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Your most useful gadget (and the one languishing at the back of the cupboard)?)

(37 Posts)
Alea Tue 24-May-16 09:58:35

Cooking up some chicken thighs for Grace (as you do , she eats better than we do) in my pressure cooker this morning, I realised that I use it at least every other day! Wouldn't be without it.
Up to now, I would have rated my Magimix as my number 1 favourite gadget and I use it at least once if not twice a week.
In the back of my cupboard, though, are the chicken brick ,(Mark 2) bought in a surge of nostalgia for Seventies Habitat and the ice cream maker which my lovely sister in law bought me about 20 years ago.
My mum had a waffle maker which similarly lurked out of sight and out of mind once we had all got tired of waffles of every possible kind.

hicaz46 Thu 26-May-16 07:46:46

I love gadgets. My most used are a set of really good knives, a Nespresso machine, an ice cream maker(mostly in the summer)and a potato peeler. The one languishing at the back of my cupboard is a pasta maker.

Caramac Wed 25-May-16 22:18:20

Love kitchen gadgets. Most useful is Bamix stick blender. Most swooned over is my KitchenAid stand mixer. Most frequently used is the slow cooker..not just for meat but cakes and rice pudding too.
What I'm eyeing up...A replacement pressure cooker and a waffle maker.
Least favourite was the halogen oven which I gave away.

Indinana Wed 25-May-16 22:04:50

I love my Kenwood Chef and use it quite a lot. The stick blender complete with all attachments would probably pip it as my most used gadget though - so versatile! And another frequently used gadget is my three tier electric steamer - I don't actually know how I managed without one all those years ago (well, I do - we had boiled, and consequently tasteless, vitamin-free, veg grin).
I virtually never use the slow cooker, chiefly because I can't stand the smell of food cooking all day. Oh and the foot spa! Can't remember the last time that was used - 1985 maybe? Why have I still got it, I ask myself hmm

Granny1sland Wed 25-May-16 21:41:25

Not exactly a gadget - but wouldn't be without my very old AGA cooker, so....don't need a toaster, electric kettle, bread maker, slow cooker etc etc...

SewAddict Wed 25-May-16 21:26:06

I love my Kenwood chef as I make our bread and love to bake.
I do use my pressure cooker, but not often. Couldn't be without my Tassimo for quick coffee to get me going in the morning!

TriciaF Wed 25-May-16 18:10:54

Your Grace is a lucky dog! Chicken casserole for supper grin
Ours has raw.
I'm not keen on big "gadgets" because they take up a lot of space and need cleaning. But I do like my Kenwood dough attachment which I use once or twice a week, and electric hand mixer.
Also a gadget for separating eggs from John Lewis.

Tizliz Wed 25-May-16 12:39:54

I dont use my Magimix, I do use mincer (Bolognaise, burgers, meatballs), stick blender (scrambled eggs, soup) and bread maker all the time. But best gadget is OH, he is really useful for tin opening, cheese grating, bread slicing, vegetable peeling and onion chopping, even occasionally as a stirrer of sauces (though not very reliable as he can get distracted). grin grin

minimo Wed 25-May-16 11:36:37

I have one of these halogen ovens and it's great. Does take up a lot of space obviously but very useful and good value I think. www.andrewjamesworldwide.com/UserControls/productIndividual.aspx?ProductID=278

I also have a pasta maker in the back of the cupboard which has not been used for about 8 years...

Lona Wed 25-May-16 08:04:29

Tea bag squeezer and kettle all the time, toast tongs are used every day and also my microwave!
I don't do a lot of cooking these days so lots of stuff doesn't see the light of day blush

Falconbird Wed 25-May-16 06:48:24

My best gadget is a picker upper. It's very handy and I use it for retrieving things (got a bad back) and for adjusting curtain poles which keep getting out of alignment.

Also got a lid opener which is great for opening certain jars that just won't budge.

JackyB Wed 25-May-16 06:43:53

My most used gadget at the moment is a "Nicer Dicer" which chops vegetables and fruit into even-sized cubes and is easy to assemble and wash.

I have loads that I don't use much, but agree with nearly everything mentioned above about those useful ones: The scissors with teeth that take the top off an egg, stick blender, hand mixer.

