Thermometers, kitchen computers, copper pots, ovens Kitchen essentials mean different things to different home cooks. Some can't survive without their nifty home appliances; others are lost without a classic mortar and pestle. Regardless of your cooking style, having a few cutting-edge kitchen creations makes your kitchen just that much more functional and user-friendly. Here is our list of fun and functional things on the market for the modern kitchen. 1 Taylor Professional Digital Thermometer/Timer with Probe, $39.99citychef.caFood safety, convenience and cooking precision all wrap into one with this digital thermometer by Taylor. Stick the probe in your meat, mount the magnetic reader on your counter or stove, shut the oven or grill and wait for a perfectly cooked meal. 2 iCEBOX™ FlipScreen '05, approximately US$2,000 kitchenenvy.comIt's a TV, internet browser, DVD/CD player, radio and home video system wrapped into one sleek unit fitting under your top cupboard. The iCEBOX™ FlipScreen comes with touch screen technology and a wireless, washable keyboard you clean under the tap. Now you can make all your favourite online Click to continue ...Page 1 of 2 Food sanitizers, graters, hands-free faucets, über food scales 6 lotus® home Sanitizing System, $200canadiantire.caPesticides, fungicides, bacteria, viruses -- who knows what our foods are carrying by the time we bring them home. The lotus Sanitizing system infuses water with ozone in the all-purpose sanitizing bowl to neutralize up to 99.9% of bacteria and pesticides on foods. You can also use lotus to infuse water in the included spray bottle attachment and sanitize surfaces. 7 Microplane Box Grater, $33.96http://ca.microplane.comOriginally designed as revolutionary woodworking rasps in 1990, Microplane graters are renowned for their ultra-sharp blades and durability. Box graters are a basic handy tool for every kitchen, and this Microplane model comes with a protective slider. 8 Joy of Cooking 75th Anniversary Edition, $23.76 (Simon & Schuster, 2006)amazon.caA cutting-edge kitchen owner still needs to know their cooking basics, and no other cookbook has greater fanfare than Joy. Having just been re-released in 2006, this is one updated classic every kitchen needs. 9 Pascal hands-free faucet by Brizo, approximately $1,200brizo.comNo more sticky fingers! This Pascal culinary faucet by Brizo allows water flow either by tapping almost anywhere on the faucet or by using the hands-free option. Water temperature and flow are set by the faucet's single-handle manual valve. Available in Pascal showrooms across Canada -- click brizo.com to find a showroom near you. 10 My Weigh Über Deluxe 6000 Kitchen Scale, $99digitalscales.caModern kitchens are also health-conscious spaces, and a good scale will keep food portions reasonable for fit and healthy homeowners. The Über Deluxe 6000 is a sleek design with a flat, easy-to-clean surface, and "touch technology" means never having to fiddle with buttons.