Universal Lid — 'A lid for every pot'

That's an old Jamaican saying about how there's a match for every person, no matter how seemingly outlandish she/he may be.

So don't give up hope.

But we're here to talk about pot lids.

I mean, the kitchen kind: what you think, anyhow?

You know the sign on the wall in the anesthesia storeroom?

It reads, "Say No To Drugs!"

That's our policy.

Now, where was I? Oh, yeah, this nice invention.

The Universal Lid (above) is a stainless-steel top with a glass inset so you can see what's going on in your saucepan or frying pan without lifting the lid.

Comes in two sizes: the small one (10.25" diameter) fits 7.75" to 9.5" pots, and costs $14.99; the large one (13" diameter) fits pots 9.5" to 12" and costs $17.99.

Dishwasher safe.

Well, my crack research team was feeling really good about this item, very impressed with themselves.

Me, the more I looked at it, the more one thing bothered me: that metal knob in the center looked like it would get really hot, and it obscured the view down inside the pot.

Besides which, to lift it you'd have to expose your forearm to heat and hot oil spatters exploding out the side.

So I said to the team, stop celebrating, party's over.

Go back into the virtual world and bring back a better version.

Hours later, looking beaten and frazzled, they slumped out of the computer room with the one below.

Nicely done.

Sure, it costs a bit more ($24 here), but consider: it's got a heat-resistant handle off to the side so you don't get burned, thus opening up an unobstructed vista in the center.

Bonus: it's 13" across and meant for pots and pans 8" to 12" in diameter, so one lid does it all.

Stainless-steel, with a tempered-glass dome and concentric rings that fit snugly over your pots.

OK, OK: take the rest of the night off.