# Do you have the following gadgets in your kitchen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468 "2005-12-20T16:42:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/21 "2005-12-20T21:07:17Z")
1. no 2. no 3. no 4. yes 5. maybe. I thought he meant [one of these](http://www.kitchencollection.com/Temp_Products.cfm?sku=01064608&CFID=10460283&CFTOKEN=f9be2f59860132ab-49F4D867-FD7C-6C71-96A0F67FE902AB13) , which I do have. I don’t have one of the crank things 6. no 7. yes. 8. box grater I rarely use the press or the sieve. Actually, I’m not even sure where the press came from. The apple slicer gets used a few times per week. The box grater gets used a few times a month. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/22 "2005-12-20T21:25:18Z")
Nope on all counts but the maet thermometer (which, BTW, is essentuial for any large roast, really.) I don’t eat grapefruit or drink a lot of tea (so I use bagged tea.) I also don’t have a pressing need to juice a lot of citrus fruit. When I do have to, I use the ol’ ‘push fingers into fruit’ method. Messier? Yes. More fun? HELL YES. 😃 I also despise garlic presses. They are implssible to clean (yes, even if it has one of those things to clean out the holes, some ALWAYS gets left behind,) it seems to waste some of the garlic, it never falls out of the holes, and I always have to cut the “strings” of garlic off with a knife. Too much work. It is far easier for me to place a clove on the cutting board, smah with the flat of a knife, and mince for a few seconds. Hell, I want to get a block of marble and just do it the Alton Brown way (which is just smash the garlic with the marble. It’s heavy enough that you don’t need to mince aterwards.) A few more additions: BASTER: Yes, though I don’t ever use it for basting, since basting really accomlishes nothing. I do use it to help skim off the fat before making gravy, though. Oh, and technically, mine’s not a baster, it’s a bulb syringe from the hospital. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER: No, but my mom does and I actually liked using it, except that it’s harder to clean. It always leaves a couple small chunks of cheese un-grated, but then, when I grate by hand, I can never grate all of it either. Ocne you get down to a chunk that’s jsut an inch or so, it kind of just crumbles away and you’re forced to eat it then and there. Plus, it’s easier to grate right onto something, like a plate of nachos. BAR SET: Yes. Mine includes a three-piece shaker, a double jigger, a bar knife, a bottle opening/church key, and a waiter’s corckscrew (also with a bottle opener.) Use it all the time. I also have another shaker (it’s glass, with a cool design on the outside) and a boston shaker (a two-piece dealie. One half is glass, the other is metal, and you jsut force them together. Good when you need to REALLY shake something hard and need a lot of room to do it.) ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/23 "2005-12-20T22:24:10Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - No…and I never will, I HATE grapefruit. Too bitter. 2. TEA INFUSER - No, don’t drink tea. 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) - No, I squeeze limes and lemons by hand and buy orange juice. 4. GARLIC PRESS - Yes, but we don’t use it much. We usually mince with a knife. 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - I didn’t, always used to peel/core by hand when I made apple pie, but my fiance’s mom lent me peeler/corer (crank style) and I looooove it, and I’m not sure I’m giving it back…Jake says she’ll never miss it. Heh. 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - Not yet…keep meaning to pick one up. 7. SIEVE/SIFTER - No, even though I’m a big baker. 8. BOX GRATER - No, but I have a little flat grater guy with a handle. 9. BASTER - Nope, never needed one. 10. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - No, but I may get one, sounds more convenient than mine. 11. BAR SET - Nope, just a drink shaker. It’s nice, heavy glass, metal top, got it free when I wandered into a liquor store looking for one and the manager ripped open a Beefeater gin gift set and gave it to me. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/24 "2005-12-20T23:21:01Z")
