When it comes to kitchen gadgets, there are some gems, but there are also some totally worthless options that TV, Amazon, and TikTok have convinced us we need. In fact, we're sure that you now have some of these gadgets and equipment sitting in your kitchen drawer, or worse, gathering dust outside in your garage.
To be honest, I hate kitchen utensils. The old adage that a cook's best tool is his hands has proven true most of the time. I hate digging out and assembling clunky plastic contraptions. I could have grabbed my favorite beef knife and got to work and finished the job much faster. Like Alton Brown, one of my favorite chefs, he says the only thing that should serve a purpose in the kitchen is a fire extinguisher. What I really learned from reading Amazon's gadget page is that people are really scared of using knives.
If you're looking for a worthy holiday gift, here are 16 of the worst kitchen gadgets you can pass up on Amazon right now. (Plus, check out the best gifts for foodies in each state.)
Original Jokari Adjustable Buggy Rack
Somehow, this one has over 7000 reviews and is rated as one of the best kitchen tools products on Amazon. You can see how attractive his original Jokari adjustable buggy rack is. This is especially true if you're packing multiple bags for your kids' lunches at once or pre-portioning ingredients for a week's worth of meals. However, most bags stay open when partially filled. Therefore, this unitasker has no value. In fact, one reviewer said, “These are very unstable and fragile. The only part that works as described is the adjustable arm. The arm moves up and down.”
KPKitchen pancake batter dispenser
The KPKitchen Pancake Batter Dispenser may be useful if you work in a pancake house, but it's clunky and completely useless in your real home. One Amazon review said, “Poor handle design. Skip this and try something else.” You can measure the perfect pancake using a measuring cup or by eye. After all, the fun of homemade pancakes isn't the appearance, but the fun toppings and sugar rush you get after eating them.
Original Bearpaw Shredder Claw
Unless you're a professional BBQ cook-off champion, you don't need the Original Bear Paws Shredder Claw in your kitchen. Celebrity chef Alton Brown agrees. These may seem like a must-have because they shred meat or stabilize large items like watermelons so you can slice and dice them, but a sharp knife and your hands will do just as well. can do. Free up some space in your kitchen drawer and throw these away.
Tomato, onion, vegetable slicer, food slicing assistant
Tomato Onion Vegetable Slicer Food Slicing Assistant is a completely new idea. This gadget helps guide your knife to perfectly slice vegetables. However, with a little practice with a gyuto knife, you can also slice vegetables evenly. This might be good for kids who are learning how to cook or use knives safely, but if they're not, it's a big no from me.
chefn corn stripper plastic blade
why? Why do you need a corn stripper? A sharp knife can do this exact same thing, and you won't hurt your hands by constantly twisting the Chef'n Corn Stripper plastic blade around the corn cob. One Amazon reviewer says, “Works well on thin ears of corn, but not on thicker ears. I still use a knife most of the time.” There's also no way the blades inside the corn stripper will be clean after every use. This is the path.
magic butter knife spreader and curler
The Magic Butter Knife Spreader & Curler is a strange concept. This is basically a butter knife that you probably already have in your silverware drawer, but with lots of holes like a cheese grater. While it's said that you can spread hard butter right out of the fridge, you can also make perfectly softened butter for toast by simply softening the butter in the microwave for about 10 seconds. One review on Amazon reveals, “I tried to use it once and promptly threw it in the trash.”
Related:
OXO Good Grip 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer
I love avocados, but I hate this tool. The OXO Good Grip 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer does what a knife can do, but without the precision of a sharp knife. The slicing surface is difficult to thread through the avocado and is often too large for the avocado to even begin with a pit holder. If you want to make avocado toast, use a short paring knife.
