Kitchen Gadgets

United States
June 9, 2007 8:23pm CST
Kitchen gadgets make our experiences in the kitchen more pleasurable. What would we do without that french fry slicer or the electric knife? Whatever did our ancestors do to cut a roast or turkey without the use of the electric knife. How did they survive without the electric sandwich maker? I have a few gadgets that I use frequently. The electric sandwich maker is one of them. I try not to collect too many. My kitchen will only hold so much. My all time favorite would have to be the stand mixer. Toss your ingredients in and it does all the work. How many gadgets do you have and what is your favorite?
8 people like this
25 responses
@amyann16 (414)
• United States
10 Jun 07
I love trying out new kitchen gadgets. We recently obtained an old fashioned egg beater from an auction and I love using it! Our eggs are much fluffier than they ever were with a whisk! I also love our foreman grill. We recently upgraded to the version where the plates come off and can be washed in the dishwasher. Love it! We also just bought an ice cream maker. YUMMY! Nothing better than homemade ice cream. Except maybe homemade bread in the bread machine! Some gadgets I can do without: our ice tea maker, takes way too long and I tended to never use. The bloomin onion maker, just not worth the effort or mess.
• United States
10 Jun 07
My mother gave us the bloomin onion and it has never been used. I gave my breadmaker to my son who gave it to me originally. I may ask for it back!
2 people like this
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
10 Jun 07
I have a crock pot,microwave, blender,foremen grill, pop corn poper ice cream maker, and a coffee maker. My favorite is the coffee maker and the crock pot.
2 people like this
• United States
10 Jun 07
Who could live without the coffee maker? I remember putting a pot on the stove to perc my coffee. It was always too strong and bitter.
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6751)
• Defiance, Ohio
10 Jun 07
I don't have very many electrical gadgets in my kitchen. I do have a crockpot.....I absolutely love my crock pot. It is such a time saver. I also have the toaster. If it wasn't for my toaster. I would never eat toasted bread. I also own a mixer and blender..saves my wrists for hurting with all the mixing. I also own a snack master. Whwere I can make toast and cheese, muffins and other such things in a flash.
2 people like this
• United States
10 Jun 07
How could I have forgotten about my crockpot! With my life so busy now it has been a wonder machine.
1 person likes this
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
10 Jun 07
Are you kidding me? I never heard of a sandwich maker. You must tell me about it.And I never use my electric knife anymore. I have to say I dont really have many kitchen gadgets. I want to get a stand mixer. I do have that on list to get.
• United States
10 Jun 07
You'd think I would just use my skillet to make a grilled cheese sandwich! But, using the sandwich maker is better for some reason. My electric knife is used maybe 3 times a year.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
10 Jun 07
The most useful for me would be the electric knife. We have a roast every Saurday night, & it is so much easier slicing the meat with an electric knife. I also have an electric sandwich maker which is used occasionally. I used to own a multi mix which was very handy, as I could process lots of foods, but one day I accidently dropped it & broke it! I suppose the electric cake mixer comes in handy, as some of the oven breads I do require mixing by this, as well as cakes of course.
• United States
10 Jun 07
I love my electric sandwich maker. The sandwiches come out so much better for some reason.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
10 Jun 07
The microwave! I love it. I hardly know what to do without it. I'd have a much harder time at my job if she didn't have a microwave (I gave it to her yrs ago after getting it at a garage sale.)
2 people like this
• United States
10 Jun 07
The defrost button is the most used button on our microwave. I keep forgetting to take out the meat from the freezer.
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
11 Jun 07
I have a microwave, blender, electric handmixer and toaster. But what is a sandwich maker and a looming onion?
• Canada
11 Jun 07
Oh thank you. I don't think I will get a blooming onion then. My counter top is so full already.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Jun 07
A sandwich maker is one that is electric, kind of like a waffle iron concept, you put a grilled cheese sandwich in it and voila...sandwich. The blooming onion is like an onion ring only using the entire onion. Waste of money.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
10 Jun 07
Well I haven't got many as I threw a lot out when I moved actually I don't think I have any apart from my Kettle and Toaster now lol
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
I probably couldn't live without my toaster either. I remember a time when my mother would toast bread that had been skewered with a 2 tined fork and placed over the stove to toast.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
11 Jun 07
Lol I know I used to hate making the Toast on the Grill it is such a Pain
1 person likes this
@dhouston (417)
• United States
10 Jun 07
I love gadgets but try not to duplicate or have unnecessary ones. For example, I make yogurt from raw milk but do not use an electric yogurt maker. I use the ancient method a Lebanese woman taught me: Heat the milk in a lidded pan, stir in culture, wrap in an old sweater and let sit overnight. Works great! My most used item is my 8" chef's knife. I love my KA of course, and my very old Cuisinart! I've found the bread machine very useful and frugal to use; it pays for itself in less than a year and then the savings start. I locw my microplane! It gets used every day! Best thing I know for grating nutmeg. Use a larger blade to freshly grate locatelli or romano instead of shaking that dull cardboard "parmesan" out of that cardboard tube.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
I want a microplane too! Hubby has said there is nothing more flavorful than freshly grated nutmeg, but still haven't received one.
@dhouston (417)
• United States
12 Jun 07
He's right; a microplane makes a huge difference with nutmeg. He needs to come through for you!
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
10 Jun 07
My coffeemaker, I set i up the night before, get up in the morning, push the button, stumble to the shower and I come back and have a nice cup of hot coffee. I must confess all other appliances are hidden away, but not the coffee make.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
I love the auto coffee maker! There is nothing better than waking to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I don't need an alarm clock, just the aroma.
