Old Speckled Hen Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 According to one of the newspapers this morning the best kitchen Gadgets are supposed to be: Wooden spoon Microplane grater..(the sort you use for orange and lemon rind) Hand blender Food processor The worst: Garlic press Breadmaker Egg poacher Milk frother??????? never heard of this one Me, I woudn't be without my breadmaker ...does lots apart from making bread, and my egg poacher cups from Lakeland are wonderful!! I can make eight poached eggs at a time in my deep saute pan when the family descend for the weekend. What's your best and worst? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 My runner bean slicer! I used to really dislike runner beans, but this little thing just slices them into really thin strings (like spaghetti). And they taste wonderful! Well worth the £2.50 or so! http://www.lakeland.co.uk/bean-slicer/F/product/3410?src=gaute&sq=bean%20slicer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 (edited) Well off the worst list I use my garlic press and breadmaker loads. I would also rate my slow cooker, bog standard whisk, steamer, masher and blender. Edited October 29, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 My Bamix, couldn't live without it, or my silicone spatula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Does OH count? He's a dab hand in the kitchen. As for 'gadgets', I also rate my slow cooker and cake mixer (had it for 20 years and still going strong), but wouldn't give drawer space to a garlic press! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I love my Pampered Chef garlic press....wouldn't be without it! I use my breadmaker nearly every day too. Not on the list....... ........I lurve my pressure cooker. It is a Kuhn Rikon and is silent as a whisper and makes wonderful soups and stews. I never use wooden spoons either...I like silicone spoons and spatulas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I agree that an egg poacher, garlic press and milk frother are a waste of time. Wouldn't be without a breadmaker, I love my really good Global chopping knife and my set of wooden spoons which were my mother's. I am not a fan of kitchen gadgets and try and keep everything to a minimum. Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I can't understand why people don't rate a garlic press? I cut garlic cloves in 1/2 without peeling and then put in press - thereby practically not touching it = no smelly garlic hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I just slice the cloves up finely alongside onions and then wash off the smell by rubbing hands on the stainless steel tap (an Omlet forum Top Tip I picked up a while ago). Removes the smell beautifully. I have never owned a garlic press that didn't take longer to clean than it saved in chopping time, hence my dislike of them - perhaps I've just never found the right one ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I'm trying to do away with gadgets as I don't have room to store them in my little kitchen and am a luddite anyway and prefer smaller manual gadgets to electrical ones. My most used gadget is a clockwork timer! I can't live without it as my brain turns to turnips and I forget to take things out of the oven without it ringing to remind me!! My two "must have" electric gadgets are a mini electric food chopper for chopping up onions finely and making small amounts of puree and a liquidiser for whizzing up soup and batters. I'm an avid collector of vintage kitchenalia and I have a very old French cherry/olive stoner which is invaluable when the cherries are in season for cherry muffins/cherry brandy. I also love my 1930s Tala potato ricer as it makes the creamiest, fluffiest mashed potatoes and I've noticed these manual ricers appearing in the shops again after all these years !! I had a breadmaker but gave up with it a couple of years ago in favour of making bread by hand. The results are much better and quicker and I can bake 3 loaves in the time the breadmaker could only manage one. I bought a garlic press a few years back but have never use it as Garlic is easily mashed to a puree on a chopping board with the blade of a knife and a sprinkle of salt and is much easier to clean up afterwards than the fiddly garlic press! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Ooh, I so agree with everyone that says a garlic press takes longer to clean than it does to mince garlic by hand! Other useless gadgets that I have discarded are: a rice steamer to use in the microwave, an electric knife sharpener, electric carving knife and a coffee grinder. Must have gadgets: my kenwood chef from the 1970s that I inherited from my mum, my breadmaker (and its companion piece, the toaster) and my food processor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 (edited) I love my little wire spoon with a chicken as a handle that was bought for me as a present to take boiled eggs out of the pan I know I can use a large spoon and have for many years, but but but it has a chicken on the handle!! Garlic press? I don't use one but have bought one for my older son as they use them in school, so he uses one here. I have a tin opener that can be used for left or right hand as OS is a leftie. That's a godsend for him as he was getting in a right mess trying to open some pineapple one day. edited for typos Edited October 29, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 What is a sticen? I googled it and found **this**. Surely not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Ohhhhhhhhhhh I forgot my global knife!!!! They are fab... it was a house warmer prezzie to myself!