Worst Kitchen Gadgets

[Skittle68]

Slap Chop. All I wanted was one of those cheap glass jars with a simple screw on lid and a blade attached to a simple plunger. Mom had one, I used to have one. It was cheap and it worked. HAH!

The Slap Chopper came out and although it was $15 I had to have it. What a waste of money. The first chop ended up with the blades completely stuck in an onion half. It was very difficult to get the onion out from between the blades without cutting myself. Then further chopping ended up with some pieces untouched around the edges. Some were practically liquid and others in chunks. It was horrible to clean and definitely dangerous. Those blades are sharp. It sits unused in a cabinet.

My mom had one of those too, and when a blade broke she couldn't find another one like it! I would love to have one of those too! As for useless, the solid flavor injector. It's easier to just stab the meat with a knife, and poke the clove of garlic or whatever into the meat. Also, my pineapple slicer. It's fast, but I'm pretty fast with a knife too, and after the first time I used it, and I saw how much fruit went to waste (you get the same size cylinder of pineapple, no matter the size of the one you are cutting), my slicer went right in the goodwill box. I could never see much use for salad spinners either. Seems like they take up too much room for what they do...

 

[Bigjim68]

Pampered Chef makes a small chopper, although it seems a little pricey ($30 range)

My mom had one of those too, and when a blade broke she couldn't find another one like it! I would love to have one of those too! As for useless, the solid flavor injector. It's easier to just stab the meat with a knife, and poke the clove of garlic or whatever into the meat. Also, my pineapple slicer. It's fast, but I'm pretty fast with a knife too, and after the first time I used it, and I saw how much fruit went to waste (you get the same size cylinder of pineapple, no matter the size of the one you are cutting), my slicer went right in the goodwill box. I could never see much use for salad spinners either. Seems like they take up too much room for what they do...

 

[chopper]

I do love all of the fun things I can get to play with in the kitchen. It is also fun to shop for them, and I am really not much of a shopper. I baught a cap that goes on a bottle of sauce for the barbe. It screws on and has a brush on it. I have had it in "the drawer" for two years. I haven't used it yet...but maybe some day! I have a veggie scrubber that fits in your hand with a finger holder (like a ring). I use that all of the time.

 

[Bigjim68]

A lot of the useless gadgets I have have been in a box that I buy at a yard sale to get at a piece of CI or copper.

My problem is that I seldom throw these things away, and they just take up space.

 

[CraigC]

A $40.00 value for only $19.95! But wait, if you order now we'll include another one free, just pay separate shipping and handling. That's an $80.00 value for just $19.95! Here's how to order!

The only things that we really don't use are some of the attachments for the mandolin and pasta machine.

Craig

 

[Lorrae]

The Magic Bullet! I thought it looked amazing on TV... taking all the work out of grating, chopping, mincing, etc.... but it turns out it only really purees, and doesn't puree very well for that matter. It was such a disappointment!

 

[justplainbill]

A mezzaluna didn't do much for me.
I thought I would let my daughter use it but no.

Big huge grill tools were a gift never used.

Fish grill basket never used.

We have three mezzaluna and use them in conjunction with wood bowls to chop spinach, chard, kale, and basil, to coarsely chop nuts, and to slice pizza. Find them a lot easier to clean than a blender or food processor. They do require occasional sharpening and I prefer the single bladed variety, of which we have two.

 

[Caslon]

Those egg rings for making egg muffins. They're non-stick and even when I spray a little Pam on them, they still require a thorough cleaning afterwards.
I believe the fast food restaurants use something else for cooking up the egg for breakfast sandwiches.

 

[msmofet]

Pampered Chef makes a small chopper, although it seems a little pricey ($30 range)

I like and use mine. Got it for free when I threw a party.

 

[msmofet]

Those egg rings for making egg muffins. They're non-stick and even when I spray a little Pam on them, they still require a thorough cleaning afterwards.
I believe the fast food restaurants use something else for cooking up the egg for breakfast sandwiches.

Wouldn't it be funny if they use tuna cans with the top and bottom removed like my aunt used to use for poached eggs and egg mcmuffins.

 

[DaveSoMD]

...All I wanted was one of those cheap glass jars with a simple screw on lid and a blade attached to a simple plunger. Mom had one, I used to have one. It was cheap and it worked. HAH!

I have one of those too. It was my Mom's or my Gram's. Not sure which since they both had the same type and I don't remember who's I rescued.

For those looking for one... there are some on eBay if you're and eBay shopper. nut chopper items - Get great deals on eBay Motors, Collectibles items on eBay.com!

Other useless things - The Egg-stractor, that flip-over omelet pan.

Oh, for those who remember, I saw for sale in a catalog .............





wait for it........





