Most Useful Kitchen Gadgets You Have

try2bhelpful on 02/12/2017 - 17:33

I am a bit of a kitchen gadget aholic. My other half is getting to the point where he is telling me I have to get rid of some of my kitchen toys before I can buy anymore. It isn't the money it is the room. Some of mine have been real finds and some are duds.

A while back I posed the question "What was the most Useless Kitchen Gadget you have" and some of the responses were really hilarious. Some of them were things I had previously thought - "you know?" but after reading the responses I thought "nah".

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/298108

My question now is "What are the most useful kitchen Gadgets you have?"

Mine would have to be my big Magimix food processor. It turns vegetables into stir fry in no time flat.

I also have:

  • a Kitchen Aid mixer - I don't use it enough for what I paid for it; but it does what I want it to do well.I really must use the grinder and icecream maker attachments more.
  • a small Magimix - which is great for onions and puree fruit to top yoghurt as a quick dessert.
  • a philips pasta maker - which actually makes decent pasta and it really easy to use, but requires a bit of effort to clean.
  • an Anova Sous Vide which I have just bought, so I'm reserving judgement until I have time play with it.
  • Vitamix - which is great for smoothies, pasta sauces and soups. This thing could seriously puree a brick. Easy to clean but not so easy to get all the stuff out of the bottom.
  • a Bamix Wand, which was my go to for small chopping jobs until I got the baby magimix. I've tried to use it for "in pot" purees for soup and find greens like Kale get could in the chopping area. They are great for Pesto, though.
  • Flat LCD display scales - would never to back to analogue after using them. Add a box and they can double as pet weighing scales.
  • a Tefal Multicooker - good for Yoghurt and stews but I would probably buy CookMe if I had my time over.

I'm interested to know what people think are worthwhile purchases and happy to answer any questions on what I have. Also would welcome any tips on how I might better use my own toys.

Home & Garden

Comments

        • logictom on 05/12/2017 - 14:02

          A nice workout before sitting down to sushi :D will keep my eye out for one of these next time I'm in Daiso
          Also second the Dualit, we've the 4 slice job because two slices are never enough!

  • Bonsaichop on 02/12/2017 - 21:41
    +2

    Autec Sushi Maker see 0:28 here: YouTube

    I love making blowtorched salmon nigiri (some of my final product:) but I loathe making the rice balls. Saw this while watching 'Wall Street' from 1987 and couldn't believe it existed, hunted far and wide and had an original one from the 80's sent to me from Japan. The company Autec stopped making them years ago.

    Fun fact, Autec is actually a division of Audio Technica (yes, the audio company) who specialise in robotic sushi machines!

    • try2bhelpful on 02/12/2017 - 23:10

      Never made sushi, I'm sure home made are better than the store bought ones but I can't be bothered as they look fiddly. Yours do look amazing though. It it always good when the "gadget" actually proves to be useful rather than consigned to the back of the cupboard; especially when you track one down.

  • scrimshaw on 02/12/2017 - 23:10
    +2

    My trusty Wusthof knife set emblazoned with Le Cordon Bleu logos..

    Not pictured, sugar pump, marzipan sculpting tools, heatproof gloves for handling molten sugar, about 10x piping bags, chocolate dipping forks, a box of piping tips, meat / oven thermometer.

    Also had a marble slab that I use for tempering chocolate but I gave it away.

    Photo is not mine, but I have do have the same knife set and knife bag.

    • try2bhelpful on 02/12/2017 - 23:15

      kitchen envy - I have a couple of Wusthorf knife blocks with various knives. Mostly use the chef's knives and the scissors.

    • Emli on 03/12/2017 - 22:37

      Love my wusthof knives - some I have had for 20 years.

    • RobVH on 04/12/2017 - 18:53

      I second this, I didn't buy the blocks but bought individual knives that I'd use, best kitchen purchase yet.

  • Savas on 02/12/2017 - 23:11
    +3

    Microwave

    • try2bhelpful on 02/12/2017 - 23:19
      +1

      Mainly used our original microwave for reheating food, defrosting meat, cooking rice and steaming vegetables. Found a lot of things we cooked didn't heat evenly. We now have a combined microwave/convection which, I think, is much better. We can cook pastries that are crisp.

  • tebbybabes on 02/12/2017 - 23:19
    +2

    These tongs for hot plates/bowls etc rank amongst the most useful in my book. It gets used all the time!

    • Savas on 03/12/2017 - 08:05

      why would you need tongs for plates and bowls?

