Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos

DesertRose · 09-04-2008, 03:45 PM

I just know many of you have gadgets and gizmos in your kitchen. What are your best finds?

My MIL gave me a Magic Bullet for Christmas last year and, while I like it for some things (smoothies, grinding coffee and/or spices, frothing milk), I find it doesn't chop food as advertised. A couple of months ago, my baby started eating chunkier foods and I was frustrated because I couldn't get the consistency I liked. So I went to Walmart and purchased a $10 Black and Decker mini food processor. I love that thing. I've used it with success to make chunky salsas and guacamoles too!

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buglover · 09-04-2008, 03:46 PM

A meat grinder. It is my best friend! We like to make chicken burgers and finding ground chicken isn't easy and it's really expensive too! We just grind up boneless skinless breasts and make our burgers. It's not my job to clean it so I guess that's why it's my best friend!

Lil Bit · 09-04-2008, 03:48 PM

I'm thinking of getting a rice cooker with my Coke points. I remember seeing some discussion of them on another thread. (the recipe thread maybe) Anyway, how do they work? Are they pretty fool proof? I'm a pretty good cook, but rice has always been my downfall. Mine always turns out mushy.

buglover · 09-04-2008, 03:50 PM

I had a rice cooker years ago and it was very simple. I put the water and rice in it, closed the lid, turned it on and came back when it was done. Rice was perfect. I love sticky white rice and the cooker did it perfectly!

**Mariner** · 09-04-2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil Bit

I'm thinking of getting a rice cooker with my Coke points. I remember seeing some discussion of them on another thread. (the recipe thread maybe) Anyway, how do they work? Are they pretty fool proof? I'm a pretty good cook, but rice has always been my downfall. Mine always turns out mushy.

They are completely foolproof as long as you add the right amount of water. The only trick is adjusting for different kinds of rice and they pretty much all come with a guide that tells you how much to add. I love mine, and it's a completely cheap model. I never worry about how my rice will turn out.

livin4reality · 09-04-2008, 03:59 PM

I got a rice cooker and never even opened the box! Just never had any problem with stove top method and couldn't see a use for another appliance. I think I ended up freecycling it.

The appliance I couldn't live without would be my coffee maker. I remember my mother using a perculator (sp) on the stove for her coffee and it seemed to take forever..I wouldn't even know any other way to make coffee.

myrosiedog · 09-04-2008, 04:13 PM

I can't make rice either, so my rice cooker is a savior.

I love my magic bullet. I too got it for Christmas a few years ago and it's been great.
But then I also have a full size food processor that I use a LOT. It's probably the one gadget that gets the most use in my kitchen. But the MB is great for smaller things, like grinding coffee beans, chopping nuts, making smoothies, etc.

buglover · 09-04-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by livin4reality

I got a rice cooker and never even opened the box! Just never had any problem with stove top method and couldn't see a use for another appliance. I think I ended up freecycling it.

The appliance I couldn't live without would be my coffee maker. I remember my mother using a perculator (sp) on the stove for her coffee and it seemed to take forever..I wouldn't even know any other way to make coffee.

I love coffee makers too. I have three of them. One I use daily, a back-up of the same one in a box in case it breaks and an old Mr Coffee for flavored coffee should a guest want some of that.

**Marleybone** · 09-04-2008, 04:31 PM

I'm getting a Magic Bullet for my birthday, I'm very excited.

I think I would like the mini-food processor too though. I rarely use my big food processer because it's a pain in the butt to drag out and I don't have the counter space to leave it out.

I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant about 10 years ago, so I had every gadget in the book - but I've found over the years that I'm really not that much of a gadget person and the one tool I use more than anything else is my big Santoku knife.

DesertRose · 09-04-2008, 04:43 PM

Marley, I never use my big food processor. I don't cook large enough quantities to need it. But the mini one is great and so inexpensive.
I just bought a (I think) good quality Santoku knife at the Oneida warehouse. I love it.

09-04-2008, 03:45 PM	#1
DesertRose When coffee just won't do Join Date: May 2005 Location: Reno hell Posts: 3,325	Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos I just know many of you have gadgets and gizmos in your kitchen. What are your best finds? My MIL gave me a Magic Bullet for Christmas last year and, while I like it for some things (smoothies, grinding coffee and/or spices, frothing milk), I find it doesn't chop food as advertised. A couple of months ago, my baby started eating chunkier foods and I was frustrated because I couldn't get the consistency I liked. So I went to Walmart and purchased a $10 Black and Decker mini food processor. I love that thing. I've used it with success to make chunky salsas and guacamoles too!

09-04-2008, 03:46 PM	#2
buglover Praying for my buddy. Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CA Age: 35 Posts: 9,634 Blog Entries: 4	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos A meat grinder. It is my best friend! We like to make chicken burgers and finding ground chicken isn't easy and it's really expensive too! We just grind up boneless skinless breasts and make our burgers. It's not my job to clean it so I guess that's why it's my best friend! __________________ Roasting in the California Sun.

09-04-2008, 03:48 PM	#3
Lil Bit FORT Fogey Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Iowa Posts: 894	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos I'm thinking of getting a rice cooker with my Coke points. I remember seeing some discussion of them on another thread. (the recipe thread maybe) Anyway, how do they work? Are they pretty fool proof? I'm a pretty good cook, but rice has always been my downfall. Mine always turns out mushy.

09-04-2008, 03:50 PM	#4
buglover Praying for my buddy. Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CA Age: 35 Posts: 9,634 Blog Entries: 4	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos I had a rice cooker years ago and it was very simple. I put the water and rice in it, closed the lid, turned it on and came back when it was done. Rice was perfect. I love sticky white rice and the cooker did it perfectly! __________________ Roasting in the California Sun.

09-04-2008, 03:59 PM	#6
livin4reality smooshy face! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: jayhawk land Posts: 1,715	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos I got a rice cooker and never even opened the box! Just never had any problem with stove top method and couldn't see a use for another appliance. I think I ended up freecycling it. The appliance I couldn't live without would be my coffee maker. I remember my mother using a perculator (sp) on the stove for her coffee and it seemed to take forever..I wouldn't even know any other way to make coffee. __________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Anonymous

09-04-2008, 04:13 PM	#7
myrosiedog FORT Fogey Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Somewhere way South of the North Pole Age: 46 Posts: 11,625 Blog Entries: 7	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos I can't make rice either, so my rice cooker is a savior. I love my magic bullet. I too got it for Christmas a few years ago and it's been great. But then I also have a full size food processor that I use a LOT. It's probably the one gadget that gets the most use in my kitchen. But the MB is great for smaller things, like grinding coffee beans, chopping nuts, making smoothies, etc. __________________ Yes we can, Yes we DID!! President Elect Barack Obama. Que me amat, amet et canem meum (Who loves me will love my dog also)

09-04-2008, 04:31 PM	#9
Marleybone Twilight Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 14,404	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos I'm getting a Magic Bullet for my birthday, I'm very excited. I think I would like the mini-food processor too though. I rarely use my big food processer because it's a pain in the butt to drag out and I don't have the counter space to leave it out. I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant about 10 years ago, so I had every gadget in the book - but I've found over the years that I'm really not that much of a gadget person and the one tool I use more than anything else is my big Santoku knife. __________________ A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check Made payable to The United States of America for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

09-04-2008, 04:43 PM	#10
DesertRose When coffee just won't do Join Date: May 2005 Location: Reno hell Posts: 3,325	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos Marley, I never use my big food processor. I don't cook large enough quantities to need it. But the mini one is great and so inexpensive. I just bought a (I think) good quality Santoku knife at the Oneida warehouse. I love it.