iMeat

China’s tetchy ovens make this gem an absolute lifesaver for any serious cook. The iGrill thermometer allows users to leave the kitchen – up to 200 feet away – to entertain guests, take a nap or water your ferns, all the while keeping you apprised of dinner’s temperature through an iPhone or iPad. Multiple probe support allows for double the meat, hooray! Best of all, the Bluetooth connection is secure, so don’t worry about pesky neighbours snooping on your top-secret turkey temperatures.

Price: RMB 660. Web: www.igrillinc.com

Womb Substitute

Neither a gadget nor a gizmo I hear you grumbling. Well for a cool USD 1,000 there must be an impressive array of technology somewhere in this First Ascent Peak XV down suit from Eddie Bauer. Like built-in knee pads. Made from the finest Northern European goose feathers, it has six – count them – SIX pockets! While wearing this walking sleeping bag, Whittaker Mountaineering guides have summited Mt Everest 28 times. If it works above 8,000 metres, it probably will get you through the Shanghai winter too.

Price: RMB 6,600. Web: www.eddiebauer.com

Explosive Furnishings

As Shanghai’s old neighbourhoods crumble under the swing of the wrecking ball, an endless supply of material fuels a booming cottage industry for reclaimed furniture. Elsewhere in the world, enterprising recyclers are forced to make do with what’s at hand – like Second World War-era Soviet anti-submarine mines. Mati Karmin, one of Estonia’s most famous sculptors, crafts customised chairs, tables, chandeliers, toilets, aquariums and even baby carriages out of mine shells – presumably after taking the explody bits out – for furniture aficionados who want a little bang for their buck.

Web: http://marinemine.com

Office Warfare

Business trip-bound bosses will never again fear a drop in office productivity with the use of this handy little weapon. Simply purchase a rocket launcher for all untrustworthy employees, mount it on their desk and monitor daily work rate through the embedded MSN webcam. Should an example need to be made, remote control the launcher left, right, up or down and shoot the lazy worker with one of four foam missiles up to 15 feet away. Cowering employees make for efficient employees.

Price: RMB 330. Web: www.thinkgeek.com

Time and Tide

Gadgets & Gizmos has previously gushed about a watchband that will turn an iPod Nano into something actually useful. Well enjoy the refreshing cascade once more as we reopen the floodgates with the LunaTik watch conversion kit. Forged from aerospace grade aluminium, this nerd magnet comes from the same design company that developed the Xbox 360’s Kinect Sensor. Don’t forget to buy the Nano itself, otherwise the empty watchband will look a bit silly – the Apple product can be picked up for approximately RMB 1,200.

Price: RMB 460. Web: http://lunatik.com