      • tebbybabes on 03/12/2017 - 14:19
        +2

        when I take them out of the steamer and sometimes from the microwave.

        • Savas on 03/12/2017 - 14:27
          +2

          oh right, usually I just use my hands

      • Archi on 06/12/2017 - 09:42
        +1

        because @teddybabes puts food in plates and then into a steamer. just easier to pick the plate up without burning hands with the steam or on the edge of a hot steamer.

    • Qkumber on 03/12/2017 - 15:16
      +1

      I use these for lifting preserving jars out of the boiling water. Much safer than normal tongs

    • cantoangel on 05/12/2017 - 09:52
      +1

      Yes!! So useful when steaming stuff on a plate where the size doesn't let you jam your fingers in….

  • MishyMoo on 02/12/2017 - 23:24

    NutriBullet
    Vegetable peeler
    Small handled serated knife
    Aeropress (for coffee)
    Anything that will boil water
    Baking pan & saucepan

    That takes care of smoothies, soups, hummus, morning lemon juice/blended, baked and boiled/steamed food.

    I'm pretty boring…That's pretty much all I need (besides running water, fridge and freezer, containers, chopping board)

  • sleet on 02/12/2017 - 23:45
    +1

    Kettle

    Airfryer

    Nutrininja

    My family are starting to use a pressure cooker as well.

  • iforgotmysocks on 03/12/2017 - 00:29
    +6

    Fire Extinguisher

  • brayhouse on 03/12/2017 - 00:50

    Aeropress and a Sunbeam milk frother for coffee in the morning
    Slow cooker for stews, slow cooked meats and curries
    Anova sous vide - only just bought this but so far liking it. Love being able to set it to start cooking remotely so I have food ready to go when I get home. The steaks it makes are amazing.
    I don’t use the kitchenaid much but the missus uses it for baking and loves it. Every once in a while I’ll use it to bake some bread, but not often. Might look into getting a pasta making attachment at some point.
    Not technically a kitchen gadget, but our cordless Dyson vacuum gets a good workout in the kitchen when cleaning up.

    But my favourite item is definitely my knives and sharpening stones. Nothing is as satisfying as using newly sharpened knives.

    Gadgets we have that don’t get much use are a stick blender and mandolin slicer. The stock blender has a chopper attachment, but we just don’t find we need it much.. the mandolin slider is great if we need think chopped in bulk, or are making something like potato bake or ratatouille, but more often than not when it’s just food for the two of us I chop things by hand.

  • follow on 03/12/2017 - 01:55

    aholic? assholic?

  • FittyFitty on 03/12/2017 - 02:32
    +6

    Still undecided between the salad tosser and the meat pounder…

    • try2bhelpful on 05/12/2017 - 17:46
      +1

      I bet you eat a lot of SAO biscuits.

      • Archi on 06/12/2017 - 09:43

        hahahah soggy ones too

  • brian77 on 03/12/2017 - 04:33

    The humble microwave for us. Also, a small toaster oven, which we use almost daily, good for toasting bread, frozen chips/fish/chicken, as well as for baking things like cakes, bread and lasagne. Lastly, a decent non-stick pan (we have a Tefal one ~$25 on sale from Big W)

  • AlienC on 03/12/2017 - 06:57

    Apart from maybe the toaster, microwave, kettle and oven the next best thing is probably either the rice cooker or the pressure cooker.

    Boiled potatoes in no time.

  • try2bhelpful on 03/12/2017 - 07:00

    Given people’s comments, it sounds like it is time to give the pressure cooker another go.

    • Savas on 03/12/2017 - 07:59

      you can give a pressure cooker a go regardless of the comments!

    • retiredfeline on 03/12/2017 - 09:10
      +5

      Don't feel pressured to do so. :)

      • try2bhelpful on 03/12/2017 - 10:19

        i wasn’t happy with how the meat came out in the past. Maybe need to experiment a bit more.

        • retiredfeline on 03/12/2017 - 10:57

          How do you mean? Not enough taste? Too tough? Falling to bits?

          My slow+pressure cooker has a sauté function that I use to sear meats and veges before the slow or pressure cooking.

        • try2bhelpful on 03/12/2017 - 17:26

          @greenpossum: think it was more a boil function. Been a while I might have another go.

  • Cheap Steve on 03/12/2017 - 07:12
    +4

    You sound like a prime candidate to join the Thermomix cult. My wife joined 12 months ago and hasn't left the kitchen since.

