Comments on: Tell me your most useful and useless kitchen gadgets

By: Ed

Ed — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:40:46 +0000

Vangie, That sounds like a great idea having a trash or treasure party.I may just do that myself.

By: Vangie

Vangie — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:43:24 +0000

I’ve just stumbled on this website and it was certainly entertaining reading all your comments – made me chuckle quite a few times.
I’ve been a kitchen gadget junky myself, having entertained friends quite a lot in my past life some years ago. I haven’t cooked much for quite some time now, and now that I’m packing to move into a smaller place, I’ve discovered so many gadgets that I didn’t think I have, obviously I’ve either not used in a long time or never ever used at all, and some I don’t even know what they’re for. I also found 2, 3 or more of the same – obviously thinking I didn’t have one so bought another, etc. Definitely time to have a big ‘trash or treasure’ party and make some family & friends happy when I give them away.
Favourites: I’ll definitely keep my rice cooker, fruit/vegies sanitizer, Oscar juicer, and Kitchen Aid appliances.

By: Juliette

Juliette — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:50:50 +0000

Reading these articles reminds me that I need to get more vegetable peelers ( I agree with Jak on that one) and a rice cooker. Might pass on the pie maker though…
Best – a steamer – a saucepan with two levels of steamer on top then a lid. It means after a weekend overindulgence I can put carrots in the water in the bottom and other veges and fish in the other two levels and have an extra healthy dinner.
Worst – individual mini cake pans I asked my friend to buy me for Christmas (she doesn’t read this blog, well I hope not). There are only two of these so I can’t make a batch easily and they’re too fiddly to butter.

By: Ed

Ed — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:53:49 +0000

Grocer, all my stains are off white.

Robyn – not too late. It’ll take me a day or two to round up.

Michelle,I actually like the spinner and I don’t think it bruises the leaves. I better check.

By: Michelle B

Michelle B — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:36:12 +0000

Best tools: cleaver, parer, sharpening steel, graduated mixing bowls measuring spoons and jugs, ladles (can’t ever have enough of those, all sizes) veggie peeler, the mother of all stock pots, glass chopping board, large, heavy-bottomed sauteuse with cover (can be used as a shallow fryer, paella pan, wok, for risottos and stews), set of 4 basic heavy bottomed saucepans with covers and steamer, free standing mixer (cook everything from scratch, for only two people, but cook in bulk and freeze future meals), loaf pans (for bread and Madeira cake), cookie sheet, rolling pin, a thin, flexible knife-like spatula (for sliding under rolled out pastry), set of ceramic, glazed ramekins (from tiny to large) for French Onion soup, souffles, au gratins, custards, mousses, pies, fridge, freeze, oven, cook top, and many large windows overlooking great scenery.

Worst tool: an idiotic plastic spin dryer for salad greens. It broke and when it ‘worked’ it bruised the more delicate of salad greens and left more water droplets than my preferred method of gently swabbing leaves with a thick, dry, thirsty old tea cloth (after giving the head of leaves a couple of good shakes like the elderly ladies do in Alpine villages). Can’t heave the piece of crap because I threw it out when it broke and never got another.

By: Robyn

Robyn — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:29:50 +0000

Hope I’m not too late – Turkey turners. Just blogged it.
http://eatingasia.typepad.com/eatingasia/2008/05/what-a-useless.html

By: grocer

grocer — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:16:46 +0000

try the gumption – it works for us and ours is off white.

By: Ed

Ed — Fri, 02 May 2008 05:23:10 +0000

Sticky, I think small can be good to focus the mind and create order. I’m always amazed how small some restaurant kitchens are and they manage very well. I’ve never heard of an egg boiling gauage. What is it? That’s dedication grating your own coconut. What’s it look like?

Grocer, the real problem is the cat who knocked the fryig pan and took a chip out the edge and that acid – onions and lemon even water if it’s not wiped away – stain. I have a book on how to make one if you are interested. Although as ever, I wasn’t allowed and we had to buy these in.

By: grocer

grocer — Fri, 02 May 2008 05:01:37 +0000

Ed, I don’t mind the concrete benchtop.
a bit of a go with some gumption from time to time keeps it looking good.

By: stickyfingers

stickyfingers — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:23:27 +0000

A small kitchen means I’m a minimalist. For years I survived with a rice cooker, cleaver and a paring knife, a wok, a stockpot, a cast iron fry pan, a dutch oven, a roasting pan and a couple of saucepans. Then I got a Magimix. When I turned 30 I was given a Baby Gaggia espresso machine and later, a bread oven.

Now I also have some small gadgets like a Vacu-vin, egg boiling gauge, silicon funnel that folds flat, a ricer & recently a cheap-arsed mandolin for my Vietnamese and Thai cooking.

Mr Stickyfingers moved in with knives, a blender and small tat, but the only thing I rarely use is a bench mounting coconut grater, for making fiery coconut Sambol. It was a wonderful gift from friends in Sri Lanka and I’ll never part with it.