We all have our weaknesses, whether it's sweets, cigarettes, or just our own cell phones. The trick is to not indulge too much, but sometimes sheer willpower just isn't enough. That's why a team of inventors built the Kitchen Safe, a plastic container with a tamper-proof lock rigged to a timer.
It's a simple concept, but one that many people could use. The Kitchen Safe measures 6 x 6 x 6.5 in. (15.2 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm), which is large enough to fit a variety of items. The time-lock can be set for any amount of time between one minute and 10 days, so you can specify exactly when something will be released.
Once an item is locked inside, there is no way of opening the Kitchen Safe until the timer reaches zero. Even if the batteries are drained or taken out, the lock will stay sealed and the countdown will resume once they're replaced. Other than cracking the container open with a hammer, there's almost no chance of cheating.
The Kitchen Safe works fine in a refrigerator as well, but not a freezer, so you'll have to find another way to keep people out of the ice cream and Popsicles. The timer also requires two AA batteries, which should last about six months with regular use.
It's a safe bet that most of the people reading this can already think of at least one thing they'd lock away. The Kitchen Safe could help people avoid unhealthy food, lock up a child's toy for a fixed amount of time, or keep someone from spending too much money. There's even an opaque model in case you want to hide a gift for someone else inside.
The developers recently began a Kickstarter to bring the Kitchen Safe into mass production and hopefully into retail shops as well. Right now, anyone who backs the project for US$29 or more will receive one when they ship in September.
You can also watch the video below to hear the inventors describe how they developed the Kitchen Safe concept into a full product.
Source: Kitchen Safe, Kickstarter