    • try2bhelpful on 03/12/2017 - 07:29
      +2

      Not sure why but I seem to be immune to Thermomix I can see the attraction, but it just doesn’t sing to me. Glad it works for her, though. There were, also,some injuries due to problems with their usage.

      The Katering show does a hilarious review of the thermomix. Language warning on the clip below.

      https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4yr_etbfZtQ

      • ttc72 on 03/12/2017 - 19:57
        +1

        They're funny girls

  • pasey25 on 03/12/2017 - 07:55
    +1

    Easy

    Vacuum sealer closely followed by thermapen. Both get hammered in my kitchen

  • diddy50 on 03/12/2017 - 08:27

    Anova sous vide and vacuum sealer.

    A digital probe Thermometer to check the core temperature of meats to not over cook them. (why spend $30 on a lump of meat and make leather out of it?!)

    Chickens in the back yard for pumping out out eggs.

    Heavy grade stainless steel tongs, not the flimsy crap you find everywhere.

  • Blargman2001 on 03/12/2017 - 11:07
    +1

    Multilevel steamer we got from Kmart for $29 (I believe same model now sells for $39). Best value kitchen gadget ever since it has been used almost daily for the past 5 years. The steaming baskets are only now starting to develop cracks from being dropped constantly over the years.

    Generic pressure cooker from the Reject shop for $59. The same model is sold under various brand names (Russel Hobbes, Bellini, Smith & Nobel and various other store brands come to mind) for more than double the price when not on special. A lot of our cooking involves braising and stewing and this gets it done in half an hour instead of 2. It gets used several times per week over the past year with no problems.

  • dlakers3peat on 03/12/2017 - 11:49

    Tefal opti grill. Can't live with out.

  • skywards on 03/12/2017 - 12:35

    Tiger rice cooker - multifunction
    Vegetable peeler
    Nutrininja
    Stove top coffee maker

  • sillycattle on 03/12/2017 - 14:35

    Thermapen- food is cooked properly now and not horribly overdone. Faster as I'm not destroying food, but am confident all is good as the chicken's hit 75.
    Webber Family Q- used with above. Fast and almost cleaning free cooking. Snags never tasted so good.
    Air Fryer- I can have potato gems done from a cold start in less time it takes to preheat the oven. Then throw in the dishwasher.
    Less used- Also pressure cooker. Used mainly for BBQ ribs and split pea and ham soup. I've a killer recipe for ribs and sauce that has 35 minutes at pressure. All is done in under an hour.

    • mistat on 04/12/2017 - 08:09

      Can you share the ribs recipe please?

      • sillycattle on 05/12/2017 - 20:22

        I base my cooking off this recipe. I tinker with the pepper and chilli amounts, but otherwise it's pretty right. I set my Aldi pressure cooker to 35 minutes and then do quick pressure release. I'll then take meat out and then turn cooker back on to reduce the sauce for 10 minutes or so.

        Makes heaps of sauce!

        Really is a treat.

        • mistat on 05/12/2017 - 22:23

          Thanks, I'll try this out on the weekend!

    • abb on 04/12/2017 - 09:25

      Thermapen

      So a $100+ digital thermometer? Does the same thing as the $10 one at K-mart or Big W?

      • sillycattle on 05/12/2017 - 20:26

        I never thought there was much of a difference, but they're totally different animals. The $10 Kmart one takes ages to read and even then it might not be accurate. In the time you've waited for the temp to stabilise you've lost heat in the BBQ and burnt yourself so you don't bother.

        The Thermapen is a type K thermocouple device which comes with a calibration certificate. It's good to +/-0.2°C iirc at 100°C. Takes about 2 seconds to stabilise. So you can use it and trust it.

        • abb on 06/12/2017 - 09:36

          My cheapo one is very quick too. I don't know exactly how it works, but given that K type thermocouples are the most common and cheapest, it's probably the same.

          I'll see if I can be bothered to do a two point calibration check on it at home, or compare it to my lab thermocouple machine… (probably not!)

        • sillycattle on 06/12/2017 - 16:19

          @abb: Not sure what your cheapie is, but it's almost certainly a thermistor based device.

          As far as I'm aware type K thermocouples are considered the cheapest thermocouple and even cheaper than other measurement sensors in the industrial space, but in the low cost domestic market the thermistors are really cheaply made and preferred because it is cheaper to process the signal.

          Thermocouples of any type can be made cheaply or made well, but the electronics are more complex.

          My take on it anyway.

        • abb on 07/12/2017 - 09:21

          @sillycattle: Fair point, thermocouple measurement circuits are probably more expensive than thermistor ones.

