thinning out my kitchen gadgets, what to keep?

[Cassandra]

I am also hooked on the fun kitchen thing.

There are some things that I don't use very often, but would not want to live without like my electric mixer. When you need one, you just need one! (I don't have the wrist power to beat eggs to stiff peaks without one.) My blender. The first one I ever bought, five years ago to make my son's baby food. I love it.

I have gotten some things I thought I wanted, but should donate such as the popcorn popper and the snow cone maker. I don't care what they say, those cones aren't as good as the ones you BUY.

We use the microwave daily. The crockpot a few times a month. The waffle iron about twice a month (I make big batches and freeze)

All of my canning equipment. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

The new ice cream maker... I love it, but it's expensive to make ice cream (unless you own a cow.) Most recipes call for a whole quart of heavy cream, half a quart of half n half, and milk. That stuff isn't cheap! But one day, I hope to own a cow, so I'll hang on to it.

Cassandra

 

[enjoy the ride]

Cassandra- have you looked into sorbet's or sherberts?

 

[patandchickens]

There are some things that I don't use very often, but would not want to live without like my electric mixer. When you need one, you just need one! (I don't have the wrist power to beat eggs to stiff peaks without one.)

Have you tried a good (you have to look around a while to find one) eggbeater? The kind that uses two beaters like your electric mixer does but you turn the crank around and around to make 'em go? The ones they sell at, like, Walmart are not great but there are better ones in existance, if you keep an eye out.

We use the microwave daily

Yeah, my microwave would be one of the last things I'd ever consider getting rid of - the only things I'd rather keep would be my range and my fridge - and I don't see ever ditching it unless somehow electricity became long-term impossible to use, which is not going to happen I don't believe. NOTHING beats a microwave for melting butter, heating frozen stuff, heating canned or frozen sauces, refrigerated leftovers, etc. Not only is it faster and much more energy efficient but you can warm things up in the same bowl you will eat or serve it in - a giant, giant plus in my book

Because for a long time I moved from one state to another every coupla years with no moving van just a car, I've never collected many appliances - what *has* accrued has mostly been gifts. What I find myself having to rein in right now is the accumulation of COOKWARE. Different size muffin tins that people offer to give me for free; great big pots or kettles that I already have one that size but it's only $2 at the thrift store and hey you can never have too many big pots; that sort of thing.

I think the big pots are probably worth keeping but I do not really need four roasting pans. Or do I? This recipe I discovered this summer, where you pack yer tomatoes whole into roasting pans and bake them 350F for like 3-4 hrs then puree in food mill to get a WONDERFUL sauce really does take a lot of roasting pans at one time...

Ah well, they can live in the basement, a little dampness won't hurt stainless steel or aluminum.

Pat

 

[attack-cat]

Fire extinguisher! That my favorite kitchen gadget! LOL

Actually I have a drawer of stuff I never use but can't bring myself to get rid of. I may need it someday. And my kitchen is tiny. I need to get rid of stuff. I have two small drawers about 5 inches across and one drawer that a silverware tray fits in but nothing else. I have to mix stuff on the table because there is no coutner space. I have the coffee maker taking up one spot then there's the stove and a small dish drainer, the sink and then about 6 inches of counter space to the fridge. Who ever designed this kitchen was stupid. Someday I would like to add on to the house and have a real kitchen and dinning room. Okay ... my pity party starts at 2 pm ...bring your own plates.

 

[Cassandra]

Cassandra- have you looked into sorbet's or sherberts?

Not yet! I hadn't even thought of it. But I will look.

Cassandra

 

[Cassandra]

Have you tried a good (you have to look around a while to find one) eggbeater? The kind that uses two beaters like your electric mixer does but you turn the crank around and around to make 'em go? The ones they sell at, like, Walmart are not great but there are better ones in existance, if you keep an eye out.

Pat

I haven't seen one of those in 20 years. My aunt Nancy used to have one. THey are way fun to play with. vrrrm vrrrm vrrrrm

I will keep a look out.

Cassandra

 

[enjoy the ride]

Attack cat -Have you thought of using the wall space for stuff. When I had a very small kitchen, I used magnetic tool holders to keep my knives on the wall along with other metallic items like measuring spoons and other things I used a lot- handy.
That's when I found out that some metals that look like they ought to are not held by magnets- but it helped with a lot of things.

