# Unessential kitchen equipment that you are lusting over **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366 "2011-04-14T13:55:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/21 "2011-04-14T20:18:04Z")
I definitely lust after a Kitchenaid mixer. Why non-essential? Because I don’t bake. I don’t even LIKE to bake. I have a hand-held that works just fine for my mixing needs, so I really have no use for a stand mixer. They come in different colors, though, and they’re so pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/22 "2011-04-14T20:27:28Z")
Same here. Those Kitchenaid mixers look cool, but I don’t bake either. And I have a really small apartment kitchen. And I was thinking of getting one of those fuzzy logic rice cookers, but again, the kitchen is tiny. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/23 "2011-04-14T20:35:14Z")
I wouldn’t mind a chest freezer, but it takes a lot of electricity, and it would end up like the refrigerator freezer, only more so - unlabeled containers and mystery wads of stuff wrapped in foil. Maybe I should invest in some kind of freezer marking pen instead. I would like a chicken rotisserie oven like I see on infomercials, but I have a feeling there’s a downside, because I’ve never seen one in anybody’s kitchen. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/24 "2011-04-14T23:31:05Z")
A climate controlled wine storage cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/25 "2011-04-14T23:38:06Z")
A cheese cave. That is, a temperature and humidity controlled device a lot like a wine cave. Keeps a temperature of about 50 degrees and at a high humidity. Then again, maybe not. The doc told me to lay off the gooey French cheese for the sake of my arteries. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/26 "2011-04-14T23:53:15Z")
My wish is simple. When I was little, I was facinated by my great-grandmother’s egg beater. I would love to own a stainless steel one, not that I’d get a huge amount of use out of one. I also want a cookie dough scoop. Neither of these things is remotely expensive, but one would be used infrequently and the other way too frequently… ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/27 "2011-04-15T00:32:36Z")
I’ve had my eye on [this knife set](http://www.amazon.com/Global-6-Piece-Knife-Set-Block/dp/B000698EGC/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2WMON695VBVF4&colid=2FDU4IX0A8NCA) for a while now, but I’m making do with cheap ass knives that are cheap to replace. For now. When I’m working regularly again (hello, gods? a good job would be nice, and soon, too), they may become mine. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/28 "2011-04-15T01:17:57Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I would like a chicken rotisserie oven like I see on infomercials, but I have a feeling there’s a downside, because I’ve never seen one in anybody’s kitchen. Ever. I’ve got a George Foreman Rotisserie, it takes up a lot of counter space so we put it away when not in use, that’s why you’d never see it in the kitchen. And although it is “nonessential”, it is very nice, and my favorite appliance next to the Electric Knife- which isn’t saying much because we only have a few appliances. But it makes some of the best whole rotisseried chicken, does okay on kebob’s, and can also do chops or hamurgers, or whatever, in the basket. Although, I don’t use it as often as I could, it is a very handy little device if you like to do whole Fowl or Joints of Meat. Just as good or better than “Supermarket Rotisserie Chicken”… even better than Kenny Roger’s. And as far as downsides- It’s a bit of a skill to skewer and balance the chicken, on the double spiked rotisserie, but after you do it once or twice it becomes easier. Cleanup is pretty minimal. Everything that gets dirty is easily remooved and washed, only needed a brillo once for some blackening on the rotisserie wheel, but it’s stainless, so it came off easy. Frequency of use is mostly determined by how much whole Roasted Fowl or harge hunks of meet you can eat, afford, or use up at any given time. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/29 "2011-04-15T01:25:26Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > 6-quart KitchenAid stand mixer. > > The reason this is unessential is that we HAVE a KitchenAid stand mixer. The 4.5-quart one. > > I want the bigger one. Because it is bigger and awesomerer. How am I supposed to awesomize my baking if I don’t have the awesomest stand mixer? Come on, people. I have it, and regret buying it. It’s the discontinued copper one, too. I think I’ve used it three times in the past two years. Make me an offer. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/30 "2011-04-15T01:58:35Z")
