Our 24 Best Continued!
(15 - 8)
This August, we’re celebrating our 24th year of small business (congratulations to us!) but we’re giving YOU the gifts!
For the first 24 days of the month we’ll be ranking and counting down to our favourite products of all time. The gift for you? As each product is announced it’ll be added to our BIRTHDAY SALE section with 24% off.
The catch? 24 hours after the Number One item is announced, the sale ends - so you’d best be following along before the discounts disappear!
Deciding on our favorites hasn’t been easy - we’ve applied a strict scientific method, scoring each item on functionality, quality, aesthetic or sensory appeal, and its ethics and sustainability.
Follow along below to discover each item as it’s announced.
AND don’t forget to sign up to our mailing list during August to go into the running to win a $400+ prize pack containing some of our 24 BEST!*
Porcelain Butter Dish
Hakusan Porcelain
I don’t know what this modern Instagram-induced obsession for “Butter Crocks” or “Butter Bells” is about, but I feel like a generous surmising of the trend would be that it’s a thing for a European kitchens.
Why is the water involved? It keeps the butter fresh. Unless you’re churning your own, I really can’t see the need for that. If you’re butter is going bad on the bench, you’re not eating it fast enough.
Personally speaking, my butter lives on the bench in one of these Hakusan butter dishes, and as far as I can tell it is happy as Larry and completely water-free.
And we’re an all-seasons “butter-on-the-bench” household, even in 40+ degree temperatures.
Give me fridge-hard butter and I will give you slap.
An expression of functional, minimal Japanese design in a classic Hakusan Porcelain colour palette. Choose from yellow, white and blue. You may struggle to select a favourite.
Size: 14.5 x 9 x 5.5cm
Weight: 550g
Capacity: 200g
Material: Porcelain
Producer: Hakusan Porcelain
Made in Hasami City, Nagasaki, Japan
Designed by: Masahiro Mori
Available: Microwave: ○ Dishwasher: ○ Stovetop: × Induction: × Oven: ×
Cast Iron Cookware
Sori Yanagi
Delightful to look at, delightful to use.
The 22cm Grill and Oil pans are fantastic if you have room for them in your kitchen collection, but our expert pick of the bunch is the 16cm Mini Pan.
Customers exclaim “how cute!” when they pick it up but often dismiss it as some kind of impractical novelty pan. Sure, it’s not your everyday family frying pan, but it’t not trying to be!
A couple of eggs are this pan’s best mate. Easy and quick to cook. Simple to handle. Less to wash.
What’s not to love!
These pans and pots are well designed and fit for purpose. You can cook better, serve better and wash better. They are pleasing on the eye and make our food look even better. Their simple design, durable material, and superb utility are why we love having them on our cooktop and dining table.
This pan was designed in 1999. The unique functionality of these pots and pan lies in the shape of a slightly curved edge which makes it easy to pour liquids. Nambu tekki iron pan is thick and strong. It absorbs and distributes the heat evenly. It works on gas and induction. This design won the prestigious Good Design Award in Japan in 2001.
It's a great pan for one who would love something small, quickly.
You can add ingredients directly into the pan and put it straight into the oven to cook! Great for Spanish omelette, shakshouka, and other easy dishes. Use it as a stylish serving dish - we often use for serving fries at home.
Size: Ø16 cm
W24.7cm × D17.8cm × H42cm (w/ handle)
Capacity: 0.46L
Weight: 1kg
Material: Cast iron
Producer: Nihon Yoshokki Co Ltd
Made in Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Designed by Sori Yanagi
Available: Microwave:× Dishwasher:× Stovetop:○ Induction:○ Oven:○
Stainless Steel Tongs
Sori Yanagi
A Sori Yanagi double!
That guy sure knew how to design stuff!
Unlike the Cuisipro tongs listed earlier in the countdown (functionality personified!), these tongs by Sori Yanagi are beautiful look at and beautiful to use.
While you certainly can use them for cooking, we think they are at they best when used for serving.
Your salad with be the belle of the ball if it’s lifted onto the plate with a pair of these.
Designed for comfort and ease of use, these elegant tongs make a great addition to any kitchen. These tongs are formed as a single piece of stainless steel creating flex without the use of springs while making it extremely durable and never spring out too far.
Size: 22cm x 7cm x 4.7cm
Weight: 90g
Materials: 18-8 Stainless Steel
Dishwasher Safe
T-320 Toolbox
Toyo Steel
These really are as good as they look.
Their true beauty lies in their versatility. Fill it with whatever your heart desires. These toolboxes aren’t strictly limited to housing “tools”. They’ll handle anything from knitting needles to fishing lures (and everything in between).
I use mine to hold my Sashiko cottons!
This model in particular is a great lower-price, smaller-capacity entry point into the extensive Toyo steel range.
And if you’re quick, you can can get one at an even lower price than usual.
Lucky you!
In 1969, Toyo Steel produced the world’s first seamless steel toolbox—and their commitment to crafting simple, sturdy, and beautiful storage solutions has never wavered.
