apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

OK Now I really want one of those VeggieChop things. I've been debating over a food processor forever, but I have a tiny kitchen. I just need something for pesto, hummus and sauces.

What's the capacity on this thing? Is it really worth it?

Yeah, 8 of them are "useful" but two are essential: the microplane and the mandoline, I can't tell you how often mine are in the dish strainer because I use them constantly.

I would also replace your veggichop with the cuisinart stick blender -- comes with the chopper bowl, whisk, and stick blender part, mine's been invaluable.

I have to disagree with the juicer and the salad spinner - both take too much space. I have an old school milk glass juicer, but I usually just use a spoon [for cocktails, anyway]. As for the salad spinner, I just shake greens in a bowl with a paper towel. I'd replace those with a morter & pestle, and a manual pasta roller.

And to 'any such name' - I just upgraded to full size from a mini Cuisinart, but for the small price, that baby is a work horse!

I fall firmly on the garlic press pro side. I could not live without it. I want to fist fight Anthony Bourdain for the terrible things he says about them.

If I had to use one of the two, I would swap the garlic press for the onion chopper off the "useless" list. The press makes something more like garlic paste, whereas the onion chopper actually minces it, though noisily.

I second any such name's stick blender suggestion!

I had never even heard of a Mandoline slicer...so I guess I don't really need it!

I find it interesting that the article describes several of the useless tools as compensating for lack of knife skills, but then includes three tools on the most useful list that also fit that category. A good knife and skills can duplicate the functions of a garlic press, mandoline, and VeggiChop.

I use my salad spinner constantly, not just for greens but for whatever fits in there and needs to be dried off. I've done without one for years and using paper towels is wasteful, while dishcloths or fabric doesn't really get all the water off and is kind of messy.

Not sure if a juicer is necessary unless you juice often. I also don't need a separate timer as I always use my microwave's built-in one. I'd replace those two with a mixer and hand-held blender.

No on the garlic press, it's difficult to clean and minced garlic cooks better than garlic mush. No on the manual juicer, unless you actually make fresh squeezed juice in large quantities very very often.

I think I'm into the basics because I lack space (typical Manhattan kitchen)...maybe I'll change my mind when I have more room?

My personal POV: Nix the garlic press and the pepper mill - my mortar and pestle works for both and I prefer it to either. Also nix the mandoline and vegie chopper - my knife works for both and is easier to clean and store.

My top items that I use almost every day without fail: (2) mortar & pestles - a small one for spices and a big one for curry pastes; grater; a coffee grinder to grind spices; salad spinner; small dowel-type rolling pin to make flatbreads.

Next Tier - the ones I don't use every day, but really like: can opener; pastry cutter; zester or microplane.

I actually hate my garlic press! It always ends up with a layer of skin in the press, and smashes garlic rather than mincing it.

But I do love the garlic twisty thingy I have (see here: http://thekitchenette.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/balsamic-roasted-chicken/ ).

And you're right, a garlic twisty thing is absolutely necessary for those of us that consider garlic a vegetable, not a flavor agent!

@scarrico - yeah, I had the full-size food processor first, but bought the stick blender for soups (and because I have no regular blender, takes up too much counter space).

@AllisonW - show me video of you making paper thin slices as quickly as a mandoline does and I will bow down to your knife skills. ;)

I don't consider the garlic press, mandoline, and the salad spinner as all that useful. I have a mandoline and have used it like 3 times in 2 years. I just use my knife or the attachment for my food processor.

Same with the timer. I just use my watch or set the timer on my microwave. I don't need another thing in my kitchen that does just one thing. I follow Alton Brown's philosophy on unitaskers.

How about swapping one of those for a peeler? I always need a peeler for everything.

Having read the five reviews of this salad spinner on the Amazon site, it does not sound good. The OXO spinner sounds much better.

The suggestion to use a mortar and pestle instead of a pepper mill must be joke. If you use a lot of pepper, that's a lot of time that could be spent on better things. Unless you pre-crush your pepper, which completely defeats the purpose.

Microplanes are the biggest waste of money. Yes, they work. Yes, they are amazing. For 3 months, until they break and you have to go buy a new one to replace it.

