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Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,930
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

The only thing I can think of that has received absolutely no use is a Wolfgang Puck garnishing set. Guess I just don't garnish.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,953
Registered: ‎05-13-2012

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

Ha ha, my meat grinder has been collecting dust for decades!

The Bread maker my mother in law has, collects dust now, was the reason for a lot of weight gain for a lot of our family members!!!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,111
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

I have some crazy manual chopper that includes several different slicing/chopping blades. By the time you pull it out, choose the right blade, chop, and clean it all up, you could have had it long done with a good knife and a chopping board.

I think I used my bread machine twice before it stopped working.

George Foreman grill - old one worked great but was a royal pain to clean.

Electric can opener - by the time you figure out how to get the can to attach to it, you could have had it opened with a manual can opener.

Magic Bullet - I didn't realize when I bought mine that they came in different degrees of power. Mine is the lowest power one and just doesn't chop the ice or anything else well.

I'm through with kitchen gadgets. I bought a good set of knifes, a peeler, and have a couple good chopping boards, and they work great for me. I'm at the age where I just want to simplify and downsize everything!

A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. ~~ Steve Maraboli
Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,648
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

A long time ago I was on a deep fryer crazy ride. Glad I got over that.

I'm pretty thoughtful about kitchen gadgets, fortunately, so I don't really get pulled in by the hype. The biggest ones they seem to be on these days are the gadgets for chopping. You have to chop the stuff up first. Why not just take another 2 minutes and finish it, while you have the knife in your hand and all you have to do is wash a knife? I'm as lame as the next person but if I have to cut the stuff up first I can go ahead and finish it. I won't be in any more pain than if I had to put all my weight into pushing one of those things down a bunch of times. Then you have to wash all those parts AND store them.

I do like a good gadget, though. It just needs to make sense to me.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,169
Registered: ‎02-27-2012

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

Great thread!

My dumb rice cooker was the biggest waste of 2013. I STILL can't make good rice! Unc. Ben in the pouch is my go-to! LOL

2nd place of waste I think will go to the Cake Boss mini bundt pans..but I still have time to return them and save myself from having more than one gadget on my remorse list! Found them cheaper at Walmart and not sure I need to make individual bundts when one pretty large bundt works just as well!!

Super Contributor
Posts: 2,313
Registered: ‎08-23-2012

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

On 1/2/2014 chickenbutt said:

A long time ago I was on a deep fryer crazy ride. Glad I got over that.

I'm pretty thoughtful about kitchen gadgets, fortunately, so I don't really get pulled in by the hype. The biggest ones they seem to be on these days are the gadgets for chopping. You have to chop the stuff up first. Why not just take another 2 minutes and finish it, while you have the knife in your hand and all you have to do is wash a knife? I'm as lame as the next person but if I have to cut the stuff up first I can go ahead and finish it. I won't be in any more pain than if I had to put all my weight into pushing one of those things down a bunch of times. Then you have to wash all those parts AND store them.

I do like a good gadget, though. It just needs to make sense to me.

I agree. I have a small kitchen, so I'm very picky about what I bring into it. In addition, I'm probably weird, but I actually like slicing, dicing and prepping by hand.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,482
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

ONE of the three rice cookers I have! LOL!! I have the 5 cup fuzzy logic Zojirushi and LOVE that little thing. We use it a lot because we get home, set it and when we are ready to eat, it is ready and waiting! We can change clothes, make a stir fry and load the washer and the rice is perfect whenever we eat. I have a little WP cheapie one that makes great very small batches of rice pretty quickly so we use it a lot too.

Then I have a ZO that looks like a space ship that I bought because it was cute! I Love it but I don't use it as often.

2 cheap little crock pots that both boil food--should have bought a better one because I use it a lot.

The Soda Stream was something we don't use much. I haven't bought a lot of choppers because I have a big arsenal of very good knives I keep razor sharp so I just use these. It is so quick and easy and knives are a snap to clean up.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,648
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

On 1/2/2014 house cat said:
On 1/2/2014 chickenbutt said:

A long time ago I was on a deep fryer crazy ride. Glad I got over that.

I'm pretty thoughtful about kitchen gadgets, fortunately, so I don't really get pulled in by the hype. The biggest ones they seem to be on these days are the gadgets for chopping. You have to chop the stuff up first. Why not just take another 2 minutes and finish it, while you have the knife in your hand and all you have to do is wash a knife? I'm as lame as the next person but if I have to cut the stuff up first I can go ahead and finish it. I won't be in any more pain than if I had to put all my weight into pushing one of those things down a bunch of times. Then you have to wash all those parts AND store them.

I do like a good gadget, though. It just needs to make sense to me.

I agree. I have a small kitchen, so I'm very picky about what I bring into it. In addition, I'm probably weird, but I actually like slicing, dicing and prepping by hand.

Ooh, I thought I was the only one! Even with arthritis I like the prep a lot. It's the fun, relaxing part for me. I love getting everything out and ready, doing all the chopping, etc, and setting myself up for the cooking. Even with arthritis I don't mind.

Besides, if I've learned anything, I've learned that USING the hands helps ward off pain and inflammation to some degree. I'm not talking about building a house or anything, but just basic tasks and even just flexing the fingers and moving them more. I find the pain and inflammation to be much worse when my hands are stagnant.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,648
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

Sooner - I always wondered if people really drink THAT much soft drinks that they would have the need to make their own. Maybe the show hosts/vendors CONVINCE people that they need to make their own. I don't know, but I can buy a 12pack of my couple of fav diet soft drinks and that lasts me six months or more. Smiley Happy

I love my knives too! I don't have Shuns or anything, but I have some nice knives that I take good care of and it's a pleasure to use them.

Super Contributor
Posts: 2,313
Registered: ‎08-23-2012

Re: Costly culinary tools that don't get much use, or caused buyers remorse?

On 1/2/2014 chickenbutt said:
On 1/2/2014 house cat said:

I agree. I have a small kitchen, so I'm very picky about what I bring into it. In addition, I'm probably weird, but I actually like slicing, dicing and prepping by hand.

Ooh, I thought I was the only one! Even with arthritis I like the prep a lot. It's the fun, relaxing part for me. I love getting everything out and ready, doing all the chopping, etc, and setting myself up for the cooking. Even with arthritis I don't mind.

Besides, if I've learned anything, I've learned that USING the hands helps ward off pain and inflammation to some degree. I'm not talking about building a house or anything, but just basic tasks and even just flexing the fingers and moving them more. I find the pain and inflammation to be much worse when my hands are stagnant.

I have a bunch of little glass bowls and I get such delight organizing all the ingredients before I begin cooking. I do yoga a couple of times a week, but nothing puts me in that Zen state better than prepping and cooking. Go figure.