I’m not sure I even have the right name for this item–Greg cooktop? Anyway, it was mentioned in Cafe Society some time ago and I clicked on the link. It’s a cooktop where the whole surface is a heating element–no boundaries. You could configure the cooking vessels anyway you want. You could have twenty pots and pans with its own heating requirements jammed together on the same cooktop. It cost several thousand dollars and I’ll never be able to get it because I live in a one bedroom condo with a small kitchen with no way to justify this purchase. But I want one. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/31 "2011-04-15T01:59:52Z")
Now I also want an Olvida pot–it answers all of my issues with cast iron. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/32 "2011-04-15T02:36:37Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > Now I also want an Olvida pot–it answers all of my issues with cast iron. I’m now finding mixed reviews—there are complaints that the cladding is iffy. I’m looking further and want to look into the warranty. But if it holds up, we’re getting one! ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/33 "2011-04-15T13:24:41Z")
A really expensive stove. I do need a new stove: the current one is a) a ceramic top, which I don’t really care for and b) broken anyway. (El hubbo accidentally broke the glass over the right two burners when he dropped a glass jar of tahini on it fumbling it out of the cupboard. The tahini survived.) So, I’m kind of in the market, but since the range still works, I’m just idly looking. And I see things like these: [Bertazzoni](http://us.bertazzoni.com/freestanding/professional-series/ranges/36-5-burner-gas-range)- ooh! pretty colors! [Wolf](http://www.warnersstellian.com/products/7252)- so shiny. so sleek. so professional looking. [Aga](http://www.warnersstellian.com/products/7200)- the retro look would go perfect in my kitchen. Perfect. [Elmira Stove Works](http://www.hearthsidedistributors.com/Catalog/Elmira-Stove-Works) - want! That’s not even counting the number of places that’ll fix me up a real vintage stove, and those are fantastic. And they cost more than my car. Oi. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/34 "2011-04-15T13:37:11Z")
Well, it’s not essential, but I do wish I had a dishwasher. ---
**Author:** ![slightly\_askew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@slightly\_askew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slightly_askew)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/35 "2011-04-15T14:02:56Z")
An infrared thermometer, so unnecessary, but soooooo cooool!!! A 12 cup Kitchenaid food processor. Nonessential since I’d probably only use it to make pesto an hummus, but I really want to make pesto and hummus. Not really for the kitchen, but [a big green egg smoker](http://www.biggreenegg.com/). It would go on the back deck and be sooo cool. Ummmm, smoked meat… ---
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/36 "2011-04-15T14:41:14Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > A cheese cave. That is, a temperature and humidity controlled device a lot like a wine cave. Keeps a temperature of about 50 degrees and at a high humidity. Then again, maybe not. The doc told me to lay off the gooey French cheese for the sake of my arteries. Now that I know this exists, I’m adding it to the “essential” list. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/37 "2011-04-15T14:49:29Z")
> [@slightly\_askew](#): > > Not really for the kitchen, but [a big green egg smoker](http://www.biggreenegg.com/). It would go on the back deck and be sooo cool. Ummmm, smoked meat… Have you seen the [Komodo](http://www.komodokamado.com/)? (drool) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/38 "2011-04-15T15:34:49Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > A [Bizerba](http://www.bizerba-openworld.com/cms/en/food-processing/slicers.php) professional slicer (actually I have a good line on one and will probably end up getting one this year). I’ve wanted one of these for a long time. I might never actually use it for anything, but isn’t that the point of the thread? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/39 "2011-04-15T15:54:01Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I really shouldn’t have purchased [**Modernist Cuisine**](http://modernistcuisine.com/), because now my idiot brain is telling me I need a [chamber vacuum sealer](http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=chamber+vacuum+sealer&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=7ddfcab4a94a31d1). My life will not be full if I cannot seal liquids in plastic bags for sous-viding, or create [compressed watermelon](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYjZl2yPmaQ), or make light-as-air mango sorbet by vacuuming mango sorbet until it puffs up like a cloud. Highlighted the unessential piece of kitchen equipment I lust after. Are you up for a review? ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366/40 "2011-04-15T16:21:16Z")
I want the sous vide pretty badly. LOVE my Shun knives and my Big Green Egg, for those of you lusting after those… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unessential-kitchen-equipment-that-you-are-lusting-over/578366.md?page=3)