I hate garlic presses, but I actually really enjoy mincing so that makes sense. I can't live without my mandoline, though, even though I don't use it often. It's irreplacable when I'm trying to slice three pounds or more of onions. They make me cry so much I can't see well enough to avoid my fingers with a knife.

I'll volunteer the broiler as a best-beloved gadget for me. Everyone's got one and it works great for toast, quick-cooking chicken/flank steak, etc or even sausage. Total lifesaver for me. Another one is my set of jar tongs. Sure I only use them when canning but they are way too good to not use.

I'm coming down firmly on the anti-garlic press side. If I need my garlic made into a paste I'll usually just grate it with my microplane, which is just as fast and IMO far more effective than the garlic press.

I use my food processor an absurd amount (does that count as a gadget, though?) as well as my Magic Bullet blender thing (especially to whip up some well emulsified vinaigrette in just a few seconds). The microplane, peeler, mandoline, shredder, and can opener round out the various gadgets that are used on a very, very regular basis.

Everything listed but the garlic press is very useful, why not the garlic press? The microplane does a much, much better job, particularly if you have more then one courseness of microplane, you can get anything from a rough paste to nice shavings. A knife also works well, as does the veggiechop ( I am in love with my cuisinart, I am with you, any such name) for large amounts. They all save you time by not having to clean those horrifying garlic pressed on presses.

And AllisonW, I have knife skills, I can cut paper thin radishes with a knife, but I use a mandolin, why?, speed and consistency. No restaurant chef does it by hand. A mandolin is second only to a good knife in cutting versatility.

Garlic press? Really? There's nothing a good knife won't chop and I think chopping more garlic is much easier than chopping less. I'd swap that out for a Y-peeler.

bubble: I have not owned a pepper mill in a decade and use my M&P for all my pepper-grinding. I can control the degree of grind (fine or coarse), can whip through any amount of pepper in no time flat, and it is a multi-use implement. I don't find it slows me down at all. It may take a few seconds longer than a grinder, but it's easy enough to do while waiting for other things. I also use it for many other spices and aromatics.

I'd say no to the garlic press, juicer, timer (one both our stove and microwave anyway). I dunno about the microplanes, maybe one for citrus or nutmeg, but I really like a box grater. Good peeler is a must have. And the small food processor/chopper is really nice to have for salsa, tzatziki, etc. Ours is a $10 Black and Decker model though.

Things that would be on my list:
box grater
vegetable peeler
small bamboo tongs for the toaster
pastry cutter
Poach Pods (I am awful at poaching eggs.)

I just bought a box grater that has one clear acrylic side with measurement marks, so I can see how much cheese I've grated. I LOVE that thing.

I am in the boat of the NO on the veggie-chopper as well... but I have to say we own and use all of these and love them. The newest addition to our kitchen (as in less than a week ago) is the mandolin and it's soooo worth it. I love my OXO dishwashing liquid dispenser:

http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-SteeL-Soap-Squirting-Brush/dp/B000ND7A5M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248828468&sr=8-1

Every cook needs to clean up!

i like to use my microplane on garlic, mostly because I hate cleaning up the press.

And LOVE the mandoline.

I don't get why you'd want a garlic press when you have a microplane. Using it for garlic is one my most common microplane tasks.

Why do so many people think a GARLIC PRESS is essential? Knives, people, knives! Sharp ones! It takes about 5 seconds and you don't have garlic mess falling all over the place or a clumsy contraption to clean. I say the same thing to the veggie chopper and definitely the onion chopper. I agree the mandoline has its place...but that place is usually in a restaurant or catering kitchen, where large, uniform quantities are needed regularly. By the time you wash all these gadgets, making sure to get everything out of all the little edges and not cut yourself in the process, I'd bet you really didn't save any time at all.

A chef's knife and a paring knife. And a cutting board.

Oh, and an aside: how does a microplane break?

My essential kitchen gadgets, in no particular order, are my microplane zester, silicone tipped tongs, and OXO salad spinner. Never felt the need for a garlic press despite the fact that I cook with LOTS of garlic. Oh, and I almost forgot: my muddler. I use it to mash avocado and other small amounts of food that need mashing up. It was a lifesaver when I was introducing solids to my baby.

