Must have kitchen gadgets

beachbeth

We threw our old sandwich maker away because it was such a nusiance washing it every time you used it. However, I bought a nice new one from Currys (found they were the cheapest at the time) with removable plates and this makes it much easier to clean. They can be put in the dishwasher and the actual sandwich maker can be just wiped over. Much easier and we use it a lot now.

Lillibet_2

I love my breadmaker, a 3 year old Russell Hobbs, it sits on the counter as I haven't got a cupboard big enough for it but it gets used twice a week so I don't mind.
My slow cooker only gets used once a month or so, I would like to use it more but leave the house at 7am so don't really have time to set anything up in the mornings so it sits in a cupboard & slides out easily when I do want it. I also have a juicer which I am a bit annoyed about, it is nothing more than a blender with a tap that gets clogged up all the time. Saying that I did use it a lot in the summer for fruits but not so much at the mo as the fruit is so expensive. I expect I will use it more in the summer again but wish I had spent more on a proper juicer.
Dumped the sandwich toaster years ago, I prefer then made properly under the grill.
The only other gadet I can think of is a waffle iron, still fairly new but we have used it every weekend since we bought it for breakfast waffles but don't know how long we will keep that up! It was only a cheap one from Superdrug so if the fascination dies out I don't mind too much but it reminds us of our lovely waffle breakfasts on holiday in Lousiana last year!

Curry_Queen

suki1964 wrote:

I was gobsmacked when the collection tray filled up whilst grilling chicken breasts, yet what collected never set so I have to concude that it was water and not fat that had drained

I remember seeing a documentary on TV some time ago that was investigating the water content of chicken and was shocked to see how many companies actually injected the chicken with water to almost double the weight!!! :eek:

From what I remember the prime candidates were the large wholesale boxes bought by the likes of KFC and fast food outlets, but many of them were also reaching our supermarkets, particularly the cheaper value ranges. No wonder chicken is often so tasteless these days. You can tell if a piece of chicken has had water injected as it will feel soft and spongy whereas an unadulterated piece should be firm and fibrous.

fazer6

We used to have a toastie maker in the old house but it's not turned up since we moved. I do have the lakeland toaster pocket things though and they're excellent. I use them at work in winter. I never had any problems cleaning them though, I guess it depends what you put in them.

I would not be without my breadmaker now, got it at christmas (£45 morphy richards from argos) and it's fantastic. I make a loaf every 5 days or so and I agree that it's cheaper than normal bread, much tastier and healthier - you control the sugar and salt. If you make your own bread at the moment you'll find the bread maker so handy. Throw it all in and turn it on, that's it.

Debt_Free_Chick

You can tell if a piece of chicken has had water injected as it will feel soft and spongy whereas an unadulterated piece should be firm and fibrous.

And the flesh will be white, instead of pink!

Curry_Queen

I'm a bit of a gadgets freak although I've got a lot better over the years and with only having a very small kitchen now, with few cupboards and not much counter space, I have to limit myself to only buying essentials!

The breadmaker lives in my bedroom until I need it, usually once or twice a week, and I've no idea where I'm going to put the slow cooker I'm waiting for yet! I have a triple steamer which is used regularly ... a food processer, blender/smoothie maker and hand blender which are used sporadically ... a single cow toastie machine also used sporadically and the usual kettle/toaster/microwave.

I would love to get a Foreman grill but I make do with a stove-top griddle and two other items on my want list are an ice-cream maker and a Kitchen Aid food mixer

Think I need to move somewhere with a bigger kitchen before that can happen though ;

sleepless_saver

Basic model electric citrus juicer for lovely fresh orange juice when they're cheap. I get much more juice out than with a manual juicer so I tell myself it's really moneysaving.

Big slow cooker takes up lots of space but used often.

Sandwich press - well, it seemed like a good idea at the time! No room for it really.

Bread machine was used almost daily for months and all my friends bought one because the bread was so yummy, but once the enthusiasm passed it was relegated to the cellar.

Cullumpster

I use my Toastie machine all the time, especailly for snacks and things, but also as dinner, as someone said earlier a nice couple of cheese n bean toasties and a bowl of tomato soup MMMM yummy!

Debt_Free_Chick

two other items on my want list are an ice-cream maker and a Kitchen Aid food mixer

OK, I'd better own up now

On my kitchen worksurfaces

Morphy Richards Breadmaker (used daily)
Gaggia Espresso maker (used daily)
Gaggia Gelataria Ice Cream Maker (used almost weekly)
Magimix 5100 Food Processor (used most days, even just to chop onions & garlic)

And a portable TV

And it's not a huge kitchen ... Lots of space is actually not used in most kitchens. Look at corners & places where you have other "stuff" to make room for appliances. Unless you're going for that (currently) trendy minimalist look. My "look" is a timewarped county kitchen one, complete with Aga, wellies and tomato seedlings!

fazer6

I have an icecream maker too, it is so good and the icecream is just really tasty. I haven't got any baileys in at the moment but I really want to try baileys icecream so I'm keeping myself away from the alcohol isle at the minute.