Kitchen gadgets you wouldnt want to do without?

[Pete_T]

I'm wondering about non-essential items or variations of items you have that you really like, find useful, ect. For example, one of mine that comes to mind is these--

http://www.amazon.com/Flexible-Chop...D8/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1291801814&sr=8-20

These things are great. They let you turn any surface into a cutting board, you can buy a bunch, so you can just leave the food on the mat and move to another (instead of having to clean a cutting board and find a container for the chopped food), you can overlap them to make a big board if you've got a big nasty job, like cutting up a chicken. They're cheap as hell and dishwasher safe. (You can get them at walmart, the link is a easy example)

I'm not really talking about stuff that you have to have, like a knife, but more along the lines of a specific knife you really like more than any you've tried, a garlic press that cost 40$ but was worth it, or just something cheap you find extremely useful, like my example. Stuff you don't have to have, but you would replace the first chance you got if you lost it.

 

[Edcculus]

The three things (besides pots/pans/knives) I must have in my kitchen - Thermapen, scale, spice mill.

Thermapen - expensive, but a great thermometer. Reports temp almost instantly. I use it in cooking and brewing.

scale - often overlooked in the kitchen. If you bake, a scale is a must. I also use it to weight out all kinds of other stuff, like burger patties (4oz as a rule, any bigger and its just too much meat).

spice mill - just a regular blade coffee grinder that is only used for spices. I buy spices whole so they keep longer and grind as needed.

 

[BobS]

I have a thermapen that I use a lot -- it is fast and accurate. I can cook a steak by feel, but when you are cooking for a bunch, it is handy. Also, it is great for chicken and pork, where you want to walk a fine line between safe and done.

I also agree that a scale is handy -- especially for baking bread/pizza.

The other things that I really enjoy are two speciality graters designed for nutmeg and fresh ginger.

This is all you need for nutmeg and you will love the smell of grinding it fresh!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Nu...WGSI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1291817413&sr=8-3

Here is an example of a ginger grater.

http://www.amazon.com/Kyocera-3-1-2...1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1291817496&sr=1-1

 

[mretzloff]

My number one is a food processor. While it is never a must have, it makes many things, such as dough and coleslaw, a lot easier to make.

Other than that, a good blender, an immersion blender, a Microplane grater, a mortar and pestle, an electronic scientific scale, a mandoline, and an electric food slicer are all nice things to have.

 

[davecmu]

These things are great. They let you turn any surface into a cutting board, you can buy a bunch, so you can just leave the food on the mat and move to another (instead of having to clean a cutting board and find a container for the chopped food), you can overlap them to make a big board if you've got a big nasty job, like cutting up a chicken. They're cheap as hell and dishwasher safe. (You can get them at walmart, the link is a easy example)

I have a stack of those at my house, too. We replace them every couple of months as they become cut up fairly quickly and I don't like providing homes for bacteria. I probably have 10 - 12 in the house at any given time.

As a smoker/homebrewer, I have to have a good probe thermometer with an alarm/timer. I use it all the time, probably two or three times a week.

 

[toy_machine]

we recently bought a magic bullet, ya the one on the infomercials, i love it becuase it is so quick and easy and clean up is great with no big bulky blender mess and hard to clean spots

 

[davecmu]

we recently bought a magic bullet, ya the one on the infomercials, i love it becuase it is so quick and easy and clean up is great with no big bulky blender mess and hard to clean spots

I have a buddy who uses one of those to grind coffee. So awesome! Of course, it means you can't really use it for much else, but it's very effective at coffee.

 

[Pete_T]

Yeah, a food processor definitely would go on my list, too. It makes alot if things much easier.

I have a stack of those at my house, too. We replace them every couple of months as they become cut up fairly quickly and I don't like providing homes for bacteria. I probably have 10 - 12 in the house at any given time.

That is their down side, they wear out and get all scuffy. I usually dont get rid of them till they start falling apart. I run mine through the dishwasher and figure it it lives through that than its passed the test and deserves a shot.

Something else that would go on my list would be this--

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1WNR4XY6DXRNGPBGJSVX

Cheap kettle fryer. Its not used all that often, but when I make chicken wings, fry up/frito misto, or anything that needs hot oil at a constant temp for a while its much easier than using a pot of oil on the stovetop. They cost like 20$ at wally world.

 

[pauls51]

My old mortar & pestle

Onion Slicer - I cry like a 5yo when i'm chopping onions regardless of all the little tricks that supposedly stop it from happening

Stainless steel (love the look!)pasta machine

 

[Edcculus]

Wanted to add my Kitchen Aid mixer. We do a lot of baking. Can't beat a good quality mixer. I do wish I had a Hobart though!

 

[buyandhold2018]

I couldn't live without my VitaMix.

 

[Tha Baron]

1. All Stainless Garlic Press
2. Thermapen
3. Technivorm Moccamaster

 

[BladeDE40]

My Keriug coffee/tea/hot Apple cider/ hot chocolate maker.

 

[SiBurning]

My stand mixer, food processor, microwave, "convection" toaster oven, thermometers, mortar & pestle, graters, corkscrews, muddler, and all the coffee tools, etc. are must haves. I've actually got rid of most of my unnecessary gadgets, including the garlic presses. There's basically 3 left that I can't part with.

Vacuvin--vacuuum bottle stopper. For cooking with wine without drinking the whole bottle.
Little clips to close bags of potato chips.
A bunch of garnishing tools.

Okay... Just as I posted I realized there's more, but I can do without them.

Almost forgot about the hand cranked pasta machine.
Then there's a bunch of stuff for baking, like cake decorating bits and bags, and cookie cutters, including a set for making a haunted house.
Yeah... a lot more unnecessary stuff.

 

[Mvcrash]

I would say the most important item in my kitchen for cooking is the wife. If she does not cook, I go out to eat.

 

[Tedzy]

Knife sharpening rod. Dull knives frustrate.

 

[rajagra]

Smoke alarm!

 

[davecmu]

smoke alarm!

win.

 

[maxman]

Stackable cooling racks (Wilton and Norpro make them)
Cheap steel bowls from the Dollarama in a variety of sizes.
a bunch of good cheap rags. They can be used for all sorts of things.
light. I dont' see so well. lots of overhead light is nice.

And finally, a label maker. Label those containers and you'll be much happier.

 

[rupertbear]

Something sort of unnecessary but mighty useful? My stock-pourer-offer. It is a plastic gizzie that looks vaguely like a tea pot. I pour the gready stock from when I boil chicken into it and when the chicken grease hardens on top, I can pour the stock out from under the congealed grease. I got it at the Dollar Store several years ago and find that I actually use it quite a bit.