Kitchen gadgets may seem fun and may make cooking and baking easier. The truth is their super specialized uses are just a waste of space. Who wants to spend time digging through a drawer full of kitchen gadgets when all you want is your can opener? Here’s a list of popular kitchen tools and gadgets that you really just don’t need. Disagree? Have a tool you think is worth adding to this list? Comment below!
What you don’t need:
- Garbage bowls – I love Rachael Ray but garbage bowls are nothing more than a mixing bowl. Save your cash and use your mixing bowl or a plastic grocery bag.
- Tons of knives – A good chef knife, serrated knife, and paring knife are all you need for probably 98% of your projects. Start getting specialized knives when you’re getting into special projects.
- Egg separators – It’s a handy kitchen gadget, but every gadget you get takes up kitchen space and when you use it, it’s just one more thing to wash. It’s easy enough to just use the egg shells.
Avoid being tempted into buying gadgets like an apple corer. The more specific the tool is, the less valuable it is in the kitchen.
- Apple corers – Unless you’re coring the apple and using it in it’s whole shape you can pass on this kitchen gadget. As soon as you start slicing the apple the core is exposed and a knife will core your apple just fine.
- Bell graters – The age of bell graters is more than over. They do still have their use, and if you have one it doesn’t hurt to keep it around. You can grate vegetables and shred cheese easily but bell graters can be a pain to clean. Plus with food processors and commercially available shredded cheese, bell graters are going in disuse and having something bulky like this in your kitchen can be annoying. Consider getting a smaller grater if you really feel like you need one – I have one that’s flat and I almost exclusively use it for cheese.
The pieces rarely come out even in size and you can only do a small amount at a time. A food processor works much better for larger amounts and your knife skills will get you the shape/size you want.
- Slap and chops – Ugh, I was totally fooled by the commercial. I bought one and I’ve used it about 5 times and each time was a total let down. Vegetables and nuts get caught in the blades and nuts are hardly phased. Most of the tool comes apart for easily cleaning, but the little ridges in the blades can be a pain to clean. Stick with your knife skills and food processor.
- Cheesecloth – You may need cheesecloth depending on what you intend to do with it. Cheesecloth is great for making spice satchels and for gum paste work because it can store powdered sugar in an easy to use format. Other than that, cheesecloth’s purpose is mostly replaced by sieves – which are reusable.
You can also use your cupped hand to scrape batter out of a mixing bowl. Your hand is easy to clean and always nearby!
- Bowl scrapers – In bake shops they are an invaluable resource for cleaning out those giant mixing bowls and getting all of the product out. At home you can use a rubber spatula just fine.
