Don’t Waste Your Money On These Kitchen Tools
We all have kitchen utensils we love, and kitchen tools we never use. This is my list of useless kitchen tools that I would advise you not to waste your money (or your drawer space) on!
See that drawer? That is what just one of our kitchen tool drawers looked like late last year. It doesn’t look anything like that now, however. Before we went down to Florida, Hubby and I dumped everything from our kitchen tool drawers and went through everything! If it was gross, we dumped it. If we had duplicates, we decided what type/how many were staying up here, and how many were heading down to Florida for the kitchen there.
Since we had a lot of duplicates, we didn’t buy many new utensils when we set up the kitchen down at our condo. And quite honestly due to space constraints, some of the items we did take down to the condo never made it to those drawers.
Clearly we have a lot of kitchen tools, utensils, gadgets…. whatever you want to call them. Too much stuff by any other name is just called junk.
And I blame Hubby.
What, you thought differently?
I have written on a number of occasions that my husband hates to part with anything “good” that might be “useful” in the future. And we all know my definition of “good” and “useful” don’t always intersect with his definition.
So cleaning out those kitchen drawers was a good step for him. We got rid of the spatulas that were melted, the spoons that were pitted, and a few things we couldn’t figure out why we had them in the first place.
Oh sure there were a few tears and much teeth gnashing, but in the end Hubby sucked it up and let some things go.
Now there were indeed a few things that we were scratching our heads over trying to figure out why in the world we paid good money, and dedicated good drawer space, to these items.
While we all have our favorite kitchen tools we can’t live without, these are my picks for five items you should not waste your money or drawer space on:
A Melon Baller – Come on, tell the truth. You have one of these in your drawer. And when was the last time you actually balled fruit for some grand party presentation?
I thought so.
Cutting your fruit in slices is just as pretty, a lot less time consuming, and no one will know or care that you didn’t ball the fruit.
A Plastic Scraper – Hubby needed one. If he was going to get a pastry scraper, that I could understand, but this one? Not-so-much.
A Pizza Cutter – This one was alllllllll Sonny-boy. Apparently he never heard of a knife!?
And you will notice that he needed this pizza cutter so very much, that he left it here when he moved out.
A Pastry Crimper – REALLY!? I have no idea when Hubby snuck this into the house but you will notice it isn’t even out of its packaging. And from where we unburied it in the drawer, my guess is it had been there a long, long time.
Ice Cream Scoop or Spade – There was no way I was writing this article and not including an ice cream scoop!!
Every single time I have ice cream, I get out a spoon to dish out my ice cream from carton to bowl.
And every single time I do this, Hubby’s “ice cream scoop radar” goes off. He runs into the kitchen gasping and squawking, slams a few drawers, grabs the ice cream scoop, leans in, takes away my bowl, ice cream and spoon, and proceeds to dish up my ice cream using a scoop.
Meanwhile I am usually on the floor because I am laughing so hard.
He does this EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I eat ice cream. The pattern never changes. Sometimes in the summer I get the ice cream out just for laughs. I don’t want the ice cream, but this production is so hilarious I feel compelled to keep him on his toes.
Clearly I feel an ice cream scoop is pretty useless, and Hubby feels it is an essential kitchen tool. Where do you fall on the subject?
So what kitchen utensils would you tell someone: Don’t Waste Your Money On These Kitchen Tools!
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Skirnir Hamilton says
We don’t have a melon baller, and our pizza cutter is used weekly for pizza night. I just find it easier to cut pizza with a pizza cutter than with a knife. Our pasta crimper as you call it, is used when we make homemade ravioli to cut them/seal them. We only make ravioli a few times a year, but we do use the crimper thing. Ice Cream scoops I tend not to use, but my hubby does. Mine was free, so I can’t complain. I am sure there is something I would add to your list, but can’t figure what it would be. Another utensil hubby tends to use and I do not.. is a whisk.
Ann says
You don’t bake, Skirnir? I ask because I use one of my whisks a lot when I am baking. Hubby uses them for gravy, when something needs thickening, etc.
Interesting on the pizza cutter…
Ann
Marie says
My pizza cutter was free but I would never use it on non-stick cookie sheets! Nor a knife! I use kitchen shears (which in my house always disappear because they are sooo popular for everything–of the 6 pairs in 10 years only one has broken). When I put the pizza on a plate to use a knife (disappearing act forces me to do this on occasion) half slides off onto the table. Note to self: sharpen knives. As for the ice cream scoop, a must have because I love ice cream cones. The one item I never use is for juicing citrus.
But I have to insist that every household MUST have chopsticks! I can go on and on about that!
Ann says
You know, that is an excellent idea for a post, Marie… different ways to sharpen knives. Of course it wouldn’t be me doing it, it would be Hubby! And I could video tape it!
