Five Common Kitchen Items You really Don't Need
The kitchen is one of the costliest rooms in the house. We are just too enticed by all the shiny and darned cool gadgets we see in stores and on TV. But do you really need them? Of course not. They won't make you a better cook. Our ancestors cooked wonderful meals with just the basics, and so can we.
Save your money for take-out, and leave the following items at the store:
Wok - Unless you have a really high heat in which to cook (I doubt you do), a wok probably won't do you any more good than a regular large saucepan or high sided frying pan. Save your money.
Rice Cooker - Unless you cook a LOT of rice (and if you are single I am sure you don't cook enough rice to justify a rice cooker), you are going to be spending a lot of money for something that you don't need. I cook my rice on the stove with the saucepan and have never had any trouble. Save your money.
Quesadilla Maker - These are fun, but hardly necessary. Did you know you can easily make a quesadilla without the expensive quesadilla maker simply by placing the quesadilla on a frying pan and then placing a heavy, flat object on top? Save your money.
Egg Yolk Separator - Okay, these really don't cost that much but why spend the money if you don't have to? Yolks can be separated from the egg by pouring the egg back and forth between the two shell halves until only the yolk is left. Save your money.
Extensive Knife Set - People brag about their 30 piece knife sets! But few folks really need that many knives. Most get along just fine with a paring knife, an 8-9" standard knife, a bread knife, and a serrated knife for cutting tough meat. Why waste your money on more? Save your money.
Do you agree with this list? Why or why not? What kitchen items would you suggest are a waste of money?
20 comments:
I have a wok, but only because I got it as a gift. I don't think I would get the rest.
I am the biggest sucker when it comes to kitchen gadgets. ..... And I don't even like cooking that much. One of the reasons why I don't watch Tv after 11 is because of the probability of getting tempted to buy things from infomercials.
i bought a cheap like single-person rice cooker at walmart. i think it makes like 4 cups of rice? but it works awesome and i've had it for two years. it takes about an hour though so sometimes i leave put the rice in the morning if i'll need it for a recipe in the evening, sort of like a crockpot.
i agree though there are way too many enticing things in the kitchen!
I agree with your list. I don't have any of those things and I cook great meals all the time. If I may be so bold to say.
I thought I was going to see a stand mixer on this list but I am glad I didn't. I just got mine for Christmas and I absolutely love it. I know it's not a necessity but I love it all the same. It's the little things or I guess I should say it's the little but sometimes expensive things. :)
I use my wok more than any other pan I have but as far as the other stuff I'll pass. The first time I saw a quesadilla make I thought "You've got to be kidding me". That was before I saw the electric cupcake maker though. :)
I agree with this list. I don't have any of these items. I have too much stuff in my kitchen as it is.
Yes apart from wok and rice cooker. I have high flame and the wok is grate (a blighter to clean though) and the rice cooker is a revolution - wonderful rice and not much attention.
I have a wok and rice cooker. I cook Asian food all the time so they are a necessity. :)
Disclaimer: I am a Pampered Chef consultant. And while I agree with most of the items on this list, I have a fully stocked kitchen and am a big believer in "You get what you pay for." That said, TPC doesn't carry most of these items, and for good reason. In some cases, they have other versions that are better.
They have a Stir Fry Skillet ... I had one (got it for free) and sold it. I can stir fry just fine in my Family Skillet, make a meal to freeze or heat up days later, and bake a cake for a potluck.
I have a microwave rice cooker and use it all the time, I can also make a mean pot of spanish rice or even take it to work to nuke a lunch of Ramen Noodles without it spilling out all over the microwave. And also bake a cake if I want to.
The knives are sold as a set. But also individually. And they are guaranteed for LIFE. I have a small block with the most commonly used knives in it: Utility, Santoku, Boning, and serrated. The Santoku does just fine cutting a watermelon.
I confess I splurged a whole $6 (if I didn't get it for free) on the egg separator. I confess I like it because it rests on the side of the bowl and raises a lot of questions. Even though I separate an egg maybe 3 times a year outside of shows!
My motto: Don't buy Gadgets you don't need, save your money for the gagets you DO need.
Anonymous... I love Pampered Chef and I would recommend EVERYONE buy one of your garlic presses. It is the best kitchen gadget EVER! :)
I'm excited because I don't own any of those things. Then again, it's because my cooking skills/experiences are limited to an oven, a microwave, and a toaster. You guys really inspire me to (maybe) attempt to cook more.
well, I have a wok, which I use several times a week - I find it good for making many of the meals I cook for the family. For some reason, I find it especially good for making risotto lol. Mainly I think I like the space it gives me to move the food around.
I don't have any of the other things. I didn't even know quesadilla makers existed - perhaps they've not made it to the UK yet. Can't imagine I would need or want one though.
We have loads of knives (we were bought a large set as a wedding present). We use two bread knives (one for gluten, one for gluten-free bread) and I have 4 favourites knives that I use for nearly everything else. None of them were in the set lol.
I agree with your list! And am happy to report that I do not own any of them. But I do have an electric cupcake maker..... nah..... just kidding. :)
I have a large wok and use it almost daily. I dont use a frying pan, just the wok for almost everything. Today a made a lovely pasta sauce in it. Also have a rice cooker which as well as making perfect rice makes perfect bulgar wheat, porridge, acts as a steamer and a slow cooker. Most things can be cooked in one of the other.
Other wise I dont have gadgets but these are both amazing.
Don't buy the beer maker either. WOW really bad.
Salad spinner! The most useless kitchen device on the planet! I do have a wok and a beer maker and I love them both. The wok is great, but I can see how it is not necessary if you don't use it very much. I do need to start using my popcorn maker though!
Indoor smore maker. Basically like trying to roast a marshmallow over a candle. I thought the kids would like it but they gave up and just popped them in the microwave.
We also have a wok and a rice cooker. Our wok is our largest fry pan and we eat a large amount of rice. Our rice cooker only cost $35 which I didn't think was that much considering how much we use it.
I am Asian and rice is still a stable for me. I can't live without a rice cooker...no joke.
I love my wok and use it all the time, however I bought it second-hand, so very low cost to me. The kitchen gadgets I love the most is my slow cooker and my toaster oven. I use it instead of the big oven when it is just me for supper.
Kate W.
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