'No' on the garlic press. 'No' on the Mandoline. Weren't we trying to avoid gadgets that duplicate knife functionality?

But also 'no' on the timer. Strange, I know, but I have two in my kitchen and they never get used. I use my microwave (on-board timer, not the actually oven) and the dial on the oven. They're always in the exact same place and much easier to set.

The Microplane, however, is an absolute must! In fact, along with a pepper mill (which I hardly consider a gadget) it's the only thing I use from this list (ok, I also have a nifty mini-processor-thingy, too).

I actually really hate a mandoline. I have cut my fingers more times on that than anything else I've ever owned, including knives, with which I'm just perfectly satisfied using to cut thin strips of things. I also usually cut myself on my zester, so I like having a garlic press. Maybe I'm too uncordinated for these sliding things. :) Also I have a pepper mill that has adjustable coarseness - I thought that was standard. I think most people would rather have a pepper mill than a mortar and pestle (although I have both). IT seems like a lot of unnecessary arm strength to do with a m&p what you could just do with a twist of the wrist with a pepper mill. It's not like it takes up that much space.

I disagree that good knife skills can replace a mandoline, and I think many chefs would agree. For efficiency, consistency, and control, a mandoline can't be beat.

I have to nix the garlic press, chopper, juicer and (even though I have one) the mandoline. I've only used a garlic press a couple of times but found it a pain to clean if you are only doing a couple of cloves. I think that if you have to mince so much garlic that it's just to time consuming to do with a knife then toss it in the food processor. Of course you could just smash it to bits with something flat.....like the side of you knife. As others have said, you do end up with a paste. It's kind of like a mini-ricer. As far as everything else goes I think for me it's matter of not how often you use it but what sort of volume you do. I'm of the opinion that it shouldn't take you longer to clean the tool then it does to use it and if it does then it's lost it's usefuleness.

Box grater, for sure.

Other than that, I don't have anything on your list except for the can opener, so they aren't really essential for me. ;) I'd like to have a veggie chopper just to save time when I'm cooking large amounts.

i agree with jamiealyse - i love the small bamboo tongs for the toaster!

Salad spinner should be the #1 most useful gadget…
It only takes up too much space and is just another thing to wash.

The most essential thing is, I'm pretty sure everyone would agree, a GOOD knife. So obvious, it got overlooked.

I also really love my handheld, squeeze juicers (the ones that are color coded for their use: orange, yellow, green) but I'm not a big juicer.

I would add a cookie scoop to the list. I discovered them a couple of years back (they're pretty much unknown in Australia) and find them incredibly handy. They save a lot of time when cooking a large batch of cookies and ensure they are all the same size, thus cook evenly. I use them not only for cookies but meatballs, arancini, truffles, rum balls, and a larger size for portioning muffins and cupcakes. I'm slowly spreading the word amongst other Aus cooks about how handy they are.

Although my knife skills are good, I still prefer a garlic press for a fairly superficial reason; I don't like my fingers to reek of garlic after chopping it by hand.

I'm in pretty good agreement with your list, except for the Veggichop (could change my mind if I actually used one, though) and the garlic press.

Salad spinners are essential for people who don't want crappy, disgusting salad. Plus, for all those space weenies, it's not THAT big. Sheesh! It doubles as a serving bowl, too, so what's the big deal?

Oh, and one thing I would add to your list in place of one of the ones I would take off would be a lime press. Basically the same idea as a garlic press, but it's for limes. I suppose a juicer could do much the same thing, but I don't juice, so when I need high volumes of lime juice this thing is amazing. I made a lime-based marinade for three pork tenderloins last weekend and pressed about 8 limes. If I would have had to squeeze them manually I would've had to do twice as many and my arms would have fallen off.

The microplane and the stick blender are the two most useful "gadgets" in my kitchen (excluding knives, pots and pans, etc. because they're not really gadgets). I owned the latter--a hand-me-down from my grandmother--for years before I ever used it, but now I can't imagine life without it.

Seconding m! on the value of a mandoline - I learned about them from a professional chef with knife skills up the wazoo. He swore by his expensive metal mandoline - I swear by my cheap plastic one.

