4/13/11

16 Kitchen Tool or Gadget?


My husband loves to work with wood.  You could say he's a carpenter, though he is a computer programmer by trade.  I'm sure there's something about the feel and smell of wood,  pushing it through a table saw, squaring the edges on a jointer, and smoothing down the surfaces with several passes on a sander.

I love to work with food.  I guess you could say I'm a baker/cook, though I'm a teacher by trade.  There's something about the feel and smell of satiny, yeasty dough, pushing it across a liberally floured Silpat, rolling it with a rolling pin, shaping it and nesting it in a lightly greased loaf pan or using a pizza peel to slide it onto a hot stone in the oven.



We both need tools to accomplish our desired task.  I could browse for hours in a kitchen store, just like my husband can wander the aisles of Home Depot.  There are many tools out there, but there are also many that I consider gadgets ~ objects that are interesting for its ingenuity rather than being  practical for its use.

Invest in tools that you would use often.  Love soups?  Purchase ladles, a dutch oven or an immersion blender.  Love to bake? Silicone mats, a cookie scoop, or an extra set of measuring spoons/cups would be perfect.



Before purchasing, there are some questions you should ask yourself to see if the item you want is a gadget or a tool.


Does it feel comfortable to use?  Hold it in your hand and check out the weight and grip.


Think about space.  Where can I store this tool?  On a counter, in a drawer or cupboard?


Is it easy to clean?  The fewer the parts, the better.  A lost or broken part won't work.  Set up and clean up takes time for more parts.


Does it serve more than one purpose?  If the answer is, "No," then don't buy it.  A pineapple slicer-corer only does one thing.


How much does it cost?  Will it save me time and money in the long run?


What is the quality of the tool?  Is it made of plastic parts or metal?


How often will I use it? 


A quality kitchen tool that you plan to use often will enhance your experience in the kitchen.  My readers will often ask me, "Where did you get __________."  Often times, I try to include a link to the item within my post to a location to purchase the item.

I have added a NEW page to my blog:  Kitchen Tools!  There, I will post an item, tell why I love it, where you can purchase it, and add links to previous posts of the tool being used. 


What is YOUR favorite kitchen tool?


16 comments:

  1. My favorite kitchen gadget is the Oxo cookie scoop. I initially bought one, and now have 3 (one in each size) that I love and frequently use. I use large for muffins, medium for cookies and small for mini muffins. This gadget is great because it speeds up the process of filling a muffin tin/cookie sheet, but also ensures that each is uniformly sized.

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  2. I so agree about making sure you have the space for new toys! My go to necessities are tongs and the immersion blender!
    Great post!
    KC Quaretti-Lee
    www.KCintheKitchen.com

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  3. I love my cookie scoops as well! I have pampered chef.

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  4. So, I'm a new follower now. Yours dishes are very exciting and I look delicious. I want to make some of them. Congratulations!

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  5. This is such a good point! I have a major problem when it comes to this department. I THINK i NEED everything when really I just need to sit back and evaluate things a little longer to avoid buyers remorse and having it just sit there in the cupboard. One of my favorite tools besides my kitchen-aid mixer would have to be my Silpat! Love that thing!

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  6. Great post! I love microplane products. And I agree, good kitchen tools can save so much time in the kitchen, especially in commercial one which I spend a lot of time in. :)

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  7. Great post! I'm trying to be less of a gadget junky!

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  8. Great idea. I recent got some new knives that I love. Who knew a 6" chef's knife would be so much easier for me to use.

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  9. Definitely the microplane and mini spatula from Pampered Chef. I use that thing much more than I ever anticipated!

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  10. Hands down, my knives. couldn't live without them. I am picky about kitchen equipment because I really don't have much space and who needs stuff you may (I repeat, may) use once a year. My pastry scraper, an all purpose tool in my house, is a close second.

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  11. The blog looks great! My fav tool would probably be my french cooks Wusthof chefs knife, sharp, solid and no nonsense...

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  12. Hmmm, my KitchenAid Pro, Nutrimill Wheat Grinder, Clay baker from King Arthur, pizza stone, perforated triple baguette & french bread pans, and I use my King Arthur pastry mat every time I shape any kind of dough! My favorite's are the KitchenAid and the dough mat.

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  13. Great post! Definitely my knives and All-Clad pots. And my kitchen scale! Thanks for the Foodbuzz add!

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  14. I am utterly hopeless in either a book shop or a kitchen shop and rarely come out empty-handed. I love a gadget and my kitchen groans with stuff, although I do use most of it and now try to discipline my purchases somewhat.
    If I had to choose, though, I'd have to say that my knives are my very favourite kitchen tools. When all the other things fail, as long as they are kept sharp, they won't!

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  15. Kate VanGelderenFebruary 14, 2012

    My kitchen-aid mixer. It is an older one but runs like a top! Wouldn't know what I would do without it

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  16. I think a good kitchen tool is one that you feel comfortable when you use it. I love my corner peeler which purchased on ideann.com. So good!

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