SpiceShot Spice Dispenser

Baking is often described as a science, a type of cooking that rewards precision. This is true in general, but not every single element of baking needs. Spices are an excellent example because, while they can make or break the flavor of a dish, they’re not (or only very, very rarely) essential to the chemistry of a baked good. I don’t always measure out my spices when I’m baking. Instead, I tend to eyeball a teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of ground cardamom and go on my way.

This habit is what made the Chef’n SpiceShot catch my eye. The handheld gadget is a spice dispenser that measures out your spices for you with the touch of a button. Each click releases 1/4 teaspoon of whatever spice you have in there.

There are only two potential downsides. First, there is no grinding mechanism in the SpiceShot, so you have to fill it up with preground spices. This isn’t a big deal, as most spices that you use regularly hold their flavor ground. Second, it’s inconvenient to change out the spices, so you want to reserve these tools for the most commonly used spices in your kitchen. Me? I might go with cinnamon and ginger on the baking side and cumin and cayenne pepper for regular cooking.