Favorite Kitchen Gizmo

[jw46]

Our most used kitchen accessory is our vacuum food packager...Just in the cost of cheese that would have normally developed mould and had to be discarded has paid its way...

Usually buys meat in bulk at warehouse store, repackages in vacuum bags, lasts far longer in freezer without getting ugly and dessicated..

OK..Your Turn...what makes your kitchen a better place?

[mongo_jones]

ziplock bags. buy whole chicken--cut it up yourself--save backs, wings etc. for stock in ziplock freezer bags. also good for storing spices.

maybe i should think about one of those vacuum thingies for freezer meat and fish. how much do they run?

[grapeshape]

The vacuum sealers on Cooking.com range from $70-$275. Rolls of refill plastic run about $20.

[Peppertrail]

Our most used kitchen accessory is our vacuum food packager-.....

OK..Your Turn...what makes your kitchen a better place?

The most used kitchen accessory in my kitchen is the food processor. It cuts plantains for banana chips in no time, grinds thick batters for medu vada, kneads dough for chappathi and poori, and finely chops green beans, carrots, and cabbage for thorans.

[Basilgirl]

Glad Press N Seal - not really a gizmo, but it works

Microplane grater

Crockpot - made awesome chicken thighs the other night with BBQ sauce, vinegar, hot pepper flakes, pulled last night and put on crusty rolls with coleslawl

Ronco Set It and Forget It rotisserie

Spider ladle

[Wayne]

We have and use ziplock bags, microplane graters, a vacumm sealer and these

are all great tools/gadgets.

My personal favorite, and one I can't imagine doing without, is the simple

salad spinner. Saves so much labor (not to mention paper towels) and can

be used for much more than salad greens and herbs.

[AzRaeL]

my Global Chef's Knife.

does it count as a kitchen gizmo?

[yellow truffle]

Ronco Set It and Forget It rotisserie

I believe it is called the Showtime tm (Compact, Standard or Pro) Rotisserie & BBQ Oven.

Anything Ronco is cool. So cool that they are having an exhibit.

[clothier]

Ronco Set It and Forget It rotisserie

I believe it is called the Showtime tm (Compact, Standard or Pro) Rotisserie & BBQ Oven.

Anything Ronco is cool. So cool that they are having an exhibit.

that's too cool!

You've got to go and report back.

[mongo_jones]

anyone buy the eggwave? the home jerky maker? we should have an entire thread on "as seen on television" kitchen gadgets.

[mikeycook]

Not sure it counts as a gizmo, but my newest fun kitchen toy is an asparaus peeler. I have been making Paula Wolfert's Asparaus w/Asparaus Sauce recipe a lot recently and it is a huge help.

[phaelon56]

Mine is a tiny little grater. It's the four sided type that looks a bit like a steep truncated pyramid - identical to a regular full sized four sided grater but each side is just a bit wider than your thumb and it's about 2" in height. The holes are exactly the right size for grating small amounts of hard cheese to throw onto a dish and also perfect for grating ginger. What I really like is the fact that it's so easy to clean - a quick rinse and spray and it's ready to go back in the drawer.

[mongo_jones]

a grater that works well for ginger and is easy to clean? if you've found one of these things what more can you live for?

[Varmint]

anyone buy the eggwave? the home jerky maker? we should have an entire thread on "as seen on television" kitchen gadgets.

Ah, mongo, ask and you shall be served:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=12286&hl=

[mongo_jones]

thank you varmint. i am beginning to think that if something has not been discussed on egullet it doesn't exist.

[Papaya]

My personal favorite, and one I can't imagine doing without, is the simple

salad spinner. Saves so much labor (not to mention paper towels) and can

be used for much more than salad greens and herbs.

What else can it be used for? Just curious...

[Toasted]

My current favorite is the magnetized Tsp. and Tbs. set that sticks to my fridge. Now I can finally find them when I need them. Plus, they're really cute.

[mongo_jones]

My personal favorite, and one I can't imagine doing without, is the simple

salad spinner. Saves so much labor (not to mention paper towels) and can

be used for much more than salad greens and herbs.

What else can it be used for? Just curious...

drying underwear?

[phaelon56]

a grater that works well for ginger and is easy to clean? if you've found one of these things what more can you live for?

I'm still working on what else to live for.... the list is so bountiful that I have trouble narrowing it down to just a few. What's so cool about it this that the holes are just the right size for ginger. Furthermore.... my big grater has two sizes of holes: one too small for ginger and one too large. This one is just right plus.... chicks dig it they always comment on how "cute" it is.

I think I got this at Lechter's before they went under but that's just a guess.

[maggiethecat]

Well, it doesn't get used that often, but when there is a need I feel terribly smug that I bought it at Crate and Barrel twenty-mumble years ago; it probably cost three bucks back then.

A cherry/olive pitter. Works like a dream, looks like a medieval instrument of torture -- (ideal for popping the eyeballs of saints.)

[snowangel]

My lemon/lime reamer. My microplane (does a great job on ginger, especially if it's frozen).

I love these two so much I bought duplicates. One set for home, one for The Cabin.

And, let's not forget my most wonderful "gaget" -- my daughter Diana, 13, assistant in the kitchen. Taster, idea-comer-up-wither, helper.

[jw46]

And, let's not forget my most wonderful "gaget" -- my daughter Diana, 13, assistant in the kitchen.  Taster, idea-comer-up-wither, helper.

Our son the onion slicer, carrot dicer, salad maker has long since grown up, enjoy her while she is still at your side...Remembers fondly his experiments in the kitchen...some good, many dismal...Somehow, liver with mint sauce just didn't work..lol...we called out for pizza instead of eating much of that...

[Carlovski]

I'd second the microplane grater.

Parmesan, ginger, nutmeg, garlic, lemon zest - rips through them all.

Unfortunately does knuckles as well

[Jean Brislance]

My favorite gadget is my stick blender. It is so handy, and I din't have to dirty my real blender if I ever need to puree some soup, make a small batch of salsa, etc. I love it!

All the best,

Jean

[Toasted]

Somehow, liver with mint sauce just didn't  work..lol...we called out for pizza instead of eating much of that...

Ewww, I read that way too early in the morning! At least he's inventive though!

Edited April 29, 2004 by Toasted (log)