# Help identifing a possible kitchen gadget **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 4, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328 "2023-02-04T23:50:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/1 "2023-02-04T23:50:32Z")
It’s in the kitchen gadget drawer… White plastic spherical “paddle wheel” with 8 paddles about the size of a golf ball. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/2 "2023-02-05T00:15:22Z")
Could it be something to help mix liquids in shake containers? I see [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B092V5Y7WD/ref=sspa_mw_detail_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9kZXRhaWwp13NParams) on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/3 "2023-02-05T00:17:21Z")
That was my guess, too. They make good cat toys 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/4 "2023-02-05T00:21:55Z")
Bingo! It’s going to be a cat toy. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/5 "2023-02-05T03:13:39Z")
The cat is not impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/6 "2023-02-05T04:22:54Z")
They never are if you just give it to them. If they steal it (especially when you’re trying to use it), then it’s the most excellent kitty toy EVER. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/7 "2023-02-05T04:31:12Z")
Wow, that is not at all what I envisioned based on the OP. Good guessing. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/8 "2023-02-05T05:22:51Z")
Thanks! I have over 40 years’ worth of kitchen gadgets stowed away, and I inherited a drawerful from both my mother and mother-in-law. I am a fount of information about any number of kitchen tools of dubious utility! (Drop the thing on the floor in front of the cat, as if by accident, and then walk away.) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/9 "2023-02-05T05:29:05Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > Could it be something to help mix liquids in shake containers? I see [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B092V5Y7WD/ref=sspa_mw_detail_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9kZXRhaWwp13NParams) on Amazon. - 4 gallon capacity. They don’t look anywhere _near_ that big. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/10 "2023-02-05T10:08:05Z")
there’s a forum on reddit dedicated to this issue: > **[r/whatisthisthing](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing)** > > r/whatisthisthing: If you have an object and you don't know what it is, this is the place for you to search for an answer. We may not know the "why" … ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/11 "2023-02-05T10:22:58Z")
Yeah, also, got a pic? Ideally a pic with a fiducial for scale. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/12 "2023-02-05T13:51:27Z")
Did it come in a box? ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2023, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/13 "2023-02-05T16:31:05Z")
I have no idea where it came from. I most certainly have not purchased any of the aforementioned Shaker balls. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/14 "2023-02-06T03:59:21Z")
A few days Linden was batting around what looks like a tiny version of a shaker bottle ball, but probably 1/2 the size of the shaker balls I actually own. I also have no idea what it is, but I suspect it’s a toy, not a kitchen item. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identifing-a-possible-kitchen-gadget/979328/15 "2023-02-06T20:10:47Z")
Yeah, you have to leave it out on the counter over night. That’s the true test.