which we, the Bon Appetit shopping team, highlight one new thing we’re eager to get our hands on, along with a few others we’re especially excited about.
Our first featured item had everyone in the office doing a double take. It was the subject of team Slack messages and even had our editor in chief, Jamila Robinson, swooning the minute she laid eyes on it. I present—the Bearaby Crinkle Cut Cuddler.
Bearaby makes weighted blankets and plush pillows, and now—in a brand collaboration taken straight from the school of Hidden Valley Ranch x Crocs or the horrifying Oscar Meyer bologna face mask—they've teamed up with Shake Shack to make a french fry pillow. Why? Because last Friday, July 12, was the made up marketing day of National Fry Day (get it…because it was Fry-day), of course.
We were skeptical, but when one of these french fry pillows showed up at the office, my colleagues and I couldn’t stop snuggling it. Bearaby uses plant-based Melofoam in all of its body pillows to give a firm yet squishy cushion you can wrap your body around. It’s also in keeping with the squiggle home decor trend that’s been happening for a while. The geometric shape in a bright primary color looks cute resting on a couch or bed in that retro-maximalist, “I own an Ultrafragola mirror” way.
Oh, and have you heard about the…
Emily Farris, senior commerce writer: In case you didn’t know, Our Place—the highly aesthetic DTC cookware brand that made it big with the Instagram-worthy Always Pan—recently expanded into small appliances. On July 20, the brand will start shipping out the Perfect Power Pot. With its chic matte exterior and 1.6-liter capacity, this corded saucepan kind of looks like it belongs in my son’s play kitchen, but puts out some serious heat. I measured the temperature of the nonstick cooking surface with my infrared thermometer after preheating on low for 2 minutes and it was about 260ºF, while the high setting hovers closer to 330ºF. I do have some concerns (for starters, there doesn’t seem to be an automatic shutoff function, and the pot can’t be submerged or even rinsed under a faucet because the electric components vent out of the bottom), but it seems well suited for a dorm dweller who just wants to make ramen and eggs at 2 a.m.
Megan Wahn, associate commerce editor: Lately, my breakfast of choice has been overnight oats. It’s easy, it’s yummy, and it’ll keep me full until lunch. I’m not really one to make myself a smoothie in the morning, but when Oatly and Little Spoon announced their new overnight oats smoothie, I knew I’d want to give it a try. (And yes, I’m fully aware this is baby food.)
Carina Finn, commerce editor: “When I heard that one of my favorite ice cream brands was coming out with a dog-friendly flavor, I knew I had to get a pint for my favorite canine friend. Made from oat milk with peanut butter, bananas, and coconut cream, it’s easy to see why any dog would be on their best behavior to get a scoop. After bringing this over to my friends’ house for their dog, Merlin, I can personally confirm that watching a dog eat a scoop of this ice cream is one of the most adorable experiences you’ll have this summer.”
Megan Wahn, associate commerce editor: Yes, that Eames. Lucia’s parents, Charles and Ray Eames, designed that Eames lounger your boyfriend’s obsessed with. Though Lucia passed away in 2014, the Lucia Eames Archive has worked with Crate & Barrel to create a series of housewares inspired by her art. The partnership started in 2022 with candles and pillows and has expanded to include colorful new pieces for your kitchen. I can’t stop looking at the colorful salad plates and cereal bowls.
Carina Finn, commerce editor: Fleur du Mal’s pomodoro bustier made me stop and gasp in the middle of an Instagram scroll—as an Italian girl having a Brat summer, I simply had to have it. Now that heirloom tomatoes have taken over my local farmers market, I plan to have a lot of at-home date nights that involve eating tomato sandwiches while sipping spritzes in this tomato-covered top. I’m equally obsessed with the silk and lace tap shorts in the Ciao Amore print. They’re comfy and lightweight, and the illustrations are adorable.