          I'm tempted to open mine to check, but it would require smashing it open and I'm too cheap to replace it ;)

        • sillycattle on 07/12/2017 - 16:29

          @abb: If it's working for you then it doesn't really matter. But now I am interested in how yours is so fast. Might grab one one day if it's on sale.

    • dsgfh on 05/12/2017 - 14:52
      +1

      The Thermapen is one thing every person should have. The thermopop model is cheapish & really good quality :) I use it for my barbecue (including commercial cooking) all the time.

  • Yaren24 on 03/12/2017 - 14:53
    +1

    A magnetic knife rack?

    • Qkumber on 03/12/2017 - 15:25

      This was a lifesaver when we lived in our first house and had only 1m of bench space in the kitchen

      • Yaren24 on 03/12/2017 - 15:34
        +1

        :)

        And when you have all the good knives, and if you love cooking, a magnetic knife rack is great, you can always see your favourite knives on the wall :)

        • [Deactivated] on 05/12/2017 - 08:00

          Also stay sharper longer as they aren't banging around in a drawer getting dulled.

  • Qkumber on 03/12/2017 - 15:33
    +2

    The kitchen utensil I use the most is the Dreamfarm Supoon. It is amazing it scrapes and bends to the shape of the saucepan while the end of the spoon is really firm so nothing sticks. I’ve got several and they come in great colours and black.

    I just noticed house has them on sale for $12 with free postage.
    https://www.house.com.au/product//dreamfarm-supoon-black-spo…

    • Qkumber on 03/12/2017 - 16:52

      I just bought the black one. I told my husband it was for him because he’s an emo

    • MilkDrinker on 03/12/2017 - 17:37
      +1

      I just went down the Dreamfarm rabbit hole, a lot of interesting items and I didn't even notice they were Australian until near the end.

      Seems like the supoons are on sale due to the newer version coming out that adds a rotating part that makes it become a ladle as well.

      "Newer" version at $20
      https://www.house.com.au/product/dreamfarm-spadle-black-spoo…

      • Qkumber on 03/12/2017 - 20:41
        +1

        I really like their products. They are really well made and very reasonably priced. I forgot they were Australian. They’ve had the Spadle for a couple of years I think. I don’t have one yet but I might actually order one now because you know free shipping and all ;)

    • PVA on 03/12/2017 - 22:58

      say Page Not Found with your link.

    • PAOK11 on 04/12/2017 - 12:33

      are you people serious hand in your licences immediately. $20 for a plastic spoon !?!?!

  • Yamai on 03/12/2017 - 15:37
    +2

    Coffee grinder for chopping marijuana

    • try2bhelpful on 03/12/2017 - 17:27

      I said good pot.

    • SydStrand on 05/12/2017 - 23:54
      +1

      Why? Blade or burr grinder will ruin bud, and a decent herb hand grinder is <$5.

  • SBOB on 03/12/2017 - 16:08
    +1

    Kamado joe &
    Anova sous vide

  • Maz1 on 03/12/2017 - 17:57
    +2

    Fridge, it's really good for storing things which need to stay cold.

  • bohn on 03/12/2017 - 18:03

    use the philips pasta maker a couple of times each week.
    love it.

  • roundnumbersonly on 03/12/2017 - 18:14
    +1

    Thermomix (actually serious). Even though it is an overpriced blender with a heating function, ours gets used a lot.

  • ttc72 on 03/12/2017 - 20:01

    I have lots and lots of toys too.
    Since it's just me I got rid of the pasta maker, but I agree they're good.

    I have 2 airfryers, a breville all in one hand mixer, a breville stand mixer, a breville food processor, and other smaller gadgets. I use the air fryer frequently but my favorite gadget is a Tefal Optigrill XL. I've never been able to cook steak, but it does it perfectly, kebabs, sausages, chicken fish, you name it..

  • hepc on 03/12/2017 - 20:12

    By far - Braun Multiquick. The main unit stays out on the counter and then the attachments go in the cupboard directly above. The mini food processor is awesome because it takes up a tiny amount of space and is great for blitzing stuff in relatively small quantities and taking up basically no counter space. Our big food processor probably gets used 1x per year and I cook a lot. I also use the blender daily for a smoothie. All the attachments go into the dishwasher too which is a huge plus.

    Aside from that, I use the sous vide a lot but that isn't necessary.

    Not a gadget but a couple of good chef knifes and sharpening stuff - sharpening weekly is a must and makes slicing things like tomatoes oddly satisfying when you get zero juice leakage - hell yeah.