For things like really regular slicing or julienne, there's no replacing it, and the small plastic ones (Japanese or even the Martha Stewart K-Mart ones) take up very little kitchen space.

My potato ricer. Even my husband loves the potato ricer. My "mashed" potatoes and potato salad are legendary---all because I use a potato ricer. And my bread knife, which I inherited from my mother. It's 50 years old and I couldn't live without it. It still slices like a dream. Because it makes me so happy, I nearly always give an excellent quality bread knife for a wedding present.

For Tiamat_the_Red: for onions w/out tears, there's a fool-proof solution. Unfortunately, you must have a gas stove for it to work.
1. Place your cutting board and onion on one of the (unlit !!!) front burners.
2. Light the burner directly behind it, to a medium flame.
3. Slice, dice or chop w/out tears or fears. The air current generated by the gas flame causes the tear-causing vapors to be dispelled.

(How did the corkscrew get left off this list?)

@christinalouise

Out of curiosity, what brand is the box grater that you love?

Two things I would add to this list that are ABSOLUTELY essential to my survival: wine key (one function, but seriously, an important one) and immersion blender. My immersion blender was the first kitchen appliance I ever owned in college and it's still kicking today and making soups, salad dressings and frappes much, much better.

I love my microplane, my mandoline and my garlic press. I make fresh adobo at least once a week and would be lost without my garlic press....which I think is easy to clean...it does turn garlic into mush, but that is exactly what I need. I would be grating my fingertips if I used my microplane for all of the garlic I use. Our microplanes are used primarily for locatelli over pasta dishes.... :)

Aside- I have broken several microplanes...the ones set in a plastic rim. I no longer buy those and I haven't seen any recently, so maybe they don't make them anymore.

I use my mandoline for potatoes (au gratin, potato and egg fritatta-tortilla espanola) regularly. I also use it when I want lovely rings of red onions for salads and such.

I have a black and decker stick blender that gets much use, though we make lots of fruit smoothies (batidas) and I love our cuisinart counter blender...better for ice.

I have a salad spinner and rely on it, but it does take up a lot of space, and it's too ugly for me to be happy using it as a serving bowl.

I found the Spin 'n' Stor ( http://tinyurl.com/lro4ct ) for my son and my boyfriend--a perforated plastic bag that has a channel along two sides of it, so basically you can wash the greens, put them in the bag, and swirl it around your head so the water collects in the channel. (It's more fun than a salad spinner.) That does solve the storage problem, though it has to sit out for a while before it dries so you can put it away.

Then of course I realized that you could just use a regular plastic bag and the water would go out to the edge anyway when you spin it, and you could pour it out without letting the greens dump out of the bag.

Though now, upon reading some more stuff on the web in order to find the name of the Spin 'n' Stor, I see that people are saying that a salad spinner spins the greens much faster than you can swing a bag around.

For the people who complain about durability (or lack thereof) of microplanes, try the professional line. They are stainless steel and hold up much better than the cheaper plastic versions. I use mine all the time and don't see them breaking any time soon.

Garlic press, just use a long, flat knife.

There are a few of these items that can be easily replaced with one Cuisinart. Granted, if you're cooking something and you need to use several of these items for the same dish, that would require rinsing or at least wiping clean the Cuisinart.

I've used a salad spinner, and I didn't really see a benefit that it gives over a good sieve that is worth the cabinet space it requires.

Nay on the garlic press, too much residue and waste for my taste.

I LOVE my tiny multi mixer it does everything and takes NO space, similar to this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Braun-MR430HC-Multiquick-Blender-Chopper/dp/B00004S9GX/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1248880319&sr=1-2

However, I'm no super chef, so what do I know.

There's nothing like a post about kitchen equipment to increase page views and comments. Just like AT & all the IKEA posts.

A big YES on salad spinner (I use the oxo "little salad & herb spinner" for the 2 of us which takes up so much less space that it's worth filling a few times when we have guests), microplane, and digital timer; and of course, the humble can opener is irreplaceable. A thermometer is also irreplaceable but I don't use one very often. Like many others, I'd add a grater, particularly one with an interchangeable lid that lets you use it for storage (I bought a great one at Ikea).

