Most Useless Kitchen Items and Utensils

[andiesenji]

I must admit to being an unrepentant gadget lover. I saw this today but didn't buy it ($19 @ bloomies). I want to find some use for it but even the usefulness of this garlic crusher rolling pin eludes me. Anyone? I know there must be some additional untapped potential to it. *note that the ad copy also touts the garlic scent removing properties as a bonus of handwashing said device. Take that hunk o'steel scent remover!

http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/Produ...15_11521_null__

Also, why do all these labor saving devices always have so many nooks and crannies they would seem a major pain to clean thereby reducing the labor saving quotient? 

Growing up, we had a pair of those scissor tongs and I can only remember using them when frying lumpia.

N.

proud owner of chocolate chipper, mozzarella slicer, mango pitter and other gadgets of varying usefulness...

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I had a bit of a chuckle when I saw this in one of the catalogs - Sur La Table or Napa Style - and I had the same question, about cleaning it.

[dvoskuil]

Canning tongs are definitely a necessity. I learned that the hard way.

I have to add my voice to confirm this - please make some room in your kitchen for canning tongs if you're going to do any canning at all. Boiling hot water plus wet glass jars are just asking for trouble without them - as well as a future entry in the I Will Never Again... thread.

[andiesenji]

The rubbing-of-the-hands-on-stainless-steel to get rid of garlic smell, does work. It also works with some other odors.

However one doesn't need a special item, anything stainless works, although in my experience, the satin-finish works better than highly polished SS.

[SundaySous]

At first I laughed about the hotdog tongs. Brought back child hood memories. And then low and behold I have a pair in the "other drawer".

As far as indispensable item a friend showed me how chinese cooks he worked with would use stainless steel long handles spoons to true true their cleavers.

[RobertCollins]

Would somebody please post a pix of a hot-dog tong. I am drawing a real blank on what that is. My mom used a fork to stab our hot dogs which had to boil at least 15 minutes to make they were "something", although, that something was popped apart.

Finally learned what a hot-dog should be from a little stand called GILLY'S on the square in Portsmouth N.H years later.

[SundaySous]

Would somebody please post a pix of a hot-dog tong.  I am drawing a real blank on what that is.  My mom used a fork to stab our hot dogs which had to boil at least 15 minutes to make  they were "something",  although, that something was popped apart.

Finally learned what a hot-dog should be from a little stand called GILLY'S on the square in Portsmouth N.H years later.

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Second post at top of this page.

Anybody steam there hot dogs?

[andiesenji]

Canning tongs are definitely a necessity. I learned that the hard way.

I have to add my voice to confirm this - please make some room in your kitchen for canning tongs if you're going to do any canning at all. Boiling hot water plus wet glass jars are just asking for trouble without them - as well as a future entry in the I Will Never Again... thread.

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How true! I have several canning tongs, including a true antique that still works, although tricky to handle.

I also have an antique lid grabber for glass and zinc lids (obviously the magnetic devices are useless for these). The latter looks rather like an instrument of torture rather than a kitchen utensil.

Actually, most of my canning involves canning racks, as I have yet to break a jar when using one and have broken several when using tongs, mainly because my grip strength is much less than it was. For the sake of safe handling, I now use one of the portable burners made for the "turkey-fryer" pots. It is much easier to lift just one or two jars out of the canner from that much lower level.

[baroness]

One item I cannot fathom buying ($20 or so), nor using, is a 'pineapple corer and slicer'. Not only is it bulky, but it makes a poor innocent fresh pineapple look like canned pineapple rings!

[ghostrider]

Ar these the tongs to which you referred?  My wife has had these for many years and she insists that they simply predate the ubiquitous tongs found in every kitchen nowadays.

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My personal, ancedotal experience is that your wife is correct. In the 1950s those were the ubiquitous tongs, at least in my parents' house; there was no other kind.

[snowangel]

Ar these the tongs to which you referred?  My wife has had these for many years and she insists that they simply predate the ubiquitous tongs found in every kitchen nowadays.

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My personal, ancedotal experience is that your wife is correct. In the 1950s those were the ubiquitous tongs, at least in my parents' house; there was no other kind.

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As my mother couldn't retreat anything except a hot dog with these type of tongs, I illuminated her with a pair of locking tongs, which those scalloped tong parts. Revelation! Even more of a revelation when I told her she should free up some drawer space by getting rid of the old ones.

[judiu]

Ar these the tongs to which you referred?  My wife has had these for many years and she insists that they simply predate the ubiquitous tongs found in every kitchen nowadays.

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My personal, ancedotal experience is that your wife is correct. In the 1950s those were the ubiquitous tongs, at least in my parents' house; there was no other kind.

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As my mother couldn't retreat anything except a hot dog with these type of tongs, I illuminated her with a pair of locking tongs, which those scalloped tong parts. Revelation! Even more of a revelation when I told her she should free up some drawer space by getting rid of the old ones.

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Oh, Puhleeze! These were called "corn tongs" in my Nana's house, and they were used to lift corn on the cob out of the boiling water and into a basket covered by a napkin. Given that the corn came out of my Grandaddy's garden, Yum-O!!!!!!!!

[TarteTatin]

Most useless item I can remember buying is the corn zipper. It made me very angry.

Oh, my! I totally agree! That corn zipper was a useless wasted of time. I want to throw it away.

A knife works so much better.

