When I was at university, I had a friend (hi, Ruth!) who loved to grate cheese. I think she found it therapeutic or something. Me, not so much. We don't live together anymore, so I can't ask her to do my grating, but this new kitchen invention might make the chore a little more bearable.

In fact, I don't know why someone didn't think of this sooner. The worst thing about grating anything the traditional way is that the grater slides around all over the place and the 'gratings' fly everywhere (or get stuck to the back of the grater).

So Danish company Eva Solo had the ingenious idea of making a grating bucket, which is what it sounds like: a metal container with a grater on the outside, which collects your grated cheese or vegetables on the inside, ready to tip straight into the pan/dish/casserole. It's a lovely shiny chrome, and would make a stylish and practical addition to any kitchen.

The only problem is the cost: it's not available in the U.S. yet, so you'd have to order it from Europe. And it costs £22.95 ($45.49) before shipping. I'm sure that price reflects great workmanship and would be a worthwhile investment for a serious cook, but I might just give Ruth a call, instead.

Via The Telegraph magazine.