# Useless Equipment



## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

Just curious as to what tools or equipment you _thougt_ would be useful and turned out to be something useless or just didn't work for you...


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

multicooker [deep fryer, slow cooker, rice cooker (?), etc.] I almost never fry or slow cook and you'd have to cook a mountain of rice to make it worthwhile to drag out the silly thing. Anyone want to buy it? Make a bid!

Also, I'm such a sucker, I bought one of those things - as seen on TV - that are supposed to segment your citrus fruits for you in a quick turn of the wrist. Not! Will throw it in FREE with anyone who wants the multicooker.

I think we should all sell or trade these gadgets that haven't worked out quite as planned. I got rid of a number of them during my last move...but can never resist buying more.  Just bought a gadget that promises to sharpen my never need sharpening knives [until I can afford a good set of Henckels or something].


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Nancy,

I got the citrus gizmo too. I had even read a article on gadget that said this was a good one. After one try, I had very nice and very small slices of fruit. There was twice as much left in the fruit. I returned the thing the next day.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Nancya and Iza,

I almost bought the citrus gizmo as well. I'm so glad I didn't bother.

My useless thing is called *"the garlic peeler"*/_"l'éplucheur d'ail"_!!!

It doesn't peel at all, rather it's meant to separate the cloves from the head.



[ June 12, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Pie divider. It was inherited, I didn't purchase it. I can't think of any other use for that piece of scrapmetal!

Kuan


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## svadhisthana (May 6, 2001)

Rolling herb mincer, It's a fine tool to have I just don't like it. I prefer to use my good old chefs knife. It's sits lonely in my cabinet in a basket with other lesser used items.


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## live_to_cook (Aug 23, 2000)

Somebody gave me one of those grill forks with a built-in thermometer in the tines, the theory being that then I could tell whether my steak was done.

I smiled and said thank you. My mother brought me up right.

What am I bid?


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## mofo1 (Oct 15, 2000)

Zyliss chz grater. Perfectly fine piece of gear. Had to have it. Used it twice in about ten years


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

that's funny mofo! what's great to one is annoying to others. I've been using my zyliss for about 10 years.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Kimmie,


Is l'eplucheur d'ail the plastic tube thing? I thought it worked well.

Have to go to La soupiere next week for the garlic mandoline. Hope they still have one.


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## theloggg (Sep 28, 1999)

an egg seperater. that's what hands are for.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

No Iza, are you thinking of the rubber tube that you roll on the counter?

It's from Starfrit and I wish I could describe it better. It separates the cloves from the head; it should have been sold as a "garlic separator" because it does not peel!

It may have been obsoleted by a newer model called Garlic Genius from Starfrit!.

Love my egg separator. I just hate having egg white on my hands!



[ June 15, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]


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## svadhisthana (May 6, 2001)

I always use the shell itself to seperate eggs(the one thing my mother taught me). A funnel works too.


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## linda smith (Mar 30, 2001)

Asparagus cooker.
This is a way stupid tall skinny pot with a metal basket insert in which one is supposed to stand the asparagus and submerge it into boiling water. Whoever designed it was assuming that asparagus spears are all approximately 3/4 of an inch thick. Certainly does NOT work for someone who likes skinny asparagus. I don't remember were this thing came from (former boyfried who liked fat asparagus?). I'll throw the pot in with the grill fork thermometer thing.


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## svadhisthana (May 6, 2001)

Linda, 
I have seen those in the store. But I, like you, enjoy skinny asparagus. Maybe we could all sell our useless kitchen gadgets to some poor gulible soul on Ebay. Anyone want the George Foreman grill my mother gave me?

[ June 15, 2001: Message edited by: Svadhisthana ]


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

Linda:

That asparagus cooker is pretty good for steaming 3-4 ears of corn, though.

Farm corn season is coming soon! It's the only thing that makes living in the Midwest worthwhile. It sure ain't the winters!

Mike


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Kimmie,

As a rule I now stay away from Starfrit products. None of them seem to work like they should.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Iza,

We learn our lessons...the hard way sometimes, don't we!


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## linda smith (Mar 30, 2001)

MikeLM:
What a sharp cookie you are! Thanks for the great idea for my poor pitiful little asparagus pot. I won't be heaving it out after all.
Thanks
Linda


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

Svadhisthana,

I challenge you to try this for me:

Take two raw eggs and two identical bowl.. Separate one using your shell method into one of the bowsl.

Seperate the other with your hands/fingers (same technique as the shells only using your fingers to allow the white to slip thru.) into the other bowl.

Now see which one separates more white from the yolk.


Linda,

Take your asparagus and stand them upright and tap so the bottoms are all even against the counter. Now turn them to the side, keeping the bottoms even. Take cotton string and tie them in a bundle. You can take two thin wooden skewers and break them so they are the same width as the asparagus cooker. Now stand your asparagus up again. Insert one wooden skewer thru the center of the asparagus cross way thru from one side of the bundle thru to the other side. Now do the same thing with the other skewer so that if you're looking down at your asparagus from the top, you've formed an x. Now you can insert the asparagus into the cooker and it will be standing upright, centered in your cooker. Enjoy!


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

LOL

Sorry, I couldn't resist  

Kuan


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

I've got a whole basket full of useless junk items too. One item is a cheese grater that is a wheel with a handle. Another is a garlic press, and yet another is a wheel with a bunch of smaller wheels that are supposed to do ? I always go back to the old fashioned way and avoid a lot of unecessary dishwashing.


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

Pastachef,

Sounds like you should just don't like wheels in general!  

Could the last one be a noodle cutter?


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Funny cchiu,

I was thinking of a herb cutter!


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

Hmmm, I guess it could be a noodle cutter, but I think the wheels are too widely spaced. It's probably an herb cutter.


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

Brilliant idea, Onesockchef. Even if that's not what it is, I'm sure it would work.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Iza,

Got the garlic mandoline yet???


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Believe it or not, I have no patience for infomercials but I've seen that one!

They cooked the chicken with the cake on top in the freezer!!!

I think...NOT!

[ June 18, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Obviously Kimmie: "There's one born every minute".


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