# What household/kitchen gadget will vastly improve my quality of life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715 "2010-09-14T12:51:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/41 "2010-09-17T06:57:37Z")
You want an [Electric Turkey Fryer](http://www.turkey-fryers-online.com/masterbuilt/MB-20010406_turkey_fryer_kits.htm)! This is a big deep fryer. It’ll only fry a small turkey, but if you’ve gotta have real potato chips, taco shells, tortilla chips, fish and chips, or fried shrimp, scallops, clams, oysters, calamari, or lobster, hushpuppies, deep fried ice cream, milky way bars, cheesecake, pizza, or mozzeralla sticks, jalapeno poppers, or fried green beans, wontons, monte cristos, tempura, sushi rolls, sweet potato fries, plantains, or onion rings, then you’ve gotta have one of these. It’s a cylinder about 18" wide and 18" high, with a glass lid and and one of those aluminum fry baskets. It heats up pretty fast (I keep mine over the marked oil level so I can fry a lot of fries in a hurry), and holds the heat well. It’s got a spigot on the bottom for draining. And, you also use it as a steamer and cook a 8 small lobsters or as many crabs as you can fit in it, or 20 or more ears of corn, at once. I haven’t used it for steaming that much, I’m too busy frying. If you don’t eat delicious fried and steamed food, well maybe it’s not for you. A good omelette pan is always nice to have around though. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/42 "2010-09-17T13:51:59Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > My quality of life needs improvement. This obviously means I need one or more household or kitchen gadgets. Not so much straight electronics or computer toys, as I have a bunch of those. > > By “quality of life” I mean something that will save time, be fun to watch in operation, make my life easier, make me happy, make me look forward to coming home so I can use it, just generally make life more worth living. Something that will add value and meaning to my life. All that?! Well, there’s no contest. You need a Sybian. ---
**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:** [September 17, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/43 "2010-09-17T14:21:53Z")
If you don’t want to spend the money on more expensive tools, get a [mandoline](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=qsb-win&hl=en&q=mandoline+slicer&cid=14342578015817824025&ei=EHmTTM-eGqf8jATyqMyaCw&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p). There are fancier ones, but this one is reasonably priced. ---
**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/44 "2010-09-17T20:14:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > If you don’t want to spend the money on more expensive tools, get a [mandoline](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=qsb-win&hl=en&q=mandoline+slicer&cid=14342578015817824025&ei=EHmTTM-eGqf8jATyqMyaCw&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p). There are fancier ones, but this one is reasonably priced. Especially if you need to do quantity. A few times a year I do a recipe with 5 lbs of potatoes sliced 1/8’ thick. I’d never be able to do it with a knife. I have a $10 plastic mandoline that’s 25 years old. I actually bought a $150 one at a restaurant supply house and admired it for a day before I brought it back. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/45 "2010-09-17T21:47:26Z")
One extremely good chef’s knife. Practice with it, learn its “personality” and maintain it and you can get rid of 80 percent of other kitchen gadgets. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/46 "2010-09-17T22:32:45Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > A cleaning person. Someone who comes and cleans for 6 to 8 hours once a month. I agree. Nothing compares to a good cleaning person. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/47 "2010-09-24T00:07:36Z")
If you cook and use herbs, this looks pretty cool - [Microplane Herb Mill](http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/microplane-herb-mill/) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/48 "2010-09-24T00:12:58Z")
> [@dzero](#): > > If you cook and use herbs, this looks pretty cool - [Microplane Herb Mill](http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/microplane-herb-mill/) Hey! I could use one of those. I chop a lot of herb stuff like parsley and basil, and food processors just blow it around without chopping (so I do it by hand). But have you ever used one? Does it work as advertised? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/49 "2010-09-24T00:31:57Z")
ThelmaLou you gotta get yourself a bread machine. For a basic loaf of homemade bread just combine some flour, oil/butter, water, salt, sugar, yeast. Push the button and in 3 hours you got yourself a delicious loaf of homemade bread. Makes the house smell wonderful too! If you want to get ambitious you can make all kinds of fancy breads just as easily. There is an abundance of bread machine recipes on the internet. The machines are fairly inexpensive (from under $100) and as the old saying goes, it will pay for itself. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/50 "2010-09-24T00:45:44Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > > [@dzero](#): > > > > If you cook and use herbs, this looks pretty cool - [Microplane Herb Mill](http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/microplane-herb-mill/) > > Hey! I could use one of those. I chop a lot of herb stuff like parsley and basil, and food processors just blow it around without chopping (so I do it by hand). But have you ever used one? Does it work as advertised? I don’t cook except to use the microwave. Occasionally I do some pasta, but that doesn’t count any more than making toast. Thank god for frozen food - although I’m sure many here would consider that phrase to be an oxymoron. So, I don’t have any idea. I did notice that there was an icon for a video on the WS site I linked to. I assume it will show the product in action. That might help give you a better feel for it. I would also check youtube. I would bet there has to be at least a couple videos there - especially now with more vendors using things like youtube and facebook for marketing purposes. If you get one, I’m sure many here will be interested in what you think of it. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/51 "2010-09-24T01:57:06Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > ThelmaLou you gotta get yourself a bread machine. For a basic loaf of homemade bread just combine some flour, oil/butter, water, salt, sugar, yeast. Push the button and in 3 hours you got yourself a delicious loaf of homemade bread. Makes the house smell wonderful too! If you want to get ambitious you can make all kinds of fancy breads just as easily. There is an abundance of bread machine recipes on the internet. The machines are fairly inexpensive (from under $100) and as the old saying goes, it will pay for itself. Nonsense. If you get Brickers suggestion of a stand mixer, and The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum, you’ll get bread just as easily with much higher quality. I’ll just add my vote to the stand mixer. Wonderful things those. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/52 "2010-09-24T02:15:08Z")
I second the bread machine. I love using mine and have been really wanting to for the last couple of weeks but I keep forgetting to buy yeast. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/53 "2010-09-24T02:52:43Z")
Bread machine is a good easy way to get introduced to fresh bread. Later you’ll probably start using it as a mixer/riser and baking in the oven. Then you might go to no knead bread. Then maybe a mixer. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/54 "2010-09-24T07:28:22Z")
A bread machine doesn’t make “homemade bread” - not in my definition of “homemade” anyway. Get a dutch oven instead and start out with no knead bread. It’s probably easier than using (and cleaning) a bread machine anyway. C’mon people - where is the fun in a bread machine? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/55 "2010-09-24T15:03:34Z")
I do have a bread machine. Get this book > **[Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine: Eckhardt, Linda West, Butts,...](https://www.amazon.com/Rustic-European-Breads-Bread-Machine/dp/1626540659)** > > Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine \[Eckhardt, Linda West, Butts, Diana Collingwood\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine and use the process in there to make sourdough bread. I don’t bake the bread in the machine, but use it strictly to make THE easiest sourdough ever. The process goes roughly like this: Put 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup water, and a pinch of yeast in the machine. Put it on the dough cycle. Push the button. Come back 2-5 days later (yes, leave the dough in the machine all that time). Add more flour (2 cups or so), water (3/4 cup 1 cup), some salt, but no more yeast. Leave it on the dough cycle. Push the button. I watch the dough for a while to make sure the proportion of flour to water is good. Come back 18-24 hours later. Take out the dough and shape it into a ball. Take a piece of the dough- between golf ball and tennis ball size- and put it in a jar in the refrigerator. Put the ball of dough on parchment on a baking stone and set in cold oven. Leave it for 18-24 hours. Turn on oven to ~350-375. No preheating necessary. Come back ~40 mins later and take out bread. Eat bread. Next time: Take dough starter from fridge and put in bread machine with a little more flour and water, but no yeast. Repeat all steps. As you keep using the starter and pulling off a new piece of starter for next time, it will develop its own sour flavor. This is THE easiest sourdough process I’ve EVER encountered… and I’ve let people’s sourdough starter die that came over on the Mayflower with their ancestors, etc. It does take time, but the complete LACK OF WORK makes up for it. Get that book and read up on it. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/56 "2010-09-24T18:09:59Z")
A magnetic knife rack. One of the best $20 I ever spent. I keep my tongs & scissors on it, too. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/57 "2010-09-24T18:22:23Z")
I have to agree with “a good chefs knife.” I used to work with one, and have a …_decent_… one at home, but nothing beats having a quality chefs knife in your hand. You can do anything with it. After that, a good paring knife. That I DO have. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/58 "2010-10-11T04:44:34Z")
I’ve got a few new additions based on [this slide show from PC World.](http://www.pcworld.com/article/207113/article.html?tk=nl_tnx_h_topstory) [Voice activated coffee maker.](http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/all-coffeemakers-voice-activated-12-cup-coffeemaker.html) Tell it when you want it to start brewing and it does - $60 [Another electronic toaster](http://www.amazon.com/Krups-TT6190-Stainless-Steel-800-Watt-2-Slice/dp/B000SSS4XO) that gives you a digital countdown of how much longer you have to wait for your toast - $60 [Portable induction cooker. (have to scroll down for video and pix)](http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/2010/09/peter-alwin-wins-electrolux-design-lab-2010-with-the-snail/) You stick it to the side of a pot (magnetically I guess since for induction cooking it has to be a ferrous alloy). It uses something they call a “sugar crystal battery.” Never heard of this myself but it must kick ass to run an induction coil. Not available but maybe . . . someday . . . ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/59 "2010-12-10T10:07:24Z")
[Here is another one - triple slow cooker buffet.](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896125049&Tpk=Maxi-Matic%20EWMST-33%20Black%202.5%20Qt.%20x%203%20Triple%20Slow) It will be on sale for $50 (should have free shipping but check) today on Newegg from 1PM PST to Midnight PST. [Just go to the daily Shellshocker page after 1PM PST (4PM EST)](http://www.newegg.com/Special/ShellShocker.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![flano1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f14d63/32.png) [@flano1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flano1)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715/60 "2010-12-10T13:31:19Z")
The most essential item is a set of really good stainless steel pots, pans and frying pan. Easiest things in the world to keep clean. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-household-kitchen-gadget-will-vastly-improve-my-quality-of-life/553715.md?page=4)