[feedmec00kies]

It wasn't this one was it?  I just saw it and was slightly shocked by it.  I may have nightmares now - it looks like one of Uri Geller's spoons!

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Well, if you did get suckered into buying that avocado scoop, at least you could know that it would double as a costume prop if you ever wanted to be Captain Hook, or perhaps some sort of "Kitchen Gadget Monster" (a la Edward Scissorhands on acid) for Halloween!

[Lilija]

I'm anti-gadget, as a rule, so most of the ones that are gifted to me go right to my mom who LOVES gadgets...

But, the most useless thing in my kitchen is a scissors shaped meatball shaper scooper thing. When the scissor hinge is closed, the ends form a sphere with holes in it. Nigh impossible to use for a dozen reasons. Lame lame lame.

[Live It Up]

SB--Zyliss makes locking tongs that are one-handed. The locking mechanism is on the side of the tongs and it slides up and down with one finger. I love them!

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Nery nice, but I notice that while they're offered in red or black, they only come in a right handed model?

SB

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Not to harp on this, but I don't see why you couldn't use them with your left hand--just slide the locking mechanism with your index finger instead of your thumb. I just tried it, and though I am useless with my left hand, it worked just fine.

[srhcb]

SB--Zyliss makes locking tongs that are one-handed. The locking mechanism is on the side of the tongs and it slides up and down with one finger. I love them!

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Nery nice, but I notice that while they're offered in red or black, they only come in a right handed model?

SB

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Not to harp on this, but I don't see why you couldn't use them with your left hand--just slide the locking mechanism with your index finger instead of your thumb. I just tried it, and though I am useless with my left hand, it worked just fine.

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That's what I'd do.

I just always find it curious when companies forget that 10% of their customers are left-handed, but are considerate enough to offer a choice of colors?

[Smithy]

SB--Zyliss makes locking tongs that are one-handed. The locking mechanism is on the side of the tongs and it slides up and down with one finger. I love them!

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Nery nice, but I notice that while they're offered in red or black, they only come in a right handed model?

SB

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Not to harp on this, but I don't see why you couldn't use them with your left hand--just slide the locking mechanism with your index finger instead of your thumb. I just tried it, and though I am useless with my left hand, it worked just fine.

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That's what I'd do.

I just always find it curious when companies forget that 10% of their customers are left-handed, but are considerate enough to offer a choice of colors?

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Perhaps, Steve, they just remember that lefties are generally more creative than righties. They can figger out another way better than most of us can imagine another color.

[srhcb]

I just always find it curious when companies forget that 10% of their customers are left-handed, but are considerate enough to offer a choice of colors?

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Perhaps, Steve, they just remember that lefties are generally more creative than righties. They can figger out another way better than most of us can imagine another color.

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I can't see why they didn't just make these tongs so that the silicone ends were reversible?

I guess it was just my engineering genes acting up?

SB (designer of the Left-Handed-Flying-Pink-Pig Pen )

[Grovite]

What about those palm peelers and corn slitters? Just use a damn peeler and a knife. Oh, Onion Goggles. They may work, but come on, you'll look like a dick with ears wearing those around. Suck it up and let the tears flow!

[dvoskuil]

Oh, Onion Goggles. They may work, but come on, you'll look like a dick with ears wearing those around. Suck it up and let the tears flow!

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Onions hate me; I have to stop to close and wipe my eyes probably 3-4 times during one onion, just because of the pain and profuse tearing. Unfortunately, onion goggles don't fit on my head/over my glasses. I think I need those big-n-ugly goggles from chem lab, and then to stop up any ventilation holes.

[judiu]

Oh, Onion Goggles. They may work, but come on, you'll look like a dick with ears wearing those around. Suck it up and let the tears flow!

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Onions hate me; I have to stop to close and wipe my eyes probably 3-4 times during one onion, just because of the pain and profuse tearing. Unfortunately, onion goggles don't fit on my head/over my glasses. I think I need those big-n-ugly goggles from chem lab, and then to stop up any ventilation holes.

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If you have contact lenses wear them while cutting onions; never a tear or blear! HTH!

[SundaySous]

Oh, Onion Goggles. They may work, but come on, you'll look like a dick with ears wearing those around. Suck it up and let the tears flow!

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Onions hate me; I have to stop to close and wipe my eyes probably 3-4 times during one onion, just because of the pain and profuse tearing. Unfortunately, onion goggles don't fit on my head/over my glasses. I think I need those big-n-ugly goggles from chem lab, and then to stop up any ventilation holes.

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If you have contact lenses wear them while cutting onions; never a tear or blear! HTH!

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I used to work at a pub and onions were part of the daily grind. Like ten to twenty pounds depending on the day of the week. Swim goggles are my favorite. Hard to find at a decent price, wrap around sunglasses. The goggles make you look like a geek but are more effective than than the wrap around sunglasses which look way cooler.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Today I was idly wondering whether The Fuller Brush Company still existed, and indeed they do, despite products like this one--

http://www.fuller.com/products_detail.asp?cat=1&subcat=5&id=2002&pg=1

Marked down from $23.99 to $6.99 for quick clearance. Order yours now!

[therippa]

Found this on Cutlery and More today -

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/chefn/bananza-banana-slicer-p121676

Seriously?!

[David A. Goldfarb]

Found this on Cutlery and More today -

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/chefn/bananza-banana-slicer-p121676

Seriously?!

"Hand held banana slicer"

Handy when you don't have access to the bench-mounted pneumatic banana slicer.