Eglu Cube Coop and Accessories

[Chickendoodle]

Just wondering what electric kitchen gadgets you wouldn't be without and which ones were a complete waste of money. Also which ones are worth spending extra money on to get a good one

 

Expensive loves

Bright yellow Kitchenaid mixer - very sturdy and so pretty

Dualit toaster - so worth the extra money as you can just replace the elements

Kitchenaid blender

 

Cheap loves

Hand mixer - cost about £12, does the job

Steamer - have phases of using it but it just about makes the love list

 

Money wasters

Omlette maker - why did I ever get one?

Sandwich toaster

Bread maker - used it for about a year then got fed up

[Snowy]

Hm, lets see

Used almost daily:

Kenwood mixer - invaluable, and cheap as got from charity shop for £20

Dualit 6 slice toaster - gets hammered, cheap from ebay £50

 

Not used too often, but loved when we do:

4 slice toasted sandwich/panini maker

Coffee machine with cappuchino milk foamer thingy/espresso maker

Cheap argos slicing machine - perfect for homemade bacon

New 6.5 litre slow cooker from Aldi (£20 at the moment)

 

Waste of space and need to go:

Pressure cooker - only ever gets used as a large saucepan

Hand held electric whisk

Hand blender

Bread maker

 

Actually, I got rid of all my useless gadgets - smoothie maker (superceded by the Kenwood with a blender on top), 2 slice toastie maker, 3 litre slow cooker. In all fairness, these were only got rid of because they were superceded by something bigger! I don't seem to cook in small amounts these days!

[Egluntyne]

Love

Magimix

Kuhn Rikon Pressure cooker - fab for soup and stews.

Pampered Chef Stoneware dishes

Stick blender

Chopping board and decent knife.

Decent grater.

Tefal Actifty.

 

Like but seldom use because I am too idle to get it out of the garage.

Remoska

 

Waste of money and cupboard space.

Bread maker, although to be fair I don't eat bread any more and the menfolk will only eat claggy Warburtons. Philistines. I did use it a lot at one time.

Mandolin. Cost a fortune. Used it once and nearly amputated my fingers.

Electric grater. Useless.

[Omletina Kyckling]

Ok, here goes.

Love:

Magimix food processor

Bamix hand blender (use it all the time, takes the place of about 6 other items!)

Breadmaker (never buy bread, use it for all types of breads and doughs)

Pampered Chef stone roaster

Pretty red Stove!!

Espresso machine (it's red!!)

Cheap red kettle and toaster from Lidl

 

Don't need/uselss for me

Not much really,

Juicer (Magimix does this)

Fancy ceramic garlic grater bought at BBC Good Homes

Pasta maker (used it when there were two of us, but just for me, too much faff!!)

[chick wiggle]

Love

Magimix, left on worktop all the time and used practically daily

cost an arm and a leg knives, worth every digit!

Tefal Actifry

 

Like but rarely use

George Foreman grill, great if i can be bothered to get it out the cupboard

Pasta machine, ditto above

 

Waste of space

Bread maker, used for about 6 months then back of cupboard, now at the tip!

 

Im looking for a waffle maker at the moment, so if anyone wants to get rid of theirs?

[Olly]

I like this thread!

 

love and use frequently

Chef's knife from Wilkinsons, a Good Housekeeping recommended buy and it was under £10

hand mixer, cheap and cheerful

'stick' blender, ditto

EZ-pull corkscrew, never fails

 

Wouldn't part with but use less often

Food processor, my Braun is 24 years old but still going

It's not worth getting it out to slice one onion or grate an ounce of cheese though - I save it for big dishes

George Foreman grill

Microplane citrus zester

 

Disposed of ages ago

Juicer - useless and hard to clean

Bread maker, took up too much room and wasn't a very good make.

I do think about buying another one, but judging by the posts above ...

Mandolin, I echo Egluntyne on that!

Garlic crusher. Why do people have these?

[Cinnamon]

LOVE

 

Tassimo machine

Magimix

Cafe press type Breville sandwich toaster thingy (kids use it all the time)

Kenwood stick blender

Kenwood Mini food processor

Tefal Actifry

£6 'emergency' Tesco value kettle that has lasted for 4 years

Dualit brilliant toaster

Pyrex baking sheets that are PROPER non-stick

Rangemaster dual fuel double range cooker - eBay bargain!...brand new unwanted competition prize!

