If your house is like mine, Spring cleaning was a moving target and Summer became chaos. Moving into the Fall, I tucked away my dehydrator for herbs and sifted through my expired emergency kit, as I pulled out Halloween supplies in the basement. I noticed the never used enameled pot and mason jars for canning. And I found my husband has commandeered my expensive Tupperware for storing screws and leftover paint.
If you are looking to save space, here is a list of items I’ve learned I don’t need, and a few I can’t live without.
Kitchen items you don’t need
Fondue Pots
I had five fondue pots in my house at the same time. No joke. I didn’t purchase any of them. Nor did I ever have one on a gift registry. I came to the conclusion that one reproduced asexually after a Christmas regifting from my sister-in-law. I’ve made fondue once, only because I had the fondue pot. I have a mostly unused bottle of kirsch liqueur from that dinner as well. No one was crazy about the meal and cleanup was a pain. Unless you adorn fondue, toss the pot and find a specialty restaurant for the few times you have to have it.
Double Boiler
How often do you need a double boiler? When I need one, I use a small metal bowl inside a larger saucepan. If you feel you absolutely need one, get one that can be used as two separate saucepans – like the one above. And if you can’t live without fondue, double boilers make better fondue pots than fondue pots. Cheese and chocolate won’t burn on the bottom.
Herb or Kale Stripper
I had three types of herb strippers in my home. I’ve used them with kale and herbs. I always reverted back to a knife and fingers.
Fancy Shaped Cake Pans
I own the above-pictured pan for a train. I used it once when my kids liked Thomas the Tank Engine. After following the pound cake recipe that comes with the pan exactly, it didn’t come out of the pan looking like a train. Simple rectangular shaped cakes, with marzipan decorations, would look just as good. Admittedly the large, bowl-shaped, character pans work better. But unless you have twelve kids, who all want an Elmo shaped cake, you’re better off ordering one from a cake shop.
Tupperware
Yes, Tupperware. Tupperware sells itself on the hope and dream of instant organization and dreams of neat and tidy school and office lunches. The storage containers then take over your kitchen cabinet and fall all over the place when you go looking for the right size. After a few washes, lunches leak. I still have Tupperware in the house, but I am not replacing items as they disappear. I use plastic baggies most of the time now. Or this Chef’s Buddy food storage system, which stacks neatly and fills most of my family’s needs.
Useful Tools
Here is the list of kitchen tools I won’t live without:
French Rolling Pin
Regular Rolling Pin
French Rolling Pin
About the time I started baking seriously, my sister-in-law gave me a French rolling pin. It is a game changer! I have control over the pressure during pastry rolling and it takes up less space than a bulky standard rolling pin!
Bear Claws
I love my slow cooker. I often make bulk chicken or pork to use in meals all week. Shredding with forks is time-consuming. I end up chopping, then shredding. But this product is amazing! Be careful when you use them. They are dangerously sharp, but double as a personal security system.
Plastic Basting Brush
I’ve given up pulling basting brush hairs off my food and worrying about cleaning off thick sauces and raw egg. Plastic brushes can be thrown in the dishwasher and work just as well as the shedding variety.
Oil Dispenser
I store the Costco-sized olive oil in the basement and keep a smaller glass container by the oven. It saves counter space and is easier to pour quickly.
Personal Blenders
I rarely use a blender, so I normally wouldn’t recommend this product. But I packed away our large Black N Decker blender and a large food processor and replaced them with a personal blender. (Yes, there are many pieces to store, as with Tupperware. I store all the cups in the space once reserved for Tupperware.) It’s perfect for most small food processor jobs. And my kids use the blender all the time for smoothies. They make and drink out of the same container, so there is no cleaning a heavy 2-quart, glass blender after each drink.
What kitchen gadgets do you love and which can you do without? Let us know in the comments!
Picture Source: Pixabay
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