What kitchen item have you *never* used?

[srhcb]

I also have a crock pot and deep fat fryer I never use, along with all the pieces that came with my food processor, except the basic blade.

I found my forementioned, unused immersion blender and donated it to GF's garage sale.

I also came across my ice cream maker, which I haven't used in far too long!

SB (Note: buy cream)

[jgm]

About twenty years ago (or maybe more?) I purchased a large balloon whisk. I'm not sure what I intended to whisk with it, but I bought it in a restaurant supply shop at the begining of the high-tech era where everybody started buying restaurant equipment for their kitchens. Must've been an '80's thing. Anyhow, I remember being fairly certain, at that time, that owning such items would make me a Real Bonafide Cook, not to mention actually being a good cook.

Some years later I began to understand that you really can't consider yourself a cook if you only read about it but never do it. And I think that probably in conjunction with a milestone birthday, it occurred to me that there were a lot of common but uncommon dishes I'd never tasted, much less made in my own kitchen. Stuff like coq au vin and beef burgundy (yeah, it has a fancier French name, but I can't spell it off the top of my head, and I'm too lazy to look it up right now) that are common to some people but uncommon for the likes of me.

So I started cooking, and joined eGullet and discovered a lot of other really cool stuff to cook. Still haven't used that whisk, but I ain't giving it up. I guess now it represents dreams and determination, more than a delusion that owning stuff means I really am a cook.

What's it good for, anyway? I don't have a copper bowl to beat egg whites in. Anybody have any suggestions?

[andiesenji]

I use a large balloon whisk to keep large pots of cream soups from scorching on the bottom (after I have pureed them with an immersion blender) because it takes little effort to move a lot of liquid around. Works much better than a spoon and also keeps it from clumping.

I posted a photo of my collection of whisks several months ago.

Edited August 7, 2006 by andiesenji (log)

[Lilija]

Someone gave me a huge set of sillycone bakeware.  Floppy red muffin thing, loaf pan, cake pans etc.  I can't bring myself to do it.  I always reach for the real old, real things.

My mom gave me a rolling choppy thing, haven't touched it.  I sorta hate gadgetry.

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I'll trade you the silicone for a garlic press and cornish hen roasting racks

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Throw in a springform pan, and a sausage stuffer, and you got a deal.

[snowangel]

So, if you've got stuff you've never used, but someone else might use, visit this post about the eGullet Shopping Block Auctions! Someone here just might covet what you don't have space for, and it goes for a really good cause!

BTW, there was no really good cause for the butt-ugly, pressed "cut" glass deviled egg holder I got as a wedding present that held 4 (yes 4!) deviled egg halves. Who only devils two eggs?

[ruthcooks]

Unused:

a Bron mandoline

my bread maker

an avocado slicer

a yogurt maker

slicer attachments to my processor

silicone muffin/cake pans in the shape of mini-bundt pans

Used once:

stovetop griddle (can't find it)

stovetop smoker (don't have an exhaust fan)

[Shalmanese]

That being said, I have a ton (and I do mean an actualy 2000 pounds) or more of more or less useless junk, but I keep it because I am a collector of odd gadgets.  I have been collecting them for more than 40 years.

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With your love of old kitchen gadgets, you should check out this infomercial hawking old cooking wares.

[johnsmith45678]

I posted a photo of my collection of whisks several months ago.

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Dayum! Do you ever use more than one or two of those whisks? I've never seen many of them -- are they all general purpose whisks, or do they have different or more specific intended uses (if you elaborated on such in your other post, somebody please point me to that!)?

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Pasta machine. Also garlic presses, Graham Kerr's bash n' chop and a garnishing kit (as if I'm going to carve radishes and make carrot spirals).

Most people have stopped buying me stuff though. I learned that if I tell them exactly what I want, they'll stop because it's either too expensive for normal budgets or difficult to obtain.

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Come on! Electric skillets are great, you should break that thing out and give it a whirl.

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Why? Rhetorically, natch. I have skillets. I have gas cooktops. I have had more electrical outages here in Mayberry than I can count.

I'm amazed at how many people don't use their mandolines! I admit that my benriner gets more of a workout than the Bron, but still. Anyone who would like to fork over their springform pans? One can never have enough ... I have ten. (I also really like my Galloping Gourmet Bash 'n' Chop. It's great for scraping meat boogers off the chopping block!)