 

 

WASTE OF TIME

 

Bread maker

Expensive Japanese knives that are badly balanced & horrible to use

Mandolin - to scared to use it after slicing a big piece of my finger off on first use

[ClaireG]

Love and use a lot:

Sabaiter Knives - were a wedding pressie and get used daily

Bamix - used for loads of things. Don't know how i managed before.

Chantry knife sharpener

Jam funnel - i make a lot of my own jams,jellies and chutneys and it's invaluable.

 

Use less but wouldn't part with:

Dolce Gusto coffee machine

Zyliss veg peeler

Big stock pot that doubles up as jam pan

 

Waste of space:

Kenwood smoothie maker - thrown ages ago

sandwich toaster - "

Bread machine - will be going soon.

Microwave - i havn't used one since we moved here 18 months ago due to space. It's in the shed!

[chick wiggle]

Garlic crusher. Why do people have these?

 

Whaaaaaaaat????? You've gotta be kidding, this is not a gadget to me but an everyday essential

[bluekarin]

Garlic crusher. Why do people have these?

 

Whaaaaaaaat????? You've gotta be kidding, this is not a gadget to me but an everyday essential

 

Excellent topic! I find the best way for garlic is either cooking it, and then squeezing it out of its papery case or mashing with a fork and a sprinkle of salt. Much more garlic and less fiddly to clean up. I bought a cheap garlic press from Waitrose and it is rubbish - bends before it actually crushes!

 

My Loves

Kenwood mixer - £15 charity shop bargain and use it at least once a week

Stick blender with bowl attachment and whisk

Silicone baking sheets my brother got me from the kitchen he works in

My veg peeler - my Grandmother in law gave this to me. Its from Germany and is still fantastic

Electric whisk

 

My likes

chip fryer - but would love to replace as it is about 15 years old

coffee machine with built in grinder - don't use everyday, but love it when I do use it

Slow cooker - I don't really use this much anymore, but I couldn't get rid of it as my late Nan gave this to us for a wedding pressie

 

I don't like these at all

Simpson's sandwich maker - kids bought it for their dad one fathers day. Nightmare to clean and only does two sarnies which takes ages to make. Much prefer to do them in a frying pan, which is quicker and has much better results

I'm sure there is something else, but I can't think of it right now

[Rhapsody]

On The Pedestal-

Actifry (nuff said)

Toaster bags (they go in the dishwasher and take up no space at all)

Gaggia Coffe machine- you put in beans and water and it makes coffee, and it does frothy milk

Slow Cooker

Wok

Rubber Spatulas

Tower veg steamer (saves Xmas every year)

 

In the Sin Bin-

Pasta Maker (gave it away on here!)

Metal cradle for wooden spoons while cooking (MIL gift)

Goblet blender

Anything that isnt dishwasherproof

[Cinnamon]

 

In the Sin Bin-

Anything that isnt dishwasherproof

 

Seconded

[Daphne]

Love:

Bog standard bottle opener with 'arms'

Decent knives

Chopping boards which don't blunt the knives

Heavy duty saucepans, saute pans and stockpot

Stick blender (seems to be a common theme )

His 'n' hers potato peelers (We like different approaches and have different peelers. I even volunteer to peel things as I like mine so much!)

Gas hob and electric oven (not really gadgets I know....)

DISHWASHER

Grill thing you put over an open fire to cook

My new heavy duty springform cake tins

Hand whisker

Large metal mixing bowl

Tongs

 

Like:

Proper coffee maker but I can't be bothered to use it much so tend to have cafetiere coffee

 

Waste of space:

With the exception of a waiters friend (a proper, traditional corkscrew and foil cutter) I honestly can't think of one. When we moved I think we've ditched everything we didn't use (ie deep fat fryer, yogurt maker, magimix type thing, chocolate fondue, those prongs you put in potatoes to bake them faster, fancy lemon squeezers)

[Cinnamon]

My fondue should be on my *loves* list.

We don't use if often,but when we do,boy its good

[scarlettohara]

Love:

 

Hand blender - great for mashed potato and 18 years old

Set of John Lewis stainless steel saucepans - nearly 20 years old

Pizza cutter - £1 from Sainsburys

Handheld saucepan drainer (like a flat spoon with holes) £1 from M&S

Breadmaker - just use it for dough (pizza dough especially good)

Non stick wok

Cheap kettle from Tesco - lasted longer than all the expensive ones

 

Hate

 

Fancy potato masher - the handle always falls off

Ice-cream maker - can never remember to freeze the bowl

 

And if anyone can recommend a coffee machine (not expensive) that makes latte would be very grateful

[Guest]

i thought this was about electric kitchen gadgets but people have put pizza slicers and bottle openers!? Have they gone electrified these days?

