340501 Mon Nov 06 22:24:51 -0800 2006 342 41 Cookware 0 2001526 I posted an earlier post about what is necessary for a well equipped kitchen. Let me now get to what is the least useful. I was thinking of egg cups. I guess they're cute but don't think that they're needed. Your thoughts? Mon Nov 06 22:24:51 -0800 2006 18056 Zengarden 1 2001532 silicone garlic peeler. totally useless! Mon Nov 06 22:26:28 -0800 2006 2001526 51484 claire de lunacy 2 2001551 Yes! Those things don't do diddly squat. They're even more useless than an egg cup. At least, on the rare occassions when you do need something in which to put one hard boiled egg, the egg cup is perfectly shaped for that one exclusive job. The garlic peeler doesn't even do what it's supposed to do. Mon Nov 06 22:31:57 -0800 2006 2001532 11577 Pei 3 2001557 I finally sliced mine open. It's a little bit more useful that way. . . Mon Nov 06 22:34:05 -0800 2006 2001551 48876 mamaciita 3 2002243 I've been known to use egg cups to serve sake. Tue Nov 07 03:14:07 -0800 2006 2001551 10877 Sarah 4 2002594 I've been known to use sake cups to serve soft eggs. Tue Nov 07 07:41:05 -0800 2006 2002243 17562 FoodFuser 4 2018957 I use my egg cup to hold ink to do calligraphy, upside down when I want a little ink, right side up for a lot of ink. It's perfect! Tue Nov 14 00:19:57 -0800 2006 2002243 39874 chowser 5 2022038 The egg cup is starting to sound darn useful! Tue Nov 14 23:22:28 -0800 2006 2018957 10877 Sarah 6 2750665 hmm... a egg cup jigger then. that sounds useful. i would get that over a garlic press any day. Sat Jul 14 21:01:29 -0700 2007 2022038 100775 trymonlam 7 2754703 When I was little my Mum used to use them for holding water for my watercolours and paintbrushes. I also use them now for candle holders, as well as eggs :) Mon Jul 16 13:23:13 -0700 2007 2750665 69079 starlady 6 3488670 Wow, now I have some ideas about what to do with my stupid egg cup Thu Mar 13 08:59:46 -0700 2008 2022038 161635 wildfire 6 4675545 O.T. but this part of the thread reminds me of a trip to the museum near downtown Prague. In the artifacts section they had various prehistoric or at least historic doodads, like bowls, knives, whatever. Then there were mysterious little things just labeled "children's toy." Many of them. That was the default label for something the museum staff had no idea about, I'm pretty sure. Both a museum-touring companion - a great cook - and I shared afterward that we'd each seen some of those 'children's toy' labels and thought, "No. That's a _______ for doing _____" to do with cooking. (Sorry the specifics escape me, it's been awhile.) Egg cup would've fit right in. Mon May 11 21:10:25 -0700 2009 2022038 40486 Cinnamon 3 2755204 I love egg cups...but not for hard or soft boiled eggs. I make Pysanky (Ukranian Easter Eggs) and egg cups are a perfect display vehicle for them. Mon Jul 16 15:41:56 -0700 2007 2001551 111088 vermontpoet 3 3999292 Haha, I just bought *one* egg cup at a kitchen store last week. I couldn't help it, it was so cute . . . the little thing has squat legs and feet! Too bad I hardly ever eat soft-boiled eggs . . . Sat Aug 30 19:56:44 -0700 2008 2001551 57371 operagirl 2 2001658 I loooove my garlic peeler, it's one of the best gadgets in my kitchen. So ingenious. Mon Nov 06 23:07:59 -0800 2006 2001532 13957 slacker 3 2003164 I agree - the garlic peeler silicone tubes perfect when I want a lot of peeled garlic cloves that are NOT smashed. Tue Nov 07 16:20:47 -0800 2006 2001658 10532 LindaWhit 4 2087871 How? I have NEVER been able to get peeled garlic that wasn't smushed. Mon Dec 11 02:59:16 -0800 2006 2003164 10400 Aromatherapy 5 2790522 Buy 5 pounds of garlic you plan to pickle, on a lark. Then realize you have to peel it all. You learn. Fast. My hands staaank. Fri Jul 27 16:39:20 -0700 2007 2087871 114861 pickledgarlic 5 4673413 Aromatherapy - I'm *just* seeing this response now! (Now that anything posted in a thread you posted in - even years ago - shows back up in My Chow, I'm seeing older threads I participated in!) Anyway - this is what I'm talking about - Garlic EZ Rollers: http://www.kitchensimple.com/garlic/garlic_ezpeeler.jpg I just lightly roll the garlic cloves in the roller tube and the paper usually comes off - I don't press hard at all, but the paper sticks to the inside of the roller, and out pops the peeled garlic clove. Mon May 11 10:04:34 -0700 2009 2087871 10532 LindaWhit 2 2001819 Useless for garlic but I find it helps with opening jars. Mon Nov 06 23:58:20 -0800 2006 2001532 34770 kitchensalli 3 2001839 I love the flat kind for opening jars, but the kind shaped like a tube can't even be used for that! Tue Nov 07 00:07:16 -0800 2006 2001819 11577 Pei 2 2087181 this was exactly my first though! Sun Dec 10 21:42:48 -0800 2006 2001532 20064 durhamois 2 2812375 Do I ever agree with you! Fri Aug 03 17:39:18 -0700 2007 2001532 115579 Mother of four 1 2001594 When you have soft boiled eggs egg cups come in pretty handy to hold them up so they don't fall over on a plate or bowl and spill the yolk out. Did you know those "double" egg cups with small end and are large end have a function. When your eggs are perfectly cooked and you want to keep eat the first and keep the other warm, you fit the larger end over the other egg and put the egg you are eating in the top. If you are going this route it is good to have eggs scissors to top the egg perfectly. Then you just need hot buttered toast fingers for dipping. I have gotten ruthless over the years about getting rid of useless gadgets. I have been given 2 truffle shavers in recent years. I have never had the opportunity to use them. I thought maybe to shave chocolate with but have found a vegetable peeler will work as well so they will probably be going away too. Mon Nov 06 22:46:25 -0800 2006 2001526 10285 Candy 2 2001664 I have an egg allergy. My friends know that I am unable to eat them. Hence, the egg cups are useless (to me). Mon Nov 06 23:10:58 -0800 2006 2001594 18056 Zengarden 3 2268394 I put my husband's vitamins in the very cheery egg cup every morning Wed Feb 07 09:37:35 -0800 2007 2001664 71139 Bugswife 2 2375654 if your truffle shavers are adjustable, they're great for creating paper thin Fennel, apples, parmaggiano reggiano, and pretty good for shaving toaste block of either the Taiwanese or the Italian Bottarga. No peelers can do that. Sun Mar 11 18:51:24 -0700 2007 2001594 10422 HLing 2 2448266 I use my egg cup every weekend to make my daughter "chucky egg & soldiers" an english classic, the above dish.. soft boiled egg, with slices 1/2 wide of heavily buttered bread .. untoasted in this house. I have always wondered about those double egg utensils! Thanks for the info! Tue Apr 03 19:59:05 -0700 2007 2001594 82247 CookieGal 3 2754746 I love egg and soldiers!!!! Still have them when I am feeling under the weather Mon Jul 16 13:32:11 -0700 2007 2448266 69079 starlady 1 2001663 Cherry pitter. Used it once when I was mascerating cherries and peaches in some dark rum. Got all sorts of cherry juice squirted all over me. Besides, I prefer my cherries straight up, and not wasting any of it. Mon Nov 06 23:10:55 -0800 2006 2001526 13957 slacker 2 2002154 Never used mine for cherries, but very useful for pitting olives. Tue Nov 07 02:36:01 -0800 2006 2001663 38577 wak 3 2002600 I was gonna say, Williams-Sonoma does a great cherry pitter, but I also use it for olives. TT Tue Nov 07 07:45:59 -0800 2006 2002154 19247 TexasToast 3 2003806 Yeah, I don't like to waste any of my olives either, and the pitter leaves a lot of fruit on the pit. Also like my olives straight up, and when cooking with them, just chew carefully. Tue Nov 07 19:28:12 -0800 2006 2002154 13957 slacker 2 2007595 The better models remove less flesh. Very useful for pie! Thu Nov 09 02:13:28 -0800 2006 2001663 10099 JudiAU 3 2108451 Mmmm, olive pie! Mon Dec 18 02:50:59 -0800 2006 2007595 60435 braineater 1 2001671 Funny you should mention egg cups- you don't know how many times I've almost posted "What else can you do with egg cups besides put an egg in it?!?" I don't have any, but I've always loved them and am not a huge egg fan. I still might get some someday... they're too cute! I can't help it! I kind of like the garlic peeler if I'm peeling a bunch of cloves that have to be left whole, but I really don't use it all that often. I think probably my most useless gadget is the food chopper, but that's just because I don't like to clean it!! Mon Nov 06 23:14:06 -0800 2006 2001526 12813 Katie Nell 2 2001813 Oh I got rid of the chopper pronto. It never did work properly and even though I could throw it in the dishwasher it was just a PITA Mon Nov 06 23:55:30 -0800 2006 2001671 10285 Candy 3 2002190 oh i hate that stupid zyliss food chopper. i bought one after it was featured in the nyt about 6 or 7 years ago and it sure didn't last in my kitchen very long. I also rue the day I got a set of silicone baking items -- loaf "pans," bundt "pan," etc. Totally useless. Tue Nov 07 02:47:17 -0800 2006 2001813 47694 litchick 4 2741048 oh those big silicone baking things just SUCK but i like the little compartmentalized ones not for baking, but for making individual frozen desserts. Wed Jul 11 15:29:48 -0700 2007 2002190 46030 soupkitten 4 3487579 What was I thinking! I should have learned when my mom bought one 40 years ago! They were useless then and useless now! Did I learn? No, I bought one 5 years ago and was still useless. Wed Mar 12 21:15:15 -0700 2008 2002190 171058 kanosis 2 2004303 I just saw in a magazine an idea using a bunch of vintage eggcups - they put sorbet in them all and then displayed them on a tiered cake stand - like a cupcake tower - it was precious and I'm going to try it. Tue Nov 07 21:52:36 -0800 2006 2001671 16210 shana 2 2376361 I have a chopper (bang on the top variety) which is somewhat useless to me, but it's great when my 4 year old son wants to help in the kitchen. He can chop without me having to worry about his fingers or his proximity to knives. Our egg slicer is also good for kids chopping mushrooms. Mon Mar 12 06:02:03 -0700 2007 2001671 41763 kiwijen 3 2376393 That's true, no kids yet, so I hadn't thought of that! :-) Great idea! Mon Mar 12 06:20:37 -0700 2007 2376361 12813 Katie Nell 2 2376557 I love soft cooked eggs in my little egg cups eaten with my itty bitty spoons! Mon Mar 12 07:25:34 -0700 2007 2001671 50431 chef chicklet 1 2001850 I have a strict no-useless-gadgets policy. This has made me think about all the stuff in my kitchen. It is really all useful. Kinda cool. I did just get rid of some totally useless basting brushes from IKEA (round with some sort of "hair" bristle). Totally stiff and gross. Now I have a silicone one. Tue Nov 07 00:09:24 -0800 2006 2001526 36325 Procrastibaker 1 2002716 I have a mushroom-shaped brush that is supposed to clean mushrooms, I think. Mainly it just scratches them up. But it's too soft to be used as a nail brush, so I really don't use it for anything. I also have a salad spinner. It fits into the category of one-purpose items, which are generally prohibited in my kitchen. But I can't imagine not having one. I use it for all sorts of leaves and herbs. But still it's big and taking up all that space... Tue Nov 07 12:26:28 -0800 2006 2001526 14139 Kagey 2 2028995 That is why I got a mini-spinner too. More junk I suppose, but I love my big and small spinners just the same. Fri Nov 17 03:02:25 -0800 2006 2002716 28871 MaggieMuffin 2 3340663 <<I have a mushroom-shaped brush that is supposed to clean mushrooms, I think. Mainly it just scratches them up. But it's too soft to be used as a nail brush, so I really don't use it for anything.>> Yes, I received one of those as well and it was also useless! I just didn't really understand the point and it was too soft to be used on things like potatoes or other vegetables. I also purchased a Pampered Chef pizza stone. I used it once, ruined the pizza and that was it. I still have it. I'm trying to figure out what the heck to do with it. Mon Jan 28 09:45:25 -0800 2008 2002716 111207 rweater 3 3345299 <<I also purchased a Pampered Chef pizza stone. I used it once, ruined the pizza and that was it. I still have it. I'm trying to figure out what the heck to do with it.