Kitchen Gadgets You Will Actually Use

Everyone sees advertisements for gadgets that promise you that they are so useful you will use them every day. The Average cook probably won’t use a juicer more then once or twice unless they just really love juice or need a lot of vitamin C. I’m sure there is someone out there who will make fondue every day but it isn’t anyone I have been acquainted with in my lifetime.

I Use the following small kitchen appliances at least once a week

A toaster; for toast bagels, pop tarts and English muffins. Try to find one that will hold a thicker slice of bread. This will save you from prying a chunk of hot bagel out with a chopstick…

A can opener; either electric or handheld, try to find one that is easy to operate and will get the job done without any fuss. There is nothing worse then trying to open a can of soup and only half the can being opened.

A coffee pot; Weather drip perk or French Press the coffee lover won’t be without his morning cup.

A mixer; either a stand or hand held one depending on how much baking you do. I have a Kitchenaid mixer that I love! One of the few mixers that has enough power to mix bread dough and buttercream frosting.

My George Forman Grill; A very handy appliance that is easy to clean and can be used for steaks, chicken, sandwiches and any other thing you wish to grill. Plus you get to see all the fat that comes out of your food. You do save time and calories with this one. A small one for people living alone or a larger one for families.

A Griddle; Perfect for pancakes or bacon a griddle will let you get the job done in less time

I use the following appliances less often but when you need them you need them to get the job done.

A small chopper; either electric or hand operated, these are wonderful for making short work of onions or hot peppers.

A blender; for those occasions you would like a milkshake or maybe a smoothie. A frozen Daiquiri will be a breeze to make with a blender.

A deep fryer; once in a while you just need a batch of hot fries or onion rings.

An electric skillet; There is nothing better for making fried chicken or simmering a batch of Spaghetti sauce for the whole family. A must if you cook for several people on a regular basis.

Waffle Iron; this one is pretty self-explanatory. Especially if you love hot waffles with butter and maple syrup.

A slow cooker; Great for soups roasts and stews.

A Nesco Roaster; this roaster is great for roasts, ribs, chicken and stew or chili.

Gadgets that are fun for a very short time:
A food dehydrator; you can only eat so much dried pineapple and beef jerky.

A cookie gun; it made beautiful cookies but cleaning it was a bear.

An ice cream maker; Great ice cream but it cost more to make then Ben and Jerry’s

An Easy-bake oven; Ok, OK, I can’t help it if I started cooking at an early age; but those little cakes were so good!

I guess all I’m saying here is to think about how you will use a gadget before you buy it. Think hard about weather you will eat enough doughnuts to warrant a doughnut maker or will it gather dust in the back of the cabinet? Do you really eat that many hot dogs? Or need your eggs scrambled in the shell?
Try to be realistic when that ad grabs your attention and think before you buy. Your wallet will thank you for it.