A Greenhouse for Your Leftover Pasta

I have a rule about my kitchen. If a tool cannot double as something useful for my ferns or my isopods, it barely earns the right to take up shelf space.

Most microwave covers are flimsy plastic eyesores that crack if you look at them wrong. This Microwave Splatter Cover with Water Steamer from Amazon is different.

It has a built in water reservoir that releases steam, which keeps my food moist, but more importantly, it mimics the microclimate of a terrarium.

At twenty dollars, it is an oddly delightful piece of engineering. The steam keeps my quinoa from turning into dry pebbles, and the lid is sturdy enough to act as a temporary humidity dome for a struggling cutting when I need to propagate something quickly.

It creates an environment so perfectly misted that my pilea might actually prefer it to my own living room.

Things I love about it: 1. It saves me from cleaning sauce off the ceiling. 2. It does not look like a cheap afterthought.

3. It creates the perfect steamy environment for reviving wilted greens. It is quiet, functional, and deeply satisfying.

Sometimes the most mundane tools are the ones that actually help the ecosystem of my apartment thrive.