10 Kitchen Gadgets You Should Never Buy

Depending on what you do in the kitchen, there are a lot of appliances and tools that can help. A standing mixer for a baking enthusiast is a must unless you’re built like Terminator-era Arnold Schwarzenegar. A good knife is priceless. Whisks are pretty handy. So are spatulas, toasters, frying pans and can openers. And, let’s face it, most of us don’t have the kitchen storage or budget to stock our homes like a Michelin starred restaurant.

But really, when you put that portable espresso machine on your wedding registry, how much use did you think you’d get out of it? And let’s not get started on all the popcorn, slushie and frozen yogurt machines that are either taking up precious counter space or gathering dust in a garage somewhere. All these gadgets take up a lot of space in a kitchen that could use a lot more of it.

We’ve all done it. We’re all foodies here, after all. But there are quite a few kitchen gadgets out there that may have seemed like a good idea when you made that impulse splurge on that late night infomercial. Don’t let them fool you. They’re just a completely unnecessary waste of good cabinet space.

We’re ranking the top most unnecessary kitchen gadgets so you don’t have to make the same mistake that most of us already have.

Toaster Oven

Ah, the toaster oven. Most of us have probably used one at one time or another. Some of us may have one sitting on our counter top right now. But really we should all just be ashamed of ourselves. There’s nothing the toaster oven offers that a toaster, microwave or oven can’t take care of. Maybe it’s because they’re mini. Maybe it’s because they look fancy. We’re not really sure how this one has gone on for as long as it has.

Electric Can Opener

I’ve had some bad can openers in my days. The ones that take quite a bit of wrist work to get going are the absolute worst. But unless your can opener is completely rusted through, which you shouldn’t be using anyway, there’s really no can too difficult to open. There never has been. I’ll admit it. They’re kind of fun to work. But so are your muscles. This is definitely one that can be retired right about now.

All of the Chopper Things

There’s been an influx of things that help with all your chopping needs. We understand as much as anyone how much of a pain cutting vegetables can be from time to time. But what really helps making chopping easier is a good knife. They’re well worth the investment, stay sharp for forever, take very little upkeep and can make a world of difference when it comes to cutting needs. Plus, doing it yourself means you have better control of size and shape, important things when it comes to all cooking.

Banana Slicer

We all know how soft and moldable bananas are. They’re quite possibly one of the easiest things in the culinary world to cut. That’s why all of those things that cut them in one push or help you to cut them are just a little silly. You’re probably going to get a lot more mess for the ease it’s supposed to bring. Plus, it can be kind of therapeutic to cut a banana. Just throwing it out there.

The Egg and Muffin Toaster

This was one of those things that when the guy or gal thought it up, he/she was convinced it was the greatest invention in the world. And it kind of has the potential to be. But in reality, the toaster that also cooks your eggs is a total bust. Also, I would just like to add that cleaning this out and sanitizing it is probably no fun task. Stick to the regular toaster and just cook your eggs the old fashioned way.

Butter Spreader

Pretty much solely used for corn-on-the-cob, the butter spreader is a slap in the face to knives everywhere. I mean, when did it happen that the knife, one of cooking most useful tools, just wasn’t good enough? It’s a sad day in modern, gadget-riddled America. Anyway, this thing I guess could be slightly useful if you eat a ton of corn, and I guess it doesn’t really take up that much space in a drawer. Still, the butter spreader makes our list just because it’s really not that difficult or that much a nuisance to use other means of slathering your corn up with the good stuff.

Quesadilla Maker

I may offend a few people with this one and for that I apologize. But really, what is the point of a quesadilla maker? Quesadillas are really easy to make in a pan. They’re basically grilled cheese with tortillas. A little bit of butter in the pan, a few minutes on each side and you’re in Mexican food paradise. Just let this one go.

Popcorn Maker

I know, I know. But do you know how easy it is to make stovetop popcorn? It’s so easy. It takes a bit of shaking to make sure the kernels on the bottom don’t burn but that’s about it. Plus, you can make a lot more of it than one of these would allot. Having a popcorn maker is kind of an American dream, something that says, “I’ve made it.” And we won’t fault you for that. Just saying you could open up the space wherever this little guy is sitting.

Pasta N More

This gadget is just purely shameful. I was trying to hold that back but I can’t. I’m pretty sure this thing has the power to make many an Italian grandmas faint on sight. Don’t buy one. Don’t think about buying one. Don’t even think about thinking about buying one.

Electric Knife

Seen in many movies centered around Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas hams, the electric knife got its start in the late 80s, before there were Youtube videos by the plenty to show you how to truss your poultry. If you’ve ever used one, which many have probably have, you’d probably know these things come with a lot of power and not a lot of stability. There’s probably an infographic out there somewhere showing major spikes for electric knife related injuries that resulted in hospital visits. You’d probably have better luck just learning how to correctly carve with an old fashioned knife and maybe save yourself s digit or two.