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Kitchen Gadgets

Mystery Gadget: What’s This Yellow Plastic Squeezer-Thing?

Faith Durand
Faith DurandSVP of Content
Faith is the SVP of Content at Apartment Therapy Media and Editor-in-Chief of Kitchn, and the author of three cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning The Kitchn Cookbook. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters.
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published Mar 5, 2008
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

A few years ago we received several boxes of plates, pots, cutlery and gadgets from a family member who was downsizing their kitchen. Ever since then, we have been mystified by this yellow plastic squeezer-thing.

Can you guess what it is?

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

It consists of two plastic boxes that can be squeezed together, and that close up when pressed shut. Their construction is curious, though, and we could never figure out what this thing was for.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

We initially thought it was a garlic press (a very lame garlic press, but still). But we saw there was no way for whatever was in that top box to be squeezed. The top lidded container is separate from the rest of the contraption.

But then this item for sale at eBay tipped us off to the true nature of our plastic gadget. What is it? It’s a…

Tupperware Butter Upper

This is a contraption lovingly designed for corn-on-the-cob fanatics.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Apparently the top box holds salt. You can shake the salt out through the small shaker holes.

(Image credit: Faith Durand)

Then you can insert a chunk of butter in the lower half, between the bottom of the salt box and the narrow bars. Rub all over the corn on the cob for buttery, salty goodness.

Corn is thoroughly out of season, so we can’t demonstrate. This might be a little too much gadget for our corn habits, but it is nice to finally know its purpose. It sat in our kitchen gadget drawer for years, and we always wondered about it!

Have you ever used one of these?