@bcl_me (582)
• Philippines
11 Jun 07
I do not have a house of my own yet so I do not think much of buying gadgets that has something to do with cooking coz I move in and out from one apartment to another...but my dream kitchen really is something like all the gadgets must be stainless steel...computer controlled and if possible i'll have a cooking robot...which i beleive will becaome available in the near future.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Jun 07
Easier to have a butler or a maid that could make you your meals and bring them to you.
• United States
11 Jun 07
My hubby would probably agree with you on that one!
@bcl_me (582)
• Philippines
11 Jun 07
well probably but i prefer to indulge in the wonders of new technology something that really truly amazes me.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
i have so many .my favs are those plastic storage containers that spin on the base.I'm sure you have seen it. i also have a veggie chopper,I also have a round circle to cut perfectly round pie crusts.another thing i have is a roller for pies. once you put the top crust on,you go around the edges with the roller and it makes perfect pie crimps.love them
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
I need that perfect pie crust maker, where did you get it?
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Jun 07
the place i got the pie circles in online .it's called miles kimball. i dont know if they still carry them or not as i bought them about three years ago.if they don't have them amazon is a good place to find kitchen gadgets.please let me know hor your search turns out .i love my circles
• Singapore
10 Jun 07
Well, we do have some gadgets crowding up the kitchen here and there but I am not the chef in the house (lol). So the only fanciful gadget I use is the... microwave oven. That's used to be my favorite though I am trying to convert to the steamer for some of the food. My Mum kept trying to convince me that the steamer makes the food healthier and though I do not really agree that microwaved food is bad, my taste buds tell me that for some food, the steamer still works better than the microwave oven. And so, I only use 2 gadgets that are the microwave oven and the steamer. I find both to be useful in their own rights. ;-)
• United States
10 Jun 07
I love my little steamer basket. We use it to steam most of our fresh vegetables. They cook in half the time and taste so much better.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
10 Jun 07
Not to mention steam cooking is quite healthy. ;-)
1 person likes this
@KarenO52 (2950)
• United States
10 Jun 07
My current favorite gadget is my electric slicer. I can make a roast, and slice it into deli-thin slices. I can also use it to slice raw meat for jerky or stir-fry. It's easy to clean too. The model I have is a Chef's Choice Electric Slicer - 620, and I ordered it from Amazon.com. I'm very happy with it. Now I have to buy a new food dehydrator.
• United States
10 Jun 07
I once thought it would be cool to buy an electric slicer. That was when the kids were all home. I did own a dehydrator, it got ruined when I stored it in a shed that leaked.
1 person likes this
@KarenO52 (2950)
• United States
11 Jun 07
I like it because I'm so used to cooking for a large family, and with only two of us now, I can slice up the large roast and freeze portions of it in those super seal freezer bags. When all the kids were home, I never had enough left to do anything like that.
1 person likes this
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
10 Jun 07
Since I lost all of mine in the fire. I have found that a crockpot was my first thing I had to have. Then the hand tolls for the drawer to select as we cook. Will need a mixer again someday and hopefully a new vitamix. Getting a pasta pro soon but not sure that is something that we will keep. Have to try it out. I have a large kitchen so I will be able to garden and cook like usual fortunately. As we get onto our feet again this will be something that we may be proud that we survived and came out on top.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
I love my crock. We use it a lot since I started working. Remember, gather a little at a time, it will all come together again. : )
• United States
10 Jun 07
Wow I must be from the stone age...I dont know what an electric sandwish make it? I have never even heard of it. I have never owned an electric knife. The only gadgets I use are plastic clips to keep bags of food fresh (paper clips will do in a pinch). Now appliances are a different story...I could not live without my coffee maker, microwave, blender, chopper, grinder and can opener.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
I have given up on the electric can openers. They seem to need to be replaced way too often. I have 2 manual can openers. One is the kind that you push into the can and open it, the other you put on the can and turn the handle.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
10 Jun 07
Lets see, some kitchen gadgets that I could not live without are; microwave, crock pot, george foreman grill (although I would love to upgrade to the one with removable grill plates!0, coffee maker, garlic press and thingy that you press down on an apple and it cuts it into slices. Some things that are in teh kitchen that are not used enough to warrent their presence: electric knife, blender, 'salad shooter', and smoothie maker. I actually gave away a food processor because we didn't use it!
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
The salad shooter and the butter melter were gadgets that I once owned and soon sold them at a tag sale. Better to profit a little than to keep them around for nothing.
• United States
10 Jun 07
Sometimes my husband jokes that he should have been a cowboy riding the range in the 1800's because he just doesn't fit in with all this technology. I say no way man! I couldn't live without my pressure cooker, crock pot, electric mixer, veggie choper, and most important of all my sandwich maker! I love that thing. My favorite sandwich is turkey, ham and cheese. I love how the little light tells you it is done and it never burns.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
Love the sandwich makers! I have never used a pressure cooker. My mother gave us one a couple of years ago when she moved to Florida. When she came back I gave it back to her.
@lillake (1630)
• United States
10 Jun 07
I don't have any of those gadgets, and I seem to get along just fine. I've never understood why anyone would want an electric knife. I mean, its a knife!
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
The first time my husband used our electric knife, he was cutting stick bread and sliced into his fingers requiring 2 hours at the ER and 4 stitches!
@wiccania (3360)
• United States
10 Jun 07
i have a rotisserie, bread machine, pampered chef chopper & emulsion blender (boat motor) i actually just sold my ice cream maker and i plan on sellingmy bread machine. i don't have the room to use or store them right now. i'll replace the ice cream maker later w/ a model that doesn't require being frozen ahead of time. and i want to get a stand mixer eventually. the one i use most often right now is my rotisserie. i LOVE it.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 07
I love our Big George. It makes the best roasted chicken and roasted beef or pork.