Every kitchen has a drawer of gadgets that seemed like a good idea at the time. Most of them do one job that a knife, a spoon or a pan already does. This guide is for decluttering, or for the moment you're about to add one more. It isn't against gadgets. A few specialty tools earn their space; most don't.
Gadget, meet the tool you already own
| Gadget | What already does the job | How |
|---|---|---|
| Avocado slicer | A knife and a spoon | Halve it, scoop the pit out with a spoon, then slice and scoop the flesh. |
| Garlic press | A chef's knife | Crush the clove under the flat of the blade, then chop. One less thing to scrub. |
| Egg separator | The shell halves, or clean hands | Pass the yolk between shell halves over a bowl, or let the white slip through your fingers. |
| Multi-blade herb scissors | Ordinary kitchen shears | Snip herbs straight over the pan. |
| Strawberry huller | A paring knife or a sturdy straw | Cut a small cone around the stem, or push a straw up from the bottom. |
| Banana or egg slicer | A butter knife or chef's knife | Slice on the cutting board. |
| Corn stripper | A knife and a wide bowl | Stand the cob on end in the bowl and slice downward. |
| Pizza scissors | Kitchen shears or a chef's knife | Shears cut pizza well and do a dozen other jobs. |
| Pancake batter dispenser | A spouted measuring cup | Pour straight from the cup. |
| Odd-size measuring cups | A kitchen scale | Weighing replaces most cups and leaves fewer dishes. |
| One-dish appliances (quesadilla makers, egg cookers, hot dog toasters) | A skillet or a pot | They take counter space for a single dish. |
If you already own kitchen shears, they cover several lines of that table; the shears guide lists the jobs they handle. If odd measuring cups are crowding your drawer, why a kitchen scale beats measuring cups explains the switch.
Most gadgets do one job that a knife, a spoon or a pan already does.
When a specialty tool is worth it
Some single-purpose tools earn their drawer space. A good test is whether the tool does something your everyday tools can't, or does a job you repeat often much better or more safely.
- It measures something you can't judge by eye. You can't see whether chicken has reached 165°F, so a thermometer earns its place. A scale is similar for baking.
- You do the job every week. A salad spinner for someone who eats salad most days, or a fine grater for someone who zests and grates often.
- It makes a task safer or possible. An electric or smooth-edge can opener for weak or painful hands, or take-apart shears for someone who cuts raw chicken often.
- You do it in big batches. A cherry pitter during canning season saves real time. For one bowl of cherries, a straw or a knife is fine.
- It replaces several tools. One good pair of shears can retire the pizza scissors, the herb scissors and the knife you use to open packages.
A simple way to clear the drawer
- Empty the drawerPut everything on the counter so you can see it all at once.
- Put back what you used this monthThose are your keepers.
- Box the maybesPut the rest in a box, write today's date on it, and store it out of the way.
- Check back in a few monthsAnything you never went looking for can be donated or passed to someone setting up a first kitchen.
- Keep one of each duplicateTwo can openers, three peelers: keep the best one.
Before you buy the next gadget
- Name the job it does, and the tool you'd use for that job today.
- Be honest about how often you'd use it. Once or twice a year usually means skip it.
- Decide where it would live. If there's no room, something else has to go.
- Still unsure? Wait a couple of weeks. If you didn't miss it, you didn't need it.
The bottom line
A good knife, a cutting board, kitchen shears and a few pans do most of what single-use gadgets promise. Keep the specialty tools that measure, protect your hands, or do a job you repeat every week, and let the rest go.