>> Did you preheat before hand? It takes longer to preheat any pizza stone then to preheat an oven. Also, most manufactures recommend putting pizza stones in with nothing on them the first few times, to help break them & burn off any odd smells. I don't think PC is one that requires that though, IIRC. Also, you can keep your pizza stone in your oven all the time, it helps keep the oven temp more even, even if you're not baking directly on it. Tue Jan 29 12:55:06 -0800 2008 3340663 117958 anniemax 2 4394882 HA! I have a potato-shaped one for cleaning potatoes. Just as useless. Fri Feb 06 18:22:08 -0800 2009 2002716 71070 StrawbrryF 1 2002803 I have one of those and do use it for mushrooms. I also have a potato shaped brush and use THAT one as a nail brush as it has harder brissels. TT Tue Nov 07 14:03:34 -0800 2006 2001526 19247 TexasToast 1 2003848 The most useless thing in my kitchen is one of those standard-size American rolling pins you can buy in any grocery store--about a foot-long with handles. Julia Child referred to them as "just toys". I agree. I keep it just to show people what NOT to use. I use a French rolling pin or the huge ball-bearing rolling pin I bought somewhere. The large one is like steamroller; it does all the work. Tue Nov 07 19:38:48 -0800 2006 2001526 10250 raj1 2 2020835 i have a gorgeous long marble rolling pin, no handles, works wonderfully. a btw, whats so hard about peeling garlic without squishing it? i can do it just fine with a paring knife and my hands. never tried a garlic peeler. Tue Nov 14 18:02:46 -0800 2006 2003848 52894 RiJaAr 3 2029414 Garlic is easy to peel without gadgets. Slice off the "root" end, and tap the clove lightly all over with the flat or back of a heavy knife. Except for that ultra-fresh garlic with a really tight skin that you just bought in Gilroy, the parchment jacket will peel away with moderate effort. Fri Nov 17 09:17:38 -0800 2006 2020835 38373 Mel Gee 1 2007566 Honey dipper...a spoon works fine last I checked Thu Nov 09 01:59:25 -0800 2006 2001526 36312 HillJ 2 2020500 Yeah I never understood those. How are they more effective or less messy than a spoon? At least with a spoon I know how much I'm getting. . . Tue Nov 14 16:30:10 -0800 2006 2007566 12858 Covert Ops 3 2108380 I had a really pretty lucite honey jar with one of those dippers - but it made such a mess it was pointless. The jar + spoon or knife works fine. Mon Dec 18 02:19:28 -0800 2006 2020500 11130 jen kalb 2 2087196 My dad used to stick a table knife in the jar of honey, and then withdraw the kife while simultaneously rotating it in his hand (as if the honey were on a rotisserie spit). This got the honey out of the jar, plus it's easier to scrape the honey off a flat knife than off a spoon or a honey dipper. Less drip, less waste. Sun Dec 10 21:53:03 -0800 2006 2007566 20064 durhamois 1 2008100 Hub bought me one of those color-coded inside-out citrus squeezers; you know, the ones that America's Test Kitchen and Rick Bayless are always using? Sorry. My trusty ol' reamer does the trick with less blue language over positioning, and the hand sieves the seeds. Thu Nov 09 11:03:34 -0800 2006 2001526 49525 cayjohan 2 2016773 Funny, I went exactly backwards. My reamer sits in the drawer not doing much, but the squeezer one gets used all the time. In goes the half, squish, done. Mon Nov 13 10:26:42 -0800 2006 2008100 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 3 2017693 Second on that, faster, easier, more efficient. I actually ended up with two, large for lemons and small for limes. Mon Nov 13 18:54:50 -0800 2006 2016773 10784 Scrapironchef 1 2015115 I threw away my box grater 30 seconds after I tried a Microplane. Sun Nov 12 14:43:30 -0800 2006 2001526 10539 KRS 2 2741052 YES! Wed Jul 11 15:32:20 -0700 2007 2015115 46030 soupkitten 2 2813155 Not me. My box grater has really nice bigger holes on it for things like grated mozz, grated chocolate etc. I only use my microplane when I need fine grated cheese or grated peel - stuff like that. I not only kept my box grater - I have 2 that I like for different purposes. (And yes, I have a food processor, use it all the time - but for some jobs I just don't feel like making such a big mess and fuss.) Sat Aug 04 05:39:06 -0700 2007 2015115 63569 flourgirl 2 4316599 While my microplane has its place, nothing beats my box grater for grating potatoes for pancakes, cheese, veggies, and of course, chocolate. Sun Jan 11 13:45:59 -0800 2009 2015115 226942 al b. darned 1 2018541 The most useless gadget in my kitchen ... the broken Hamilton Beach Model 30 Drinkmaster milkshake mixer? http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00004X133.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1104187157_.jpg Mon Nov 13 22:12:54 -0800 2006 2001526 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 2018955 Hmm, how many pampered chef parties I have been to... long stainless cylindrical bread pans so bread comes out shaped like flowers and hearts perogie maker (rectangular piece of plastic with half holes where you put the dough on it, fill the holes, put another on it and roll with a rolling pin) sandwich/perogie maker where it cuts out the crust, like a Smucker's uncrustable apple corer mini chopper as mentioned above stone loaf pan other than that a gift: ice tea maker (I don't even drink ice tea), pint holder for ice cream Tue Nov 14 00:18:58 -0800 2006 2001526 39874 chowser 2 2018977 Well those cylindrical bread pans do have a use. Mine is not frm PC and is just round. If you are making pain de mie which is a very tight, firm grained bread it is essential. I have found having an apple corer makes peeling apples go much faster. I never got to PC parties. far too expensive for what you get inb local kitchen shops. Tue Nov 14 00:25:59 -0800 2006 2018955 10285 Candy 3 2019014 I don't have the apple peeler/corer which is what I wanted. I must have ordered the corer only by mistake--it's a thin cylinder you press through the center of the core and then it's stuck there. I have to put on oven mitts to pull out the corer w/out ripping my fingers apart in the small slicer. Apparently, you can also core a cucumber and put a carrot through the core. I can't figure out why anyone would want to do it unless they wanted to be Martha Stewart. I don't make pain de mie but if I did, I wouldn't make it heart or flower shaped! :-) I have used those pans for quick breads (took me while to figure out how to make it so the batter didn't ooze out). It's fun for kids but if I didn't have it, they'd be happy with loaf shaped quick breads. I'm guessing the same person who'd want to core an apple into a cucumber might LOVE it! Tue Nov 14 00:37:17 -0800 2006 2018977 39874 chowser 4 2021858 I like that long thin apple corer and have never had a problem until the wood handle rotted and broke off. I am looking for a replacement. I do have one of those corer slicers but sorely miss that corer. I don't know why removing the core makes peeling for pies go faster but it really does. Tue Nov 14 22:30:43 -0800 2006 2019014 10285 Candy 2 2021698 Chowser, We must have the same friends as I have the plastic pirogi maker and the molded bread pans. I have a pump-up sprayer for oil that I wasted $20.00 for. I have some stainless steel molds for petite-fors. I have a mushroom brush. I have many baking pans that were required for a single job, that I have never used since, but I don't want to give them away. My sister had a Rubbermaid fetish, and i think I have 2 pieces of almost every storage device that they ever made. Tue Nov 14 21:45:23 -0800 2006 2018955 22220 Kelli2006 3 2811826 I used to use the pump sprayer a lot, then realized that a small squeeze bottle was just as effective and easier to deal with (fill, clean, grab in a hurry). Fri Aug 03 14:19:55 -0700 2007 2021698 82797 itsrob 2 2030191 Oh yeah, I should add the perfect pancake maker to that list and pancake molds. I have a lot of useless stuff... Fri Nov 17 17:44:14 -0800 2006 2018955 39874 chowser 2 2088393 Ooh. I would kill for a stone loaf pan right about now. I've been messing with the NYT bread recipe, and a preheated container that can hold some heat is essential to good results. I have many metal loaf pans, but none with substance. Mon Dec 11 11:23:10 -0800 2006 2018955 58892 Velochicdunord 3 2091998 How would you use the loaf pan to make the bread? I've used a pizza stone w/ a pan over it (ruined the pan color...) but would you use the loaf pan to hold the bread and cover it? Or put the loaf pan into the pot? I love the bread but don't have the right pot. I don't think it's big enough--it's 9" long. Hmmm, now you have me thinking about trying that out somehow. Tue Dec 12 13:32:10 -0800 2006 2088393 39874 chowser 4 2126169 The NYT recipe is for one loaf. It's a very moist loaf. The trick, according to the recipe, os that the bread dough must be tipped into a covered/sealed preheated container with an interior glaze and some mass to provide an even heat all around the breat. Preheating the container means that the dough surface seals when it hits it. It has to be covered or sealed to provide the steamy enviroment necessary to generate a flaky but not too tough and chewy crust. So, a 9" x 4" loaf pan, with a tinfoil hood to provide some room for the rise would work wonderfully. Sun Dec 24 10:11:04 -0800 2006 2091998 58892 Velochicdunord 2 2108596 You're too nice calling it Pampered Chef. I refer to them as Pampered S**t. Mon Dec 18 04:11:32 -0800 2006 2018955 22241 personalcheffie 3 2108680 The best garlic press I've ever used is from PC. Mon Dec 18 05:02:13 -0800 2006 2108596 15900 sillyrabbit 4 2109294 The original Zyliss from Switzerland has been copied by many a company, including PC. Mon Dec 18 15:38:34 -0800 2006 2108680 22241 personalcheffie 5 2111600 Aha! So that's who invented this ingenious contraption! I didn't think PC was so clever. Well, my kitchen wouldn't be the same without it. Tue Dec 19 02:12:59 -0800 2006 2109294 15900 sillyrabbit 4 2741058 aha! ALL garlic presses are pieces of S**t, though! Wed Jul 11 15:35:22 -0700 2007 2108680 46030 soupkitten 1 2019145 Hey, that Perogie making thing...If it can be used to make empanadas, I'll be glad to take it off your hands. Indeed its a unitasker, but when you have a husband from argentina...a empanada making du-hikey would come in handy! (one persons's junk is another persons gold...something like that) Tue Nov 14 01:19:01 -0800 2006 2001526 16849 cheesehead in recovery 2 2019409 Too bad we couldn't do a craigslist like exchange here. The problem with it is that it works well in theory but not in practice. The ends don't seal up (you're supposed to use a rolling pin and roll over the plastic when it's all assembled) and it doesn't come out of the container easily. So, you fight with it to pop out and you have to seal it individually with a fork after. I think PC stopped making it. Along this idea, only rectangular and white: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140050581758 Tue Nov 14 02:53:35 -0800 2006 2019145 39874 chowser 1 2019421 Fire Extinguisher. I've had it for years and never used it. ;-) DT Tue Nov 14 02:59:10 -0800 2006 2001526 11291 Davwud 2 2088042 You must not have run into the useless kitchenware phenomenon of silicone bakeware. I live in an old apartment with old appliances, and was making cornbread with my oven set at 425. I don't think its temperature conrol was all that good, though, because I came in and found the silicone pan on fire in the oven. If you've ever played The Sims, you'll be able to picture how I reacted. My husband was smart enough to remember the fire extinguisher, though. Mon Dec 11 04:26:22 -0800 2006 2019421 40874 saraeanderson 3 2750628 OMG, I have played the Sims and now I am LMAO at that. Sorry, I know it must not have been funny for you at the time. Sat Jul 14 20:39:32 -0700 2007 2088042 76268 newbatgirl 2 2812396 Count your blessings, Davwud!!! How about the electric egg cookie that I received as a wedding gift many years ago. By the way, I love my egg cup, use it for a soft boiled egg all the time. I am about to add the stupid electric can opener (that never works) to the list, the manual one works just fine. Fri Aug 03 17:44:46 -0700 2007 2019421 115579 Mother of four 1 2019442 Oh let's see...... Bread maker, GF Grill, Mushroom shaped brush (As mentioned above), ditto for the corn shaped one, adjustable measuring spoons, ravioli crimper, there's others of course. Some of the things I've been sharp enough to stay clear of are; double sided pancake frying pans, spatula/tongs, egg shell remover, anything made by pampered chef, anything sold by Ron Popiel or the other woman, magic bullet, um...... DT Tue Nov 14 03:04:39 -0800 2006 2001526 11291 Davwud 2 2028822 a george foreman grill is handy if you're a lazy/kitchenless college student, especially for making grilled cheese samwiches without all the butter. if you aren't... well, hopefully if you care about your meat sitting in a pool of it's own fat while it cooks, you probably should try and get a leaner cut or trim it yourself before cooking! :-D you really think tongs are useless? they get lots of use at home, but i guess it's the way my parents like to manipulate stuff when they cook.. which is why chopsticks are used for cooking a lot as well. i don't really have any useless kitchen gadgets.. but that's probably because i'm still in school and my house has kitchen stuff that's shared by everyone... we do have a never-used egg cup though. and a really cheap, blunt pizza cutter (any pizzas that have actually been made here and not ordered, frozen or with dough from the store, are cut with knives.) Fri Nov 17 01:57:32 -0800 2006 2019442 51363 feedmec00kies 3 2029054 I think he realldy did mean spatula-tongs. They were advertised on TV a while back and were supposed to be tongs that were flexible enough that when locked togther you could use the joined tong faces as spatulas and turn pancakes etc. Fri Nov 17 03:29:43 -0800 2006 2028822 24055 Atahualpa 4 2030062 Yes. I have three pairs of scalloped tongs. They get tons of use. I did dig out my GF grill to make panini's last night and it worked great. It's still fairly useless but at least it's now a unitasker instead of a nontasker. DT Fri Nov 17 17:07:16 -0800 2006 2029054 11291 Davwud 5 2034973 Hmm, never heard of these spatula-tongs.. though honestly my mom has trained me to have very little faith in any kitchen devices advertised on TV most are pretty lost on me (sounds familiar now, though) Mon Nov 20 03:27:18 -0800 2006 2030062 51363 feedmec00kies 4 2108605 Ah, the spatula/tong set and spatula egg turner that won't damage the yolk. My hubby just HAD to go to the "As Seen On TV" store locally and pick me up a set of these, along with the thing that looks like a flat whisk, that is supposed to grab everything, and can not grab and pick up anything. Sheesh! Mon Dec 18 04:15:40 -0800 2006 2029054 22241 personalcheffie 5 2109369 PC and Feedme. I couldn't think of the name of the woman at the time but her name is Cathy Mitchell. She sells a lot of other crap like the GeMagic. That whisk thing is supposed to be so dextrous you can pick up a dime with it. What a load of crap. DT Mon Dec 18 16:02:47 -0800 2006 2108605 11291 Davwud 1 2028844 My Baguette molds - those racks that are open-hole non-stick racks for baguettes? Didn't work for squat. I'm beginning to think that to make good baguette (the thin, crusty stuff with the chewy center) you have to have a wood stove that goes up to 1000F hot metal lights behind your eyes invincible oven (apologies to OK Go) I used them several times and they didn't do diddly. Fri Nov 17 02:05:45 -0800 2006 2001526 49971 Andiereid 1 2028867 Two things actually... 