    • hepc on 03/12/2017 - 20:13

      Oh also I forgot - probe thermometer if you cook meats - you will never mess up again.

  • b1ackmai1er on 03/12/2017 - 20:56

    Most useless thread ever… pretty much covered everything from the most basic to the most exotic.

    :)

    • OzzyOzbourne on 04/12/2017 - 08:18

      Nah, there's been plenty more useless ones recently

  • rinnnn on 03/12/2017 - 21:42
    +1

    Instant Pot. Join the cult!

  • CharityCase on 03/12/2017 - 22:09
    +6

    Chopsticks,period
    Asian mums can used it for anything, they can even beat their children with it.
    Source: I'm Asian

    • Skinnerr on 05/12/2017 - 00:49

      Any tips for learning to use chopsticks?
      Source: Full bogan.

      • CharityCase on 05/12/2017 - 01:36
        +1

        Get adopted by an Asian mum

        • Skinnerr on 05/12/2017 - 03:28

          OK thats out, whats option 2?

        • Archi on 06/12/2017 - 09:49

          @thedude23:
          get an Asian girlfriend

  • lucas001 on 03/12/2017 - 23:05

    anova sous vide + vacuum sealer

  • srr on 03/12/2017 - 23:27

    Thermapen, breville sandwich press, cheap cast iron frypan from Aldi, good cast iron wok, breville stand mixer, pasta roller, Panasonic multi cooker, breville coffee grinder, rancilio silvia espresso machine, Weber family q, Weber little kettle bbq, various Victorinox knifes - expensive and not, Braun hand mixer.

  • Starlight8 on 04/12/2017 - 00:47

    kitchen aid, air fryer and dishwasher :)

    • Starlight8 on 23/03/2021 - 12:40

      @try2behelpful lol did respond to this. Will respond to this properly once I get back to my desk =)

  • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2017 - 02:08

    Plunger.

    • try2bhelpful on 04/12/2017 - 07:36

      I presume coffee? Otherwise you have a plumbing problem.

      • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2017 - 18:12

        No, it's the plumbing one.
        I use a strainer or whatever you call them in the sink, so it's not like big stuff is getting down there, but over time a wall of crap will form inside your piping, so as i soon as i detect a slower drainage flow, i go crazy with the plunger. Works every time.

        Folk should show more respect for the humble plunger.

  • OzzyOzbourne on 04/12/2017 - 08:17

    Microwave, toaster, kettle

  • Hearthstone on 04/12/2017 - 09:06

    No Breville Expresso 920 from ozbargain?

  • whirlpool_guy on 04/12/2017 - 09:23

    Can't stress enough the usefulness of a quality chef knife

    My kitchen has a Kyocera ceramic. Stays sharp for many years

    • try2bhelpful on 04/12/2017 - 09:49

      The knife is the absolute key to any kitchen. If you buy nothing else as quality make sure that is. Also treat them with respect and care. I always wash, dry and put back into the knife block my good knives when I'm finished with them. They don't go in the dishwasher and they don't go in a drawer.

  • thriftybunny on 04/12/2017 - 09:44

    A pressure cooker

  • myusername on 04/12/2017 - 09:50

    Soufflé pump

    • try2bhelpful on 04/12/2017 - 09:53
      +1

      I'll bite, what does it do and how does it work. I've tried googling this, with some trepidation, and it isn't exactly clear. Thanks

      • myusername on 04/12/2017 - 10:20

        when i was an apprentice chef the head chef sent me to the restaurant next door to ask for a souffle pump.

        what does it do?

        it's what you use to pump up the souffle's.

        yeah i was pretty gullible back then.

        almost like a left handed screw driver

        • try2bhelpful on 04/12/2017 - 10:29

          Yeah, I did wonder about that. However, there are stranger things out there.

  • Herbse on 04/12/2017 - 10:30

    I found Midnight Scoop on Kickstarter a few years ago. It's an icecream scoop designed so you don't sprain your wrist.
    Best thing I've bought in the kitchen.

    Next would be the slow cooker. Great for ribs, pork/lamb shoulder sliders, pretty much anything else.

    Also a couple of eBay special digital timers to stop me from burning the food

    • try2bhelpful on 04/12/2017 - 10:34

      I've noticed a number of the "high end" icecream places out there tend to have mushier ice cream nowdays. Not sure if this is to save RSI with the servers or they think it is better that way.

  • myusername on 04/12/2017 - 10:40

    rice cooker

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