You probably own these 20 kitchen tools – and the pros think they are useless
Countertop real estate is valuable, and every inch is important when space is short. That’s why it’s frustrating that the drawers look fun at first, but get crowded with gadgets that quickly collect dust. Whether it’s an avocado cuber, a corn kernel stripper, or a specialized peeler you’ve forgotten you own, these disposable tools often take up more space than they’re worth.
Instead of succumbing to Gimmicks, it’s smarter to build a kitchen around reliable multifunctional gear. We asked chefs and kitchen pros to gadgets they consider completely unnecessary and which tools they would actually pull out. If you’re ready to organize and streamline your space, knowing what you’re not buying is just as important as knowing what to keep.
I turned to five professional chefs to find out which kitchen tools don’t deserve the space they occupy. These career chefs are the ultimate authority on kitchen gadgets to get boots. Especially when there is limited space in the cupboard, counter, or drawers. Each of them listed the kitchen tools they didn’t like the least, and provided them with their preferred method or tool to complete the cooking tasks they intended to do.
This is what they said.
Masaharu Morimoto
Celebrity chef, restaurant doll
Morimotoya shared the most overrated kitchen tools picks.
1. mandolin
Chef Morimoto encourages strengthening his knife skills to make thin, uniform vegetable slices.
why: “It brings good slices, but mastering the right knife skills gives you more control, accuracy and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be bulky, clean and at risk if not very careful.
What should I try instead: Mac 8 inch Japanese chef knife.
Eric Lowes
Lead Chef Instructor Cooking Education Research InstituteLos Angeles
Cooking instructor Eric Lowes knows the kitchen tools of the gimmick when he sees it.
2. Onion holder
why: “These look like weapons for Wolverine aspirants. They are intended to help them to hold and “chop” the entire onion. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface to avoid rolling away. I’m trying to cut the ring, save $14, put the fork roots, and hold the fork. ”
What should I try instead: learn Slice the onion properly The old fashioned way.
3. Onion Goggles
Save money, save dignity and skip onion goggles.
why: “To prevent sulfur compounds from reaching your eyes and crying, they don’t form large seals around your eyes, which is a waste of money. Sharpen your knife and open the window, or open the window, fan Instead. “
What should I try instead: Peter Butler of CNET shares Tips for cutting off onion without crying.
4. Metal, glass, stone, acrylic cutting board
Glass, stones and metal plates are fine for serving, but when you slice and dice, wood is the way to go.
why: “Cutting hard surfaces Bad to your knife;Instead, go to trees and poly. ”
What should I try instead: List of The best cutting board There are plenty of knife-safe options.
5. Chicken shredder
why: “No one needs the tools to focus on shredding chicken outside a restaurant. They don’t even use it in restaurants. This item has only one purpose, so I’ll skip it.”
What should I try instead: Two forks.
6. Herb Stripper
why: “I love thyme, but I hate stripping it up. When I was younger I smoked, believing that this tool would help me… It was sitting in my cupboard and laughing at me for almost ten years.”
What should I try instead: Heartfelt Herbs It’s the opposite of how leaves grow just by using your fingers to slide down the stem, like rosemary or thyme.
7. Bluetooth Wireless Probe Thermometer
Instant Read Meat Probes work fast and do not require a noisy Bluetooth connection.
why: “These are great tools, but they can be very expensive. I can see myself losing, breaking, dropping, accidentally throwing it away, or dropping it on coal.”
What should I try instead?: Thermopro’s Lightning Instant Reading Thermometer
As Peter
Cookbook Authors and Lifestyle Experts
Peter Som, author of Cookbook, couldn’t be held back when asked about his least favorite kitchen tools.
8. Electric can cut-off
Manual can openers are cheap, work well and are less likely to break.
why: “Most of us grew up in electric cans that are permanently stationed at kitchen counters, like kitchen counters. But honestly, they’re more nostalgia than they need. They take up space and can wrestling with irregularly sized cans.
What should I try instead?: Oxo Soft Handle Can Opener.
Richard Ingraham
Author of Dwyane Wade and personal chef to Gabriel Union Love: My love was expressed through food
Richard Ingraham avoids certain kitchen tools when cooking for celebrities like Dwyane Wade and Gabriel Union.
9. Avocado slicer
why: “Knifes and spoons do the job easily, and special tools rarely fit all avocado sizes properly. It’s a one-trick pony that covers the drawers.”
What should I try instead?: Like a good pairing knife This $35 wusthof.
10. Egg separator
Separating eggs by hand is not as difficult as it requires hardware.
why: “A tool just to separate egg yolks is not needed for most home cooks.” There is a single exception This oneand even that is only for the egg yolk. Error, that is Yeah.
What should I try instead?: Crack the egg and use half of the shell or fingers to work the same way.
11. Garlic Peeler Tube
why: “The rolling garlic cloves in silicon tubes may work, but you need to store a single purpose gadget.”
What should I try instead?: Destroying garlic cloves with a chef knife is faster and more reliable.
12. Pizza scissors
Chef Ingraham says he skips scissors on pizza nights.
why: “Pizza cutters and knives work better and faster. These scissors are gimmicks, neatly troubling, and take up more space than they’re worth.”
What should I try instead?: KitchenAid stainless steel pizza wheels.
13. Herb scissors
why: “They are difficult to clean and don’t offer much advantage over sharp chef’s knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs than slices.”
What should I try instead?: 8 inch chef knife made.
14. Electric egg rice cooker
why: “Bringing eggs to a pot is easy and flexible. The electric version will constantly boil eggs and add some messy stuff, unless you don’t dislike them using a stove.”
What should I try instead: this 1 minute hack To make poached eggs in the microwave.
15. Butter Cutter and Dispenser
A good butter knife works the same way, with less space and maintenance.
why: “It puts a stick of butter in the pad… But why? The knife works quickly and you don’t need to load and clean plastic gadgets for it.”
What should I try instead?: Williams Sonoma Breakfast Butter Blade.
16. Pasta measuring person
why: “It’s a plastic disc with holes to communicate how much spaghetti you’re cooking. You just saw it with your eyes and learned a coarse weight. It’s not worth the space in the drawer.”
What should I try instead: a Kitchen scale For accurate measurements.
17. Oil Mr.
why: “It often clogs, sprays unevenly and requires constant cleaning. Small spoons and brushes do less frustrating work.”
What should I try instead?: Olive oil crew from the global market.
18. Electric Potato Peeler
Sharp vegetable skins are everything you need to skin a batch of potatoes.
why: “It’s surprisingly space and slower peeling than a regular peeler.
What should I try instead?: Oxo Swivel Peeler.
19. Bagel guillotine
why: “It’s sold as a safer way to slice bagels, but it takes up a lot of space and is a pain to clean. A serrated knife works well.”
What should I try instead?: Opinel’s 8-inch bread knife.
Jackie Carnesi
Executive chef, Kellogg’s Diner
Jackie Carnesi
20. Oven Mitts
There is a reason why professional chefs don’t use oven mitts.
why: “Oven mitts are the most useless item in your home kitchen. Sturdy kitchen towels do the same job. The odds are more likely to wash them regularly. People who wash their oven mitts frequently don’t know many people.
What should I try instead?: We have a wide selection of items in stock Kitchen towel.