I own a garlic press but since I took a knife skills class, I never use it. Anyone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen but feels that their knife skills are only so-so might want to consider taking a class, which has both shortened my prep time and improved my dishes (because I chop/slice with much more uniformity). Plus, I no longer have the fear of sharp knives I'd had since an emergency room visit a few years back.

I'll confess that I'm pro-garlic press... even though I KNOW it takes no time to smash them with the side of a cleaver. In my defense, I use a lot of garlic when I cook...

Other than that, I detest gadgets. We have a small kitchen, so there's no room for clutter. I found that virtually everything can be done more quickly with a nice cutting board and good knives.... the only "gadget" I require is a food processor for times when I'm mincing or slicing huge quantities of stuff.

That being said, I love my microplane. And of course I need a timer, can opener and a thermometer.

I question the need of any of the other items, however. The veggie chop is especially useless in my opinion. That's what a cutting board is for!

And you left out a chef's true friend.... the $20 coffee grinder. Not for coffee... for spices. Have one of those, and you don't need a pepper mill ;-) Indespensible if you make indian, ethiopean, mexican, or carribean food.

oh, I should add that I have NEVER broken my microplane. I actually have 2 identical ones (got #2 for free with a magazine!)... they're both years old, and perfectly fine.

Mine are the bare 12" plane without any plastic. I suspend them over a pot and zest/grate whatever directly into it. golden.

Not everyone has a microwave, and not every stove has a built-in timer, but my kitchen has both, so a separate timer is kind of a waste. It is useful to have a few available for different tasks.

When I moved into this apartment six years ago, I found that the two most essential items were a pizza wheel and a can opener, with a whisk not being far behind. We love to have an electric kettle; we use a lot of hot water and love the convenience. We've had Chantal kettles ($100), forgotten to set the whistle, and fused the enamel to the burner (not ME, but it's happened in the household), so a quick-heating kettle with automatic shut-off is worth its weight in gold.

I have three small bar cutting boards (7 x 5 1/2) that I use constantly for chopping, making sandwiches for school lunches, etc. Before I got these I was constantly pulling out my big cutting board for small jobs and it was often in the dishwasher when I really needed it.

I got a digital candy/oil thermometer last year and I love it. It's not a "must have" but those times we've needed it, it's really been useful.

I've been through three pepper mills in three years. I really need to find something more durable.

I'm sorry but...garlic peeler is on the useless list but a garlic press is on the useful side? Sure I know the tasks aren't the same thing, but if you're going to include the press for the fact that it's good when you need to process a lot of garlic...then the peeler would be useful by that logic as well.

I'd have to say a squeeze bottle is super useful. Not for prettying up a plate with sauces and stuff. It just makes pouring oil into the pan a bajillion times easier than pouring from a bottle. You can get the exact amount you want, etc.

I'd also agree with the people saying stick blender with chopper chamber attachment. It'd totally trump the VeggiChop if you hadn't included that electric appliances rule.

Why are people suggesting knives be on the list? Please read more carefully. They didn't include knives because that is considered a kitchen tool and pretty much essential...thus not a gadget. If you're going to include knives...then you'd also have to say things like "a frying pan" or even things like "a stove".

I am reading a box on child rearing that gives the following advice when buying supplies: take an older relative and ask them what they actually needed and used - anything more is perhaps nice but not at all necessary.

In our world we obviously have too much of most things.

I think the above advice is good for kitchens. My mom had very little, but she was extremely inventive and had great dexterity as well as knife skills. With that said, my mom did in fact use a garlic press. However she didn't use it for garlic. I have a distinct memory of her using it to get juice out of a piece of ginger root. (She is Korean, so she used a lot of ginger.)

A little FYI on the Mandoline slicer. Um...DO NOT FORGET to use the Guard when you are slicing vegetables with the mandoline.

While yakking on my bluetooth one day and not paying attention as I was using my mandoline, I forgot to put the guard on the onion I was slicing and promptly sliced my finger open on the blade. It took only about 30 seconds to slice my finger open. However, the wait in the emergency room was 2 hours. $400.00 dollars and 2 stitches later, I learned my lesson about using kitchen tools safely.

