# Your Favorite Kitchen Gadget **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 30, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532 "2014-12-30T13:56:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/41 "2014-12-30T19:11:58Z")
By far my favorite gadget is my Thermapen. Super fast and accurate. My Panasonic rice cooker is 25 years old and going strong. I use it constantly for rice, steaming vegetables and dumplings. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/42 "2014-12-30T19:13:47Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > There may be something I’m missing on these type of things. You have to get out a knife and cutting board to cut it into pieces that fit the gadget. I could have that onion chopped at that point in half the time it would take to get out, use, and clean up the chopper. Same reason I don’t use my mandolin that much. > [@](#): > > I do have something similar I use for hard boiled eggs though. Wires run in one direction only. Push once for slices, push, rotate and push again for chop. I have a thing for the eggs. I also have a thing with serrated blades for slicing tomatoes, although once again it’s simple enough to just use a knife. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/43 "2014-12-30T19:21:56Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > [This vegetable chopper from Williams-Sonoma](http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/vegetable-chop-and-measure/?pkey=cmandolines-slicers&cm_src=mandolines-slicers%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-). Also, my cast iron skillet. Not exactly a “gadget”, but I do love it. This is the exact thing I came in to mention (and this is the same one I have). I have a lot of great kitchen items, but I love this thing. When the market has onions 5 lbs for $1, I buy a bunch and chop most of them up and freeze them in 1 cup baggies. It is such a time saver. For one onion, maybe not so much, but we rarely are using only one onion. Plus it has difference size grids, so you can do potatoes, garlic, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/44 "2014-12-30T19:39:10Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > This is the exact thing I came in to mention (and this is the same one I have). I have a lot of great kitchen items, but I love this thing. When the market has onions 5 lbs for $1, I buy a bunch and chop most of them up and freeze them in 1 cup baggies. It is such a time saver. For one onion, maybe not so much, but we rarely are using only one onion. Plus it has difference size grids, so you can do potatoes, garlic, etc. I’ll confess… this is probably my downfall. I’m not good about planning ahead and storing. I tend to think of something I want and go to the store and get the ingredients for that night or the next. I’m not good about getting food in bulk, spending the day prepping it and storing it, and when I do I tend to forget about it and buy fresh the next time I need it. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/45 "2014-12-30T19:59:53Z")
> [@MikeG](#): > > By far my favorite gadget is my Thermapen. Super fast and accurate. I forgot all about my Thermapen. Absolutely indispensable; can’t believe I went all those years without it (other than the cost). It takes all the guesswork out of cooking everything from raw sausages to a 20 pound turkey. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/46 "2014-12-30T20:07:29Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > I do have something similar I use for hard boiled eggs though. Wires run in one direction only. Push once for slices, push, rotate and push again for chop. Those are good for mushrooms, too. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/47 "2014-12-30T20:13:33Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Huh. I do it all the time, but I use the canned food within a day or two. Never heard of it being a problem, but [it does appear to be a thing](http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/07/why-you-shouldnt-store-open-tins-in-the-fridge/). > > What’s wrong with whole saucepans in the fridge? They take up too much room. The handle makes it really easy to knock over. The lid isn’t airtight. And it means when your roommate needs a saucepan, she’s got to dump your food in the garbage and wash the pot first. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/48 "2014-12-30T20:14:33Z")