Like Alton Brown, there aren’t too many single-purpose gizmos in my kitchen. 1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - No 2. TEA INFUSER - Not a tea drinker 3. CITRUS JUICER - No. Just slice the fruit in half, put your fingertips together, then shove 'em in and twist. 4. GARLIC PRESS - No. I use a lot of garlic, but I dice it. 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - No 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - Yes. Got three, actually. Two quick-read dial jobbies and one digital with a remote display. All are used often. 7. SIEVE/SIFTER - Don’t bake a lot, but do have an antique sifter that’s on display far more often than it’s used. 8. BOX GRATER - Yes. 9. BASTER - Yes. Rarely used for basting, oddly enough - very handy for sucking drippings out of a roasting pan to transer to a sauce pot for gravy making. Far easier than trying to tip the roaster to pour the drippings out. 10. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - No. See #7. 11. BAR SET - No. If I can’t do it with a waiter’s corkscrew, I don’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/25 "2005-12-20T23:26:14Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - No, but I have a grapefruit spoon. 2. TEA INFUSER - A big tea ball, a small tea ball, and a cup infuser. 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) - Yes, but I haven’t used it ever. 4. GARLIC PRESS - Yes, and I use it all the time. 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - I have a peeler but I never peel apples with it. Carrots, potatoes, yes. 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - Just bought one for Thanksgiving and I’ll probably never use it again, because I’m a vegetarian. 7. SIEVE/SIFTER - Nope. 8. BOX GRATER - Yes, and I use it frequently. 9. BASTER - No. See #6. 10. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - No. See #1. 11. BAR SET - No, and I don’t drink alcohol much either. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/26 "2005-12-21T00:04:12Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - used to, it broke 2. TEA INFUSER - Yes 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) - Yes 4. GARLIC PRESS - That broke too. I use the flat side of a large knife 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - No 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - we have two, one is a combination meat/candy I don’t use it 7. CANDY THERMOMETER- 2 see above 8. SIEVE/SIFTER - These are two very different things and I have both [sieve](http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=sieve&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=ff&oi=froogler) [sifter](http://www.ehow.com/buy_7253_flour-sifter.html) 9. BOX GRATER -yes 10. BASTER - 2 11. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER -no 12. BAR SET -yes 13. [Spaghetti spoon](http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodli.asp?Keywords=Spaghetti%20Spoon&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2Fsearch%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3D%2Bspaghetti%2Bspoon%26btng%3Dgoogle%2Bsearch)- yes 14. [Oven rack puller](http://owgd3.onewebgroup.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=Vtbowl&Product_Code=KIT_Oven_Puller) - yes ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/27 "2005-12-21T00:23:47Z")
No to everything except the garlic press (I normally chop, but it was a good gift because it actually does the job) and the sieve (which doubles as a tea-strainer, eliminating the ‘tea infuser’, whatever that is) ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/28 "2005-12-21T00:36:04Z")
No to all. I’ve got a flat cheese grater though, which I need to replace sometime because it’s falling to bits, but it still works. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/29 "2005-12-21T00:56:28Z")
Grapefruit knife - NO Tea infuser- YES Cirus juicer- CITRUS REAMER ONLY Garlic press- YES Baster- YES Cheese grater- BOX AND PLANE, no crank Bar set- NO Spaghetti spoon- YES Oven rack puller- NO _Pizza stone?_ _Salad spinner?_ _Whisk?_ ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/30 "2005-12-21T01:17:08Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - no, Mom has one \*\*\* 2. TEA INFUSER - No, I use tea bags 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) - Yes 4. GARLIC PRESS - Yes, I use it for Lentil soup. I clean it with a toothpick. 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - Yes, but it doesn’t look like the ones I’ve seen here so far. 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - no, Mom has one \*\*\* 7. CANDY THERMOMETER- no 8. SIEVE/SIFTER - These are two very different things and I have only a sieve, but Mom has a sifter \*\*\* 9. BOX GRATER - yes 10. BASTER - yes 11. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - no 12. BAR SET - Dad has one \*\*\* 13. Spaghetti spoon - no, but my SO swears I do. His ex girlfriend has one \*\*\*? 14. Oven rack puller - no, but I have pot holders & oven mitts 15. Pizza stone - no 16. Salad spinner - no, but I have a chia pet and a clapper 17. Whisk - yes, I use it for scrambling eggs before pouring into the frying pan. 18. [a mandoline](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004RDD4/qid=1135127713/sr=8-9/ref=pd_bbs_9/104-6418961-7065501?n=507846&s=kitchen&v=glance) \*\*\* I know someone who I can borrow one from if I need to ---