1. A sandcastle shaped bundt pan...totally useful if I evr made budt cakes but I don't so hence the uselessness. 2. A nutmeg grinder from williams-sonoma which is totaly uni-pupose and doesn't even manage to do that particularly well. Especially compared to a micro-plane! Either way I love them both for the whimsy of it! Useless, yes! But I love them! Jenna Fri Nov 17 02:14:22 -0800 2006 2001526 18354 j2brady 2 2028883 I have that bundt pan! I've used it once! But you're right... I love it! Fri Nov 17 02:19:35 -0800 2006 2028867 49971 Andiereid 3 2465896 I've seen that bundt pan often, and resisted. My logic was that it was a one time thrill to show off, and that I'd not use it again. It was too pricey! The little ones are very cute too! Wish I liked bundt cake... but never have for some reason.. Tue Apr 10 00:36:11 -0700 2007 2028883 50431 chef chicklet 4 2489304 Was that bundt cake pan being sold through Williams-Sonoma? I vaguely remember admiring a pan that sounds like that but since I don't have kids (and my one niece is a high school teenager), I didn't see when I'd be inclined to make a castle-shaped cake. Still, I thought about buying it...just because (it could join the other useless gadgets in my kitchen -- juicer, food dehydrator [too much trouble to clean], mushroom brush, apple corer/slicer, more cake pans [couldn't resist getting Nordicware from the local thrift shop for $3-5], cake mold that makes a "Barbie-doll" cake for the aforementioned high school teenager [never got around to making it...and she was a youngun in elementary school who was very into Barbies when I bought the thing]. Ah, countless items I have! There are way too many to name them all; I'm just extremely fond of kitchen items! I did donate to charity the breadmaker I bought "for a steal" from a thrift shop (and never used), along with the giant electric roaster I bought from a friend (and also never used). I gave my mother the Wolfgang Puck commercial stand mixer I absolutely had to have (and...wait for it...NEVER USED). Would you believe I still want another stand mixer...??? Tue Apr 17 12:53:30 -0700 2007 2465896 64017 SoCalVal 1 2031343 The Alton Brown measuring cup. I so wanted one after watching him use it for years, and when I got two (the big one and the less big one), ho hum! Plus it's a HUGE pain to remove the sleeve (for cleaning) and to put it back on again. Also don't get anyone you like the silicone measuring cups. Very flimsy (flour goes flying if you grasp it too hard), you can't fill it to the brim with liquids (liquids spill out when you go to lift the cup) and you can't begin to guess where the halfway point is (yes I'll fess up, I often fill a cup part way up coz I'm too lazy to get out another cup of the correct size). I think I'm the queen of useless gadgets. I have a box of gadgets I still haven't unpacked since I moved in May. But the 2 above are the worst that come to mind. Fri Nov 17 23:44:07 -0800 2006 2001526 10961 Alice Patis 2 2039874 I have that measuring cup that Alton Brown recommended, too. It looked great on his show. I have no idea how to use it--which side is wet, which is dry, how to measure. Another useless gadget. And, it's not dishwashable. Tue Nov 21 21:18:53 -0800 2006 2031343 39874 chowser 3 2109373 We have one as well. Guess what?? It's from Pampered Chef. Guess how much use it gets!! DT Mon Dec 18 16:04:08 -0800 2006 2039874 11291 Davwud 1 2031645 my garlic press is the most useless thing ever, i have to peel the garlic anyways, then push the galic in, repush some of it, then clean the thing... my knife is out anyways, so i'm going to toss it out right now... Sat Nov 18 02:10:48 -0800 2006 2001526 14643 mabziegurl 1 2031677 Love this thread - very instructive. Note to self: don't buy single-use items, very large/bulky items, and, er, things that are badly designed or try to fix imaginary deficiencies in existing products. (Like, who thought up silicone measuring cups, and why?) Here's mine: - Salton drink mixer, a years-ago Christmas present. Weak motor; does what my blender does only slowly, half-assedly. http://www.salton.com/product_details.asp?product=5 Waste of space, makes me bitter. - Polder and Williams-Somoma remote thermometers. http://www.amazon.com/Polder-307-Deluxe-Preset/dp/B00004S4TZ and http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku4065835/index.cfm?pkey=cctlttsi&cm%5Fsrc=None I really wanted these to work out, and it was super-fun wearing the "pager" device. But they both worked only once, never again. - Gorgeous stainless steel Moha salad spinner. I do not eat enough leafy greens to justify housing this ;-/ - Annoying huge breadmaker, a gift from mom. Used seven times and never again. Sat Nov 18 02:32:26 -0800 2006 2001526 23874 spigot 1 2032701 I had plastic empanada/dumpling presses. They were unnecessary and didn't even work when I remembered I had them and tried to use them. I put them out by the curb for scavengers. My bread maker was also pretty useless. I agree with Spigot -- too big and bulky for the number of times I used it before I gave it to a friend who wanted one. And someone mentioned the pump-up oil sprayer. Mine clogged almost immediately and is hard to get clean. It's sticky, clogged, and unpleasant. Sat Nov 18 19:46:24 -0800 2006 2001526 29608 Neuromancer 1 2087131 dishwasher it takes me much less time to hand wash the dishes than to arrange the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. I absolutely hate placing dirty dishes neatly in the dishwasher. Sun Dec 10 21:11:32 -0800 2006 2001526 19631 mimolette 2 2089999 Oh how I wish I could afford to install the dishwasher (that is sitting in our outbuilding since we bought our house in June). I try to clean as I go, but find that I am ALWAYS washing dishes. And as you cook, where do the used dishes and utensils end up? In the sink! In the way! Finish baking and there are gobs of dishes; those annoying measuring spoons, big bowls w/ chocolate batter, etc. I would happily cook all day if I didn't have to stop to wash yet another batch of dishes! My hope is that someday when I remodel the kitchen I will have TWO dishwashers. While one is running, I can load dirty dishes in the other one! Mon Dec 11 20:52:20 -0800 2006 2087131 33755 NYchowcook 3 2091770 I wash as I go most of the time. a few seconds a dish, faster than opening the dishwasher door! Tue Dec 12 08:06:14 -0800 2006 2089999 19631 mimolette 3 2305938 I got my first dishwasher two years ago at the tender age of 41. I will never go back. I love the darn thing. Sun Feb 18 22:19:56 -0800 2007 2089999 68466 vickib 2 2812442 I couldn't imagine being without one!!! Fri Aug 03 18:00:45 -0700 2007 2087131 115579 Mother of four 2 4316633 OOOOHHHH! Given the choice of a dishwasher or a washing machine, I'm grabbing my quarters and heading for the Laundromat! Yes, I hate doing dishes that much. Besides, the dishwasher sanitizes dishes better.I have an old house with non-standard counters, so i have to have a portable unit. A bit of a pain to set up, but definitely worth it. Sun Jan 11 14:02:40 -0800 2009 2087131 226942 al b. darned 3 4700112 Well, I don't have a washing machine or a dishwasher and I would much rather have the washing machine. Schlepping clothes to the laundry, not guaranteed that there's a machine free, etc, etc...I'd trade that for doing dishes by hand for sure. Wed May 20 07:45:28 -0700 2009 4316633 139219 Sooeygun 1 2087152 I find that a lot of the gadgets at Williams-Sonoma are not only overpriced but useless. Someone gave me a stainless steel apple corer from W-S. At first, I thought it was perfect. Well, the corer was shipped as a gift, and it did not come with any labels, instructions, or even an itemized shipping list. I finally figured out what it was only because there was an itty bitty label on the plastic bag--one that was barely discernible to the human eye. After I discovered what it was, I then had to figure out on my own how to use the damn contraption, since it came with no directions. It was hit and miss, but after I figured out how to use the corer, I discovered that to use it effectively, one has to have the strength of a 300-lb man. Lesson: Do not buy the apple corer from Williams-Sonoma. It's less aggravating to hand-peel, core, and cut the apples yourself. Sun Dec 10 21:25:02 -0800 2006 2001526 12437 Pamela 2 2088137 Twenty years ago I had a corer/slicer that, as you say, required great strength to use. One night while preparing apples for a Thanksgiving pie I pushed down on it so hard that a blade broke loose and sliced deeply into my right hand -- I still have the scar. It didn't hurt until my wife saw blood running all over the white-porcelain sink and started yelling! Needless to say, I agree with your advice about doing the work with a hand knife you can control. Mon Dec 11 05:17:02 -0800 2006 2087152 59039 S. Britchky 3 2091069 After I read your post, I searched through my utensil drawer and promptly threw away the corer. Your experience sounded frightening. I see how this particular corer could easily cut deeply through flesh, and/or result in an accidental amputation, particularly with the sheer force required to use it. Tue Dec 12 01:59:28 -0800 2006 2088137 12437 Pamela 4 2108402 the apple parer-slicer my 'rents gave us. neither my husband nor I can figure out how to make it to function. Theirs works fine. a V-slicer I also cant figure out how to use - where are the instructions to these things? food mills - I have a couple but they are very tedious to use -fee like they are mis-calibrated and not pushing the food down through very well like my old foley did. an expensive flexible-bladed knife I bought a long time ago - cant remember what its supposed to be good for, but Ive never found a use Mon Dec 18 02:27:28 -0800 2006 2091069 11130 jen kalb 5 2222528 I use my V-slicer all the time to cut onions. I really hate cutting onions, and when I need a lot of really thin slices I always use the V-slicer. I also use it anytime i need a lot of very thinly sliced tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, etc. Wed Jan 24 12:39:53 -0800 2007 2108402 63569 flourgirl 5 2753032 I love my food mill (just broke and need to get a new one) for mashed potatoes, pureed veg to put into a gravy, passing canned tomatoes through to remove seeds for tomato sauce. Now I have to figure out which one to get - SSteel or big white plastic one. Mon Jul 16 05:45:12 -0700 2007 2108402 79652 itryalot 2 2091929 I bought a nifty apple/pear corer from my local kitchen store that works great. It's a metal blade offset from 90 degrees in a circle on a handle that slices through the core (once you slice the fruit in half). Tue Dec 12 12:45:45 -0800 2006 2087152 33755 NYchowcook 1 2087192 I am a Kitchen Utensil junkie. I love all sorts of things, so I have items I have not used for a long time, but I wouldn't call them useless. But if I had to nominate something it would be my Hamilton Beach Electric grill. It does not heat evenly on both sides and without removable plates it is too hard to clean so I just do not use it. Sun Dec 10 21:51:17 -0800 2006 2001526 58962 UncleVinty 1 2087206 I have several madolines but none of them work. Or should I say they don't work the way I expect them to work. I am really looking for a good one that works as it promise. If anyone has any suggestion please let me know! Sun Dec 10 21:58:00 -0800 2006 2001526 54254 kobetobiko 1 2087526 I agree with the previous poster about the mandoline; I use my benriner more often. I also keep but absolutely never use a rotary egg beater. Don't ask me why I think that I will ever need to use this if the power is out so I cannot use my hand mixer. I have kept this my entire married life and it'll probably be taking up space in a gadget drawer when I die. Mon Dec 11 00:30:12 -0800 2006 2001526 12213 jillp 1 2087882 Corn on the cob forks. Seriously - how hard is it to pick up corn? Mon Dec 11 03:04:20 -0800 2006 2001526 57617 SChalfant 2 2088025 My sons actually use this! This is because they can't wait for the corn to cool before digging into it. The corn is too hot to hold but apparently not too hot to eat. LOL! Mon Dec 11 04:17:57 -0800 2006 2087882 46140 ctl98 2 2091957 Yup- I agree. I have them- and they are used for corn only by the kids. I do use them to prick the skin of a duck as it roasts, though- so I guess they have some merit! Tue Dec 12 13:03:07 -0800 2006 2087882 11057 macca 2 2753035 Ditto; I like my corn really hot too. We use them all summer. Mon Jul 16 05:45:59 -0700 2007 2087882 79652 itryalot 2 2811979 My kids love them and I use them for my corn also. It's easier to hold hot corn while rolling it in butter. We use them all summer too. Fri Aug 03 15:09:43 -0700 2007 2087882 40385 othervoice 1 2087915 Agree on the nutmeg grater... just too damn small to be of much use. But it was a gift - and now I have