The Ronco Veg-o-matic!!!!!!

 

[Dumpandstir]

Salad shooter. I never even removed it from the box. Threw it in the trash during one of my fits for a clean house.

Wife was not too happy with me.

People ask what gifts to get me. I have been wanting a mixing bowl set to make baked alaska for a couple of years now. No, I get salad shooters and other useless crap.

 

[Skittle68]

Wouldn't it be funny if they use tuna cans with the top and bottom removed like my aunt used to use for poached eggs and egg mcmuffins.

OMG great idea!!!! I'm going to do this! Just have to find the kind of can you can open on both sides- most of them are smooth on the bottom now :/

 

[Josie1945]

OMG great idea!!!! I'm going to do this! Just have to find the kind of can you can open on both sides- most of them are smooth on the bottom now :/

I have been looking for Tuna Fish cans that can be opened on each end for a year no luck. I guess I will have to give up and go to the Restuarant supply store in Tampa.

Josie

 

[Claire]

I pretty much stick to my belief that if I haven't used/worn something for over a year, Goodwill it. Some have very specific uses (wearings) so are exempt. But mind was a mezulina as well. I think if I'd bought a single blade and a matching bowl I'd have used it more. But this had two blades, and I wanted it for chopping large amounts of herbs. The herbs got stuck between the two blades and just stayed there, so in chopping I was spending more time using a knife to get the herbs out from between the blades.

One I don't like, but hubby does so it is there. It is a reamer. Now, I'm more likely to juice a lemon, maybe orange, and he only does limes. I find trying to fish out the seeds a pain in the butt, so bought one of those hinged squeezers that doesn't let the seeds through and it really does a great job of getting all the juice from a lemon. So we have the wooden reamer for him, the sqeazer for me.

I had to furnish my house from almost scratch ten years ago, and instead of buying a good food processor, I bought one that has a smaller bowl (larger than the mini bowls that come with some, but nowhere near full sized) that also came with a blender, interchangeable with a blender attachment. I really wish I'd bought just a good food processor. The bowl isn't large enough for many things I do, and the blender .... well, I just don't use it at all. We had guests once who were into smoothies, and they made us breakfast every day using it, but I think that is it. When I have an abundance of herbs and need to chop for the freezer, etc, the food processor just isn't big enough. It should be quality (it is Cuisinart) but I don't think they put their all in this model; the blades aren't that sharp, etc. When I feel like spending the money I will dump this one (Goodwill or a needier friend/relative) and buy a good one.

 

[Katie H]

I have been looking for Tuna Fish cans that can be opened on each end for a year no luck. I guess I will have to give up and go to the Restuarant supply store in Tampa.

Josie

You don't have to go to the restaurant supply store. Go back to the grocery store and look for the small (8-ounce, I think) cans of pineapple. They are still openable on both top and bottom. Sometimes the cans water chestnuts can be used, too.

 

[Claire]

Oh, I love my salad shooter! The grater attachment on the aforementioned food processor just jams up, and when making a slaw more of the cabbage gets stuck between the blade and the lid. I've gone through three of them in the past few decades, and for awhile I couldn't find a replacement for the most recently deceased (yes, DC friends helped me find it). Just goes to show, different strokes for different folks.

Often when looking for a gadget or appliance, I set Mom on the scent. She's an avid yard/garage sale, thrift shop kinda gal. So I often get things like the salad shooter Dump threw out for next to nothing. They'll be in the box and never used (usually wedding gifts for couple who never cook!).

 

[Josie1945]

-

You don't have to go to the restaurant supply store. Go back to the grocery store and look for the small (8-ounce, I think) cans of pineapple. They are still openable on both top and bottom. Sometimes the cans water chestnuts can be used, too.

Thanks Katie. I just looked in the cabinet and found 8 cans of water chestnuts that will open on both ends

Josie

 

[4meandthem]

Things I have given away because I didn't use them or they were sub par;

Electric Wok
Bread machine
home meat slicer
mezzaluna
plastic whisk
Farberware electric grill-too much cleaning!
Ice cream maker-good but I never used it.

 

[Zhizara]

I have one of those too. It was my Mom's or my Gram's. Not sure which since they both had the same type and I don't remember who's I rescued.

For those looking for one... there are some on eBay if you're and eBay shopper. nut chopper items - Get great deals on eBay Motors, Collectibles items on eBay.com!

Other useless things - The Egg-stractor, that flip-over omelet pan.

Oh, for those who remember, I saw for sale in a catalog .............





wait for it........





The Ronco Veg-o-matic!!!!!!

I had one. It worked sort of, on some things, for awhile. PIA to clean.

I liked the salad shooter.