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 My breadmaker is invaluable. I want a food processor Used the garlic press just yesterday and tossed it in the dishwasher... Havn't used my george foreman in a while.... The ice cream maker just takes up space in the freezer... Ohh a great gadget is my lakeland bread slicer - worth every penny of the 50p I paid for it at the boot sale but a bit pricey in Lakeland at £17.95! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I wish I'd read this before I bought a garlic press the other week! I've used it twice and decided it's quicker to do it the way I always have done Best gadgets: Kenwood chef; silicon spatulas; timer - in use constantly, even if it's only to time the children on the naughty step ; electronic scales. Worst gadgets: smoothie maker (a pain to clean and now redundant as have a liquidiser to go with the kenwood chef); garlic press; electric carving knife; pressure cooker (only ever gets used as a large saucepan) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 I wouldn't be without my metal potato ricer Makes the nicest potato mash ever. I have been given a George Foreman cooker, an ice cream maker, a smoothie maker and a pressure cooker and they have all been freecycled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Actually I was just looking at a food processor and Mum said "you'll have no room left on your work surface" Then she said "you could move the coffee maker that you havn't used once since we moved in" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 yes I had a smoothie maker with all good intentions but it just didn't do the job I was expecting. I have a kenwood chef that my Nana gave me years ago which is a little or rather not so little treasure. I also love my digital scales they are gorgeous and very intelligent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 My two "must have" electric gadgets are a mini electric food chopper for chopping up onions finely and making small amounts of puree and a liquidiser for whizzing up soup and batters. I love my mini chopper too & use it on a daily basis. I also love my new bright green silicone spatula, which is FAB, & my Dualit toaster which I wouldn't be without. The childrens favourite is the cafe style sandwich press we have for toasties - so much better than a regular sandwich toaster & they use it all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 best: chopper for onions etc (non electric) silicone spatula bamboo spoons that can go in dishwasher steamer that sits on any size pan garlic press lol hand b,ender thingy, great for soup only have tiny amount of worktop so worst: breadmaker hardly gets used because it has to be put away food processer for same reason anything large really, if i had worktop i would prob use them more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omletina Kyckling Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I love my breadmaker, and my Wusthof Trident kitchen knives and my Bamix and use all of those pretty much every day. I don't have a garlic press, but have one of those ceramic grooved plates from France that they sell at the Good Food show....it's great for pureeing garlic, but also to grate parmesan, chocolate or nuts. I also like my old hand electric hand whisk, and microwave. I adore my Rayburn! I have a useless icecream maker I bought from QVC and go through fads with the George Foreman. I have lots of lovely Swedish cast iron pans but with my arthritis I can no longer lift them, so they're not much use. That's all I can think of for now....great topic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 best - kenwood chef, pampered chef stoneware square dish & batter bowl, pressure cooker, wok, cake storer from Tchibo, American measuring cups. Worst / hardly used - remoska, ice cream maker, silicone bakeware. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I killed my trusty old electric hand whisk recently so have asked for a new one for my birthday from my parents I dont think my poor old whisk knew how to cope with the cake making me and OS have been doing. I do have a hand whisk (one you wind) but as OS's a leftie it's impossible for him. I used to love my orange peeler until i lost it... heaven knows where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I've a dim slow-cooker question: are they safe left switched on and cooking all day when no-ones in the house? I really like the idea of coming home to stew/etc but not like the idea of coming home to a house burnt to the ground! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
