# "useless kitchen gadgets" that are actually useful? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903 "2010-01-14T06:25:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Postariti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Postariti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Postariti)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903/61 "2010-01-16T04:04:07Z")
I didn’t think much of those George Foreman type indoor grills. Then I got one, and it was the best thing ever. I was living alone, and I used it almost every day. ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903/62 "2010-01-16T06:06:27Z")
My wife bought a Pampered Chef can opener which, at the time, I thought was not her wisest decision. Nonetheless, the thing works great. It’s so much easier than a regular can opener, plus it leaves no sharp edges and you can put the top back on the can and put it in the fridge and use the contents later. The funny part is, no matter how much I’ve tried, she can’t use it. She thinks it should work as a regular can opener and she refuses to use it and gets mad when I when I try to show her how it works. I love her anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903/63 "2010-01-16T14:42:41Z")
> [@Waterman](#): > > Here’s my vote for the most unlikely but handy kitchen tool: > > [http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips-Pastry-Scraper/dp/B00004OCNJ/ref=sr\_1\_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1263505285&sr=1-2](http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips-Pastry-Scraper/dp/B00004OCNJ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1263505285&sr=1-2) > > A pastry scraper! BTW - There are many brands and I’m not necessarily advocating Oxo as the only maker. > > Probably my main use is for transferring food from cutting board to pot/pan. One of the few things that I probably use everyday. When I worked in a bakery I always had one of close at hand…you could use it for a million things, from scraping down a board to cutting dough to scooping something up. Not sure how much I’d use it at home, though. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903/64 "2010-01-16T15:22:21Z")
**GoodGrips potato peelers** are the best in their class and they’re less than $10. Don’t buy the cheap-o versions as they are a waste of money. I love my \*\*PamperedChef Food chopper \*\*for dicing up onions, celery, carrots, etc. Wish they made a mini version. [http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod\_details.tpc?prodId=240&catId=4&parentCatId=4&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=](http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=240&catId=4&parentCatId=4&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=) Also love their **Apple Wedger** [http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod\_details.tpc?prodId=10342&words=apple](http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=10342&words=apple) ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903/65 "2010-01-16T17:11:31Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > I pooh-poohed my sister’s [Toss & Chop](http://www.silvermk.com/product_detail.cfm?id=1) scissors. Then she bought me a pair. Now I can’t live without them. I’m not seeing any possible way this could be faster or more useful than a standard knife. I’m curious. 'Splain please? ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903/66 "2010-01-16T17:57:04Z")
I use my small hand blender/chopper/whisk far more than I use my big Magimix. Personally I like the cheap, old fashioned vegetable peelers with horizontal blades like [this](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.manufactum.de/manufactum/grossbild/24230_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.manufactum.com/Artikel/24230/RexVegetablePeeler.html&usg=__OVW2bmv7gm2KcN5JbTzEvQSLzN8=&h=700&w=700&sz=72&hl=en&start=19&sig2=OSWYQP8n-DyVBAAIyvWARw&tbnid=Up8iviZfWfUOiM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=140&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvegetable%2Bpeeler%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den&ei=BvxRS_HOPJGd-AaQv8S9CA). No, it doesn’t look fancy, but I won’t cut myself with it and it peels things much faster for me than the type where the blade is vertical. My [citrus juicer](http://www.saltandpepper.co.uk/cms_images/product/large_LemonJuicer.jpg) is also not exactly hi-tech, but it is a boon for those with small hands and not much upper body strength. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903/67 "2010-01-16T18:32:14Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > When I worked in a bakery I always had one of close at hand…you could use it for a million things, from scraping down a board to cutting dough to scooping something up. Not sure how much I’d use it at home, though. I use my pastry scraper for all those things at home. I make a lot of bread and bread products though, so it may not be as handy for someone whose dough production is less frequent. Mine has measurements on it (inches I believe) which is infinitely useful to me, and while not sharp as a knife would be, can be used to chop herbs quickly and handily. I use it frequently to chop and scoop butter, herbs, and small pieces of dough. I use it to scrape together looser doughs and to scrape the pastry board clean. It is the very first utensil I pull out when I begin preparations, and the last one I put away when finished. It lives by my right hand so it is always within easy reach. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useless-kitchen-gadgets-that-are-actually-useful/524903.md?page=3)