Most outlandish/useless/expensive kitchen gadget

Dr. Dog said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal.

My mother has an electric fruit and vegetable peeler. I don't think it
was very expensive, but it certainly ranks high on the list of useless.
It takes up a lot more storage space than a regular peeler. The two
times I used it I found that it worked better if it wasn't turned on.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dr. Dog said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers".

Emma Thackery said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dr. Dog said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a

slotted

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

market now for chefs who have everything?

Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers".

Actually, I just remembered my grandfather's electric carving knife, a
Christmas present from my parents. He carefully took it to the basement
and stored it, unopened. He preferred sharpening up the steel knife on
a Sunday, and good for him.

They still make those things?

Dog

"Dr. Dog" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal.

Dog

I rec'd as a gift a 'pizza' set which included a huge wooden 'get the pizza
outta the brick oven' thingy. It's in a pile to be gotten rid of - i'm not
sure why i ever kept it so long, except that it was one of those things i
knew i'd never buy myself.
Teri

Quoted message said:

Dog3 said:

I think it would be my ice cream maker. It is usually cheaper and easier
to buy ice cream on sale than make it.

I bought an ice cream maker almost two years ago. I have not bought ice cream
since I go the thing. I make all the ice cream we eat here. It is not cheaper
than the cheap stuff, but is is cheaper than the expensive stuff, and usually
just as good or better.

"Dr. Dog" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal.

Dog

Around in the 30's to 40's there were electric margerine mixers.

Dimitri

http://www.margarine.org/historyofmargarine.html

1932
Besides Federal taxes and licenses, 27 states prohibited the manufacture or
sale of colored margarine, 24 imposed some kind of consumer tax and 26
required licenses or otherwise restricted margarine sales. The Army, Navy
and other Federal agencies were barred from using margarine for other than
cooking purposes.

Dave Smith said:

Dr. Dog said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal.

My mother has an electric fruit and vegetable peeler. I don't think it
was very expensive, but it certainly ranks high on the list of useless.
It takes up a lot more storage space than a regular peeler. The two
times I used it I found that it worked better if it wasn't turned on.

I have a battery powered flour sifter. I have never used it, because
sifting is seldom required now. Does anybody want it? :o)

Dimitri said:

"Dr. Dog" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a

slotted

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

market now for chefs who have everything?

A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal.

Dog

Around in the 30's to 40's there were electric margerine mixers.

Slightly OT, but you prodded my memory. When I was a very small kid, my
Mom gave me the task of kneading margarine--it came in a box like
butter, but inside was a thick platic wrap and a little bubble of
yellow food-colouring to be mixed by kneading with the white,
lardy-looking paste. First time I tasted butter was when we moved to
Quebec--where margarine was illegal!

Dog

Far as I can tell said:

A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal.

My old salad shooter had to be my worst investment.

Of course, I'm pretty [censored] that our Kitchenaide corkscrew has no beer bottle
opener.

"Emma Thackery" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Electric can openers

You probably do not have difficulty using a manual can opener. I do. I love
my electric can opener. It saves a lot of pain and frustration.

Charliam

at Thu, 21 Apr 2005 19:14:50 GMT in <1114110890.887833.128590
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>, [email hidden] (Dr. Dog) wrote :

Quoted message said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

Chocolate temperers
Electric deep-fryers

At a lower price point:

Pizza stones
Charlotte moulds
Herb mincers
Preformed pie shields
Donut cutters
Muffin-top tins
Bagel slicers

Actually, though, my favourites are ones many people would dispute the
"useless" tag. My personal opinion is that the following are truly useless
and people only use them out of habit.

Microwave ovens
Nonstick pans
Stainless steel knives

--
Alex Rast
[email hidden]
(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

"Alex Rast" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

at Thu, 21 Apr 2005 19:14:50 GMT in <1114110890.887833.128590
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>, [email hidden] (Dr. Dog) wrote :

Quoted message said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

Chocolate temperers
Electric deep-fryers

At a lower price point:

Pizza stones
Charlotte moulds
Herb mincers
Preformed pie shields
Donut cutters
Muffin-top tins
Bagel slicers

Actually, though, my favourites are ones many people would dispute the
"useless" tag. My personal opinion is that the following are truly useless
and people only use them out of habit.

Microwave ovens
Nonstick pans
Stainless steel knives

Pretty good list with only three boners.

Pizza stone - essential for good crusts and certain kinds of bread.

Microwave - excellent for fish. Does a perfect job on risotto and polenta
with 1/10 the effort.

Nonstick pans - not really necessary but make so many dishes easier with no
loss in quality.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

"Dr. Dog" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal.

Dog

How about garlic presses? I've wasted a lot of garlic trying to justify the
expense of that piece of scrap metal.

Scott.

Goomba38 said:

Margaret Suran said:

I have a battery powered flour sifter. I have never used it,

because

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sifting is seldom required now. Does anybody want it? :o)

I lost my sifter years ago in a move and never replaced it when I
realized that using a simple wire mesh sift/drainer (bowl sized on a
handle) works just as well.

I love anything that can do double duty. 🙂
Goomba

That's what's so great about a penis! 😉

Sheldon

Emma Thackery said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dr. Dog said:

Anyone have any nominations?

I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted
olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is
there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the
market now for chefs who have everything?

Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers".

aaaugh! i hate electric can openers!

--

saerah

"I think there's a clause in the Shaman's and Jujumen's Local #57 Union
contract that they have to have reciprocity for each other's shop rules."
-König Prüß

Dave Smith said:

Dog3 said:

I think it would be my ice cream maker. It is usually cheaper and easier
to buy ice cream on sale than make it.

I bought an ice cream maker almost two years ago. I have not bought ice cream
since I go the thing. I make all the ice cream we eat here. It is not cheaper
than the cheap stuff, but is is cheaper than the expensive stuff, and usually
just as good or better.

Especially if you use the Ben & Jerry's "cookbook." I haven't bought
ice cream in years. The family agrees that nothing beats the homemade
ice cream.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA

"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 16:31:07 -0400, "Teri" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I rec'd as a gift a 'pizza' set which included a huge wooden 'get the pizza
outta the brick oven' thingy.

<snip>

It's called a pizza peel.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA

"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

Dave Smith said:

Dog3 said:

I think it would be my ice cream maker. It is usually cheaper and easier
to buy ice cream on sale than make it.

I bought an ice cream maker almost two years ago. I have not bought ice cream
since I go the thing. I make all the ice cream we eat here. It is not cheaper
than the cheap stuff, but is is cheaper than the expensive stuff, and usually
just as good or better.

Which ice cream maker did you get? About a month ago I asked people
here in rfc which ice cream maker they recommended and at the time I
thought $100 would buy me a decent machine. I learned different. I'm
still interested in a good machine and would like to know about yours.

Thanks, Ginny

Margaret Suran said:

I have a battery powered flour sifter. I have never used it, because
sifting is seldom required now. Does anybody want it? :o)

I lost my sifter years ago in a move and never replaced it when I
realized that using a simple wire mesh sift/drainer (bowl sized on a
handle) works just as well. I love anything that can do double duty. 🙂
Goomba