 

[keljonma]

That's very similar to what Alton Brown suggests. Only he recommends getting a box and storing things in it as you use them. Anything not in the box after 6 months goes. Your way sounds a lot neater. The though of digging through a box to get to stuff I do used doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

What I woud suggest is to get a big box and put in it what you feel you don't really need. If you go a year without using any of it-put it out to Goodwill. You will find this way what you need and what you can live without. If there are certain things that you only use on certain occasions, put them in a closet out of your kitchen, and take out when needed.

This is also useful for clothes--if you haven't worn it in a year--toss it.

We have been doing something similar for years. Put stuff in a box and mark the date you boxed it up on the outside of the box. Don't forget to also have a list on the outside of the box telling what is inside. Whenever you go into the box to remove something, change the date on the box. If the box has not been opened in 1 year out it all goes. For holiday items or annually used items, I have a 2 years, 'if not used, it goes' policy. It does not apply to heirlooms or family genealogy files and/or photos. This really helped us in the early 1990s, declutter everything before we made a major move 1800 miles away.
----

A number of the old kitchen gadgets, like the hand beater can be found at thrift type shops for reasonable costs.

----
We have a coffee maker, small microwave, toaster, waffle iron, coffee bean grinder used for herbs only, a bread maker I use for kneading dough, a dehydrator, immersion blender, kitchenaid stand mixer, food processor/blender, and my water bath canner.

I got the dehydrator for $2 and the bread machine for $7 at auctions. I got as gifts from family or friends the waffle iron, grinder, immersion blender, coffee maker, food processor/blender, the kitchenaid mixer and canner. Most of these items I use daily/weekly for food prep or processing for canning/storage.

I could live without the microwave, although I would miss it in the winter because I use it most for warming up our homemade bedwarmers.

Luckily, I have a huge pantry, partially under the stairs to the 2nd floor of the house. With the exception of the microwave and coffee maker, which we keep on the counter, all of these items fit there.

 

[Henrietta23]

I have an el cheapo one that I take camping with us. But it's packed with the camping gear and not in the kitchen.

Have you tried a good (you have to look around a while to find one) eggbeater? The kind that uses two beaters like your electric mixer does but you turn the crank around and around to make 'em go? The ones they sell at, like, Walmart are not great but there are better ones in existance, if you keep an eye out.

Pat

I haven't seen one of those in 20 years. My aunt Nancy used to have one. THey are way fun to play with. vrrrm vrrrm vrrrrm

I will keep a look out.

Cassandra

 

[Henrietta23]

That's very similar to what Alton Brown suggests. Only he recommends getting a box and storing things in it as you use them. Anything not in the box after 6 months goes. Your way sounds a lot neater. The though of digging through a box to get to stuff I do used doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

What I woud suggest is to get a big box and put in it what you feel you don't really need. If you go a year without using any of it-put it out to Goodwill. You will find this way what you need and what you can live without. If there are certain things that you only use on certain occasions, put them in a closet out of your kitchen, and take out when needed.

This is also useful for clothes--if you haven't worn it in a year--toss it.

We have been doing something similar for years. Put stuff in a box and mark the date you boxed it up on the outside of the box. Don't forget to also have a list on the outside of the box telling what is inside. Whenever you go into the box to remove something, change the date on the box. If the box has not been opened in 1 year out it all goes. For holiday items or annually used items, I have a 2 years, 'if not used, it goes' policy. It does not apply to heirlooms or family genealogy files and/or photos. This really helped us in the early 1990s, declutter everything before we made a major move 1800 miles away.
----

A number of the old kitchen gadgets, like the hand beater can be found at thrift type shops for reasonable costs.

----
We have a coffee maker, small microwave, toaster, waffle iron, coffee bean grinder used for herbs only, a bread maker I use for kneading dough, a dehydrator, immersion blender, kitchenaid stand mixer, food processor/blender, and my water bath canner.

I got the dehydrator for $2 and the bread machine for $7 at auctions. I got as gifts from family or friends the waffle iron, grinder, immersion blender, coffee maker, food processor/blender, the kitchenaid mixer and canner. Most of these items I use daily/weekly for food prep or processing for canning/storage.

I could live without the microwave, although I would miss it in the winter because I use it most for warming up our homemade bedwarmers.

Luckily, I have a huge pantry, partially under the stairs to the 2nd floor of the house. With the exception of the microwave and coffee maker, which we keep on the counter, all of these items fit there.

I could never get rid of my bread machine! I use it two or three times a week. It does take up a lot of counter space though.