a microplane. Hurray! Mon Dec 11 03:16:52 -0800 2006 2001526 42439 Radiothomas 1 2088058 Single-unit measuring cups. I don't need to measure 1/3 of a cup with a different cup (and yet a different thing to wash) than I do 1/2 cup. As I mentioned above, silicone bakeware. Not only are they NOT KIDDING about the upper temperature limits, but the pans don't hold their shape and you end up with cracked cakes and cornbread. The oven mitt was no good too. Cool to use and reach in and grab things out of boiling pots of water, but inflexible and awkward. The little pac-man-looking ones seem a lot better. Mon Dec 11 04:36:11 -0800 2006 2001526 40874 saraeanderson 2 2088121 Silicone bakeware has a temperature limit? Eeek! My silicone muffin cups didn't come with any info, and if my silpat sheets did, I've thrown it away. What's the max recommended temp for silicone? Thanks, Anne P.S. My vote for mose useless gadget: an odd little bean-shaped scrubbie, designed for cleaning out the inside of a plastic bottle. It looks a little like a plastic-mesh edamame in the pod. I found it in an Asian grocery store and bought it because it's so weird. But I've never used it. Mon Dec 11 05:07:46 -0800 2006 2088058 12541 AnneInMpls 3 2109391 I have a silicone muffin pan and it works great. I just about only use it to make single serving fritatas but I haven't had too much problem with it. Just have to either put a sheet pan under it or fill it on the oven rack or it will spill. Didn't know it could catch on fire. DT Mon Dec 18 16:12:02 -0800 2006 2088121 11291 Davwud 3 2741016 If you buy the silicone bake ware get the good stuff that goes to 500 °F. Generaly you are not baking anything above 500 °F. And I love the muffin cups becuase they are re-useable! Wed Jul 11 15:19:08 -0700 2007 2088121 70179 JIRodriguez 1 2088096 I don't own one, but I have seen many people who do have "banana trees" and they always make me laugh to no end. These are usually wood or metal "trees" in which people suspend their bananas. Technically it's a gadget, I suppose, since it is supposed to have a function,although I would argue otherwise. Banana trees make absolutely no sense to me. First of all, hanging already picked bananas from what is supposed to be a simulated tree is not going to slow down or speed up the ripening process any. Second, if the purpose of the banana tree is to save space, I don't see how it does, because one of those trees take up just as much space required if one were to simply set down the bananas on the counter. Things like this really make no sense at all. Whoever invented this stupid contraption, though, must be a millionaire by now, because I see these all over the place. Mon Dec 11 04:53:54 -0800 2006 2001526 12437 Pamela 2 2089607 My SIL gave her mother one of those things for Christmas one year and we all howled laughing. How ridiculous. I think my MIL gave it away. Mon Dec 11 19:18:52 -0800 2006 2088096 49971 Andiereid 2 2090183 Not to mention, how does it hold up one banana? Mon Dec 11 21:37:50 -0800 2006 2088096 45940 Shazam 3 2109394 I was under the impression these "Trees" sole function was to keep the bananas from getting bruised under their own weight. DT Mon Dec 18 16:13:05 -0800 2006 2090183 11291 Davwud 2 2296477 Hanging your bananas is pretty cool for making sure they don't smush each other. But a hardware-store hook screwed into the underside of a cabinet works just as well for a LOT less space. Thu Feb 15 12:52:56 -0800 2007 2088096 67784 lora 1 2088626 My husband. Useless in the kitchen. Mon Dec 11 14:28:50 -0800 2006 2001526 33755 NYchowcook 2 2089594 CLASSIC!!!!!!!! Mon Dec 11 19:15:49 -0800 2006 2088626 57617 SChalfant 2 2089977 SECOND ... wish I had thought of it - brillant comment Mon Dec 11 20:46:26 -0800 2006 2088626 11004 SLO 2 2470527 I agree! Wed Apr 11 09:42:46 -0700 2007 2088626 90565 Cookiefiend 1 2090181 Nothing. I dumped all the useless stuff I had a few months ago, and now strictly control what I purchase (I'm a gadget sucker). Mon Dec 11 21:37:28 -0800 2006 2001526 45940 Shazam 1 2100347 The blue silicon oven mitts. They are so difficult to use I can't hold anything with them on. Thu Dec 14 20:38:23 -0800 2006 2001526 34604 sweetie 2 2100371 I agree..I have a blk silicon oven mitt and it doesn't grip as well as I would like it to. Thu Dec 14 20:46:22 -0800 2006 2100347 59597 foodie_girl 3 2109399 I have a set and a regular set. The silicone ones are great when working with stocks and other wet items but for anything dry I use a dish towel. DT Mon Dec 18 16:14:17 -0800 2006 2100371 11291 Davwud 4 2731971 I often use my silicon mitts when grilling. They won't catch fire and help when turning things over a high heat. Mon Jul 09 09:10:35 -0700 2007 2109399 88335 ashes 5 2741061 I actually just leave my silicon mitts tucked under the bbq cover so they are always there and don't take up any kitchen space- until we first used them for bbq'ing (mostly skewer turning) purposes, I was always hoping someone would have a shower or an office christmas gift exchange so I could offload them on some unsuspecting sucker - pretty sure that's how I ended up with them in the first place. Wed Jul 11 15:35:48 -0700 2007 2731971 25081 JennaL 6 4398605 I was just making jelly and used the silicon mitts to put the hot jars into the water bath. It was much easier than using tongs. Sun Feb 08 13:11:29 -0800 2009 2741061 45208 somervilleoldtimer 7 4699996 Brilliant! I will try this next time I am canning! Wed May 20 07:13:00 -0700 2009 4398605 57371 operagirl 1 2100385 A pie crust crimper (I think that's what it's call)--use to make those lovely ridges around the ends. I got it in a kit and took months before someone told me what it was. It's way faster to just use my fingers. Thu Dec 14 20:48:18 -0800 2006 2001526 59597 foodie_girl 1 2100667 NYchowcook beat me to it, except my "gadget" is the opposite sex.. My wife..unless we are talking about "other things" to do in the kitchen :o) Thu Dec 14 21:57:21 -0800 2006 2001526 53719 ChefD 1 2108359 I have several useless gadgets. 1) Garlic press. It just makes a mess. 2) Mouli-type cheese grater (the kind with the cylindrical grater and the crank you turn). It's just too much work to get enough cheese to do anyone any good. 3) My most useless gadget at the moment is my bench scraper. It's a cheap plastic one my mom found at a dollar store somewhere, and a few years ago I had a mouse in my cabinet briefly, but before I got rid of it, it decided to taste my scraper, and so now it has little bites out of it, and when I use it (after washing it VERY well, of course), it leaves these little stripes across the counter. Why I haven't replaced it is beyond me. Mon Dec 18 02:11:17 -0800 2006 2001526 32586 revsharkie 2 2812463 Oh gross!!! I HATE MICE!!! I really like that cylindrical grater. When I want a bunch of parmesan cheese it's great, have had it for years! Whoever said they never used the baking mats, I think they might me my all time favorite tools. I make a lot of cookies, and they make cleanup so easy, and the cookies just slide off. Fri Aug 03 18:11:29 -0700 2007 2108359 115579 Mother of four 3 2813854 What I can't figure out is why I even had a mouse, when I'm married to the Orkin Man and have a house absolutely jam-packed with cats! Sat Aug 04 12:36:37 -0700 2007 2812463 32586 revsharkie 2 5124102 I have one of those cylindrical cheese graters, and while I don't see the point in using it for cheese (I'd rather just use a stand up grater), it works brilliantly for grating those hard pucks of palm sugar you buy in Chinatown (that are utterly delicious), or a soft block of coconut sugar. As I make loads of Thai food, my grater is actually one of the gadgets that sees the most use in my kitchen! Thu Oct 22 18:31:27 -0700 2009 2108359 75881 vorpal 1 2108367 Silicone cupcake cups. They run the darn things every time. Mon Dec 18 02:14:36 -0800 2006 2001526 19982 The Blissful Glutton 2 2108497 How did they ruin your cupcakes? Mon Dec 18 03:23:33 -0800 2006 2108367 18056 Zengarden 2 2108574 I agree. Silicone mini-muffin pan. The cupcakes or muffins always stick like crazy. Also, butter warmer (ramekin on a wire stand with a tea light holder underneath) from my MIL. I've never used it... I like my crabs, lobsters, etc. sans butter. MIL also gave me a Williams-Sonoma shrimp de-veiner which is neat but I've only used it once. My brother bought one of those Popeil rotisserie chicken machines ("set it and forget it!"). It works pretty well and is fun to watch but it's HUGE and a Costco cooked rotisserie chicken is only five bucks. Mon Dec 18 03:59:29 -0800 2006 2108367 55069 2m8ohed 3 2110273 I haven't baked in any silicone pans, but I find them useful for molding cold desserts. Mon Dec 18 20:05:37 -0800 2006 2108574 59597 foodie_girl 3 2489341 I really wanted one of those Ron Popeil rotisserie ovens! However, given the cost of the thing, I couldn't justify the expense when, as you stated, the Costco rotisserie chicken is only $5 (still, I'd take one of those ovens if someone else wanted to buy it for me... :o) Tue Apr 17 13:01:41 -0700 2007 2108574 64017 SoCalVal 4 2731976 My mom has one of those rotisseries and she LOVES it. She makes chickens, roast beef and so much more. It's esoecially helpful when cooking for a crowd because she has the oven free for other things. Mon Jul 09 09:11:53 -0700 2007 2489341 88335 ashes 4 2812008 I had one, worked twice then caught on fire, needless to say I threw it in the dump. Fri Aug 03 15:16:54 -0700 2007 2489341 40385 othervoice 4 2813158 We have one of those ovens - only used it once. It gets REALLY hot and ours makes a ton of noise. So now it has an honorary place in the garage. But I want to give it one more try before I decide to unload it. Sat Aug 04 05:44:48 -0700 2007 2489341 63569 flourgirl 1 2108441 Surely I'm not the only one with a Salad Shooter? It was given to us by a relative who visits occasionally so we don't feel right about throwing it out. Mon Dec 18 02:44:59 -0800 2006 2001526 60434 SusieQ40 2 2108537 Throw it away, then tell them you loved it so much you finally just wore it out! Then again, that might not be a good idea--they might just give you another one! Mon Dec 18 03:43:15 -0800 2006 2108441 32586 revsharkie 3 2109410 Tell them you liked it but it broke almost right away. That way they feel good that they got you something they liked but don't feel they need to replace it since it broke. DT Mon Dec 18 16:16:23 -0800 2006 2108537 11291 Davwud 2 2376334 Ahh been there...myself but I didn't feel bad when I threw my gift out..I said it "had an accident and broke". lol ;) Mon Mar 12 05:34:44 -0700 2007 2108441 78837 flipkeat 2 2448167 Oh, the Salad Shooter! My grandmother bought me one for my 16th birthday - could you imagine my surprise when I got a five-speed Salad Shooter rather than a five-speed car (thankfully that came later!)???? She thought it was a brilliant gift. *scoff* My mom certainly got a good laugh out of that! Tue Apr 03 19:15:07 -0700 2007 2108441 59644 jrhsfcm 3 2476792 How funny that I read this tonight! A friend of mine mentioned just yesterday that she wishes she had one. I always assumed they were pointless (name alone, I guess), but I must admit some ignorance. What exactly are they supposed to do? Thu Apr 12 22:49:28 -0700 2007 2448167 46956 maestra 4 2488140 It's kind of like a hand held, motorized mandolin. You put a chunk of cuke (or whatever) in, and it slices it up and shoots it into your bowl. My sister has one that she says she loves, but I never see her use it. Tue Apr 17 07:55:22 -0700 2007 2476792 65780 jujuthomas 1 2108622 I think mine has to be a flour sifter. I use a metal strainer over a bowl. Just shake. Mon Dec 18 04:22:55 -0800 2006 2001526 22241 personalcheffie 2 2110247 I agree about that one. It's also easier to get the lumps out of the strainer. I end up throwing away my flour sifter b/c I couldn't stand seeing the stuff that got stuck between the blades. Mon Dec 18 19:58:36 -0800 2006 2108622 59597 foodie_girl 1 2108656 Egg cups are for eating eggs the most correct way for maximum nutrition. That is a 4 minute egg, so that the white is hard and the yolk, where all the vitamins, minerals, half the protein, and antioxidants are, is soft! Cooking eggs any other way until the yolks are hard destroys the nutrtional value and the vitamins. I have been looking for my egg cups, since moving 4 times. They just don't turn up in any of the boxes in the garage. Those are eluding me along with the scissor like gadget to cut the top of the egg off to be able to dip in for the soft yolk, If anyone wants to find a new home for their egg cups, send them to me. I will treat them with tendler loving care, while using them. Mon Dec 18 04:43:44 -0800 2006 2001526 60280 nutrition 1 2108681 I would chalk up those flimsy divider type of omelet skillets, high up on my list as being useless. There was also a scrambled egg machine (forgot brand) that was to make a scrambled egg patty that resembled something like a hocky puck. It did work to some degree as long as you used clarified butter. But it was messy as the egg would fluff spewing out the machines crevices. Instructions claimed to fill each slot no more than 2/3rds. That was a no brainer as that is where the machine lid contained the upper 1/3rd. Another nearly useless "family" kitchen toy, was a hamburger press/cooker. Before stores carried pre-patty, ready to cook, hamburgers- that gadget would take a 1/4 lb.