I was thinking this when I made bialys yesterday (bagel-like but baked, quite chewy, in this case filled with kalamata olive bits with an added dollop of caramelized onion and poppy seeds in an indented space) and re used a sheet of parchment paper. What did I ever do without it? When did I first use it? Don't remember, it has probably been around, but I tried it about five years ago and never looked back.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parchment_paper_(baking)
Similarly, it was about a dozen years ago when I saw silicone type spatulas with wooden handles in a store... still have my red one, a gift from a friend, and use it several times a week, for making scrambled eggs/omelets or mixing batter and so on.
How about you? The recent product doesn't have to be about the kitchen and can be a tech gadget or ?