My rotisserie - a gift from my MIL. It sat unused for years because it was so big and I had no place to keep it, and I was ready to get rid of it when my husband suggested we try it. I love it greatly now! My [flat bottom whisk](http://www.peachsuite.com/779819/fox-run-5838-silver-8-coil-whisk-5838.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAt4mlBRDXwt_m9ICU4DcSJAAS_X0WPjdj71IsWFRBhdHup_PgbhSYFFloqZJ8cp692h2c9BoCsJjw_wcB&kwid=productads-plaid%5E75616853678-sku%5E779819-adType%5EPLA-device%5Ec-adid%5E51464530139) - sometimes I make a lemon meringue pie just so I can use this whisk! 😃 My ceramic knife - so sharp, so handy, so alone - I need more of them!!! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/49 "2014-12-30T20:18:07Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > [This vegetable chopper from Williams-Sonoma](http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/vegetable-chop-and-measure/?pkey=cmandolines-slicers&cm_src=mandolines-slicers%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-). Also, my cast iron skillet. Not exactly a “gadget”, but I do love it. I have this and love it. Don’t always use it for just one onion, but if I have a bunch of onions or other veggies it’s useful. My pressure cooker. I prefer it to my crock-pot for stews and soups. The good tastes fresher than after long cooking. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/50 "2014-12-30T20:28:16Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > Half used cans in the fridge? I’ve always been taught that’s a huge food safety no no. I have the same sort of can opener, but I’d never store food in a can in the fridge. I’m curious where you live. My mom always stored cans in the fridge with no problem. But I notice with some imported cans of food, they have a different composition in someway and often get nasty with rust and black crap within a day or two. > [@Spud](#): > > **Cuisinart Griddler:** Kind of a George Foreman grill and panini press hybrid. The top “floats” so it can settle flatly on whatever thickness you are cooking. It can be opened completely to make a full flat griddle or grill surface. It has a quick sear feature. Wonderful for quickly making everything from grilled chicken to Reubens. You can also lock the lid at a specific height so you can melt cheese without the top actually touching. Can I ask what model is it? I have one of the very first model of Griddler’s which I loved until the non-stick was worn-off, and the plates were not replaceable. Since then I have tried 2 new ones with replaceable plates and a dial temp, but they just don’t get hot enough to sear at all. I’m back to using the old one, and just scrapping the hell out of it. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/51 "2014-12-30T21:01:46Z")
Texas. Here, and probably most other states, restaurants get points off their inspection for keeping food in open cans. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/52 "2014-12-30T21:37:55Z")
I cook all of the time, so practically everything gets used all the time - the stand mixer, the stick blender, the tongs, the scissors, the iron skillets, etc. The thing I don’t use often, but when I need it, I really, really, really love having it? [The Wonder Cup](http://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Cup-Adjustable-Measuring-Size/dp/B00MHSRMAE/ref=pd_sim_k_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0AN0RJHENPB1TPZ3HTAB). Excellent for measuring shortening, or peanut butter, or honey, or other sticky crap. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/53 "2014-12-30T22:11:26Z")
The single best thing I ever got for my kitchen was a 5’5" multitasker that does just about everything **and** the dishes! Found it online, too! But I’m pretty sure it was a one-off. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/54 "2014-12-30T22:14:23Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > They take up too much room. The handle makes it really easy to knock over. The lid isn’t airtight. And it means when your roommate needs a saucepan, she’s got to dump your food in the garbage and wash the pot first. Ah. I’m pretty much the only one who cooks in this household, so there’s no problem with that. It’s not like they stay there for long, anyway. Just a day usually. All sorts of pots and saucepans end up in the fridge. As for the canned foods and restaurant inspection stuff, that makes more sense. I know there are many things I do in the kitchen that wouldn’t pass restaurant inspection. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/55 "2014-12-30T22:30:43Z")
My favorite gadget is my sous vide rig. I’ll admit that part of the reason is because it’s geeky but boy it does magical things to meat. I’ve cooked chuck roast for 72 hours and tastes as good (or better) than any sirloin. I’m also fond of my non-stick pan. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/56 "2014-12-30T22:32:28Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The single best thing I ever got for my kitchen was a 5’5" multitasker that does just about everything **and** the dishes! Found it online, too! But I’m pretty sure it was a one-off. Well, that’s going to take up some cabinet space but I guess I could knock out a shelf or two. Do you think my wife will approve? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532/57 "2014-12-30T22:35:59Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I know there are many things I do in the kitchen that wouldn’t pass restaurant inspection. Do we need to come over and post a sign in your bathroom that says all pulykamells must wash hands before returning to the kitchen? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-kitchen-gadget/708532.md?page=2)