# What Kitchen Utensils Have One Use and One Use Only? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 14, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761 "2016-05-14T15:51:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [May 20, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/81 "2016-05-20T16:54:50Z")
This is the best one: Question: Is there a metric version? My mom lives in Europe and I don’t want to send her one that won’t work in her country. Answer: Yes, the US version has the slicers spaced at 0.375". The metric version has the slicers spaced at 9.525 mm. I hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/82 "2016-05-21T03:04:06Z")
Egg separator? ---
**Author:** ![Esturionette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9d8465/32.png) [@Esturionette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esturionette)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/83 "2016-05-21T19:14:59Z")
In my house we use long-handled teaspoons for all teaspoon purposes, but we have two “normal” ones that are only taken out of the drawer when the breakfast is soft-boiled eggs. Corkscrews are not useful for anything other than pulling corks. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/84 "2016-05-22T07:42:56Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Pasta serving spoon.](http://www.bohero.eu/Repository/Cached/ProductPictures_WMF/WMF_Bohero_PROFIPLUS_pasta_serving_spoon_1871086030-canvas-640.jpg) > Never actually used one just the first thing that came to mind. I just watched my wife using one to retrieve boiled eggs from the pan. A job which the utensil did more admirably than any spoon. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/85 "2016-05-22T07:47:19Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Pasta makers are awesome for making pasta - pretty useless for anything other than pasta. I’ve used mine to roll thin dough for savoury crackers. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/86 "2016-05-22T19:35:44Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > I am surprised it hasn’t been mentioned, yet, but… > > There is always the ladle… RIP Autolycus ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/87 "2016-05-22T20:51:52Z")
My Swiss SO’s family (and apparently every family in Switzerland, or at least every family worth knowing) has one of [these](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Cheese-Slicer-Moine-Wheel/dp/B002A5F4UO) devices, whose sole purpose is to shave a particular kind of cheese into thin spirals. Whether it gets used for anything else I do not know, but I find it hard to think of anything else that I know of that has such a specific intended use. ---
**Author:** ![CatastrophicFailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@CatastrophicFailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatastrophicFailure)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/88 "2016-05-22T21:02:56Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Pasta makers are awesome for making pasta - pretty useless for anything other than pasta. I use my pasta maker for rolling out fondant. > [@OldGuy](#): > > Pizza cutter. A pizza cutter is also great for cutting fondant strips for decoration. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Colanders and slotted spoons can be used to make spaetzle. I use my grater to make spaetzle, so that’s three things spaetzle turns into a muti-tasker. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/89 "2016-05-23T16:28:58Z")
Williams-Sonoma has an abundance of products that really only have one use cherry pitter? strawberry huller? mango pitter? egg poacher? yeesh ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/90 "2016-05-23T16:35:34Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > My Swiss SO’s family (and apparently every family in Switzerland, or at least every family worth knowing) has one of [these](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Cheese-Slicer-Moine-Wheel/dp/B002A5F4UO) devices, whose sole purpose is to shave a particular kind of cheese into thin spirals. Whether it gets used for anything else I do not know, but I find it hard to think of anything else that I know of that has such a specific intended use. A. I WANT ONE! B. Crap. They don’t ship to the US. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/91 "2016-06-07T21:35:46Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > My Swiss SO’s family (and apparently every family in Switzerland, or at least every family worth knowing) has one of [these](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Cheese-Slicer-Moine-Wheel/dp/B002A5F4UO) devices, whose sole purpose is to shave a particular kind of cheese into thin spirals. Whether it gets used for anything else I do not know, but I find it hard to think of anything else that I know of that has such a specific intended use. If you scroll down on that page, there are offered for sale various other food products designed to be shaved on that very device, such as nougat and chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/92 "2016-06-08T21:56:20Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > If you scroll down on that page, there are offered for sale various other food products designed to be shaved on that very device, such as nougat and chocolate. It might be abused for shaving other things, but the \*intended \*purpose of the device is to shave nothing but that cheese, as the [manufacturer](http://www.girolle.ch/en/default.html) themselves note: > [@](#): > > The Girolle® is an ingenious device conceived for shaping «Tête de Moine» cheese in the form of beautiful rosettes, also called «Girolles». > [@silenus](#): > > A. I WANT ONE! > > B. Crap. They don’t ship to the US. ☹ There must be somewhere in the US that has them for sale… Yep, there is - surprisingly expensive, though. :eek: > **[Boska Girolle Machine – an artisanal cheese carving tool | Murray's Cheese](https://www.murrayscheese.com/dp/boska-girolle-machine)** > > The Boska Girolle Machine is a cheese cutting tool with a steel knife for shaving down small, hard wheels of cheese like Tête de Moine into delicate cheese curls. > **[Amazon.com: Swissmar Girolle Cheese Scraper: Cheese Knives: Home & Kitchen](https://www.amazon.com/Swissmar-VA-1000-Girolle-Cheese-Scraper/dp/B0018JX1X0)** > > The Swiss mar Girolle Cheese Scraper is used for accenting cheese platters and appetizers with exquisite cheese flowers. Designed for use with a special cheese from Switzerland known as "Tate de Moines" (or Monk's Head), this cheese has the perfect... ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/93 "2016-06-09T02:01:11Z")
Roomie has this Julienne peeler tool. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/94 "2016-06-09T12:48:32Z")
We have two things I can think off offhand that have just one specific use each; a bottle opener (and it is just that) and a garlic press. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761/95 "2016-06-11T01:48:04Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Pasta serving spoon.](http://www.bohero.eu/Repository/Cached/ProductPictures_WMF/WMF_Bohero_PROFIPLUS_pasta_serving_spoon_1871086030-canvas-640.jpg) > Never actually used one just the first thing that came to mind. Actually I use mine for lots of other things. The two major ones are dishing out green beans (the longer ones, not the cut up frozen ones), and scooping bones and other solids out of a stockpot :). The garlic press is used to crush allspice and peppercorns for some recipes. The basic can opener (the kind with a pointy thing at one end for puncturing cans and a rounded tip at the other for bottles) actually rarely gets used for that purpose. How many cans have just liquid in them? For us, just tomato sauce - and when we’re using that we’re usually also using whole tomatoes which require the regular can opener. However, we frequently use the pointy end for puncturing plastic seals on things and/or opening packages: one point, can’t go too deep into the contents, perfect for drawing a slit down the sealing tape. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kitchen-utensils-have-one-use-and-one-use-only/754761.md?page=4)