Things that are a total waste of money

[Fat Guy]

I see a lot of home kitchens, some of which are the kitchens of people with an alarming amount of disposable income. I see a lot of things where I say, if I had that kind of budget, I'd want those things even though they're expensive. But some stuff I see, I think no matter how much money I had I still wouldn't buy it.

Nominations?

I'd like to put forward, for my first nomination, the cookware of All-Clad.

[Joe Blowe]

I'd like to put forward, for my first nomination, the cookware of All-Clad.

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Well, damn, that was the first thing that popped into my head!

I'll nominate superauto espresso machines -- I don't care what anyone says, you don't need a $3,000 machine to make a lattemochafrappewhip. (Built-in espresso machines from Miele and the like also qualify as stupid indulgences...)

[ElsieD]

I'd like to put forward, for my first nomination, the cookware of All-Clad.

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Well, damn, that was the first thing that popped into my head!

I'll nominate superauto espresso machines -- I don't care what anyone says, you don't need a $3,000 machine to make a lattemochafrappewhip. (Built-in espresso machines from Miele and the like also qualify as stupid indulgences...)

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I'm curious - why the rap on all-clad?

[Eatmywords]

Not that they’re expensive, but the 2 fondue sets I have. I’ve used one of them once in three years. Why won’t I get rid of them (or just 1 set)? -I’ll use them one day…..one day.

[Magictofu]

Many people disagree with me but I'll nominate granite countertops. Not only are they expensive but they often give a very cold look (and feel) to kitchens which in my mine are supposed to me warm and messy.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'm thinking of replacing our old rice cooker and looking at new ones, and I'm very dubious of the value of a rice cooker with more settings than "on" and "warm." Commercial rice cookers don't seem to have more than that, and somehow, thousands of Asian restaurants are getting by.

And for the price of All-Clad, one could buy Sitram and have a much better product, if one wanted stainless.

Edited June 19, 2009 by David A. Goldfarb (log)

[Florida]

I'd like to put forward, for my first nomination, the cookware of All-Clad.

←

Well, damn, that was the first thing that popped into my head!

I'll nominate superauto espresso machines -- I don't care what anyone says, you don't need a $3,000 machine to make a lattemochafrappewhip. (Built-in espresso machines from Miele and the like also qualify as stupid indulgences...)

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I'm curious - why the rap on all-clad?

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Really, the superauto espresso machine I get, but what is the deal with All-Clad? While its arguable that All-Clad is not worth the expense, it is still quality cookware. I wouldn't fault someone who had unlimited resources for owning a set.

[HungryC]

I nominate decorative glass stove hoods (see here). How on earth would you ever keep the thing clean?

[andiesenji]

I nominate the "trendy" odd-shaped sinks that have in recent years been highly touted at the industry shows.

I see no point in having a "sink" that is 40 inches long, 4 inches deep and 6 inches wide, installed in the center of an island, simply as a "design element." Ditto for the "butterfly" sinks, the countertop mounted "blown-glass" sinks that are only eye-candy and have no practical use whatsoever.

Not to mention, costing the earth.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I nominate decorative glass stove hoods (see here).  How on earth would you ever keep the thing clean?

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The maid of course.

[weinoo]

Seeing as I own a fair amount of All-Clad MC cookware (the real, made in the USA stuff), some used almost daily for over 15 years, I don't understand that inclusion. This is high-quality stuff, and was quite reasonable in price.

My Omega Juicer, on the other hand, I used a lot when I first bought - now it just sits atop a cabinet gathering whatever it is non-used appliances gather in New York City apartment kitchens.

[jsmeeker]

I don't own any All-Clad cookware, but I would not put it on the list.

Instead, I will nominate major appliances. Built in sub-zero fridge, for one. (too shallow)

But the king is the Viking** range or cooktop in the household where the only cooking going on is making microwave mac and cheese.

** Or any other pricey brand

[jsmeeker]

I nominate decorative glass stove hoods (see here).  How on earth would you ever keep the thing clean?

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along the same line...

The fancy, elaborate, tile backsplash behind the range/cooktop.

[d+d]

trash compactors

[David A. Goldfarb]

trash compactors

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Unless you pay for private trash removal by the bag. We don't, and we don't have a trash compactor, but I've known people who have in areas where there is no city trash pickup.

[lemniscate]

I'm thinking of replacing our old rice cooker and looking at new ones, and I'm very dubious of the value of a rice cooker with more settings than "on" and "warm."  Commercial rice cookers don't seem to have more than that, and somehow, thousands of Asian restaurants are getting by.

And for the price of All-Clad, one could buy Sitram and have a much better product, if one wanted stainless.

