Don’t Waste Money On These Pointless Kitchen Appliances

Meat-Shredding Claws, $8 – $15

Meat-shredding claws look cool. There’s no denying that looking like Wolverine will make anyone feel awesome. Since they usually cost between $7 and $15 at Target and Walmart, people may think that they’re a good deal. They would be if they weren’t useless.

Most meat-shredders are made of nylon, and their “claws” bend after a single-use, according to Amazon reviews. Even if you get metal, they’re still harder to use than shredding meat with two forks. Chef Alton Brown tested meat-shedders and said that they weren’t sturdy or necessary.

Electric Can Opener, $20 – $30

The electric can opener is a prime example of a tool that occupies too much precious counter space. Handheld can openers cost $5 on Amazon. Unless you struggle to move your hands, you likely don’t need an electric can opener.

This gadget wouldn’t be so atrocious if it didn’t cost between $15 and $30. If it breaks, you have to pay more for repair costs or purchase another one. If you physically struggle to open cans, this tool may help you. Otherwise, stick to the manual technique.

Bread Maker, $40 – $300

Your kitchen already comes with a built-in bread making machine; it’s called an oven. The cheapest bread maker costs $50 at Walmart, while most others cost between $200 and $300. That’s a lot to pay for a recipe you can make without the machine. For professional appliance repair services and cost-effective solutions, visit https://cooperfix.ca to keep your kitchen appliances running smoothly.

Bread makers market accessibility by relieving the burden of kneading your bread. But there are plenty of no-knead and no-yeast recipes out there. You can use these recipes to save money and not have a giant bread maker consume your space.

Pie Bird, $4 – $24

Unless you’ve used a pie bird, you probably don’t know what this funky contraption is. Also called a pie vent, pie birds are ceramic tools that ventilate a pie. It keeps the filling inside the crust and prevents it from bubbling over. Although they’ve been around since Victorian times, most pie pros don’t use them at all.

Have you seen those wavy pie crusts? That’s a method called pie fluting, in which bakers shape the crusts to ventilate steam. It looks far classier than a pie bird and doesn’t cost you $24.

Popcorn Machine, $50 – $400

Popcorn machines usually cost between $50 and $400. Unless you’re running a movie theater, why do you need a popcorn machine? If you want to save money on raw kernels, here’s a method to pop them without using a machine. You can cook popcorn in a regular pot by pouring oil into a pan, adding raw kernels, and waiting for them to pop.

If you want movie-style popcorn, raid your pantry. You can spice up your snack with garlic powder, Italian seasonings, curry powder, or lemon pepper. You can also buy a $12 cheesy popcorn seasoning and save $388 on a machine.

Pizza Scissors, $19 – $30

The reason people use scissors for pizza is to not pay for a rolling cutter. If you make more expensive scissors, that steals the appeal. Scizzas have a ledge that helps you dish the slice after cutting it. But most people already own spatulas or–dare we say it–their hands. You don’t need to spend $20 to $30 on fancy scissors.

Magic Tap, $6 – $13

Reviews of the $13 Magic Tap describe the object as “too tall, too touchy” and unable to fit on standard-sized containers. The product will often continue to shoot juice until you manage to reset it at just the right angle. Save yourself the hassle.

Pancake Printer, $240 – $2,000

If you want to make your pancake look like the Eiffel Tower, all the power to you. But go for the cheaper option; don’t pay $2,000 for one. Shaping custom pancakes without a fancy appliance provides more laughs and takes less time. Pancake printers don’t need to exist.

Salad Spinner, $20 – $70

If you eat salads every day, you might benefit from a salad spinner. But be aware that they consume quite a bit of cabinet space. Unless you’re making giant salads, spinners often take the same amount of time as patting your lettuce dry or shaking it a bit.

Electric Salt And Pepper Grinders, $30 – $70

If you want a grinder, you’ll save a lot of money buying manual grinders (which cost $15 to $30). Better yet, avoid the hassle altogether by buying regular salt and pepper shakers.

Avocado Masher, $7 – $15

If you buy an avocado tool, buy a 3-in-1 slicer. This $7 to $10 tool slices, mashes, and removes the pit of an avocado all at once. That’s far cheaper than a $10 to $20 masher and far more useful. Otherwise, cook like the rest of us and use a fork.

Asparagus Steamer, $24 – $60

If you cut your asparagus, you can fit it into a regular steamer (same price range, but you get more use out of it). Otherwise, you can dampen your asparagus, place it in a container and cover it with plastic wrap with ventilation, and bake it in the microwave for two to four minutes. Viola–you save $60.

Pasta Maker, $63 – $300

Modern health movements have been pushing people to make their own bread and noodles for a while now. If you want to make fresh noodles, you can do so without a machine, as chefs have been doing for centuries. Or you can pay up to $300 for a pasta maker.

While pasta makers are supposed to be convenient, they actually make your work harder. There’s a technique to folding pasta dough and cutting it to create neat, untangled noodles. Meanwhile, pasta makers crank out piles of noodles and are a hassle to clean. They’re not worth the money or the effort.

Omelet Maker, $17 – $22

Again–why do we need a product that does the same thing as a stovetop? Most of us cook omelets by using a nonstick pan and flipping it. You don’t need to purchase another tool for one single meal. Unless you eat omelets for every meal, you don’t need this.

Sure, omelets are difficult to slip in a pan. But once you master that, they become one of the easiest, quickest meals to make. Either you can spend $10 to $20 on an omelet maker, or cook five omelets on a pan until you master the art of flipping.

Egg Cooker, $17 – $40

To make hard- or soft-boiled eggs, you need a pot, water, and eggs. Or do you? Stores such as Target, Kohl’s, and Williams-Sonoma sell egg cookers specifically designed to take up space. On the cheap end, they’re $17. Others cost up to $20 or $40.

The benefit to egg cookers is that they keep each egg separated. If you want that, you can buy egg racks that fit inside of your pot. They cost less (about $10) and don’t occupy valuable counter space. But we don’t need to tell you that you can boil eggs without one.

Taco Holder, $16

It is no secret that eating tacos and placing them on plates can be a messy ordeal. So, a taco holder might sound like a sound purchase. The thing is, the mess is all part of the experience.

Also, the funky-looking appliance will do people no good when it comes to storage, as it is a zig-zag plate that really doesn’t fit anywhere easily.

Pickle Picker, $4-$15

A pickle picker is used to grab pickles out of a jar via a claw-like mechanism without getting one’s hands in all of the juice. In theory, it is a sound idea. That being said, the long straw-like contraption is very awkward and a fork would do the same exact thing.

Save the $4 to $15 dollars and stick with a fork.

Garlic Press, $7-$43

While many people have a garlic press lying around their kitchen, it isn’t really a necessary tool to purchase. Hard to clean, a garlic press does nothing more than literally press garlic cloves.

There is no other way to prepare garlic with a press. A better use of $7 to $43 would be purchasing a good knife to chop, slice, and crush the cloves.

Source: HealthyGem