- ball of ground beef, press and cook the ball into a burger. If you was a 90 pound bird eater they probably rocked for their time. However for the 200 pound hungry person it was a tease when it came to having some quick burgers. Later they did come out with a double model, but they were much slower. The single model cooked on both flats. The double cooked on the top, leaving the bottom for drippings. To finish properly in the double the machine needed to be split opened and the burger flipped. Best was to set aside the bottom and turn the top over to finish cooking. Anyway, honorable Mickey Mouse award should go to that device. Mon Dec 18 05:02:31 -0800 2006 2001526 60276 RShea78 2 2741071 oh my god, we had that - we also had the the cookie ice cream sandwich maker that assists you in neatly squeezing the ball of ice cream between the cookies, except that the cookies often broke and because President Choice Decadent cookies are a tad bit smaller it made a mess anyway. Wed Jul 11 15:39:52 -0700 2007 2108681 25081 JennaL 1 2108691 A TEA BAG SQUEEZER What an important part of my Kitchen... NOT Brian the Monkey Mon Dec 18 05:11:12 -0800 2006 2001526 55646 BRIANTHEFOODUDE 2 2741164 i have absolutely no idea what a "tea bag squeezer" looks like. describe? Wed Jul 11 16:08:34 -0700 2007 2108691 46030 soupkitten 3 2754943 its a little plastic press with holes on both sides. I use mine for all those herb teas that don't have strings. You place it in your nug with the teabag in it and when your tea is steeped you lift it by the handles nad squeeze. Mon Jul 16 14:19:17 -0700 2007 2741164 69079 starlady 1 2108705 My oven. I don't cook and my wife cooks only Chinese. She uses the rangetop exclusively for cooking, and the oven for storing post and pans. Mon Dec 18 05:18:55 -0800 2006 2001526 10255 Gary Soup 2 2109428 Hilarious! My mom also cooked only Chinese. She used the oven for storing pots and pans, and the dishwasher as a very big dish rack since she never believed it could get the dishes as clean as hand-washing (by me, of course). Mon Dec 18 16:22:17 -0800 2006 2108705 55069 2m8ohed 3 2110260 That's so funny! It's very common in Chinese homes for ovens and dishwashers to go unused, except for storing things. My mom seems to do the same with the dishwasher, and if it wasn't for me, the oven would be used to store things like pots and pans. Mon Dec 18 20:02:02 -0800 2006 2109428 59597 foodie_girl 2 2110262 If you want your wife to use the oven, maybe you can get her a baking book. I find you can use the oven for making lovely desserts like the egg tarts. Mon Dec 18 20:02:46 -0800 2006 2108705 59597 foodie_girl 1 2112049 Useless? As I sit here I am looking a two brightly coloured plastic utensils from Tupperware . . . one is an iceberg lettuce corer, the other an orange peeler (like a crochet hood). A friend, who didn't know how I l live without them, insisted I be given them by the salesperson at a Tupperware party. The other item is a citrus fruit siphon that you twist into the fruit then the juice just runs out. Don't even know its provence. I can relate to the corn on the cob holders, gift from a dear friend. They stabbed me so many times I finally chucked them. Tue Dec 19 05:29:02 -0800 2006 2001526 60679 veloute 2 2114190 I love my corn on the cob handles! I have wimpy little fingers and not enough patience to wait for the corn to cool. My old set of corn handles finally broke, so my husband's grandson got me a new set for my birthday. Tue Dec 19 22:23:57 -0800 2006 2112049 32586 revsharkie 3 2117549 I would like to add my ex-MIL and sister to this list. I doubt that they read this list and both of them are hard pressed to break a egg, or chop a onion properly. Wed Dec 20 21:25:56 -0800 2006 2114190 22220 Kelli2006 2 2754729 I LOVE that orange peeler! I hate peeling an orange without one, and bought a dozen the last time I bought one for myself - so that I can give it away when people see me using it and say "How cool!" Mon Jul 16 13:29:36 -0700 2007 2112049 14222 abowes 1 2217421 Worse (most useless) kitchen item that I have? An electric tea pot. I do not drink tea, and I find it much quicker to boil water in the microwave. The ETP was a gift from a tea drinker who unfortunately can not fathom the fact that NOT EVERYONE loves tea, and insists that a proper cup of tea can only be made using a teapot. When she found out that I boiled water in the microwave before pouring it over the tea, she nearly had a stroke. My friend’s kitchen is loaded with useless items. Her DH is a huge fan of info-mercials, and I think he buys into all of that garbage. The one for the ‘pancake flipper’? Where the family is sitting dejectedly at the table with forks in the air, while the Mom struggles with her hair flying about and pancake batter dripping everywhere? (I’ve actually never seen anyone cook pancakes and create such a mess) They have one of those, and their kids prefer the AJ frozen pancakes. The device that removes the core from a head of iceberg lettuce? They’ve got that thing too. He’ll get the whole thing out and set up, and in that time, I’ll have cleaned the lettuce and removed the core by hand. (Holding the head firmly by the top, with the core facing down, slam it directly down on a hard firm surface ~ I use the counter top. Then pull out the core.) A chocolate melter for making candies? Yes that too. A double boiler (or microwave) works too. At least it did for them until they got the chocolate melter. The Pasta Magic? that cooks pasta by putting the pasta in than the hot water? How entertaining is that?!? Watching your pasta cook? Can’t think of anything else I could be doing. The funniest thing is, they only use the items for what they are originally advertised for. All above mentioned items I find to be incredibly useless, and I’m proud to say I don’t own any of these, with the exception of the mentioned ETP, which is gathering dust as I post. Tue Jan 23 08:38:07 -0800 2007 2001526 68524 Cari_h 1 2221688 let's see.. the flat rubber garlic peeler and plastic garlic grater set my MIL gave my DH for christmas, the food chopper, the plastic body mandolin...OOH...and the "magic food defroster" my DH bought me - a ridged metal plate that is supposed to defrost food in record time. worthless Wed Jan 24 09:38:03 -0800 2007 2001526 65780 jujuthomas 1 2222706 #3 the mango slicer. What was I thinking? It crushes ripes mangos because the blade dulled almost immediately. #2 the garlic press. So why can't I bring myself to toss it out? #1 the gadget that reseals wine bottles. Like I'd ever not finish a bottle of wine. Wed Jan 24 13:16:54 -0800 2007 2001526 15482 NovoCuisine 2 3489576 I actually use my wine sealer thing and it works pretty well I must say! Thu Mar 13 12:19:36 -0700 2008 2222706 15507 Rick 2 4398633 Throw out the garlic press! Use a grater instead. Sun Feb 08 13:23:39 -0800 2009 2222706 45208 somervilleoldtimer 1 2259503 Just bought a "Toss and Chop" ... what was I thinking other than this would be a perfect item for this thread! It's "the new way to chop" aka .. a chopping tool that works in any type of bowl. Guess I forgot my drawer full of really good Henckel knives? Impulse and peer pressure = this useless gadget Sun Feb 04 17:25:02 -0800 2007 2001526 11004 SLO 2 2473058 I have to second that one...we got the "toss and chop" as a gift and I think it will end up being re-gifted :) Wed Apr 11 21:44:52 -0700 2007 2259503 88304 jdavies 1 2259545 I bought one of those nifty little gadgets that you press down on an apple and it cores it for you and cuts it into eight nice wedges. Perfect for fixing apples for Mike's lunch. First time I used it, it was lovely. Second time, the same. Third time was on an overripe pear and it mangled it, but when a pear is in that condition even a knife can do that. Fourth time the apple must have been a little more firm than the others, because when I tried to press the gadget down into the apple, the doggone thing completely disintegrated. The circle in the middle that's supposed to take out the core bent upward, the handles bent unevenly downward, and the outside rim detached from the rest of it in a couple places. Lame. Sun Feb 04 17:49:49 -0800 2007 2001526 32586 revsharkie 1 2259734 For Christmas, I received several of those "collapsible" measuring cups and storage containers that are supposed to save you space. The Tupperware style "accordian" containers never pop out easily and are pretty damn useless. I saw a bunch of these "collapsible" contraptions in Williams Sonoma today. Does a normal set of measuring cups realy take up so much space? These are all "so 2007." Five years from now we will look back at those and say: "What?" Sun Feb 04 19:16:10 -0800 2007 2001526 55284 bengoshi 2 2470543 I have a collapsible strainer/colander - I do like it and it takes up much less space than the regular types. However it's a little small. Wed Apr 11 09:47:17 -0700 2007 2259734 90565 Cookiefiend 1 2268374 my mom got me a quesadilla maker for christmas one year. i've used it maybe twice. i don't even eat quesadillas anymore...too many carbs. Wed Feb 07 09:33:10 -0800 2007 2001526 71935 luniz 2 5171865 Anybody have a juicers with a motor as powerful as a lawn mower? Supposed to give gallons of carrot juice. Tue Nov 10 21:42:10 -0800 2009 2268374 171058 kanosis 1 2296356 I'm going to give my vote to my stainless steel milkshake maker. Not only does it not make thick milkshakes, my family just got diagnosed as lactose intolerant and milk fat allergic. So, it is sitting the cupboard waiting to be donated. Thu Feb 15 12:29:15 -0800 2007 2001526 74540 Haughtywench 2 2310095 oh yeah! some well meaning friend gave us a similar gizmo for making smoothies and bar drinks - you know, the one with the spigot at the bottom of the mixing container. Used it 1 time. I am anti uni-taskers, the blender works just as well! Tue Feb 20 09:04:08 -0800 2007 2296356 65780 jujuthomas 1 2296386 I have some exotic wood salad tossers from some obscure country. Perhaps if I served more food family-style I'd use them, but I think I've used them once in three years! Thu Feb 15 12:35:08 -0800 2007 2001526 67548 azhotdish 1 2296511 A lattice pie crust maker. It cuts out a pattern of square holes from a circle of pie dough. That was definitely a gift - I like making lattice crusts the regular way! Thu Feb 15 12:59:25 -0800 2007 2001526 67784 lora 1 2296575 My husband. Thu Feb 15 13:15:23 -0800 2007 2001526 74788 sunshyne02724 1 2296863 I have an electric rotisserie that holds the chicken upright. It is such a nightmare to clean and the chicken tastes no different to me than regular roasted chicken. (why do I still have it?!?) Thu Feb 15 14:19:08 -0800 2007 2001526 70510 xnyorkr 1 2300204 A silver colored thing that is supposed to be a shrimp deveiner - not sharp enough to make me give up a knife; a "zester" - little metal implement that presumably, one should run across the fruit and have the zest come through the 5 or six little holes on the top. Used it maybe once, and, yes I probably still have it. Fri Feb 16 13:24:44 -0800 2007 2001526 12677 phoebek 1 2301047 My breadmaker is the most useless. I tried to sell it at a community yard sale and I think every other neighbor was trying to sell theirs too! Someone mentioned the crochet hook orange peeler, I actually like those...my Mom has one and won't let me have it. Fri Feb 16 17:41:30 -0800 2007 2001526 27101 bolivianita 2 2754754 They're $0.75 from Tupperware. :-) Alison Mon Jul 16 13:35:03 -0700 2007 2301047 14222 abowes 1 2305057 My husband's grandmother gave me a little white plastic plate with ridges that is supposed to make microwaved bacon for a bridal shower gift. I'll admit I never tried it, but if you're going to splurge and eat bacon, why make it in the microwave? It was taking up space in my cabinet until I finally threw it out this year. Sun Feb 18 14:31:00 -0800 2007 2001526 72947 chaussonauxpommes 2 2306602 Use it, you might be surprised how well it works. Mon Feb 19 08:29:58 -0800 2007 2305057 67548 azhotdish 2 2372737 This is hilarious.. my mother swears by those things. She likes her bacon crispy - microwaved, then blotted of all fat(flavour) - and hers became brown, smelly, and melted at the corners after 10 years of use. It would horrify me every time she made bacon with it. She couldn't find a new one until a couple months ago, and she bought 5 of them in case she doesn't come across one for another 10 years. Sat Mar 10 10:42:50 -0800 2007 2305057 15482 NovoCuisine 3 4678799 I was thinking about how to cook bacon in the microwave without having to buy something like that, or the ASOTV one that hangs the bacon on a little perch-like thing. I just take a large plate, invert a bowl onto it(ensuring the bowl is smaller than the plate), then put the bacon on the bowl. The grease runs down the bowl onto the edge of the plate and you have crispy bacon. Tue May 12 22:16:21 -0700 2009 2372737 275592 SgtStens 2 2812489 I's the only way I make bacon anymore! Try it, you'll like it! Oops, too late,I just read that you threw it out! Fri Aug 03 18:21:19 -0700 2007 2305057 115579 Mother of four 1 2374394 Salad Shooter Snack bag clips - I use binder clips or clothespins Garlic baker And while I don't own one of these yet, the chocolate fountains. I predict you will soon see them in Big Lots selling for a fraction of their original price. Sun Mar 11 08:56:56 -0700 2007 2001526 18981 Jimmy Buffet 2 2374435 Yep, those chocolate fountains are EVERYWHERE and you just know it's one of those things that people will - maybe - use once or twice at the most and then it will sit on some shelf gathering dust with all the other gimmicky contraptions they got conned into buying. I consider it a hard won sign of wisdom when a person has reached