Chef'n Loose Leaf Plus Kitchen Herb Stripper & Chopper
Herb strippers have become very popular thanks to TikTok, but I can't resist kitchen unit taskers, especially the Chef'n LooseLeaf Plus Kitchen Herb Stripper & Chopper for cutting herbs. First, remove the leaves from the stem by passing each herb through the appropriate holes and cutting them with scissors. no thanks. I insist on peeling the herbs by hand and then cutting them with a knife. One Amazon reviewer concurred, saying, “It's now sitting unused in the back of a drawer because you can clean it much better with a knife.”
Mr. Sneezy Egg Separator
Egg separators are already a no-no in my book, but the Mr. Sneezy egg separator is so incredibly weird that I want to use it for my holiday white elephant party. The egg separator works by holding the yellow yolk inside the carafe, and the white comes out through the “nose” of the device. To make separating the eggs easier, gently crack the eggs and separate them by hand. Just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after you're done.
Hutzler 571 banana slicer
Another trendy gadget is the Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer, but don't let this put you off. But why would you need something that just slices bananas? I'm here to tell you that you're not. If you're making banana pudding or anything else that calls for a large amount of sliced bananas, use a paring knife. Also, if you are having a bad day, read this review. You'll feel better in no time.
Full Star Vegetable Chopper – Spiralizer Vegetable Slicer
Full Star Vegetable Chopper – The spiralizer vegetable slicer is one of the most useless things I’ve seen in the kitchen. In fact, one reviewer agreed, saying, “This device is a total crap product, and I'm past the return period with an incredibly poor and useless product.” Large gadgets take up a lot of space and have a lot of additional parts and blades that can be easily misplaced or broken. I can't imagine having a piece of vegetable stuck in a small crevice and having to clean it. Please learn how to use a chef's knife and the appropriate cutting method for the dish you are making.
progressive international zip slicer
Unless you're slicing a million grapes or tiny tomatoes, you don't need a Progressive International Zip Slicer in your kitchen. I personally tested this and found that the grapes and tomatoes never sliced perfectly and actually ended up with mushy pieces that were partially cut off. If you're interested in uneven cuts and foods that may cook faster than others, this is the one for you, but for most home chefs, this isn't the gadget they can afford.
Dash Safe Slice Mandoline Slicer, Julienne + Vegetable Dicer
If you're not used to using a real mandoline to thinly slice vegetables, the Dash Safe Slice Mandoline Slicer, Vegetable Julienneer + Dicer may be helpful. If not, this is not a gadget worth getting. One reviewer said of the device, “Oh, and the part where the plastic bits fall on the food is probably not safe either.” When you press the button on the top, the slicer uses gravity to pull the vegetables into the chute, but imagine for a moment that you're trying to clean everything on top of it. Also, although it may be advertised as “compact storage,'' it actually takes up a lot of space in your drawer. Stay away from this.
Mini bag sealer heat seal kitchen supplies
The mini bag sealer heat seal kitchen gadget is another TikTok trend that people think is a must-try. This gadget is essentially a hot curling iron, but for food use. One reviewer agreed, saying, “It felt like I was using a curling iron.” If resealing the bag is really important to you, try decanting potato chips or chocolate chips into a resealable plastic bag and resealing it that way.
New stainless steel ravioli type dumpling maker
How many dumplings do you make by hand that require molds? I don't think there are many. This stainless steel ravioli-shaped dumpling maker is small, so it has the advantage of being easy to store if you really need a kitchen appliance. However, you can also use a fork to ensure that the dumplings and ravioli are tightly sealed and do not burst during cooking.
fly wall 10
Frywall 10 may have been on Shark Tank, but I wouldn't invest in it. The splatter guard is too high to stir or move the ingredients around in the pan. Also, if the pan gets above 450 degrees, the edges may start to melt or crumble. If you don't want oil splattered all over the stove, skip this and use the lid that may have come with the pot. An Amazon review said: “The idea was great and it certainly prevented grease from splattering, but after two uses it started to develop holes and now it looks like it's completely broken.”
Read more essential cooking tips:
15 cooking tips I learned from Ina Garten
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