[Cleo]

Rice cooker. My in-laws bought it for me for Hanukkah in 2004 because my husband told them that I wanted one. (I never wanted one.) And since I don't have the counter space to leave it out, it just seems like pain to unpack and pack just for some rice (which we don't eat that often anyway!). I even bought a cookbook to give me ideas for what else I can use it for. I haven't used the cookbook either.

So the rice cooker sits unused in the box and my kitchen garbage can sits on top of it.

I have to admit, I feel a little bad.

[miladyinsanity]

Rice cooker.  My in-laws bought it for me for Hanukkah in 2004 because my husband told them that I wanted one.  (I never wanted one.)  And since I don't have the counter space to leave it out, it just seems like pain to unpack and pack just for some rice (which we don't eat that often anyway!).  I even bought a cookbook to give me ideas for what else I can use it for.  I haven't used the cookbook either.

So the rice cooker sits unused in the box and my kitchen garbage can sits on top of it.

I have to admit, I feel a little bad.

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Cleo, do you eat oatmeal regularly? Or any other kind of cooked cereal porridge? You may even be able to cook really thick bean soups in it.

You may need to do some fiddling, depending how fancy yours is, but most of them have different cooking options now.

[chickenlady]

Ah, yes. One of those gadgets for making fried pastries that are sprinkled with powdered sugar. I can't remeber what they're called but my Grandma made them once or twice.

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Is it a rosette iron? I have to admit that I've picked up several at antique stores because they're so beautiful and they bring back memories of making them with my German grandmother. I've also got some that you can use to make little shells for filling. I keep thinking that some day I'll use them, but even if I don't I still love them.

I was given a pretty expensive fish poacher but if I'm going to cook fish, I like it broiled or braised or sauteed, not poached.  Eight years of this long, covered pan sitting around, I realized it is the perfect size and shape for a stuffed pork loin and has the added advantage of it having the lift tray!

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Brilliant! My husband gave me a fish poacher for Christmas 4 years ago and I have yet to use it. I feel guilty everytime I see it, but it is next to impossible to get whole fish here, or even long fillets. The pork loin is brilliant, and I happen to have just purchased a whole one.

I love my mezzaluna.  Combine that with a good sharp knife and I can mince, chop, and crush my little heart out. 

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I love my mezzaluna, too. I can get the same effect with a knife, but there's something so satisfying about using the mezzaluna.

Other than the rosette irons and fish poacher, I use most of my gadgets, although not as often as I should. A few that I haven't used yet (mini muffin tins, mini bundt tins, mini cheesecake tins, mini tart molds... Sensing a theme?), I fully intend to use. I just need the right occasion.

Oh, I've never used the "Slice-a-Slice" that I searched all over the Western Slope of Colorado for on my last vacation. But how can you not love it?

[Daniel]

Cuisinart Food Processor I have never used.. My crock pot I have never used.. Just got a new mandoline I havent used..Microwave, eh well a couple of times.. Actually I just heard of a funny way to get rid of fruit flies in your kitchen.. Place a ripe bananna in the microwave uncovered.. Wait for the fruit flies to gather around the microwave and then close the door and cook

Edited August 7, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[Human Bean]

Another vote for the immersion blender. Bought it in the spring, then got overwhelmed with work and didn't have enough energy to do much cooking. A long, warm summer doesn't help either - nice hot pureed soup isn't going to happen anytime soon.

But when the weather and the work cool down a bit, I WILL use it...

[TarteTatin]

Just recently bought one of those new

Corn Zipper's

written about in the NY Times Food section.

Yuck. Used it on one ear of corn.

I'm back to using my bread knife.

It's faster, I get fuller kernels cut, and less corn milk juice.

They should have called it, Corn Zipper Milker/Juicer!

[Cleo]

Rice cooker.  My in-laws bought it for me for Hanukkah in 2004 because my husband told them that I wanted one.  (I never wanted one.)  And since I don't have the counter space to leave it out, it just seems like pain to unpack and pack just for some rice (which we don't eat that often anyway!).  I even bought a cookbook to give me ideas for what else I can use it for.  I haven't used the cookbook either.

So the rice cooker sits unused in the box and my kitchen garbage can sits on top of it.