 

I love my breadmaker, I use it to make bread, dough (mostly for pizza but also for bread rolls etc) and I make cakes in it.

 

My stick blender for making soups.

 

slow cooker/crock pot for stews, curries, casseroles etc

 

Apsrt from that and the kettle and toaster i don't really bother with gadgets.

[Daphne]

I hold my hand up - but on the other hand...an electric bottle opener....even speedier and no I haven't got an electric peeler either. I think we've just got carried away with the interest of the topic (its either that or I can't read)

[Egluntyne]

Another 'love'.

 

Potato ricer. Makes heavenly mash.

 

I suppose because the word 'electric' doesn't appear in the title, people are naming 'other' stuff. Makes the thread very interesting.

[Guest]

I'd like an electric sink that does the dishes! (don't have room for a dishwasher)

[Couperwife]

I've been using a lemon zester loads recently

 

I love...

The dishwasher

Yoghurt maker

Whizzychopper(hand held

Egg skelter

 

Could easily bin

George Forman frilly thing

Food processor

Icecream maker

The toaster(too small)

 

Stuff I don't like using, but do out of necessity

Deep fat fryer (can't do prawn crackers in an actifry - can you?)

 

Cathy

X

[Janty]

Our love list...

 

Hubby says he has to be top

 

 

Kenwood Major and attachments

Dishwasher

Nespresso

Bamix

Dualit coffee burr grinder

Krups coffee machine - we love coffee

Breadmaker

Slow cooker

Ironing board built into the kitchen units (not electrical but a great space saving gadget)

 

Our useless list...

 

Our Neff fridge - hubby hates it as we can't get the temp right

Electric pancake griddle - Dad bought it one Christmas

Hubby hates the extractor fan over the cooker - in order for me to reach the controls, it had to be lowered but he now bumps his head on it. Personally I think it's great.

[Olly]

Oh - I should have added to the 'love' list my Prestige stainless-steel saucepans, bought off a friend at least 20 years ago and still going strong.

[goodinparts]

Loves....breadmaker

egg skelter

slow cooker

all my lovely Le Creuset pans (some of which date from 1979 when I bought them to cheer myself up for being suddenly on my own at 18 after my parents died)

ancient non stick wok (wedding present 25 years ago)

 

Why bothers....toaster

Kenwood mixer (used it more when kids were younger, but now it pretty much takes up space on the worktop and gets used twice a year)

most of the baking tins in the cupboard & above all the ring mould. NEVER used it. Must dispose of it.

[Chickendoodle]

i thought this was about electric kitchen gadgets but people have put pizza slicers and bottle openers!? Have they gone electrified these days?

 

I don't mind that the thread has expanded

 

Forgot on my useless electrical list

 

Yoghurt maker

Juicer

Ice cream maker

 

My non electrical loves

 

Prestige saucepans - again about 15 years old

Old cheap glass lemon sqeezer (although I am hankering after a bright yellow ridiculously expensive one from Lakeland - must resist must resist)

Thin bendy cutting boards that you put over the main one so that you can do raw meat etc and then just bung it in the sink - about £3 for 2!

My lovely garlic press - how can you not love a garlic crusher! In mine you put the whole unpeeled one in ,squeeze and out pops the crushed garlic- flick it over and a s"Ooops, word censored!"e of the knife cleans it. Bought it in Steamer Trading which I think is just in the south of the country and is a fab kitchen shop. It was quite pricey but I have had it years now so well worth it.

Preserving pan - think its worth getting a really good one of these

 

We moved from a largish house to a bungalow 5 years ago and now we are very careful what we buy as we just don't have the space

 

I have just ordered a slow cooker and I am pleased to see that this is in the majority of the "loves" so here's hoping

Edited November 10, 2010 by Guest

[jlo]

Love (might be putting a little strongly

Garlic Crusher (sorry to the detractors but I find mine really useful!)

Coffee Machine (funky turquoise De longhi one)

Crocodile Dicer thing from Lakeland for onion chopping and carrot sticks and things - although it does get a bit manky to clean.

Le Creuset Casserole Dishes - always come up clean even when it looks impossible.

microplane grater but they keep breaking and bending and they are not cheap so this is a sort of love/hate thing

 

Use Occasionally

Juicer (but I know what you mean about the cleaning!)

Food Processer

Blender

 

Why did I bother

Breadmaker

That lolly thing from Lakeland

Ice cream maker - Built in obsolescence meant that this stopped working after a year or so.

Lots of other things that have been binned and I am too embarrassed to list in detail!