I still use my mandoline all of the time. I just make sure to always have the guard on whatever I am chopping.

I have a mini personal blender - that is the ONLY small appliance I own - it makes smoothies, gauc and chops ice - its grand and it can be hidden - I have broke a few but at $16 no biggie - I wound up with several cups - so when I have company - we linger around it making strawberry shakes and pina coladas - every now and then it proves to be a powerful food processor (when I'm too lazy to chop) - best gadget ever!

Hahaha- yeah, knives were not included- I must have my chef's knife and a bread knife. I don't use my paring knife, I still peel with a peeler (though I've had to do both). I love my box grater, and I could NOT live without a copper scrubber for my stainless steel pots and pans. A rice cooker is also a necessity for me. A garlic press is so not- hate them, in fact, for the obvious reasons. I like my mortar and pestle, too. It's excellent for making little spice mixes, and grinding peppercorns (no on the pepper grinder as well). I used to get salad spinners and then get rid of them (took up so much space) but every time I did I wished I hadn't. So now I'm keeping the one I have. Good thing they're so easy to find at thrift stores and yard sales- ha! Oh and a blender! Gotta have a blender...I never use my food processor- too lazy to put it together and clean it afterwards..heehee. Thanks bingsy, for the tip about the ginger juice from a garlic press- sounds like a winner!

Ooh, wunami, you're right- knives are not a "gadget". And neither are copper scrubbers. Oops.

Lets see, well I agree with most for a big no on the garlic press and veggichopper. I adore my microplane (and those its breaking on I'd assume aren't Microplane brand. Mine is solid as a rock) and my mandoline. I've got great knife skills but something about those thin, consistent layers it makes, I can't help but use it.

To add?

DEFINITELY a mortar and pestle. I did laugh at whoever posted they didn't need a pepper mill cause they do all their grinding in a M&P. I grind peppers other than black in mine when I need them but more for spices. I always give dried spices a quick grind in it before adding them.

Not sure if ya'll want to count it as a normal tool or not but silicone tipped tongs. There's not much short of pancakes you can't pick up, flip, or stir with those and they work on all surfaces.

I'm surprised more people aren't cheering for a really good pair of kitchen shears. David Lebovitz did a great article about how he uses his for everything and I do a lot too. Try cutting broccoli up with your chef knife then try with shears. Gets the job done nicely.

Finally, an essential way more ofr me than a timer (cmon- every cell phone, oven, microwave etc has one now built in) is a digital scale! Mainly for baking, I'd be at a loss if I couldn't weigh out my ingredients.

NOOOOOO THAT GARLIC PRESS IS ABSOLUTE CRAP


never. buy. that. ever.

i cannot tell you how many times i've pinched the skin on my hands trying to wrestle with that poor excuse for a garlic press.

Dustpan and brush. And the garbage pail.

I broke my garlic press over a year ago...:( I can't believe I've gone this long without buying a new one.

Also about timers, you can't say that a timer shouldn't be on the list if your reasoning is that you can use one that's built in to something else.

@MODERnestS: apparently it's not as useful as you thought. Or you don't cook that much. Either way...if you don't use a gadget for over a year, it's probably not worth having. Don't be sad.

If your Microplane is breaking, you're pressing too hard. The idea behind them is that the grating surface is so sharp that you don't need to press as hard as you do with a regular grater. You can also try holding it vertically instead of at an angle.

I only own three items on this list: digital timer, pepper mill, garlic press - and I hardly ever use the garlic press - its jsut too fiddly to clean - I use a sharp knife for nearly everything and can cut wafer-thin slices easily
Couldn't do without my timers - they are great for taking with you into another room - I'd never hear the oven timer from two floors away!

How about a list of the most useful camp cooking gadgets? I’d carry all these 20 miles rather than go without: pot grabber, collapsible bucket, potholder, plastic scrubbee, 8-oz ladle, stove windscreen, pocket knife, squeeze bottles (for oil or margarine, and dish soap). The ones I don't have at home are: grabber, bucket, 8-oz ladle, windscreen of course, and oil squeeze bottle.