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I dunno, I bought the Zojirushi IH rice cooker and would never go back to the on/off cooker.

Totally agree on the Sitram, that stuff is great, and one of the Costcos in town sells it open stock, quite a deal.

[onrushpam]

trash compactors

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Hey! A trash compactor was a requirement when we redid our kitchen. I wouldn't be without it for a couple of reasons:

1) I have 6 greyhounds in the house and have never a found a trashcan they couldn't figure out. And, we have no place to stash a can where they can't get to it. (No pantry or closet or room under the sink)

2) We don't have trash service because we live in the boonies. The trash compactor greatly reduces the volume of the trash we haul to the dump. Less volume means fewer trash trips in the limping, old pick-em-up truck!

It appears few people have compatcors anymore. We struggle to find the right bags for ours.

[prasantrin]

I'm thinking of replacing our old rice cooker and looking at new ones, and I'm very dubious of the value of a rice cooker with more settings than "on" and "warm."  Commercial rice cookers don't seem to have more than that, and somehow, thousands of Asian restaurants are getting by.

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"On", "warm", and "timer" are most important in a rice cooker (commercial rice cookers don't need a timer, but for home use, it's a really nice feature if you eat a lot of rice).

Slow-cookers are a waste for me. I've had one for 5 years, and have used it twice. I know they have their place other people's kitchens, but most things that I've seen people make in the them ("Hawaiian chicken" and the like) aren't things I want to cook.

[prasantrin]

I nominate decorative glass stove hoods (see here).  How on earth would you ever keep the thing clean?

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The maid of course.

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That sounds like something my mother would say!

[chezcherie]

those "pot filler" faucets that have to be plumbed in behind the burners of the stove top.

seriously, if carrying the full pot of (presumably cool) water from the sink to the stove is too difficult, how will you ever get the cooked pasta, in the pot with the now-boiling water over to the sink to drain it?

[fiftydollars]

I see a lot of home kitchens, some of which are the kitchens of people with an alarming amount of disposable income. I see a lot of things where I say, if I had that kind of budget, I'd want those things even though they're expensive. But some stuff I see, I think no matter how much money I had I still wouldn't buy it.

Nominations?

I'd like to put forward, for my first nomination, the cookware of All-Clad.

←

It's a little unfair to call it a "total waste of money." If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have bought the all clad I have. But I've gotten 10 years on some of the stuff I have and it's still in fine working order. However, I have loads of crap in my kitchen (and garage) that definitely falls into the category of total waste of money. For example:

citrus juicer attachment for the kitchenaid

[David A. Goldfarb]

However, I have loads of crap in my kitchen (and garage) that definitely falls into the category of total waste of money. For example:

citrus juicer attachment for the kitchenaid

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Hah! I think that's one of the few Kitchenaid gizmos that I haven't bought.

The pasta extrusion disks, however, would be a complete waste of money, were it not for the two clips that come with the set for keeping the bowl attached (on bowl lift models) when kneading heavy doughs. I don't know what consistency the dough has to have to work with those disks, but I have never gotten them to work, and once, when guests were watching, the dough started circulating back through the attachment shaft and coming out of the disk with a stripe of grey-black grease along one side. I just tossed the batch and went to the cupboard for some commercial pasta.

Edited June 20, 2009 by David A. Goldfarb (log)

[scubadoo97]

I nominate decorative glass stove hoods (see here).  How on earth would you ever keep the thing clean?

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I remember when searching out vent hoods and looking at those thinking this is for someone that doesn't cook. We had friends with a mirrored back splash around their kitchen. WTF would you do that for if you cooked.

[sickchangeup]

I nominate decorative glass stove hoods (see here). 

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I think that's the best suggestion thus far, I would absolutely NEVER have one of those in my kitchen, even if I was a millionaire.

I also don't get the all-clad bash, the entire Thomas Keller group uses all-clad, the Momo's use all-clad (both even link to them on their websites), Alton Brown off the top of my head as well - I've never had an issue with a single one of my pans either.

I would have to go with the paneled/hidden fridge look, where everything just looks like the wall paneling and you can't tell where the fridge is. I hate that look, I want to know where the damn fridge is!

[Dave the Cook]

. . . .However, I have loads of crap in my kitchen (and garage) that definitely falls into the category of total waste of money. For example:

citrus juicer attachment for the kitchenaid

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In general, any electric juicer is not only a waste of money, it's a waste of time. For a cocktail class, we once needed a cup and a half of lime juice. We divided the limes in half and put one person on an electric and gave another a stainless-steel squeezer. The hand-held guy was off dividing scallions into white and green parts before the electric dude was half-way done.

The juice was better, too.