Kitchen gadgets love/hate them

Would say that when it became the craze for Soup Makers I was most disdainful. After all, I used a saucepan and an electric hand held whizzer to make soup. On Gransnet saw reviews and finally decided to try one - and became a total convert immediately.

I do not want to spend hours in the kitchen these days, want things that are very easy to use (and clean). Before I go out to an afternoon meeting, I can put everything ready into soup maker, and when I walk through the door, turn it on whilst sorting myself out. 25 minutes later sitting down to glorious home-made soup, piping hot and just one pot to wash up.

Hot water tap gives me boiling water - well! on tap, not only for hot drinks but also for saucepans for such things as pasta, etc. I do have and have had for some thirty years an egg boiler. This came about when I lived in my large family house, would put eggs on to hard boil and go down corridor to my office whilst they cooking - and invariably forgot them. Cannot say how many times I had to throw away saucepans and scrape exploded eggs of walls and ceiling. My son who was staying with me, at the time bought me this little egg boiler and I have had one ever since. I love boiled eggs, soft and hard, and this little, cheap gadget gives them to me quickly and with no fuss.

Obviously I have a toaster, and an electric can opener, air fryer, milk frother, (also does gorgeous hot choc), Kenwood type mixer on work top. In cupboard are smoothie maker, hand held electric whisk, small electric chopper (such things as nuts and onions). In a drawer is a machine than can make things like toasted sandwiches, or paninis.

I’m in the ‘hate’ category.

Only want the bare essentials, kettle, toaster, microwave…

No desire for boiling water taps, coffee makers, bread makers, air fryers, food processors etc etc.

Am I missing out? Probably. But not worried.

What a lovely present, Franbern. I love the smell of fresh coffee.

I'm a sucker for a gadget. I've never had a sausage maker - in fact I don't think I've ever seen a domestic one - but I am an 'early adopter' of new inventions. I don't have a soup maker, and it's one of the few things that don't tempt me. I make soup in the Instant Pot, and can't think how a soup maker would be easier. I did have a spiraliser, but only used it once. It was a faff to use, worse to clean, and spiral courgettes are distinctly underwhelming.

Now that I don't buy expensive lettuce in bags I love my salad spinner. However having replaced a charity shop purchase [a strange one; had holes in the bottom so I had to place it in a bowl to catch the water; whoever designed it obviously had never spun a salad in their lives]] I now find the Dunelm one I've bought off the internet is really big for the small amount of lettuce I use. Still, it's better than the other one. I've still got an unused spiralizer in my cupboard