I have to admit, I feel a little bad.

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Cleo, do you eat oatmeal regularly? Or any other kind of cooked cereal porridge? You may even be able to cook really thick bean soups in it.

You may need to do some fiddling, depending how fancy yours is, but most of them have different cooking options now.

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We don't eat oatmeal or other hot cereal... I can't stand it and my husband is strictly a Honey Nut Cheerios/Frosted Mini Wheats type of guy. My daughter (almost 2) might like hot cereal, but it just seems like a big pain to drag it out just for a small amount of hot cereal.

Soups, maybe. Hmm...I'm having another baby in September, so maybe when I am home on maternity leave I will make some soups to stick in the freezer for the winter. (as I sit here thinking about it, I keep thinking "maybe, but doubtfully").

By the way, I can't recall exactly which model it is, but the brand is Zojirushi.

[jm chen]

We have such a tiny kitchen I try to be really careful about not acquiring. Accordingly, there's nothing that I've *never* used. However, I have used the following only once:

* ceramic peeler (it's fine, but the metal Y-peeler is magic)

* rice cooker (why bother?)

* mini-muffin tin (not all that into muffins)

I've only used my poultry shears once, but I'll definitely be using them again. It's just that I don't spatchcock all that often.

[scubadoo97]

One gadget that my wife has used but I will never use is an olive pitter. Never understood why anyone would mount a single olive on this thing.

[johnsmith45678]

I've never used that smoker/cooker I built from the Good Eats episode of "Scrap Iron Chef."

(Just kidding - never even thought about copying that!)

[jsmeeker]

For a single guy in a small apartment, I hav a lot of stuff. But I'm not sure if I have anything that has NEVER been used. The only thing that pops into my mind is the slicing blade for the Cuisinart.

I do have some things I don't use often. Some may never be used again.

George Foreman Grill -- used to use this a lot. I stopped using it. A saute pan yields better results. I really need to pitch it.

Waffle iron -- I've used it several times. I really DO like fresh waffles. Just can't recall the last time I made any. (I've got a great recipe for yeast raised waffles. So convenient.)

A grill pan -- It's a big huge round thing. It's gotta be 13" - 14" across. haven't used it in a long, long time. I ought to trash it.

muffin tin -- purchased from a restaurant supply store. I think I've used it once to make blueberry muffins. I keep intending to make cupcakes, but never do it.

[Susan in FL]

So, if you've got stuff you've never used, but someone else might use, visit this post about the eGullet Shopping Block Auctions!  Someone here just might covet what you don't have space for, and it goes for a really good cause!

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I second that! Please do place some of your items up for bid, to sell them on eBay, and donate all or a portion of your proceeds to the eGullet Society. All you have to do is click the "Sell" button on eBay's site to begin selling on behalf of the Society. It's as simple as that.

If you never visit eBay, just click here, and then take a look at the easy steps on the right side of that page.

If you need any help at all, send an email to AuctionHelp@eGullet.org. Like Susan said, it is a good cause, and it's an easy way to make a donation to our good cause.

[Cleo]

I just remember another thing that I've never used -- the waffle maker. My husband insisted that we register for it when we got married 4 years ago. (I knew I didn't want it, but I had to let him pick out a few things on his own!) So it's been sitting in the box ever since.

I don't even think I've ever even see my husband eat a waffle in a restaurant.

[ThatGrrl]

I'm the queen of buying things I want to use, but never quite getting around to it.

mini-muffin tin (great plans for making my mom's pecan tart recipe)

immersion blender (seemed like a better idea for soups, than the processor)

spring-form pan (cheesecakes, natch; but not yet, apparently)

mandolin (used once and forgotten)

I'm all for regional swap meets. That's an excellent idea!

[Megan Blocker]

Mandoline! I don't own one, and have never used one. Should probably get around to that...

[JAZ]

So, if you've got stuff you've never used, but someone else might use, visit this post about the eGullet Shopping Block Auctions!  Someone here just might covet what you don't have space for, and it goes for a really good cause!

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I second that! Please do place some of your items up for bid, to sell them on eBay, and donate all or a portion of your proceeds to the eGullet Society.

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You mean there's something else to do with the immersion blender I got for Christmas besides watch it collect dust in the laundry room?