the point in their life when they finally know better. (My apologies in advance to those of you who own a chocolate fountain and actually use it on a regular basis...) Sun Mar 11 09:29:41 -0700 2007 2374394 63569 flourgirl 3 2736899 My husband's ex insisted on bringing a choc fountain to my stepdaughter's HS graduation party a month ago. I know this is a bit off topic but I think it goes to why the choc fountain is a useless appliance...and allows me to vent a little! LOL First, she tripped while carrying an open bag of the special liquid chocolate across the floor and spilled half of it. (The party was in a pavillion at a local park and since she spilled it near the side of the pavillion we weren't using she didn't bother to clean very much of it up. Nice!) Then, part-way through the party it stopped flowing evenly and they had to fiddle with it for 15 minutes. Lastly, she obviously doesn't know much about food because she pre-cut all of the bananas and apples...so by the time the party started they were a lovely shade of brown. Very appetizing. BTW the special chocolate that you need to use in those machines is really nasty stuff. More like chocolate-flavored oil. Tue Jul 10 13:53:02 -0700 2007 2374435 105292 HungryLetsEat 4 4398637 Well, I bought one a few years ago as a special treat for my daughter, and we only use it on her birthday, but that's fine. Plus we make a nice ganache -- just cream with chocolate melted in, and it works fine. No "special" nasty-tasting stuff needed. Sun Feb 08 13:26:23 -0800 2009 2736899 45208 somervilleoldtimer 5 4700041 Yup, I have a chocolate fountain and have used it several times. Obviously it's not something you are going to use every week, but it's nice for parties. We don't use the special chocolate for it, or the recipe that came with it (chocolate plus veggie oil, yuck). I just make a ganache with lots of booze in it. Wed May 20 07:27:22 -0700 2009 4398637 139219 Sooeygun 1 2374408 Salad spinner. Sun Mar 11 09:06:01 -0700 2007 2001526 56950 misterbrucie 2 2374427 I use my salad spinner almost every day. Don't know what i'd do without it. Sun Mar 11 09:24:53 -0700 2007 2374408 63569 flourgirl 3 2376252 Haha -- when you wear yours out I can send you mine. I think I've used it twice. Mon Mar 12 01:47:30 -0700 2007 2374427 56950 misterbrucie 4 2741005 Don't think I'd used mine more than two or three times in ten years, until this year when I got a CSA share, and for the first several weeks had an abundance of lettuce to wash. Now I'm pretty much in love with it. Wed Jul 11 15:15:58 -0700 2007 2376252 32586 revsharkie 3 2811861 I use mine almost every day too! It saved me from buying bagged lettuce. I buy lettuce, slice it up, wash it, and keep it in the spinner. It stays good quite a while in there. Fri Aug 03 14:31:24 -0700 2007 2374427 82797 itsrob 2 3489764 Jfood swears by his. Wash the lettuce and spinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. All the water come out. the luttuce stay longer in the fridge after it is dried. Mrs jfood had quite a laugh when he brought it home but after a few months she agreed it was a good idea. Now little jfood uses it for her salads as well. Thu Mar 13 13:10:03 -0700 2008 2374408 11290 jfood 3 4313481 Also good for getting the water out of hollow-shape cooked pasta! Sat Jan 10 07:37:24 -0800 2009 3489764 159317 greygarious 1 2375681 Totally my egg-separator. I always just separate the whites out by hand for meringues and such! Sun Mar 11 19:00:33 -0700 2007 2001526 81898 minkdreads 1 2376343 a strawberry huller Mon Mar 12 05:40:55 -0700 2007 2001526 78502 diane419 1 2376346 A double-bladed mezzaluna! I had a Williams-Sonoma gift certificate, and didn't need the cutting board that came with the single-bladed one. Celery, onion and carrot gets caught between the 2 blades. The damn thing now just lies in a drawer. Mon Mar 12 05:44:56 -0700 2007 2001526 11977 ChiliDude 1 2376389 I do my best to keep my gadjets simple and neccessary. favorites and used a lot... rubber saptula, wooden spoon, kuhn rikon peeler, assorted grinders, SS mixing bowls, sheet trays, good heavy duty pots and my favorite tool - my hands. I have cupboards full of useless things that I do not get rid of because I may need them some day, hee hee. The most useless? The spatula/spoon combo utensil that came with my sons easy bake oven. Yes, it is in my drawer. Mon Mar 12 06:18:43 -0700 2007 2001526 82009 imabigeater 1 2376479 The most useless thing I wasted around $30 on a few years ago was a waffle maker size red electric quesadilla maker I bought at Target. It took too much space and the quesadillas it made weren't very good - a frying pan does a much better job. Maybe it was because the no-stick stuff on the surface made it so you weren't suppose to use oil or butter or at least not much - so the quesadilla came out dry. I gave the stupid thing to my son who also didn't use it and ended up unloading it at a thrift shop. Also, someone once gave me a salad shooter. I tossed that out fast, another space taking piece of plastic junk. Mon Mar 12 07:04:48 -0700 2007 2001526 72285 CilD 2 2376541 Oh, I forgot to mention the big, heavy and costly pasta maker attachment for my Cuisinart food processor. The pasta clogged up in the machine and it was a huge mess. A really bad purchase. I don't know if they still sell this item, but be forewarned - don't buy!!! Mon Mar 12 07:22:11 -0700 2007 2376479 72285 CilD 2 3487612 I can top your quesadilla maker... I have a fajita maker. Never used it. Just sits in my garage. Wed Mar 12 21:26:19 -0700 2008 2376479 171058 kanosis 1 2392047 The one-size-measures-all spoon with the sliding divider. Also, a beer can chicken rack, mainly because I can't understand what the big deal is behind beer can chicken. Fri Mar 16 09:34:12 -0700 2007 2001526 18981 Jimmy Buffet 2 2392084 <can't understand what the big deal is behind beer can chicken.> Me neither. We tried making it once, and I wasn't impressed. Fri Mar 16 09:47:40 -0700 2007 2392047 63569 flourgirl 2 2812501 Oh my, I just bought one!! The beer can chicken rack!! But I saw a recipe and they said to use it!! It's that darn Food network. It seems everytime I watch a program there is something else I cannot live without. Fri Aug 03 18:28:20 -0700 2007 2392047 115579 Mother of four 2 3489777 Thank you JB. Jfood has been unable to figure out the beer can thing as well. It "infuses" the meat with the flavor of beer. Huh? Want real flavor in a chicken, place some fresh herbs under the skin overnight. Thu Mar 13 13:12:42 -0700 2008 2392047 11290 jfood 3 3491912 My experience is that the real point of the beer can chicken is that it provides a budget version of the 'upright roaster'. So you get crispy chicken skin on all sides with no flipping. And it lets us cook chicken on the grill (mmm...smoky chicken) without having the skin stick to the grate. I love ours...we actually have two so we can do multiple chickens on our big grill for parties. Fri Mar 14 07:10:46 -0700 2008 3489777 58274 wawajb 4 3492317 for the price of a 6-pack you can buy a wire vert-roaster. And there is no concern about the inside of your chicken getting tattoo'd "resiewduB" Fri Mar 14 08:56:10 -0700 2008 3491912 11290 jfood 5 3492386 Except that when we're bbqing outside, it's a given that there are cans of beer involved. Drink one, poke extra holes in top, refill with some water for steam and ballast and insert into chicken. Tada! And then you get to just throw away your 'vertical roaster' instead of having to clean it. And we've actually never had any issues with the logo coming off the can...but if you aren't a beer drinker than actually buying the roaster would make perfect sense. That said...we do actually own the wire vertical roasters...we were doing it so often that it was worth it to have something with handles to pull it back out of the chicken. Fri Mar 14 09:09:40 -0700 2008 3492317 58274 wawajb 5 4313484 For no money, you can jam your chicken onto the tube of a bundt pan or angel food pan. Sat Jan 10 07:39:45 -0800 2009 3492317 159317 greygarious 5 4398639 Funny! Sun Feb 08 13:28:06 -0800 2009 3492317 45208 somervilleoldtimer 1 2392292 oh gosh, recovering from back surgery awhile ago, I got hung up on the shopping channels, and bought several goofy things. Just blame it on the drugs. Anyway, one of them was a knife with a guard rail attached to it so that "every single tomato would be sliced to the same thinness" and the salami and the veggies. Not owning a madoline, I thought that it would be great. Heck no, I almost cut my finger off! I tried to find it to attach a photo, must of tossed it cause unable to locate it. Thank Goodness! Fri Mar 16 10:41:33 -0700 2007 2001526 50431 chef chicklet 2 2447980 A corn creamer. I thought it would remove kernals (kid with braces) and didn't realize all it does is smash kernals while removing some of the kernal pulp -- not very well, I might add. I think I had temporary insanity while shopping at WS. Can't figure out why anyone would want this. Tue Apr 03 17:59:17 -0700 2007 2392292 87837 RGC1982 3 4700055 That's what a angel cake pan it for. The cob sits nicely on the tube in the centre and the pan catches the corn when you run your knife down the cob. Wed May 20 07:31:12 -0700 2009 2447980 139219 Sooeygun 1 2448253 I am pretty proud of myself that I worked in a kitchen store for a year and came out relatively unscathed in the kitchen gadget dept. I became a no gadget girl pretty quickly. I could not live without my chefs knife, microplane or pepper grinder. That being said I say that my food mill rarely gets used and I have the most useless stick blender on the planet. Cookie cutters are another thing that rarely get used around here but I keep them around because Mom gave them to me when I moved out and they have good memories attached. Tue Apr 03 19:53:50 -0700 2007 2001526 86233 applejuice 2 3489647 Stick blender works very nicely for making creamy type soups, tomato, butternut squash etc. Thu Mar 13 12:39:20 -0700 2008 2448253 15507 Rick 1 2470458 My mother, bless her heart, is the queen of giving me useless gadgets. The best/worst from last Xmas: * pancake dispenser (because it's soooo hard to just put it in the pan with a spoon!) * nut grinder (because the cuisinart is too big???) Wed Apr 11 09:26:29 -0700 2007 2001526 10096 lessleyellen 1 2475770 Salad Spinner. What was I thinking? lol Thu Apr 12 15:54:42 -0700 2007 2001526 90940 ShyCountryMiss 2 2480108 Thanks Shy, here I thought I was the only one who thought those things were useless??? You made my day... Here's a useless kitchen gadget way more useless than that. I got it as a gift topper one Xmas LOL LOL a Banana cutter shaped like a banana, yellow in colour Pfttttttttttttt!!! Sat Apr 14 05:34:41 -0700 2007 2475770 78837 flipkeat 3 2484027 Shucks, and I was hoping to give you mine-lol. Some have said here they dont like bundt cake pans, but I do. Especially the heavy, thick older ones, but I use mine for monkey bread, and sally lunn. :-) Sun Apr 15 19:05:10 -0700 2007 2480108 90940 ShyCountryMiss 4 2741018 My bundt pan is an old one with Teflon in it that has come of in some of the little crevices, so every time I make anything in it, it sticks and is pretty much ruined. I have a regular tube pan and I use that for monkey bread, and bundt cakes don't really ever come up. Wed Jul 11 15:19:18 -0700 2007 2484027 32586 revsharkie 1 2482616 Several of the items mentioned here get heavy use in my kitchen (immersion blender, spice grinder, micro-plane, salad spinner e.g.). And it may border on heresy to say it but I almost never use my garlic press. It is a pain to clean (sort of anyway) but mainly, I just don’t mind smashing and chopping garlic. In fact, I kind of enjoy it. Sun Apr 15 09:59:58 -0700 2007 2001526 19291 frankiii 1 2482637 I should also say that “useless” is sort of hard to gauge. There are several items on my counter top that don’t get much use and take up a lot of space, but when you need them, you really need them. I am thinking of my Kitchen Aid mixer. I have a small kitchen and it has a big footprint. However, you cant beat it for a number of tasks (used it yesterday to get about 2 cups of lime juice and who wants to do that by hand). By this analysis my toaster might be the most useless in terms of frequency divided by space. I use my Krupp panini press a lot more. Sun Apr 15 10:07:26 -0700 2007 2001526 19291 frankiii 2 3489657 How do you use the Kitchen Aid to get lime juice? please tell! Thu Mar 13 12:41:00 -0700 2008 2482637 15507 Rick 1 2484007 Now that I think about it, besides my salad spinner,Im going to add my extra wide 4 slot toaster. I never use it, and it takes up too much space. One tiny gadget I wish I still had, was my tupperware egg helper. A tiny half cup shaped thing with a short,sharp,narrow pin sticking up from the bottom. Before you hardboiled egges,you pushed the egg in causing a teeny tiny hole. Nothing leaked out, but after boiling, every egg peeled extremely easy. Sun Apr 15 18:53:33 -0700 2007 2001526 90940 ShyCountryMiss 2 2755113 A coaxial cable end works well for this...just like the part you put into your cable tv. Mon Jul 16 15:12:33 -0700 2007 2484007 112215 paperdoll 1 2485789 Onion "blossom" cutter. For some unknown reason I received THREE of these one Christmas. Re-gifted two of them, but still have one sitting WAY back in the cabinet. Mon Apr 16 11:30:25 -0700 2007 2001526 73013 LabRat 2 2488082 That's great--it must have been in the center of the aisle at BB&B or something. I had a gift trend Christmas a couple years ago. It was my first Christmas away from my