The Toyo Steel T-320 is a refined example of their trunk-type toolbox design: flat-topped for stackability, rounded for comfort, and rugged enough to stand up to daily use. Its clean silhouette and durable all-steel construction make it a timeless piece for any workspace, home, or studio.
Compact yet spacious enough for essential tools, stationery, or art supplies, the T-320 features a smooth latch and a lockable clasp compatible with a 4mm padlock—so your gear stays safe, whether it’s in the shed or on the go.
Crafted in Osaka with the attention to detail Toyo Steel is known for, this toolbox is as functional as it is beautiful.
Specifications
External Size: 333 × 137 × 96.5 mm
Internal Size: 311 × 115 × 66 mm
Weight: 1 kg
Material: All-steel construction
Made in Osaka, Japan
Beeswax Body Balms
Vivi Orgaincs
Hi.
This is a horrible over-share in the pursuit of sales but it’s 100% true.
This balm cured my VERY SORE NOSE! When prescription medication made the rest of my face go weird, and after many years of putting up with the pain, I decided on a whim to shove some of this balm up my snoz. Whaddaya know! My hooter feels great now!
The fine folks at Vivi Orgaincs probably won't love me marketing this as a snoz cream (you can use it all over) but I’m telling you - it could soothe what ails you.
Give it a try!
Our Natural Beeswax Balm with Zinc Oxide is specifically designed to combat teenage breakouts. This balm is formulated to clear acne and pimples while improving skin moisture levels.
Zinc Oxide, a natural sun blocker, is readily absorbed by the skin, which can aid the immune system. Grapefruit essential oil, a gentle astringent, helps to tone the skin.
Our versatile balm can be used to alleviate bug bites, rashes, chafing, and cracked lips. Beeswax, known for its antibacterial, fungicidal, and antiviral properties, makes this balm an excellent choice for a wide range of skin ailments.
All Vivi Organics skincare products are highly moisturising and packed with antioxidants, ensuring your skin's health and radiance.
Waxed Canvas Log Carrier
Heaven in Earth
Does your husband drop crap all over the floor as he painstakingly brings one “perfect” log at a time into the fireplace?
No? Just me.
Then maybe you don’t need one of these waxed canvas log carriers but except YOU DO!
They make fire-time a breeze when you’re trying to get the house to above freezing temperatures when you arrive home from work.
Bring lots of things in at once! And keep the debris off of your floor!
Fires are nice, but fires are messy! Make them less messy with one of these!
(Hey - they are also great for carrying things around the garden too.)
Waxed Canvas Log Carrier - made from a high quality waxed canvas with tough durable carry handles. Water resistant where the water just beads and rolls off.
Designed in Australia, Heaven In Earth.
Handkerchiefs & Body Scrubbers
Sasawashi
Unpopular opinion - Hankies are not, in fact, gross, but are actually completely elegant?
I think I am probably, definitely, totally right about that.
Folks who just whip a fresh handkerchief outta their pocket are living in some sort of classy wonderland where tissues are environmentally unsound and like, totally, démodée.
These Sasawashi handkerchiefs, by contrast, are fully à la mode. I think I've used the French absolutely correctly there…
Made from cotton and Washi (yes those Japanese paper fibers), they are super-soft and just perfect to wipe away a happy tear!
This handsome handkerchief is made of ultra light SASAWASHI gauze and soft cotton pile. The oil-absorbing effect of SASAWASHI leaves your skin feeling soothed after use. With twice the water-absorbing power of cotton, the natural Kumazasa suppresses bothersome odours. Made in Japan. Measures 25cm x 25cm.
Specifications
‐ Gauze part: 50% Paper (SASAWASHI), 50% Cotton
‐ Pile part: 100% Cotton
‐ Can be machine washed in mesh bag
‐ Please wash separately from other coloured items
‐ Do not use bleach, wash with mild detergent
‐ Made in Japan
‐ 25cm x 25cm
Incense
Shoyeido
We don’t “get” people who don’t like Japanese Incense. We think they might be the same people who are keeping their butter “fresh” with water…
We do “get” people who are adverse to overly perfumed things. Specifically when (or because) they are fake smelling.
All this is to say that good quality Japanese incense is a different thing entirely. Expertly crafted from all natural ingredients, they are refreshing and uplifting - appropriate for all spaces and accessible to all budgets.
Personal highlights for the budget conscious are “Middle Path” and “Moss Garden”. For the big spenders, “Five Brushstrokes” is a winner.
(Great Origin)
Warming and soothing.
30 sticks, approx. 60 min burning time
The warm fragrance of Sandalwood, combined with Cinnamon, Cardamom, Borneo Camphor and sweet spices. Evokes the tranquillity of a Buddhist mountain retreat.
*Competition is open to Australian residents ONLY. Sign up to our mailing list at the bottom of the page or at checkout when you complete your order. One entry per person. New mailing list subscribers only.