Must have kitchen gadgets

Gingham_Ribbon

My microwave and toaster both broke a couple of months ago and I haven't replaced them and don't intend to. I only ever used the microwave for defrosting bread and now I just remember to take it out of the freezer before I need it! And I usually need to toast 6 slices of bread at a sitting so the grill can do them all at once.

The best 'gadget' I have is my knife sharpener. It's just a metal stick, no plug or anything, so I don't know if it counts, but peeling squash/swede etc is a doddle now!

But I've just ordered a breadmaker so maybe the little metal stick is about to be knocked off the top spot!

taplady

AussieLass wrote:

Lotalittlies,

It looks like by your signature you've been bare foot & pregnant in the kitchen for too long. Get out now.

I think my microwave would be the handiest. Not that I cook meals as such in it, but I use it everyday on bits and pieces. I'm really thinking of buying myself (hints for Xmas coming up) a stick blender and a food processor down the track. If anyone else has a stick blender - you know for soup when they say blitz soup, is it ok to use a stick blender? I never seem to use my big blender, stays in the back of the cupboard gathering cockroach poo. :DJust kidding.

My stick blender is my favourite gadget apart from the kettle! so useful ,Ivegot one with attachments and its great ! :T

megsykins

I don't know if it counts as a gadget as it's manual, but my potato ricer means I've had not had a single lump in my mash since I've used it (it looks like a giant garlic press for potatoes!) and it's so much quicker and easier. Only a couple of quid from Matalan!
Also, OH has an amazing set of knives which he keeps unbelieveably, (scarily) sharp and are great!
He also has a great blender set that you swap around so there's a hand-held blitzer, juicer, big blender, little blender, ice crusher and whisk. It's the same ones they use on Ready, Steady, Cook.

But my best kitchen gadget is my OH, he's a chef and cooks me whatever I want :j

Gingham_Ribbon

Can I ask if anyone knows if wooden chopping boards are better for knives since we're talking about them? I think they get really blunt on my glass one, but I like that it's easy to clean. (We don't eat meat or fish. I don't know if that makes a difference.)

squeaky

There's a thread on chopping boards ---> Click Here

and just to confuse the issue there's more discussion in this thread on decent gravy

Gingham_Ribbon

Done it again, Squeaky, cheers!

arkonite_babe

My essential item has to be my V Slicer. Wouldn't be without it!!

Freyja_2

My best 'gadget' is one that has been around many years but im only just beginning to appreciate - a good old-fashioned spatula. Great for getting the last bit out of the peanut butter jar etc and especially good when making cakes - frugal AND it helps cut down the mess for washing up.
Freyja

Gingham_Ribbon

I agree, Freyja! I have a small plastic one that does anything from scraping out jars or the mixing bowl to emptying muffins out of the tins onto the cooling rack.

We've also got a garlic press that you put cloves in skin and all, and it saves the skin and squashes out the garlic. My husband thinks it's magic!

competitionscafe

"Britons spend billions on white elephants"

"Britons have spent billions of pounds on household gadgets such as sandwich toasters and bathroom scales that they ended up never or rarely using, a study said on Monday."

"Topping the list of white elephants was the sandwich toaster, with 45% of those polled admitted to not using and spending a total of £21,51-million.

Next were bathroom scales, with 31% at £14,82-million; coffee machines, 30% at £14,34-million; foot spas at 22% and £10,52-million; and electric knives at 21% and £10,04-million.

The remaining top 10 items were electric tin openers, bread makers, vegetable preparation devices such as potato peelers, soda streams and face saunas."

source: http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/other_news/&articleid=250734