Kitchen utensils you need in your life (and things you can skip)

In our lives filled with home appliances, there are few areas of the kitchen market that have experienced the kind of growth that can be largely isolated as the “snack maker” sector, leading to inevitable consumer confusion.

Walk into a department store and you'll find gadgets groaning on the shelves. One major chain store conveniently categorizes them under the banner “Cookware/Novelty.” This is an honest way of saying that we are talking about gadgets that often seem like gimmicks. Sometimes it can be a useful little gadget. But you can't be sure at first glance.

Snack makers come in all sizes, some cheap, some expensive, some great, and some sometimes baffling. “I need that!” “Who would want that and why?” compete for mental space.

The only way to know is to try it. So I did that. We dived into the endless promises of snack time and discovered how much the broader food industry has embraced them.

“I need that!” “Who would want that and why?” are the thoughts competing for mental space.

The machine promises a lot on its own. Recipe websites and social media influencers are promising even more. Does he really have 40 different things to make in his pie maker?Apparently, yes, there are. Using a pie maker just to make pies is only for amateurs.

Let me confess, I can be a snack fiend. I can survive on snacking and have done that at times. And while researching this story, I did it all over again, mostly at the expense of a healthy diet.

Are you disappointed? I've had some, but not that many.

Let's start with the greats.

pizza shop

I have a low to mid-priced pizza maker called the Cucina Essenziale that retails for about $70. We're not talking about pizza ovens here (high-end ones can cost hundreds of dollars). These are pizza makers with a hinged lid and a hot plate, on which you place the dough and toppings…literally.

The most complicated part is deciding which toppings to add. I used pre-made pizza dough from the supermarket, so it took about 25-10 minutes to shape the dough and make the pizza while the cucina was warming up, and about 12 minutes to cook.

verdict: Definitely a winner. I often make pizza from scratch and bake it in a very hot oven or bake it in a Weber. This will save you a lot of effort and time.

pie maker

Pie makers have been around for years and are popular at home goods stores like Kmart, and the 6-piece pie machine I have can be purchased for $39, and they often go for even less when on sale. there is. This is a rugged beast that delivers in spades.

First of all, it does exactly what it says on the box: it makes great pies. As the snack gods intended, it's best to keep it simple. Grab some store-bought pastry, make or buy your favorite filling (sweet or savory…if you like fruit pies, you can buy the filling in cans), and hit the road.

Instead of using pastry, simply line your pie maker with one or two slices of bacon or ham, crack in an egg, and sprinkle cheese on top for a breakfast or lunch snack in 10 minutes.

I often use poached eggs. No water required. Simply crack the egg directly into the pie hole and within 3-4 minutes you'll have a perfectly runny yolk.

verdict: Of course. Get a pie maker.

sausage roll maker

This was a new frontier in my snack making journey, but I wasn't convinced I needed it. I understand now. I needed a sausage roll maker.

Even if you don't like sausage rolls, you probably do too.

Importantly, the recipe website's promises that this $25 device will bring you great culinary adventures are all true. Sausage roll makers do more than just what it says on the box.

Sausage rolls are surprisingly easy to make. Take some mince. In a bowl, mix together eggs, half a cup of bread crumbs, and your favorite seasonings and spices. Cut the pastry sheet in half and hang it over the bottom of the sausage roll maker. Add the mince to the appropriate cavity (or cavities). Place the other half of the puff pastry on top and close the lid.

I was skeptical (mainly because I wondered if the filling would cook through), but after 12 minutes I had four delicious, golden, crispy sausage rolls. The machine shapes the rolls and also creates edges. Time: 20 minutes.

You can repeat this simple routine with anything you like. Buy a can of apple pie filling and make it exactly as you would for sausage rolls, seasoning it with cinnamon and using only fruit instead of meat.

Or try this. Cut the block of cream cheese into thin slices and place a few slices into each pastry cavity. Next, take your favorite chocolate bar (for research, I used Mars Bar, Toblerone, and Caramilk) and place it on top of the cream cheese. Top with a pastry roof, close the lid, and in 10 minutes you'll have a sinfully steaming chocolate and cream cheese dessert pastry that tastes like money.

verdict: no kidding. You need a sausage roll maker.

mini

At first glance, this series of devices (Mini Waffle Maker, MyMini Electric Skillet and Noodle Maker, MyMini Grill) looks like it was made for a family of hobbits who have just turned on the lights. Each fits in the palm of your hand and costs between $15 and $30, but it's not immediately clear to me who they're aimed at.

mini waffle maker This is a clear winner and I use it often. I made the waffle batter from scratch (it took 10 minutes), warmed up the machine, and immediately had two delicious golden waffles filled with ice cream, frozen fruit, and a dollop of cream. It's not very useful for people who don't cook for themselves, but it's sacred.

my mini grill It functions as a single-dish grill and makes a practical muffin burger.of MyMini Electric Frying Pan and Noodle Maker It's true that you can make 2-minute noodles and fried eggs, but it's very cumbersome to use and I didn't understand the point. Therefore, they do what they say they will do. The question is, why would you want them to do that?

You can see the obvious point here. These niche snacks, doohickeys, are for a very specific market. Students may also like it, and it's also great if you want to make a snack in your hotel room or hostel kitchen. Also useful for caravans and holiday homes.

verdict: Yes, waffles. As for the others, use them only if your living space and general lifestyle warrant it.

egg cooker

I love my little Sunbeam egg cooker. If you often eat eggs in different ways, you might too.

It's a simple kit. It comes with a rack that can hold 6 eggs for boiling to various degrees of doneness, 2 poaching trays, and a steaming rack (which can also be used for vegetables). I've never used it for the latter, preferring poached eggs made in a pie maker, but they're great as hard-boiled eggs. You can't go wrong if you follow the cooking time advice. Both soft-boiled and hard-boiled eggs are perfect.

verdict: Yes, if you really like eggs.