Not so great kitchen tools
- Thread starter Mel!
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Not all rotary shredder / slicers are created equal. The Kitchen Aid RVSA that I have had dull bades NIB which appear to be poorly chrome plate. My Messerschmidt on the other hand has stainless steel drums that are quite sharp and work like a charm but cost 2X the RVSA. The RVSA's are thicker and of a truncated cone shape. The Messerschmidts are a bit bigger in diameter, cylindrical and made of a thinner material.
That is exactly what happened to me. I had a terrible time getting the onion out without slicing my fingers. I tried it once more and got a mix of over chopped and hardly chopped onions. Useless!
Claire
Master Chef
I was given a Black & Decker Gizmo, with attachments. It was so underpowered as to be useless.
It is so funny. I had this, if it is the one I'm thinking of, 20+ years ago. Hung on the wall, plugged in to charge? Mine was before it was call Gizmo, had a both kinds of wire whisks and a regular beater. I love it! BUT .... my sis bought one and hers never did have enough power to do anything! It wouldn't hold a charge. I often fixed dinner for my entire extended family and, no problem. She rarely cooked for her own family. I don't know if they changed how were they were made or what.
It is so funny. I had this, if it is the one I'm thinking of, 20+ years ago. Hung on the wall, plugged in to charge? Mine was before it was call Gizmo, had a both kinds of wire whisks and a regular beater. I love it! BUT .... my sis bought one and hers never did have enough power to do anything! It wouldn't hold a charge. I often fixed dinner for my entire extended family and, no problem. She rarely cooked for her own family. I don't know if they changed how were they were made or what.
Claire
Master Chef
For me, I'm glad husband doesn't read this, but he had me buy him a coffee bean grinder for grinding spices. He doesn't even use it once a year, and we aren't big coffee drinkers (anyway, if we were we'd have to have two). It sits there.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
I bought one of those "... as seen on TV... “Veggie chopper, last all of two weeks before blades got totally messed up.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
Note to self many years ago:
NEVER BUY ANYHING that is "As Seen On TV." So far I have not been disappointed. And the latest ... Two for the price of one! Oh Whoopie. If it was of any value, do you think they would be giving you one for free? Just pay the additional S&H charges.
My husband came home with "Eggies" from the infomercial... It is the most horrifying experience I have ever had in the kitchen. After I ruined a perfectly good batch of eggs, separated the three parts to each container ( 6-12 in all.. I blocked it from my memory) washed them, dried them, crammed them back in the box.. I looked at them and promptly threw them in the trash. 
Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
I remember those "as seen on TV" vegetable choppers and they always looked to me just like what's being described here in the topic. It's made out of cheap plastic so of course it's crappy. I figured you'd get a mix of overly chopped teeny pieces and big chunks, and looks like that's just what you get.
I figure if a product is not good enough to be sold in stores there is probably a reason for that. My expectation is that nobody who saw one in real life would buy it because it's a cheap plastic piece of ... plastic.
And don't get me started on that "get a second one for free, just pay S&H." That's a dead give away that the S&H is astronomical! I'm just sure that even the shipping is far more than what their shipper charges them.
If they can give you a second product for free then that tells you exactly what it's worth: zero. In fact I bet they could sell the first one for "free, just pay S&H" except then everybody would realize that it's not worth buying.
I would much rather buy a "seen on TV" product when they list stores you can buy them at if you're too lazy to call them on the phone.
Then I can drive over and look at it, and if I buy it and don't like it I can get a full refund.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
My husband came home with "Eggies" from the infomercial... It is the most horrifying experience I have ever had in the kitchen. After I ruined a perfectly good batch of eggs, separated the three parts to each container ( 6-12 in all.. I blocked it from my memory) washed them, dried them, crammed them back in the box.. I looked at them and promptly threw them in the trash.
We have a repoter that on every Wednesday morning, she tests those "As Seen On TV" items. She and one of her neighbor's went through a number of dozens of eggs to get just two passable ones. I should send the site to you so you can see all the items she has tested. And I have to say, she really gives them a fair chance to succeed. Very few ever make it past the trash can.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
Does it work?: NECN tests the products to find out
Take a look at some of the stuff she has tested. It is an eye opener.
Take a look at some of the stuff she has tested. It is an eye opener.
Does it work?: NECN tests the products to find out
Take a look at some of the stuff she has tested. It is an eye opener.
Thanks for the link!
Does it work?: NECN tests the products to find out
Take a look at some of the stuff she has tested. It is an eye opener.
So I watched her video on the eggies.. it was painful to bring back that horrific memory
and I made a mistake,there were 4 parts to it instead of three.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
So I watched her video on the eggies.. it was painful to bring back that horrific memory
Show the clip to hubby and ask him very nicely not to do you anymore favors.
If it is a kitchen gadget, that has had air time between the hours of say, 1:30AM, to 5AM, chances are pretty good it should be in this thread.
DampCharcoal
Executive Chef
If you call now you can get two for the price of one AND get a revolutionary scrub pad THAT CAN CLEAN ANYTHING!
Call now!
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
I am dashing for the phone as I type.
Lol, I LOVE that, BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE, We will send you TWO pieces of crap for the price of ONE!
I don't want one, let alone another, good lord.
CraigC
Master Chef
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2011
- Messages
- 6,486
I bought a kitchen item with attachments for all kinds of slicing, dicing... I bought it in a good will shop, and ended up giving it back to them after using it just once, because it looked so dangerous, that I would have to concentrate completely on not cutting myself when using and washing it.
I wonder how many hands that good will stuff ends up in.