**Author:** ![Cowgirl\_Jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/31 "2005-12-21T01:42:16Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - No, I can’t stand grapefruit 2. TEA INFUSER - No 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) - Yes, a lemon reamer. I use it all the time, but mostly on limes 4. GARLIC PRESS - Yes 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - No 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - Yes 7. CANDY THERMOMETER- Yes 8. SIEVE/SIFTER - I have several seives but no sifters 9. BOX GRATER - no 10. BASTER - Maybe. I’d have to dig, so I obviously don’t use it much if I have one 11. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - Yes. I have two, and I love them 12. BAR SET - No 13. Spaghetti spoon - Yes 14. Oven rack puller - No 15. Pizza stone - Not exactly. I have some terra cotta tiles that I use, and which I’ve been meaning to cut so I can fill a whole oven rack with them. 16. Salad spinner - No way! 17. Whisk - Yes 18. a mandoline - No, but I’ve been considering getting one. It’s nothing I can’t live without, but I can see that it would speed things up once in a while. Although the cleaning time is bound to be longer than my good sharp knives, so I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to buying one. ---
**Author:** ![LVgeogeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@LVgeogeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVgeogeek)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/32 "2005-12-21T06:38:29Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - YES, 2 in fact 2. TEA INFUSER - YEP, more than a few 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) - YES, also a citrus reamer style 4. GARLIC PRESS - NO 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - No 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - Yes, dial style and electronic 7. CANDY THERMOMETER- Yes 8. SIEVE/SIFTER - YEP 9. BOX GRATER -YES (also two flat graters regular and ultra fine) 10. BASTER - Yes, a cool “squid” looking one 11. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - Yes. 12. BAR SET - Yes, but not bought as a set 13. Spaghetti spoon - Yes 14. Oven rack puller - Yes 15. Pizza stone - Yes. 16. Salad spinner - Not a chance in hell 17. Whisk - Yes (large, medium, small and cocktail sizes) 18. a mandoline - No, but I did ask for one for Christmas. How about these? 19. citrus flute 20. dumpling press 21. ginger grater 22. Itallian poultry shears 23. cheese plane 24. grapefruit spoons 25. miniture spoons and forks ( for when you want to eat desserts with small utensils so it lasts longer) 26. rice paddle 27. cake needle 28. [olive spoon](http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=752&f=7732) 29. shrimp picks 30. lobster crackers 31. citrus zester 32. 9 types/styles of spatulas 33. cake decorating tips set 34. ice pick 35. toast tongs yes I do have all of those listed utensils 19-35 ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/33 "2005-12-21T13:22:17Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - Yes, but we rarely eat grapefruit, so it doesn’t get used much. 2. TEA INFUSER - No. I have a French Press that I use for loose tea. 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) - Nope. 4. GARLIC PRESS - Yes, but I think it’s awkward to use, and usually end up just chopping it by hand. 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - I used to have a nice one (from Pampered Chef) that clamped on the counter, but I broke it a few years ago and never replaced it. I used it a lot, since my husband’s favorite dessert is Apple Crisp. 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - Yes, an instant-read digital and an old-style regular one. 7. CANDY THERMOMETER - Nope. 8. SIEVE/SIFTER - Yes, the old cup style with the handle you squeeze. 9. BOX GRATER - No. 10. BASTER - No. 11. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - Yes. I use it all the time. 12. BAR SET - No, but I have a great “Screw-Pull” wine bottle opener that’s the best thing ever. 13. SPAGHETTI SPOON - Yes 14. OVEN RACK PULLER - No. I have hands and pot holders. 😉 15. PIZZA STONE - Yes. I have a reound one and a square one. Use 'em all the time. 16. SALAD SPINNER - Yep, and I use it all the time. 17. WHISK - Yes, two regular balloon types and a fancy flat rounded one. It’s the one I use the most. 18. MANDOLINE - Yes. I bought one that came with a cutting board that fits over the sink and has several different blades and a few other gadgets for it when Lechter’s went out of business a few years ago. As for 19. thru 31. - that’s a big No. 1. 9 types/styles of SPATULAS - I have several different spatulas, including a red one for tomato sauce, a big “Spoonula” from Pampered Chef (use it all the time), and (just went and counted) six spatulas of various sizes and types of material (rubber, latex, silicone). Plus the flat kind for flipping pancakes and such - I have about four more of that kind, including a wooden one. 2. CAKE DECORATING TIPS SET - Yes, never used it. Also purchased when Lechter’s went out of business. 