Be realistic: Those kitchen drawers are full of gadgets that you once thought would revolutionize your routine, but they’ve barely seen the light of day since. Specialized choppers, novelty stands and simple tools don’t elevate your skills – they just make a mess.
What really deserves a permanent place in your kitchen? I’ve consulted with professional chefs, and they all agree: focus on the essentials and forget about the drawer full of units and gadgets.
While some kitchen gadgets are essential and others, say the leaders, are seriously underestimatedmany simply aren’t worth the space they take up. A quality knifea solid cutting board and a reliable pans are the most important pieces of kitchen equipment.
To separate the essentials from the superfluous or downright useless, I asked kitchen professionals to share the tools they swear by and the gadgets they’d ignore. Their advice will help you avoid falling for flashy products and instead invest in items you’ll use every day.
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Masaharu Morimoto
Celebrity chef, restaurateur
Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool.
1. Mandolin
Chef Morimoto encourages you to perfect your knife skills to make thin, even slices of vegetables.
For what: “While it makes for good slices, mastering proper knife techniques gives you more control, precision, and long-term safety. Mandolins can be bulky, difficult to clean, and risky if you’re not extremely careful. Relying too much on a mandolin or tools like a two-in-one apple slicer or tomato corer can prevent you from developing true technique. Taking the time to learn how to handle a sharp chef’s knife or Japanese blade will help you in almost every situation. recipes.
What to try instead: Mac 8 inch Japanese chef’s knife.
Eric Rowse
Senior Chef Instructor Institute of Culinary Education, Los Angeles
Culinary instructor Eric Rowse knows a fancy kitchen utensil when he sees one.
2. Onion holder
For what: “These look like a weapon for Wolverine wannabes; they’re meant to help you hold a whole onion and “chop” it. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface so it doesn’t roll away. If you’re trying to cut rounds, save yourself $14, stick a fork into the root and hold the fork.”
What to try instead: Learn how to properly slice an onion the old fashioned way.
3. Onion Glasses
Save your money – and a little dignity – and avoid the onion glasses.
For what: “It’s a waste of money because they don’t form a good seal around the eyes to prevent sulfur compounds from reaching your eyes and making you cry. Keep your knife sharp and open a window or turn on a fan instead.”
What to try instead: CNET’s Peter Butler shares tips for cutting onions without crying.
4. Metal, glass, stone and acrylic cutting boards
Glass, stone, and metal boards are suitable for serving, but for slicing and dicing, wood is ideal.
For what: “Cutting on hard surfaces is bad for your knives; opt for wood or poly instead.
What to try instead: Our list of the best cutting boards offers many knife-safe options.
5. Chicken grinder
Two forks are enough to successfully shred the chicken.
For what: “I don’t see anyone needing a dedicated chicken shredding tool outside of a restaurant and even restaurants don’t use it. This item only serves one purpose so I would ignore it.”
What to try instead: Two forks.
6. Herbal Stripper
For what: “I love thyme but I hate removing it. When I was young, I thought this tool would help me… It’s been sitting in my cupboard and taunting me for almost a decade now.”
What to try instead: For warmer herbs like rosemary and thyme, simply use your fingers to slide along the stem, opposite the leaf growth.
7. Bluetooth Wireless Probe Thermometer
Instant read meat probes work quickly and do not require a complex Bluetooth connection.
For what: “It’s a great tool but can be very expensive. I can see myself losing it, breaking it, dropping it, accidentally throwing it away or letting it fall into the embers.”
What to try instead: ThermoPro Lightning Instant Read Thermometer
Peter Som
Cookbook author and lifestyle expert
Cookbook author Peter Som didn’t hold back when asked about his least favorite kitchen tools.
8. Electric can opener
A manual can opener is less expensive, works great, and is less likely to break.
For what: “Most of us grew up with an electric can opener sitting permanently on the kitchen counter, as if they were a vital appliance. But truth be told, they’re more nostalgic than necessary. They take up space, can be complicated to clean, and often struggle to handle odd-sized cans. A good manual can opener is compact, reliable, and gets the job done without the need for an outlet or a user manual.”
What to try instead: The Oxo Soft Grip Can Opener.
Richard Ingraham
Personal chef to Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and author of Love: my love expressed through food
Richard Ingraham avoids certain kitchen utensils when cooking for celebrities like Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union.
9. Avocado slicer
For what: “A knife and spoon does the job just as easily and the specialty tool rarely fits all sizes of avocado correctly. It’s a one-trick pony that clutters drawers.”
What to try instead: A good paring knife like this Wusthof at $35
10. Egg separator
Separating an egg by hand is not that difficult as it requires equipment.
For what: “A tool just for separating yolks is not necessary for most home cooks.” The only exception could be this oneand even that is just for the yellows. Uh, I mean yuck.
What to try instead:Cracking an egg and using the shell halves or your fingers works just as well.
11. Garlic peeler tube
For what: “Rolling garlic cloves in a silicone tube can work but requires storing a single-use gadget.”
What to try instead: Crushing garlic cloves with a chef’s knife is faster and more reliable.
12. Pizza scissors
Chef Ingraham says to avoid scissors on pizza night.
For what: “A pizza cutter or knife works better and faster. These scissors are gimmicky, hard to clean, and take up more space than they’re worth.”
What to try instead: KitchenAid Stainless Steel Pizza Cutter.
13. Herb scissors
For what: “They’re difficult to clean and don’t offer a huge advantage over a sharp chef’s knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs more than slice them.”
What to try instead: Made In 8-inch chef’s knife.
14. Electric egg cooker
For what: “Boiling eggs in a saucepan is simple and flexible. The electric version just adds mess, unless you’re constantly boiling eggs and hate using a stovetop.”
What to try instead: This one minute hack to make poached eggs in the microwave.
15. Butter cutter and dispenser
A good butter knife works just as well and requires less space and maintenance.
For what: “It cuts sticks of butter into bite-sized pieces…but why? A knife works instantly and you don’t have to load and clean a plastic gadget for that.”
What to try instead: Williams Sonoma Breakfast Butter Knife.
16. Pasta measurer
For what: “It’s a plastic disc with holes to tell you how much spaghetti to cook. Just look at it or learn the approximate weight by experience. It’s not worth the drawer space.”
What to try instead: A kitchen scale for precise measurements.
17. Mr. Oil
For what: “Often clogs, sprays unevenly and requires constant cleaning. A small spoon or brush gets the job done with less frustration.”
What to try instead: World Market Olive Oil Crusher.
18. Electric Potato Peeler
A sharp vegetable peeler is enough to peel a batch of potatoes.
For what: “Takes up a surprising amount of space and peels more slowly than a regular peeler. Plus, it’s overkill unless you’re peeling dozens of potatoes at a time.”
What to try instead: Oxo Swivel Peeler.
19. Bagel guillotine
For what: “Sold as a safer way to slice bagels, but takes up a lot of space and is difficult to clean. A serrated knife does the job just fine.”
What to try instead: Opinel 8 inch bread knife.
Jackie Carnesi
Executive Chef, Kellogg’s Diner
Jackie Carnesi
20. Oven Mitts
There’s a reason why professional chefs don’t use oven mitts.
For what: “Oven gloves are the most useless item in a home kitchen. A sturdy dishcloth does the same job, and chances are they are more likely to be washed regularly. I don’t know many people who wash their oven mitts frequently enough…it seems many have viewed it as an item that doesn’t warrant regular cleaning. It does.”
What to try instead: Store a plethora of kitchen towels.
