Useless or amazing or under rated appliances?

[NCAAFBALLROX]

What's in your kitchen that is taking up too much space? What seemed like a good idea @ the time [/Ron Popeil] but just seems silly these days? What couldn't you live without? What surprised you about how much you ended up liking or using a lot?

Typical things such as microwave & stove don't count, unless you've got the $ 3,000.00 convection / ultrasonic / CIA approved & designed type.

In our somewhat small(ish) kitchen, we have:

Foreman (about a 4 or 5 years back model... not the 'institutional size' that's out these days).

2 can openers (the wife likes the old school one that cuts down inside & I like the handheld that slices off the top).

Generic 2 slice toaster. No toaster oven.

Bread maker (used 1 time since we've been married; had it before I met her so it's not going anywhere).

Kitchenaid mixer (gets 3rd most use behind toaster & can openers).

Pasta maker (never used by me).

Vacuum sealer (primarily for deer meat, but gets occasional use for CostCo sized purchases of other stuff & from time to time I'll marinade a brisket & then vac it down, then freeze for about a week prior to use... really seats the seasoning in there well).

Canning / jar attachments for the vac sealer (useless to me, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the wife has 'nesting / ladylike' ideas floating in her head).

Blender - don't think I've used this thing one time.

Hand held mixer / blender - been some time, but I used to whip up some mighty nice soft ice cream @ home by adding my own fresh strawberry chunks to vanilla or chocolate.

We don't have any RonCo devices, but I'd sure love to have that 'large' injector they give away with the rotisserie. It's large enough to inject chunks of garlic & onion down deep without making a full on incision.

Discuss.

 

[Smoky Brisket]

I try to subscribe to the Alton Brown no "unitaskers" theory in the kitchen.

That said, I'm deathly afraid of cutting a finger off with my mandoline, so I rarely use it and it takes up a chunk of space.

 

[BNB]

My favorite has to be this potato peeler that was on tv 6 or so years back. You put it on this stand, turn the handle at the top, and it rotates the potato while the peeler works it way down.

My second would have to be that chopper that you punch down on and it turns the blades each time you punch it.


Oh, and the vacuum sealer for all my smoked meat.

I wish I used my dehydrator more for jerky.

I guess this is the updated one where you don't even need to turn a handle.

 

[Idahorn2]

Twenty seven years ago, after two years of trying, I finally talked the wife into a Cuisinart. Since then, every time we have operated the dishwasher, the bowl has been one of the things being washed. No where near this useful, but indispensible for some purposes, is the hand blender--what Emeril calls the "boat motor."

Other than a Dualit toaster, we have none of the "unitaskers." Unless you count the really nice new slow cooker, the insert for which can be put on the stove top to brown stuff. Without a couple of good cookbooks, it would be useless.

On the other hand, we have a little Chinese device I purchased on a trip called a "Cook Help." It is a little green platform with a set of blades that can be put in the base. Attached to the platform is a raised stand which has a crank on it. You put a potato or carrot or whatever and turn the crank. Out the bottom comes carrot or potatoe threads.

 

[Luke Duke]

My favorite kitchen appliance:

Seriously.
When my wife and I were dating she came over and started to make cookies. She had all of the ingredients in a bowl, ready to mix. She asked me where my mixer was. After seeing the look on my face, she realized how stupid her question was. The odds were exactly 0 that this (former) bachelor would have a mixer in his kitchen. She was about to throw everything away, but I told her to wait a minute. I went to the garage and got my trusty Dewalt. Then I searched my kitchen drawers and found a wooden spoon. I put it in the Dewalt and told her here's my mixer. She used it and the cookies turned out great. I don't think that my wife has ever been more impressed with me outside of the bedroom.

 

[brntorng]

Definitely subscribe to the no unitasker theory, but an automatic rice cooker is worth it's space. That, a waffle maker, and an electric griddle for keeping the temp perfect for pancakes.