3. ICE PICK - Yes. 4. TOAST TONGS- Yes. I got a gift card to Crate & Barrel last year and bought a bunch of table linens. I had $7 left and picked them up on a whim. I thought it was kind of silly at the time, but it turns out I use them all the freaking time. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/34 "2005-12-21T14:58:23Z")
> [@LVgeogeek](#): > > \ > > How about these? > > 1. citrus flute > 2. dumpling press > 3. ginger grater > 4. Itallian poultry shears > 5. cheese plane > 6. grapefruit spoons > 7. miniture spoons and forks ( for when you want to eat desserts with small utensils so it lasts longer) > 8. rice paddle > 9. cake needle > 10. [olive spoon](http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=752&f=7732) > 11. shrimp picks > 12. lobster crackers > 13. citrus zester > 14. 9 types/styles of spatulas > 15. cake decorating tips set > 16. ice pick > 17. toast tongs > > yes I do have all of those listed utensils 19-35 1. citrus flute-what? no\* 2. dumpling press-what? no\* 3. ginger grater-what? no\* 4. Itallian poultry shears-what? no\* 5. cheese plane- no 6. grapefruit spoons-yes 7. miniture spoons and forks ( for when you want to eat desserts with small utensils so it lasts longer)-spoons (called demitasse spoons) no forks 8. rice paddle-what? no\* 9. cake needle-what? no\* 10. [olive spoon](http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=752&f=7732) what? no\* 11. shrimp picks-no 12. Lobster crackers -yes 13. Citrus zester- yes 14. Several types/stylesof spatulas -yes(I’m not going to walk upstairs to count them) 15. Cake decorating tips sets- yes 3 or 4 16. Ice pick- not any more. 17. Toast tongs- no 18. Nut cracker and picks-yes - I’ve never even seen these. They sound interesting. A friend and I used to go to kitchen shops and try to stump each other with unusual kitchen utensils. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/35 "2005-12-21T15:03:16Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - No. Don’t even know what it is. 2. TEA INFUSER - Not sure what this is either, but I never drink tea so I probably don’t have one. 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) - No, but I’m considering getting one. 4. GARLIC PRESS - Yep. I use it rarely these days, but it’ll come to better use when my diet changes come 2006. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/36 "2005-12-21T16:23:49Z")
1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - _no_ 2. TEA INFUSER - _yes_ 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) -\* yes\* 4. GARLIC PRESS - _yes_ 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - _no, but I do have the slicer corer_ 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - _yes_ 7. CANDY THERMOMETER- _no_ 8. SIEVE/SIFTER - _no_ 9. BOX GRATER - _yes_ 10. BASTER - _no_ 11. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - \*no \* 12. BAR SET - _yes_ 13. Spaghetti spoon - _yes_ 14. Oven rack puller - _no_ 15. Pizza stone - _yes_ 16. Salad spinner -\* yes\* 17. Whisk - _yes_ 18. a mandoline - _no_ 19. citrus flute - _no_ 20. dumpling press - _no_ 21. ginger grater - _yes_ 22. Itallian poultry shears - _no_ 23. cheese plane - \*yes \* 24. grapefruit spoons -\* no\* 25. miniture spoons and forks - _no_ 26. rice paddle - _yes_ 27. cake needle - _no_ 28. olive spoon - _no_ 29. shrimp picks - _no_ 30. lobster crackers - _no_ 31. citrus zester - _yes_ 32. 9 types/styles of spatulas - _no_ 33. cake decorating tips set - _no_ 34. ice pick - _no_ 35. toast tongs -\* no\* Now I’ll add mine: A cherry/olive pitter - yes a rolling pin cover - yes [Spreaders](http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=17&f=10856&q=spreader&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1) - yes ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/37 "2005-12-21T16:27:42Z")
How long has this list gotten? Copying from FaerieBeth: 1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - _no_ 2. TEA INFUSER - _yes_ 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) -\* no\* 4. GARLIC PRESS - _yes_ 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - \*no \* 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - _yes_ 7. CANDY THERMOMETER- _no_ 8. SIEVE/SIFTER - _yes_ 9. BOX GRATER - _no_ 10. BASTER - _yes_ 11. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - \*no \* 12. BAR SET - _no_ 13. Spaghetti spoon - _yes_ 14. Oven rack puller - _no_ 15. Pizza stone - _no_ 16. Salad spinner -\* no\* 17. Whisk - _yes - three!_ 18. a mandoline - _no_ 19. citrus flute - _no_ 20. dumpling press - _no_ 21. ginger grater - _no_ 22. Itallian poultry shears - _no_ 23. cheese plane - _no_ 24. grapefruit spoons -\* no\* 25. miniture spoons and forks - _no_ 26. rice paddle - _yes_ 27. cake needle - _no_ 28. olive spoon - _no_ 29. shrimp picks - _no_ 30. lobster crackers - _no_ 31. citrus zester - _no_ 32. 9 types/styles of spatulas - _I only have 3 spatulas_ 33. cake decorating tips set - _no_ 34. ice pick - _no_ 35. toast tongs -\* no\* A cherry/olive pitter - no a rolling pin cover - no - what a good idea though! ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/38 "2005-12-21T16:31:28Z")