Recently, after being prompted by my youngest, I finally got a decent garlic press.

I would use a pressure cooker a lot and a Magimix if I still had them, but they had had their day and never got replaced. A slow cooker languishes in the cellar because there's no room in the kitchen, but as we don't eat much meat, I haven't had much cause to use it.

ffinnochio Wed 25-May-16 05:33:32

Best gadget is a very sharp vegetable knife, if one can call a knife a gadget .

Languishing gadget is a cherry pipper.

GrandmaKT Tue 24-May-16 22:55:06

One of my favourite gadgets is a Lakeland teabag squeezer. As a tea hater I find it invaluable when making tea for DH and guests without having to fish about for or touch (shudder) the tea bags.

Never known anyone who had a pressure cooker except my own dear gran. Everything she cooked in it tasted like overcooked cabbage!

I also have a blowtorch languishing at the back of the cupboard. actually asked for it one Xmas, but have never got round to using it (another one for the 'when I'm retired' list).

Jalima Tue 24-May-16 22:29:56

My Kenwood mini chopper which is great for chopping onions and garlic. I also use a hand blender in the winter for blending soups. I use the three tier electric steam a lot too.

The least used - or never been used - is the glass liquidiser attachment for my Kenwood food processor. I have another liquidiser and it is so easy to pull that one out of the cupboard and use it.
The juicer only sees the light of day if DD is home.

Nonnie smile

kittylester Tue 24-May-16 22:18:14

I love my Kenwood mixer and the liquidiser but rarely use the other attachments, Eg - the cheesegrater. For grating anything and everything, I love my microplane. The bread maker is rarely used and I really only use the microwave for cooking peas but would hate to be without it - just in case! I love my stick blender for soups and the Tassimo for hot chocolate!

oldgoat Tue 24-May-16 20:50:55

We recently bought a Remoska for the campervan, which has no oven. So far its been used for roasting a whole chicken, making a sponge pudding, cooking curry and beef stew. The least useful item is a blowtorch bought on impulse from TK-Maxx , never used and hidden from GSs who would love it!

Grannyknot Tue 24-May-16 20:29:24

My favourite gadget is a silicone spatula my SIL bought me.

Nothing lurks in the back of my cupboard, I give them away. grin

Nonnie1 Tue 24-May-16 20:10:03

The best gadget in my house is me. I am universal. I am woman smile

sunseeker Tue 24-May-16 15:40:44

Most used is the hot water dispenser. It boils just enough water for one cup so I don't waste power boiling a kettle, I use it throughout the day. Least used now is the bread maker. DH loved to make his own bread but now it sits in the cupboard unloved and unused!

NanaandGrampy Tue 24-May-16 15:29:38

Best are my Halgen oven and my Tassimo coffee maker...latte without fuss!

Worst my bread maker as I just haven't got the hang of it and the are only so many door stops you can make!!

Marmight Tue 24-May-16 13:37:50

Tops are a small circular 'scissor' which chops off the top of a boiled egg along with the afore mentioned stick whizzer. I have a number of boxed electrical gadgets which haven't seen the light of day for years, but the most recent is a small bread maker which I have only used once - it was a present from one of my DDs - please don't tell her! blush

bitbot Tue 24-May-16 13:27:00

my most useful gadgets are not terribly gadgety but my stick blender has been going 20 years and still works perfectly. It's basic in that it is just a stick blender and doesn't come with attachments etc but is perfect for soups and sauces. The nearest one I can find is this

www.johnlewis.com/bosch-msm6b150gb-hand-blender-white/p623273

and magnetic measuring spoons with two ends - mine are from Lakeland years ago and a different colour but these look the same. Really the best thing I highly recommend

www.amazon.co.uk/Prepworks-Piece-White-Measuring-Spoon/dp/B00QZCLXSA

obieone Tue 24-May-16 13:23:17

Now I have read the other posts, I seem to be opposite to them!

obieone Tue 24-May-16 13:22:08

sandwich maker - though dont use it a great deal
used to be popcorn maker

not used - electric can opener given to me as a gift and still in it's box

annodomini Tue 24-May-16 13:18:07

An intrusive 'is' in that post. Apologies to fellow pedants