 

[jimmyjazz]

I use my bagel slicer all the time.

 

[LazyEngineer]

I bought a vacu-sealer from Sam's club a couple of months ago. I did a brisket back before Christmas and sealed it up in 4-serving chunks. I just cracked open the first one this week. "Oh my..."

I dropped the vacu-packed meat in boiling water for about 5 minutes to reheat the brisket. It was even better than when I pulled it off the smoker. Just fantastic.

We also have been using this thing for my coffee, keeping cheese, sealing up leftover Chinese food, whatever. I've probably saved $40 already. Going to shoot a deer this weekend and I'm sure it will be perfect for that.

 

[LonghornGirlie]

We remodelled the kitchen in our house and put in an island with a cooktop. Robert insisted that we go all out and get a Jenn-aire with an indoor grill. One of the best investments we've ever made. He grills almost every dinner we eat and we tend to eat at home a lot more because of it.

The Kitchenaid mixer is another must-have. We didn't get one when we got married -- this will now be my recommendation to every couple that I know -- put it on your registry and hope that a rich friend buys it. Or return a bunch of crap to Dillard's and get the Kitchenaid. By far the most multifunctional appliance we own.

 

[Son of a Son]

If I was single, fat, and ugly, I think my KitchenAid would still get me laid more than any amount of "game". The amount of **** you can do in that thing is amazing. My mom gave it to me last Christmas and I am wondering how we ever got by without it.

 

[ctrl+alt+del]

My favorite kitchen gadget:

The Whirley Pop:

I use that thing almost every other night. Also, the AccuSharp is cheap, but worth its weight in gold:

The edge that thing keeps on my Wusthof knives is amazing, and it only takes a few strokes.

And last, but not least, I could never find something "cool" to keep my silverware in. I hated the drawer because it would always collect dust in there and God knows what else, so I bought a Mexican Sugar Mold like this without the candles:

I don't think we have ever used our pasta maker, and our rice maker gets very little use.

However, no kitchen is complete without:

A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet will provide you a lifetime of use. I use mine probably ever-other-day and I picked it up at Big Lots 5 years ago for about $6.

 

[WaywardHorn]

I certainly couldn't live without these:

... and as much as I love this, I rarely use it:

 

[capnamerca]

Like a broken record here - the kitchenaid mixer is a godsend. The wife loves to bake, and the sheer capacity probably cuts 15% off ther cooking time (no more batches, and things mix quicker). It really is that impressive of a machine. We got it for our wedding

. On my side, I get the most use out of my knives (calphalon katana), and the little handheld sharpener. Three swipes before each use of the knife, and it's razor-sharp.

A good plastic cutting board that can live behind the facuet has saved our countertops some serious abuse.

I'm thinking of getting a food processor of my own - any recommendations on brands?

 

[The Dog]

since moving to our house we have yet to use:

KitchenAid mixer
the 'boat motor'
Cuisinart food processor

used once:

mandolin
blender

there are some other cool appliances in our cabinets but I can't remember them right now. it seems everything we cook can be done using a knife and cutting board.

we do use the hell out of our All-Clad pots and pans. we use every one of them and in all sizes and types. probably the most indispensable is the stock pot. we use it for chili, pasta, stews, etc.

 

[Mrmyke709]

If you ever do REAL Italian cuisine, you'll need these old school devices.

A food mill. It will make your soups or sauces have the perfect consistency.

And a ricer. Your "mashed" potatoes will be perfect.

 

[TimHorn]

The meat grinding (and sausage stuffing) attachments to the KitchenAid. Alot of fun for me is grinding, spicing, stuffing and smoking sausage. We did upgrade to the Professional 6 Model to get a more powerful motor for grinding work. It also helps with alot of bread kneading.

 

[ctrl+alt+del]

I'll second the All-Clad pots and pans. They work extremely well.

 

[CHIEFLAZYBOY]

I can't live without my cheap lime press I got in Mexico. You gotta have it for badass Michalatas.