Wow, that list has grown: GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE: No, we just use a regular knife to cut grapefruit from its peel TEA INFUSER: No. Tea bags are as sophisticated as we get. CITRUS JUICER: Have one, rarely use it. Our son was obsessed with squeezing fruits for a while, so we got it for him. He’s hardly used it GARLIC PRESS: Nope, just use a knife. APPLE PEELER/CORER: No special device. We peel apples with our “generic” (mainly potato, but for carrots and cucumbers as well) peeler MEAT THERMOMETER: Yes. Our roasts would be total failures without one CANDY THERMOMETER: No. SIEVE/SIFTER: No. BOX GRATER: Yes. BASTER: No. Baste with spoon. HAND-CRANKED CHEESE GRATER: No BAR SET: No SPAGHETTI SPOON: Multiple yes OVEN-RACK PULLER: You’ve got to be putting me on. Pot holder? Fork? Who needs a special device to pull out an oven rack? PIZZA STONE: No SALAD SPINNER: No WHISK: Yes No to everything lower down on the list. I’m not even sure what half those things are (and I’m not going to spend the time looking them up right now) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/39 "2005-12-21T19:48:05Z")
Way back there, I answered the first four. I’ll have another go at it. 1. GRAPEFRUIT KNIFE - yes 2. TEA INFUSER - yes 3. CITRUS JUICER (non-electric) -yes, the pliers kind 4. GARLIC PRESS - no 5. APPLE PEELER/CORER - yes, the cranky kind 6. MEAT THERMOMETER - yes, one mechanical and three electronic 7. CANDY THERMOMETER- no 8. SIEVE/SIFTER - yes, 2 sieves, used for steaming. I can invert one over the other to turn over a batch of spinach in mid-steaming. 9. BOX GRATER - yes 10. BASTER - yes, but not for basting 11. HAND CRANKED CHEESE GRATER - no 12. BAR SET - no, but I have a few measure glasses 13. Spaghetti spoon - yes, rarely used 14. Oven rack puller - yes (a pair of Channel-Locks) 15. Pizza stone - yes 16. Salad spinner - yes 17. Whisk - yes - two, one is silicone for use in nonstick pans. 18. a mandoline - no 19. citrus flute - no, but I have a nose flute. 20. dumpling press - no 21. ginger grater - yes, a cute little fish-shaped ceramic one 22. Itallian poultry shears - yes, but not Italian 23. cheese plane - no 24. grapefruit spoons - no. **By the way, this is the “runcible spoon” in The Owl And The Pussycat.** 25. miniature spoons and forks - no 26. rice paddle - no 27. cake needle - no 28. olive spoon - no 29. shrimp picks - no 30. lobster crackers - no 31. citrus zester - no, but I think the back of my peeler will do this. 32. 9 types/styles of spatulas - 11, two of which are also tongs. 33. cake decorating tips set - no 34. ice pick - no 35. toast tongs - 7 kinds of tongs, not counting two for the grill. Surely, one will do toast. 36. cherry/olive pitter - no 37. rolling pin cover - yes 38. stir-fry paddles -yes ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468/40 "2005-12-21T20:37:14Z")
Grapefruit knife: haven’t got one, wouldn’t use one. Like **Hello Again** , I eat my grapefruit in sections, so I can pick the nice juicy bits out of the bitter membrane they inconveniently come packaged in. I end up covered in grapefruit juice, to be sure, but it’s all part of the experience. (Oh, and “lemon reamer” sounds really dirty. I’ve seen them before but never knew what they were called.) Tea infuser: haven’t got one, wouldn’t use one. I have had one in the past but my husband always used it and never cleaned it, so I learned to love strong tea, and loose tea leaves stuck between my teeth. Citrus juicer: haven’t got one, wouldn’t use one. I don’t consume a lot of citrus. Garlic press: haven’t got one, would LOVE to find a good one. Our old one got really manky so I bought a new one and threw out the manky one; sadly the new one doesn’t work at all. Now the only ones I see in stores look like the one that doesn’t work, so I’m scared to buy them. In the meantime I am growing to love hand-minced garlic. Apple corer: no. Just cooked with apples for the first time, EVER, last week. It was quite delightful. May consider getting one. Sieve/sifter: I have two metal seives, though: a small one for strainining the pips out of pomegranite seeds, and a big one for draining fried things. No sifter, but would get one if I baked more. Spaghetti spoon: I have a plastic one that I have never used for spaghetti, but I use it regularly for stirring greens that I cook in my non-stick frying pan. Other gadgets mentioned: no. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-the-following-gadgets-in-your-kitchen/336468.md?page=3)