Future charity shop donations, anybody?

Primrose

I think our most useful kitchen gadets are the stick blender which is used regularly for making soups and purrees, and the little mini Magimix which is used to make small portions of guacamole and smoothies, as well as grinding nuts, etc. The most useless gadget was a vegetable chopper, and that stupid gallows gadget for hanging bananas on to ripen.

Patchwork_Quilt

Most useless so far - sandwich maker, followed by stick blender

Most useful - DH's Grandma's Kenwood hand mixer (used 4-5 times a week and still going strong - repaired twice), followed by food processor, slow cooker, steamer, toaster and curry cooker.

Don't think we have any more.

Bargain_Rzl

When you live in a flat the size of mine (one bed, no built-in storage except the airing cupboard, kitchen is one end of the living room) most things have the potential to be a useless white elephant.

I love my Panasonic breadmaker but it takes up half a worktop and I only had two to begin with! I do love it enough to keep, though...

My steamer is a bit redundant these days and I've only used it a few times. Usually if I want to steam something I do it in a steamer pan that fits over one of my saucepans. Similarly, it's probably complete anathema to say this on here, but I hardly ever use my slow cooker and it does take up space (even if only on the top of the freezer when not in use!) but don't want to get rid of it because I LOVE the way it does whole chickens.

I also have a sandwich toaster (bought in a previous house when I was less into cooking) which hasn't seen the light of day since I moved here three years ago.

purpleivy

zippychick wrote: »

I've never understood why people find cooking rice so difficult? My old flat mate used to bleat on about how she didn't know how to cook rice without one (yes, that's why the kitchen ended up knee deep in rice). What's so good about them?

I must get a stick blender! one gadgy i don't have but would be handier than using the FP for blending soups etc. I understand you can get them for a fiver? is ther a difference in price?

My £3.96 one from Tesco died the first time I used it. The bamix is fab-u-lous and although expensive is very good. It also has a small unit to chop small amounts of food. When I say small amounts, I mean one clove of garlic will chop. ALso does nuts etc brilliantly.

jackieb

On Ideal World last week there was a new Kenwood chef. It heated up stuff as it was stirring. I liked the look of it but to be honest I really doubt i'll be getting one. It costs £1000!! http://www.johnlewis.com/230668214/Product.aspx?source=14798


I spent £27 on a food chopper from Pampered Chef. The biggest waste of money ever!

Olliebeak

jackieb wrote: »

On Ideal World last week there was a new Kenwood chef. It heated up stuff as it was stirring. I liked the look of it but to be honest I really doubt i'll be getting one. It costs £1000!! http://www.johnlewis.com/230668214/Product.aspx?source=14798 ....../QUOTE]

I saw that one as well and nearly choked on my hot chocoalte when I saw the price!

missychrissy

I live on my own with sons and families visiting on a fairly regular basis.

I havn't used my stick blender since my children were little. I found it very useful then for pureeing the adults and older children's meals for them but havn't found a use for it since. However, now that grandchildren are arriving it might come back into use.

I love my slow cooker that gets used 2 to 3 times a week and sits permanently on my worktop.

I use my toaster about once a month and my hand mixer about once every 3 months to mix yorkshire pudding batter, usually when family are staying.

I have a built in coffee machine I acquired with my present kitchen that only gets used when family stay.

I havn't used my pressure cooker for years. I used to use it almost daily when I was a stay at home mum because it was so quick. Now that I work full time the slow cooker comes into it's own because it does the job unsupervised and whilst I'm at work.

I use my food processor occasionaly. I used to use it regularly, in particular to make pastry, but living on my own, I rarely make scones or pies anymore. I use it more now for mincing rosehips or raisins for wine making.

I can see that the use of these gadgets varies over a liftime dependent on your family circumstances.

laurel7172

Both my stick blender and food processor broke down some time ago, and I haven't replaced them. I miss the stick blender (it was an ultra-powerful professional one I somehow got persuaded I needed for baby food), but not quite enough to shop for one.

I use the slow cooker and breadmaker all the time. I used the juicer a lot, then got bored. I have both the Le Creuset fondue set (used once) and tagine (used never).

The first serious piece of cooking equipment I ever bought (from the proceeds of a summer job after A levels) was a pair of decent knives. I still use them every day.

Jei70

missychrissy wrote: »

I havn't used my stick blender since my children were little. I found it very useful then for pureeing the adults and older children's meals for them but havn't found a use for it since. However, now that grandchildren are arriving it might come back into use.

I use my stick blender for blending chunky veg soup straight in the pot; for smoothies (with HM yogurt and frozen fruit) and protein shakes (with milk and banana); for making hummus out of chickpeas and any other bean puree; tuna pate with lemon juice, olives and peppers... It also came with a chopper attachment, which is so powerful it can grind nuts to a powder/flour and I love it!

I bought the Lakeland yogurt maker only a few months ago, after researching this board and I'm still using it at least weekly. The yogurt is delicious, especially after straining, and that way I also get buttermilk for pancakes, yum!

I have a tagine but would not consider it a gadget, just a cooking pot! It reminds me of our Moroccan holiday and that's why I use it We like to eat tagine-type stews with couscous, but they could be made in any casserole pot.

The other gadgets I have are a handheld mixer (for cakes and puddings) and a kettle - not even a toaster as we eat little bread.

I would like to get a pressure cooker, though, but I'm still researching which one would be the best for our circumstances and our budget.