partner in 15 years. He was with his family, I was with mine. We talked on the phone late in the day and he told me that his sister had gotten us a cookbook holder (or stand, whatever you call the thing you use to keep your cookbook opened to the right page and protected). He promised he was gracious about it, even though we already had one. Then he opened his next present--from his parents--and it was a cookbook holder. I was laughing uncontrollably on the telephone. It took me several minutes to pull myself together enough to tell him that I had just opened a present from my sister and bro-in-law, and that it was indeed a cookbook holder. We kept the one we had and regifted the others. Tue Apr 17 07:35:03 -0700 2007 2485789 49541 debbiel 2 2488099 That's hilarious! I think an onion "blossom" cutter has to at least *qualify* for crowning as THE most useless kitchen gadget. Tue Apr 17 07:41:01 -0700 2007 2485789 63569 flourgirl 3 2813169 Sooo funny, We play yankee swap each year at christmas but not new gifts old, (something you don't want anymore gifts) and the same onion blossom comes each year wrapped in a disguise so no one will know what it is. It's hilarious to find out who goes home with it. Sat Aug 04 05:58:05 -0700 2007 2488099 49588 lexpatti 1 2486309 Garlic press. Worthless. Mon Apr 16 13:58:18 -0700 2007 2001526 80328 fini 2 2715415 You must live in a cold environment. Slow cookers are great for all kinds of cookin' down here in Louisiana..staying cool most of all. Sure, you could leave your oven on all day, if you wanted to heat the whole house up and wast a bunch of energy trying to stay cool. I always saute the veggies and brown the meat in my black pot before I throw 'em in the slow pot. Tue Jul 03 00:37:14 -0700 2007 2486309 108993 boyaux 2 2750598 I had various garlic presses that I hated--hard to clean and did a bad job. It's not that it's so much work to chop garlic, but I could never get it uniform or fine enough, and my hands would smell for a couple of days. But Cooks Illustrated swore by the Zyliss so I got one of those. Now I wouldn't live without it! Sat Jul 14 20:26:53 -0700 2007 2486309 109573 coney with everything 1 2488181 Slow cooker. I know a lot of CHers love them, but... I haven't found it does anything that sticking the old cast iron/enamel pot in a 250-300-350 degree oven doesn't do better. And you can saute what you need to in the pot first! Tue Apr 17 08:06:22 -0700 2007 2001526 85141 Calling All Toasters 1 2494767 Iced Tea/Coffee maker, got it a few years back from a family member, and whats worse I had to tote that large box back with me on a plane when I knew I would never ever use it in my lifetime. Wed Apr 18 21:31:47 -0700 2007 2001526 68779 willdupre 1 2731989 My mom bought me the Black and Decker Gizmo Grater (an electric cheese grater) a few xmases back. It had interchangeable plates but really just moved around on top of the cheese and did little grating. It was awful and with all the attachments it took up more space than necessary. It went to Goodwill during the last move. Mon Jul 09 09:15:15 -0700 2007 2001526 88335 ashes 2 2736914 A "Perfect Pancake" maker, 2 piece of crap little griddles hinged together so you can flip the pan on the stove rather than the pancake itself. Got it as a gift years ago and it went into a pile of other useless junk that I have managed to collect over the years. Was going to give it to charity but was SURE that even Goodwill wouldn't take it! Tue Jul 10 13:55:18 -0700 2007 2731989 23427 Cheffrank 3 2811870 That sounds like it might be good for making hash browns. Hash browns have made my waffle iron relevant again! Fri Aug 03 14:34:37 -0700 2007 2736914 82797 itsrob 1 2732886 One of those manual herb chopper things. Mon Jul 09 12:33:44 -0700 2007 2001526 70510 xnyorkr 2 2812512 Oh yes! That went back to the store the next day. But, it worked so well on the food network! Fri Aug 03 18:33:34 -0700 2007 2732886 115579 Mother of four 1 2736661 the slow-cooker. my family never had one growing up, so it has no nostalgic appeal to me. i'd much rather use the oven/stove. foreman grill - gave it away. it was too hard to clean. if i didn't have access to the grill outside, i'd rather use a grill pan or just broil something as opposed to using the stupid foreman... something i don't own, but which totally blows my mind in its utter absurdity, is that frozen pizza cooker thingie. where it spins the pizza around under a stationary heat source? it's just so weird! Tue Jul 10 13:01:29 -0700 2007 2001526 63462 missfunkysoul 2 4322263 Publix had a station demonstrating these right by the frozen pizzas. My SO and I just sat there laughing at the people who couldn't look away from this contraption. I just inherited a bread machine and we're trying to make some pizzas, so we did end up getting a pizza stone that they had in the same spot. Tue Jan 13 10:35:20 -0800 2009 2736661 152043 TampaAurora 1 2750638 Got a GF Grill from my parents, used it once and decided that it steamed food but came nowhere near grilling it. Gave it away. I do use my slow cooker quite often but not for real cooking. It's a dream for serving on buffets and such. At holidays, I use it to heat and serve spiced cider when all my stove burners are typically occupied with food. I agree that the sliding measuring spoon is useless. Sat Jul 14 20:45:22 -0700 2007 2001526 76268 newbatgirl 2 2754724 I agree on the slowcooker, I only bring mine up from its basement storage home when I am having a party, and need to keep something warm on a buffet table. Other than that I never consider using it for cooking anything. Mon Jul 16 13:27:43 -0700 2007 2750638 26725 swsidejim 1 2754396 My son bought me a bagel slicer about 4 years ago, don't think I have ever used it...I mean, how hard is it to slice a bagel with a knife?? Mon Jul 16 12:04:12 -0700 2007 2001526 110819 bakerboyz 2 2754530 I know 2 people who have sliced through their hands cutting bagels. One had to have surgery and go through 4 weeks of physical therapy! The other needed stitches at the emergency room. Perhaps the bagel slicer isn't such a useless tool for those who aren't accustomed to dealing with sharp knives. Mon Jul 16 12:43:46 -0700 2007 2754396 105292 HungryLetsEat 3 2755195 My knives are plenty sharp and I still don't see the problem. You stand the bagel on its side on the cutting board, with your hand above it, and slice downward. Mon Jul 16 15:38:31 -0700 2007 2754530 32586 revsharkie 4 2756687 You and I know that's the safest way to cut a bagel. However, apparently a lot of people hold it in their hand and slice through it and into their palm. That's how the people I know got cut. (Both were teenagers - so I think thats telling.) I also heard somewhere that emergency rooms see this injury a lot. Tue Jul 17 06:52:25 -0700 2007 2755195 105292 HungryLetsEat 5 3334809 am guilty of this one....still have the scar to prove it. However, my guilt is mitigated by the fact that I had just gotten home after a 12 hour night shift and a 40 minute bus ride....and i was half asleep. Haven't done it since though !! Sat Jan 26 07:02:14 -0800 2008 2756687 153184 im_nomad 4 3489811 Standing a bagel on its side almost caused a might nasty cut for jfood since the edge was pretty slippery and phoot, the darn thing slipped. Now jfood lies the bagel onits side on the board, places his left palm on top with fingers extended upwards and knife horizontal in his right (stronger) hand on the side of the bagel. Hopefully there is a "flat" end on the bagel where it touched its neighbor in the oven. Jfood places the flat part of the edge to his left. Cuts halfway through picks up the bagel-knife combo and places the flat edge on the board, left hand on top of the bagel and one push-pull with a nice long knife and the surgery is complete. Thu Mar 13 13:21:31 -0700 2008 2755195 11290 jfood 2 4317526 We have good knives, but have to admit that we use the bagel slicer whenever we have a bunch of bagels for a group. It does make quicker work and even the kids can use it (with supervision of course). Sun Jan 11 20:13:57 -0800 2009 2754396 63260 eamcd 3 4322342 I use mine too, even though a knife could do the job just as well. There's just something satisfyingly medieval in guillotining a bagel with the slicer that you can't get from a knife. That said, I wish I could think of another use for it to rescue it from its unitasker existence. Tue Jan 13 10:49:49 -0800 2009 4317526 173419 razkolnikov 1 2754418 My wife! If I only had the receipt to return her! Mon Jul 16 12:11:02 -0700 2007 2001526 82574 jethro 1 2755286 I win! I win! Does anybody else have a larding needle? ....Anybody! See? I told you I win! As for egg cups, I use mine for... soft boiled eggs! Brings back childhood breakfasts with my English grandfather who would cut off the top for me, then hand me a crust of well buttered toast to dip in the yolk. Yum! And don't forget the salt and pepper! Mon Jul 16 16:22:39 -0700 2007 2001526 112096 Caroline1 2 2759448 Okay, yes, you win. Now, tell us, what IS a larding needle? Tue Jul 17 19:13:22 -0700 2007 2755286 32586 revsharkie 3 2760321 A larding needle is used to insert strips of fat in to lean meats before you roast them. They usually have a sharp tip and a hollow body that can be filled with whatever you want to end up in the roast (usually lard, but I have seen them used to insert pimentos, carrots, green peppers, etc..). They then have some sort of mechanism (usually just a push rod that is inserted in to the hollow part) to keep the added materials in the roast as the needle is removed. Wed Jul 18 07:04:31 -0700 2007 2759448 73013 LabRat 4 2811843 And who needs knives, forks and spoons when you have fingers? Fri Aug 03 14:26:57 -0700 2007 2760321 13653 MoxieBoy 4 4398651 You absolutely win! Sun Feb 08 13:32:24 -0800 2009 2760321 45208 somervilleoldtimer 1 2813178 I haven't seen it mentioned and I've had a couple, give em away every time. An electric can opener. I have no use for these things when the hand crank that fits nicely in the drawer never fails. These electric ones fail, take up too much space and have we gotten this lazy that we need to push a button rather then turn a crank??? Sat Aug 04 06:01:51 -0700 2007 2001526 49588 lexpatti 2 3487607 Yea, let's work for our food! I can say I never bought an electric can opener either. Wed Mar 12 21:23:48 -0700 2008 2813178 171058 kanosis 1 3334401 my mother bought me a pickle pincher. No it's not as dirty as it sounds. It looks like something you'd extract eyeballs from their sockets with. ewwww. Fri Jan 25 22:12:19 -0800 2008 2001526 160268 zukeeper 1 3334852 I was given one of those pocket sandwich maker thingies that looks like a waffle maker on the outside, several years ago as a gift. Moved with it three times and didn't use it the whole time. Made little triangle shaped pancakes in it once, and it made it's way into the garage sale box, where it remains, because no one else wanted it either!! I still have this thing upstairs in a box ! Also a well intentioned gift from a friend, an electric chocolate melter candy making thing that came with a bunch of molds etc. Two little pots side by side, i guess you could use it for a chocolate fondue sort of thing. It's never been out of the box...two years since. Someone also once gave me some kind of a grapefruit sectioner type, domed looking thing. I do not like, nor do i eat grapefruit. I also have one of those orange peelers that i can't imagine using. I have several silicone items given to me, that i have yet to use...including cake pans, some kind of a round thing that you're supposed to roll out and cut pie crusts etc on (has inner rings with measurements next to them), it's from Pampered Chef i think...and everything stuck to it. Sat Jan 26 07:21:16 -0800 2008 2001526 153184 im_nomad 2 3491931 You know...we had a pocket sandwich maker when I was a kid and I LOVED that thing. I used it pretty much every weekend to make myself breakfast or lunch. I wasn't allowed to use the stove without supervision, but I was allowed to use that thing. I got pretty creative with it...but I always went back to the old favorite: melty oozy peanut butter and jelly. With a big glass of milk. Mmm.... I actually asked my mom last time I was visiting if she still had it so I could steal it, but she had goodwilled it last time she moved. You could ship yours down to Maryland if you want Nomad. I'd take it happily. :) Fri Mar 14 07:17:56 -0700 2008 3334852 58274 wawajb 3 3492329 and hopefully you had some first aid ointment for your lips on the first incinerator bite. Jfood loved that pocket sandwich maker, but you gotta remember to let the thing cooooooool down first. Fri Mar 14 08:57:19 -0700 2008 3491931 11290 jfood 4 3492392 so, so, so true. I usually burnt the roof of my mouth with the molten peanut butter. Fri Mar 14 09:11:15 -0700 2008 3492329 58274 wawajb 1 3335430 Butter curler. Threw out the mini-food processor, in favor of a knife, years ago. Sat Jan 26 11:26:18 -0800 2008 2001526 77247 Romanmk 1 3343376 I LOVE my Zyliss garlic press! You have to peel garlic before you chop it anyway, and my knife skills can't keep up with the press. I've tried some others, though, and they were terrible. My mom has had her Zyliss for at least 15 years, it's in two pieces, and sitll works better than the two non-Zyliss ones she got for Christmas. I got this sushi roller gadget last Christmas. I haven't used it. You basically put the nori on a square base, then rice etc, then you put a square frame around the edges and fold it into a square. It came with a two year warranty... I'm guessing because no one will use it in the first two years. Then again, I don't make much sushi. http://www.sushiathome.com/sushiframes/products/maki/makiMain.htm Tue Jan 29 00:40:17 -0800 2008 2001526 161585 miss_bennet 2 3359760 huh, looks intriguing but I have been making my own sushi for years and while I now crave sushi just from looking at it (LOL), I don't think i would ever use it! My gfs and I used to throw sushi parties, where NONE of us knew how to do it and while lots at the beginning didn't turn out, it all tasted good and we all got pretty good at it eventually. We even started doing the deep fried ones and inside out ones :) Sat Feb 02 17:54:57 -0800 2008 3343376 69079 starlady 1 3487587 A lemon juicer that looks like a birdie. Put the wedge in and with a lever it squeezes the lemon wedge. Totally useless. Wed Mar 12 21:17:15 -0700 2008 2001526 171058 kanosis 1 3487605 An apple corer is useless. (not the peeler slicer which I love and use every 5 years) Wed Mar 12 21:21:55 -0700 2008 2001526 171058 kanosis 2 4316720 I use my apple corer all the time. It's perfect is all I want is the core removed from an apple. Sun Jan 11 14:43:47 -0800 2009 3487605 248284 taos 1 3487613 A Williams-Sonoma herb mill I got as a wedding shower gift. It sounded like a good idea but all I get is a mushy shredded mess of parsley or basil. Plus it is a pain to clean. Or maybe I just don't know how to use the darn thing.... Wed Mar 12 21:26:27 -0700 2008 2001526 89859 amacord 1 3487909 My zester. 