Useless kitchen tools

[choclatechef]

Hey sub! I am glad you like the rolling pin!


It is funny, my friend I sent the christmas gift rolling pin to, did not like it! She says it is too heavy..... I am crushed.

 

[Hungry]

Gadgets

I have a beautiful Pasta Machine, with dies to make most any type of pasta.
Wish I knew where it is??

Probably with my Expresso machine.

Charlie

 

[cats]

I have to agree with others on the garlic press as being useless. I also just prefer to wack, peel, and chop. It is also terrible to clean. I was given a coffee bean grinder as a gift. I used it initially a few times, but now I have no idea where I put it. We moved within the past year and I'm not sure if I tossed it or have put it in a "safe" place here. If I want fresh ground coffee, I just grind and bag it at the grocery store. Unfortunately, tho', there are some items that, although used rarely, they can't really qualify as useless because, when you need it, you need it - and are glad you've got it. Stay warm everyone wherever you are, going to be in the single digits here tonight. Ugh!

 

[Claire]

Oh, there are so many over the years. Luckily I've moved often, so get rid of what I don't use often, and don't have my folllies taking up space. About three years ago I had to furnish a kitchen (a whole house) from scratch, and the only mistakes I've made were a .... can't remember what it's called ... a mezulina or something like that. A rocking cutter. And it wasn't so much my mistake I don't think. I thought it would be great for chopping herbs. I have a spectacularly successful herb garden but sometimes chopping them is a pain. I wanted one of these cutters with the fitted bowl. Hubby bought me a double bladed one, no bowl. The herbs get caught between the two blades. Back to the chef's knife.

When I went to buy a food processor I went for a little cuisinart number that is both food processor and blender. In fact, I should have known that I simply do not use a blender that often and bought a larger food processor.

But over the years ..... mostly I've screwed up by trying to save money.

 

[LadyCook61]

I have an electric apple/potatoe peeler I hardly use. I have to cut the ends off and slice the apples anyway so I don't bother with the electric one .

 

[Walt Bulander]

Re garlic press

I have a zyliss that I bought many years ago after watching the Frug. I use it mostly in curries that need almost a paste.
What I found out that he didn't know is don't peel the clove!
Just pop it in, squeeze, cut the garlic off the bottom, and the waste comes out in one piece and leaves the press clean enough to just throw in the dishwasher. Try it.

 

[David Cottrell]

Where did I put the yogurt maker?

This is the reason my yogurt incubator is a blanket that otherwise might be on the bed!

 

[Robo410]

I have used the garlic press once in the last 5 years, but the flour sifter is a certain thrift shop item (I use a strainer) next time I go with a bag of goodies for them, and the apple slicer corer thingy...I don't buy apples small enough to go with that.

 

[Katie H]

I have a zyliss that I bought many years ago after watching the Frug. I use it mostly in curries that need almost a paste.
What I found out that he didn't know is don't peel the clove!
Just pop it in, squeeze, cut the garlic off the bottom, and the waste comes out in one piece and leaves the press clean enough to just throw in the dishwasher. Try it.

If I can show my ignorance...what is a zyliss?

Edit: Never mind. I guess it's a garlic press.

 

[sattie]

For me it was a garlic press and some do-hickey thing that measures pasta? Oh, and a cheese slicer... all this stuff just sits in the drawers beggin for a chance to show their worth. And most recently I bought a digital themometer... still sittin in the drawer with all the protective film on it!!! And I guess I will say my new stock pot... only used it once. I tend to shy away from it because it is a PITA to clean!

 

[suziquzie]

My Bundt pan!!!! I think I've had it around 7 years? Made something in it twice.

I'll agree on cheese slicer. This is what knives are for!

This I didn't actually buy, I had a Tupperware party and chose it.... my salad spinner / keeper. It works great, but I don't have fridge space to keep a big bowl full of lettuce in there all the time. Sure would be cheaper than the bags if I could. I used to when I had an extra fridge.

 

[sattie]

I'm with ya on the bundt pan!!! LOL... refuse to get rid of it, but one of the least used utensils in my kitchen tools!

 

[Katie H]

My Bundt pan!!!! I think I've had it around 7 years? Made something in it twice.

I'll agree on cheese slicer. This is what knives are for!

This I didn't actually buy, I had a Tupperware party and chose it.... my salad spinner / keeper. It works great, but I don't have fridge space to keep a big bowl full of lettuce in there all the time. Sure would be cheaper than the bags if I could. I used to when I had an extra fridge.

We have a salad spinner, suzie. Not Tupperware, but a spinner just the same. However, I don't store my lettuce in the spinner in the refrigerator after I've spun it. Once dry, I put the lettuce into a zipperlock bag with a piece of paper towel in the bottom. Never had a problem with my lettuce going bad. It's always nice and crisp, though.

As for the bundt pan, I use mine for gelatin desserts/salads and meatloaf. Fill the center of the meatloaf with mashed potatoes. Yummy.

 

[suziquzie]

Thanks Katie another great idea!
The spinning part lifts out of mine and once you dry out the bowl it has a sealing lid for storing. But, I have 3 kids and 3 gallons of milk on hand, no space for bowls!!
Maybe I will buy some lettuces tomorrow, dig out the spinner and bag my own salads............
I think it's under the Bundt pan......

 

[DrThunder88]

Bundt pans useless? If it weren't for Bundt pans, I'd never be able to make monkey bread and various ring-shaped cakes!

Breadmakers do rank highly as tools that have almost no application when I cook. I have used one for making dough for my Gen Tso's pizza in the past, but now I just make it by hand.

 

[YT2095]

these roller pizza cutters are a waste of time, they make more mess than it`s worth.
these hand-held rotary cheese graters... now they`re great (some pun intended) and do process a lot of cheese very quickly, that time gained is All lost again when it comes to trying the Wash the thing clean afterwards!

 

[Michelemarie]

My mom gave me a gadget that is supposed to core and slice a pineapple - all I got was a big mess. I can core and cut a pineapple quickly with no mess. I thanked her and gave it back. Do you know what she said? "I don't want it!"

 

[jabbur]

I have two things that I never use (well almost) but have trouble getting rid of since my dear departed mom loved them. The first is the apple peeler corer slicer thingy (manual)that turns out spiral sliced apples. The other is a slicer (electric) that in theory is to work like those meat and cheese slicers in the deli. It works and slices things nicely but is a PITA to use. Saftey features make it clumsy to work and hard to clean.

 

[DrThunder88]

Found this link today when checking my mail.

Be forewarned, #3 is...odd.

 

[wysiwyg]

LOL at some postings, specially the food mill and garlic crusher. I use them weekly and every other day respectively.
It is not a gadget, but an appliance: The dishwasher. It is a nice Bosch unit, but I just prefer to wash things by hand.