Ann
Marie says
I’m scared to watch my son sharpen knives. Last time I did I said, “Hey, why don’t you cut a piece of paper like they do TV.” He proceeded to bleed on the kitchen floor. I don’t watch him and SURELY don’t make any more comments. Even though it was a small nick, I felt responsible for the accident. Me and my big mouth.
BTW, I got an email notifying me that there was a comment!! 🙂
Stephanie K. says
I’m totally with you on the melon baller, I’ve almost tossed mine on so many occasions. I’m sure I’ll never use it, but it’s a cute purple one and it doesn’t take up that much space… 🙂
As for the pizza cutter, I’m with Skirnir, I use mine at least once a week for pizza. I have a rather large one, so it doubles as the spatula for getting the slices to the plate also. I also use it when I make crackers, it doesn’t bunch up the edges of the dough like a knife would.
I only use my ice cream scoop when we have a birthday party. For everyday use it’s just one more thing to wash and totally not worth it. When I was a kid we had really cheep flatware and HAD to use the ice cream scoop or else get in trouble for bending the spoons!
One tool I really need to get rid of is the egg separator, I always think I’ll use it, but I grew up watching my mom do the whole juggle-the-yolk back and forth in the shell method, so that’s what I always do.
Ann says
Boy have I been out voted on the pizza wheel!
You know, I have no idea where my egg separator went, Stephanie! That really was one useless, unnecessary kitchen too! I juggle too. I don’t think I ever used that separator!
Ann
cat says
I use the egg separator because I’m allergic to egg yolks. Cheaper to get a dozen eggs rather than Eggbeaters or other non-yolk egg products.
KimH says
I can live with or without that pizza cutter.. but my step son used it daily for years.. He hardly ate anything else. I have one.. & I use it on the rare occasion that I cut pizza..
Same with the ice cream scoop.. D uses it..(His is yellow just like yours minus the promotion letting) its the ONLY thing he’ll scoop ice cream with.. I dont like plastic much so I can do without.. I like the stainless one though.. I dont have one but I’d probably use it if I did.. but.. I only scoop ice cream once or twice max a year so its kinda moot for me anyways. 😉
I agree with the melon baller.. not my idea of fun..
Isnt that plastic scraper made for tupperware & their lids? I dont have one & never have..
I went thru my drawers quite a few years ago & got rid of most of the junk in there I didnt like or want. I think the only thing in there I really dont use is a plastic drainer thingy that sits down in an opened can so that you can drain the liquid from a can without the food falling out.. D actually uses it when he opens cans.. lol.. There are some things I just roll my eyes & shake my head at.. that is one of them.
I’ve got a double wheel pastry cutter tool in there.. I dont think I’ve ever used it & I dont know where it came from One side crimps and the other cuts.. Hmn.. I must have had plans sometime or another to make perogies.. Actually… D may have bought it from a guy who was making perogies for a while.. He likes them. Me, not so much.
I use my whisks all the time.. and strainers… and spoonulas & spatula scrapers… I’d die without them.
Ann says
I think it was some sort of pot scraper, Kim… but not sure at all. The was one of his odder purchases if you ask me. I wish I could go through the drawers by myself without Hubby having heart failure after I cull. The downside of his doing most of the cooking I guess.
Ann
KimH says
FYI.. today was the first time I’ve gotten a reply to anything on your blog in ages.. like 6 months at least.. whatever was wrong with the notifications seems to be working now.. awesome!
I agree on going thru the drawers to suit yourself.. I did, but I do all the cooking. I put all the “chaff” in a box & told D if he wanted any of it, he needed to tell me. I dont throw his old stuff away.. I just box it up and hide it in the basement, mostly. I originally did that because who knew if I was gonna stay or not.. I didnt want to throw his stuff away in case I didnt.. 🙂 One thing he insists on keeping that I find totally useless is Corn Cob Holders.. We’ve got a jar full of them. They used to rattle around in the silverware drawer & I got attacked often.. no more. I think it irritates him that they’re in a jar in a cupboard, but too bad.. when he runs the kitchen he can put them where he wants. 😉
Karen Fritts says
I agree with the melon baller. But I do use the other things, always use the egg separator..
JenniferC says
I don’t use my melon baller for its intended purpose . I use it to remove the core from apples and pears after I’ve cut them in half. It works perfectly! I also use it to remove seeds from jalapeños and other peppers. It’s a very useful tool. You just have to think outside the box 🙂
Brandi B says
I keep both the melonballer and ice cream scoop for baking. One ice cream scoop per muffin tin to portion out baking mix, melon baller for cookies and meatballs when I batch cook. Try the scraper next to the sink for stuck on foods in pots and casseroles before dropping them in the sink. It makes cleanup so much easier.