99.9% of the time I reach for a microplane instead. It does a better job. Thu Mar 13 02:31:31 -0700 2008 2001526 168321 sobriquet 2 3492342 Here I thought a microplane was a zester! Fri Mar 14 08:58:55 -0700 2008 3487909 15507 Rick 2 4318348 I hadn't thought of that. But there is that 0.1% of the time when I want the longer threads. Mon Jan 12 08:10:25 -0800 2009 3487909 131001 c oliver 1 3986142 P/c bread tube I bought mine at a thrift store(brand new). We have fried mush several times a year. I put the mush in it. Slice and fry. wish it was just round instead of fluted. Mon Aug 25 15:14:30 -0700 2008 2001526 221524 tom45424 1 3986207 About those apple corers/slicers I make caramel for my wife and she dips the slices into it.Grandkids think its great to have caramel apples with grandma. To make the caramel. I make 3 cans at a time. Put an UNOPENED can of sweetened condensed milk in sausepan of water let simmer, when water is 1/2 gone turn can over add water to top of can let simmer until water is low again,can now full of excelent caramel. Eagle brand sweentened condensed is always good. Some store brands are very acceptable. Mon Aug 25 15:38:34 -0700 2008 2001526 221524 tom45424 2 3999268 I have a tendency to get pretty creative when carving the Halloween pumpkin and the apple corer has come in handy several times. Sat Aug 30 19:34:55 -0700 2008 3986207 189528 Whosyerkitty 1 3999302 The teddy bear, truck, and something else twee-shaped onigiri molds I bought in addition to the traditional triangular one. I only use the triangular one. Ever. Sat Aug 30 20:04:38 -0700 2008 2001526 57371 operagirl 1 4012077 Larding needle. Definitely my larding needle. (Don't ask why I have two...) Fri Sep 05 16:21:33 -0700 2008 2001526 224092 clayrr 1 4013931 tartshell tamper, 7 years old and never used Sat Sep 06 16:18:33 -0700 2008 2001526 142336 rtms 1 4014418 Stupid plastic chef's knife that is supposed to keep chopped lettuce from browning. Sat Sep 06 20:34:21 -0700 2008 2001526 50333 tomishungry 2 4398584 I have a plastic knife that I love for cutting bar cookies and other things that I've made in non-stick pans. A metal knife would ruin the finish. Sun Feb 08 13:05:21 -0800 2009 4014418 45208 somervilleoldtimer 3 5174725 Also for cast iron pots and pans Wed Nov 11 21:21:38 -0800 2009 4398584 1122673 yakitat jack 1 4016343 I was going to say my dog, but he eats my mistakes. ;-) Sun Sep 07 20:33:06 -0700 2008 2001526 126101 Antilope 1 4316688 I have had an immersion blender for about 10 years and don't think I've used it 5 times. Sun Jan 11 14:24:18 -0800 2009 2001526 226942 al b. darned 2 4318340 Glad to see this, al. I've been meaning to search this board about them. So many people rave about them, but I can't see that I would use it. Mon Jan 12 08:08:58 -0800 2009 4316688 131001 c oliver 3 4398586 Well, I don't use mine very often, but it's really the only thing to use for pureeing hot soup. So when I use mine, I'm really happy to have it, twice/three times a year. Sun Feb 08 13:06:13 -0800 2009 4318340 45208 somervilleoldtimer 4 4399194 I don't have a processor or a blender, so my immersion blender is in use at least once every other week. I have a wisk attachment as well, so I use it for everything from soups like harira and potato leek soup to foaming egg whites.... I've even used it for "mashing" potatoes. Sun Feb 08 17:13:21 -0800 2009 4398586 152043 TampaAurora 5 4694816 My immersion blender is a very old Braun model from at least 20 years ago. My grandma decided everyone needed one and bought one for anyone who expressed even the vaguest agreement with her sentiment. I didn't use it for years, but now I have it out at least once or twice a week. I got my husband a very cheap espresso machine for Christmas--it makes acceptable espresso but is worthless for steaming and frothing milk. So if I'm making something that requires froth, I heat the milk and froth it with the immersion blender. Its other main use here is making Mexican hot chocolate. Mike grates the chocolate, I heat the milk, and we put it together with the immersion blender. Mon May 18 13:16:19 -0700 2009 4399194 32586 revsharkie 1 4317844 For me, it would be the garlic press and the food chopper. I think it's easier to just use a knife and clean the cutting board . But my boyfriend uses both of them all the time. There's also the cast iron fondue set we got as a gift eight years ago, used once, and haven't used since. But - far and away the most useless gadget in our kitchen is the Ron Popeil Pasta Maker. My BF actually ordered this in a manic moment off the TV. Jesus! A two year thread and I'm still the only one with this embarrassing thing taking up space under my sink! Mon Jan 12 01:57:44 -0800 2009 2001526 42367 ratgirlagogo 1 4321977 An advocado pitter/slicer from WS. A total waste of space. I can believe some one paid for the R&D on it. I can't believe it is sold or bought, mine was a gift from Mom so it stays in the drawer. Tue Jan 13 09:20:20 -0800 2009 2001526 95686 ChickenBrocandZiti 1 4322028 wife Tue Jan 13 09:32:28 -0800 2009 2001526 148886 duck833 2 4322446 I second this opinion! Tue Jan 13 11:19:53 -0800 2009 4322028 178033 JanPrimus 3 4398591 Husband! Except that he does the dishes. Sun Feb 08 13:06:51 -0800 2009 4322446 45208 somervilleoldtimer 4 4398954 Variation on the theme: Fiancee Sun Feb 08 15:39:54 -0800 2009 4398591 259263 bigfellow 1 4390426 First, thank you everyone for the forewarning about the silicon baking pans. A friend tried to give me a set, but since I already had plenty of baking pans already, I declined. You’d have thought I had just killed his cat the way he looked at me. Sorry, the simple fact was - I didn’t need them. Now that I’ve heard all the negatives, I don’t feel so bad. :-) Anywho – my nominees for most worthless kitchen gadgets are: spaghetti portion paddle cookbook holder electric can opener pump oil sprayer egg timer One of my seldom used, but totally effective utensils is an old fashioned can opener – one with a blade that you rock back and forth and actually cut the lid from the can. I used this for years and years until I finally bought my heavy-duty, manual Swingline. Thu Feb 05 11:23:43 -0800 2009 2001526 233294 cuccubear 2 5171855 I always use my low tech can opener. I tell my kids that when the power goes out, we will have our trusty can opener handy. I have so many electrical appliances but I've never bought an electric can opener. There is something about the handy can opener that I've never given up. Must be something primal! Tue Nov 10 21:37:41 -0800 2009 4390426 171058 kanosis 3 5172809 I'm just not a gadget kind of guy. If it plugs in, recharges, or has batteries, I don't want it, unless I _really_ need it. Wed Nov 11 09:23:03 -0800 2009 5171855 233294 cuccubear 1 4398580 A cookie press! I have never yet had a cookie that I wanted to eat that was made with a cookie press. They all taste like dog biscuits. Sun Feb 08 13:04:24 -0800 2009 2001526 45208 somervilleoldtimer 2 4700095 You haven't had the right cookies then. I only use my cookie press once a year to make my shortbread, but I wouldn't do without it. The one year I didn't have one, I piped the cookies by hand, I thought my hand would fall off (and I was working in the pastry kitchen at a hotel at the time, so my piping strength was pretty good). Believe me, my cookies don't taste like dog biscuits/ Wed May 20 07:42:11 -0700 2009 4398580 139219 Sooeygun 1 4398660 I can't find it in this long list, but someone mentioned mandolins. I love my Feemster -- it would take a finger off, so i have to be careful, but it's very basic and very sharp! I got mine 20 years ago, because my mother wouldn't give me hers. http://www.jensco.com/thekitchendrawer/kitchen_tools/slicers_mandolins/slicer901.html Sun Feb 08 13:35:55 -0800 2009 2001526 45208 somervilleoldtimer 2 4694826 I swear by my Feemster for making pickles and the like, but I very nearly sliced the tip of my finger off the very first time I had it out. The hole in the end of my finger was so deep and scary that I had a splint on it for days, because every time it would touch ANYTHING, I would scream. Mon May 18 13:18:44 -0700 2009 4398660 32586 revsharkie 1 4673185 A french fry cutter that I bought at a supermarket. Too small for most potatoes, so I have to cut the potatoes to size anyway, at which point, I might as well cut the fries with a knife. The Kitchen Aid pasta extrusion attachment that's meant to be used with the grinder attachment--I've never gotten any kind of useful pasta out of this, and once the dough even started backing up into the machine and extruding some kind of grey, silvery grease while one of my dinner guests was watching. I tossed that batch and made commercial noodles. A "universal" pot lid that I think works with one or maybe two of my 20-odd pots and pans. The knob is in the center, so on a smaller pot, the handle usually gets in the way of the cover. Mon May 11 09:02:39 -0700 2009 2001526 198087 David A. Goldfarb 1 4675084 my girlfriend Mon May 11 18:24:44 -0700 2009 2001526 12603 ScubaSteve 2 4695046 Another vote for the wife. Mon May 18 14:17:50 -0700 2009 4675084 195110 jeffreyem 1 4675536 Does a trash compactor count? We use ours to store cans of dog food. Mon May 11 21:05:31 -0700 2009 2001526 40486 Cinnamon 2 4677208 We traded out the compactor for a wine chiller, which certainly counts as a gadget, albeit built-in! Tue May 12 11:59:41 -0700 2009 4675536 264226 toomanypots 1 5096155 This stupid metal lemon juicer thing that looks like a mini funnel that you screw into the bottom of a lemon and then squeeze. Useless, hard to clean, and a pain to get in and out of the lemon. But I think it has a mysterious hold over me -- I've held onto it for YEARS and can't part with it . . . . Sun Oct 11 20:43:55 -0700 2009 2001526 1112205 grayum 1 5096971 Reality based answer? The most useless thing in my kitchen, though I don't think it's exactly a "gadget", is my collection of five or six diet cook books. Not ONE of them works! <sigh> Mon Oct 12 09:21:48 -0700 2009 2001526 112096 Caroline1 1 5180039 I purchased a Belgian deep waffle maker about 12 years ago. I've used it twice. The unfortunate thing is that I was thinking of the waffles my mother used to make in a Sunbeam grill press that had reversible plates. One side was for waffles and the other flat. You could lay the thing out flat and do pancakes and bacon and eggs like a restaurant grill or you could use it like a grill press for sandwiches. I think it was used at least once a week and would probably be still in use today close to 50 years later if my mother had not passed away. Fri Nov 13 16:32:24 -0800 2009 2001526 182230 Alacrity59 1 5198775 Yogurt maker. Did it once or twice, but couldn't find the starter locally and didn't want to order it online over and over. Zyliss cheese grater with the hand-crank. Impossible to clean. Stainless steal thing shaped like soap that supposedly removes onion and garlic odors from your fingers. Rubbing fingers on a clean knife does the same thing. Mortar and pestle. Keep it around because it's pretty but we never use it. Also a gorgeous low-tech scale with little weights that look like chess pieces. Aesthetically pleasing, but use it only to hold onions and garlic on the countertop, never for weighing things. Weird items we use a lot: salad spinner, toaster oven, lemon squeezer, apple corer-slicer, fondue pot, mini-cuisinart (for making baby food). Sat Nov 21 13:42:10 -0800 2009 2001526 1126372 whiskysour 2 5198938 I LOVE my toaster oven! I have an old one from my grandpap, it's a toaster oven but also has a slit across the top like a regular toaster, that slit is closeable when you use it as an oven. Cooking for just two people there are plenty of times I just use my little toaster oven instead of firing up the real oven. Sat Nov 21 15:39:22 -0800 2009 5198775 15507 Rick 2 5199320 Wifey and I had fondue tonight, using an electric pot I bought about a month after we started going out more than 10 years ago. We've had a lot of great meals around it. Sat Nov 21 19:59:47 -0800 2009 5198775 10784 Scrapironchef