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When it comes to new kitchen gadgets, I understand how it may be hard to say no. The pretty designs and novelty are quite alluring. It seems though that the most interestingly designed tools are only made for a single purpose, and for what they cost, buying all of them can be really expensive.
As much as I love the idea of having a kitchen full of cutesy gadgets, I’ve come to accept that I don’t need EVERY one. So how do you know when to say no? Refer to my table below.
I’ve found that everyday utensils (spoon, knife, & fork) can serve the same purpose as many of these specialized tools, so if it’s not easier or more efficient, I’ll often say no. More often than not, single-purpose tools are only made for a single purpose, so you’ll be better off spending your money on other nicely designed items that won’t just sit in your kitchen drawer. Have you found other uses for these single-purpose tools? Please share in the comments section.
For more frugal food ideas, check out our free Cheap Eats eBook.
Note: this post was included in the Carnival of Personal Finance #261 hosted by Pop Economics .
it's important of having all the kitchen gadgets ,because we cant cook food without these gadget ,but we have to keep in mind that before buying it we should know the importance of the gadget on the kitchen
I found my children ate more apples when they got to use the Apple Corer. The Strawberry Huller is free at Tupperware Parties, but a drinking straw pushed up thru the bottom of the Strawberry takes the core and the top off easily.
Garlic press crushes the garlic, right? I stopped using ours. Costco sells a huge container of crushed garlic that lasts a long time. Fresh garlic I'll peel and slice. That husker is cheap, a buck, maybe, and I lie it better than using a knife, it saves wasted strawberry. My most underrated gizmo? The orange peeler! A little plastic tool that scores the outside just deep enough to make peeling easy. Also a buck, and worth every cent. Worst kitchen appliance? The single purpose hot dog grilling machine. Who buys that? The potato masher? Also mashes squash. Posted recipe for it at my daughter's blog http://www.anotherfinemeal.com/squash/
@JoeTaxpayer. I have to disagree with you on the orange peeler. By far my most favorite gadget, one because it was cheap and two because it keep you from getting all "orangey" smelling. I also get a ton of use from my melon baller. I scoop a whole melon at the beginning of the week and it makes packing for lunches or breakfast on the go much easier than a bigger slice.
Correction from earlier post - I totally "AGREE" with Joe that the orange peeler is a great tool.
I LUV the orange peeler too! OK now on the ice cream scooper ... yes, I use it. I've bent a couple of (cheap) metal spoons in ice cream tubs before I got one. We have one scooper that works really good and another that's bleh.
What no ice cream scoop? Using a teaspoon to fill a cone will give you a cup full of shreds of ice cream and take much longer than a good scoop; with auto discharge device which pops the ice cream out in nice rounded blobs, just right for a cone. Worth every penny in time and energy and decrease in frustration.
Besides using the melon baller for melon, I have a recipe for stuffed jalapenos and the small end of the melon baller is perfect for scooping out the seeds and membranes without destroying the outside of the jalapeno.
I, too, like the melon baller. Besides using it for melon, I have a recipe for stuffed jalapenos and the small end of the melon baller is perfect to fit in the halved jalapeno to scoop out the seeds and membranes without destroying the outside of the jalapeno.
I agree with Monroe on the ice cream scoop. Got one years ago from Pampered Chef. Maybe a little pricey, but the heat from you hand warms it to make scooping easy. I have also bent (not so cheap) silver spoons and stainless spoons in very hard ice cream.
Potato mashers are good for mashing avocado into guacamole. Keeps it chunkier than a food processor. It's a tip I picked up from Rick Bayless' show on PBS.
A potato masher is also good for breaking up hamburger in small bit while cooking in a skillet.
No need for a potato masher either. I just use my mixer (assuming you have one of those). Whether you have a portable or stand mixer, it's useful for whipping cream, beating eggs, making a cake or cookies, and of course making really good mashed potatoes.
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