Chief

 

[cbs]

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[ImissWallyPryor]

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[LonghornGirlie]

What do you hate about the Jenn-aire? Its a grill. Its easy to clean. Weather, hot or cold, is not a factor. What is not to like?

 

[LonghornGirlie]

Oh, and yes, those choppers are great. The one I have is easy to clean. I don't know if they all are. I got mine years ago at a Pampered Chef party, but everyone has got them now. It easily disassembles into 3 pieces which can be rinsed and dishwashered.

 

[cbs]

Re: the Jenn-aire.

I actually like the oven/stove overall. I think it's silly that it comes standard with the grill and that we had to pay extra to get the extra normal stove fittings.

Some of my objections to the grill are: (1) I don't think it's as consistent as a larger grill ---- it's essentially a scaled down gas grill but suffered more from hot/cool spots than my old Weber gas; (2) you have to clean it --- with the regular grills I can leave stuff on there and just burn it off next go round; (3) the vent can't keep up with it so there's the potential to get smoky, stinky, etc.

My grills are about 4 steps from the door so going in and out isn't a huge issue even in the worst weather.

 

[shorty]

In the category of useless small kitchen appliance has to be the S'mores maker and the quesadilla grill. I get an assembly line of quesadillas going on my cast iron grill (covers two gas burners).

If you have made it to adulthood and have not learned how to brown a marshmallow over your gas burner to make s'mores at home, you do not need to eat s'mores at home. Sheesh!

I think both appliances were around $30-$40. I just could not believe someone would actually buy them.

 

[LonghornGirlie]

cbs, it sounds like its a good bit about the setup. Our kitchen is attached to the dining room. The back porch, where a grill/smoker might live, is through the living room, making it a pain. When cooking for just the two of us, the Jenn-aire grill is plenty and Robert knows it well enough to avoid any temperature disparity.

He's also weird because God knows he smokes and grills more meat on a fall weekend than most guys do all year. He is used to the trailer pit and would probably get annoyed with anything else outdoors. When we cook for a significant group at home, he always uses the trailer pit. That thing is way too much trouble to use on an average Tuesday.

No doubt the Jenn-aire is a glorified gas grill. We have it on an island which is down-vented by a fan through the pier and beam foundation of the house. Smoke has never been an issue.

It works for us.

 

[cbs]

LHG

It does sound like a setup issue. I can certainly understand not wanting to light up a trailer grill for two chicken breasts. I can get the big green eggs up to 350 in 10 minutes or so, so I don't have those issues. And I guess clean up is a matter of perspective. I suppose cleaning the indoor grid/grate isn't bad when compared with cleaning a pot or pan instead. But when compared to "leave it alone and burn it off next go round" it's a pain.

Our downdraft system sounds very similar to yours. We're also in an island (actually a peninsula), but instead of venting down through the floor we go two feet out an exterior wall. I just don't think the downdrafts vent as well as the overhead (or even the pop-up) vents.

 

[LonghornGirlie]

I treat the grills on the Jenn-aire pretty much like a cast-iron skillet. I have this reasonably soft brillo-pad type thing that I just run over it to knock off any big stuff into the pan underneath. There is rarely enough that the pan needs cleaning and grease simply runs down into the drip bottle. Mostly I just leave it be.

Its usually either salmon or steak, so it isn't like we're doing really messy stuff on there on a regular basis. If we did a lot of marinated meats, I would probably be more frustrated with the cleanup requirements.

 

[DRAG69]

The best thing I ever bought was a cast iron grill pan.
It was $25 at Williams Sanoma about 7 years ago.

It is great for grilling steaks and burgers indoors.

I use it al of the time.

 

[Tex Pete]

Couldn't live without 'em:

 

[foxyhorn]

What else can you do with this Kitchenaid besides making batter. I am not much of a baker so it has always seemed pointless to buy one for myself.