Let’s be honest: Your kitchen drawers are a graveyard for “life-changing” gadgets you bought to make cooking easier, but now they’re just sitting there collecting dust. All those special slicers and holders aren’t making you a better cook; They’re just taking up space.
So, how do you know what’s really worth keeping? I asked professional chefs, and they all had the same advice: Stick to the basics. You don’t need a drawer full of single-function tips. A good knife, a sturdy cutting board, and a reliable pan can do it all. It’s time to master the real tools and discard the junk.
To separate the essential from the unnecessary or downright useless, we asked culinary professionals to share the tools they swear by and the gadgets they shun. Their advice will help you avoid falling prey to flashy products and instead invest in items you’ll be able to access every day. When? decluttering your kitchenYou’ll have to make some tough decisions but we’re here to help.
Masaharu Morimoto
Celebrity Chef, Restaurateur
Masaharu Morimoto shares his picks for the most overrated kitchen tools.
1. Mandolin
Chef Morimoto encourages sharpening your knife skills to create thin and uniform slices of vegetables.
Why: “Although it brings good slices, mastering proper knife skills gives you more control, accuracy and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be heavy, hard to clean, and risky if you’re not extremely careful. Relying too much on tools like a mandolin or a two-in-one apple cutter or tomato corer can keep you from developing real technique. How to handle a sharp chef’s knife or Japanese blade Taking the time to learn this will help you with almost every recipe.”
What to try instead: MAC 8-Inch Japanese Chef’s Knife,
Eric Rosse
Head Chef-Instructor Culinary Education Institutelos angeles
Culinary instructor Eric Rowse knows a kitchen appliance when he sees one.
2. Onion Holder
Why: “These look like a weapon for Wolverine wannabes; it’s meant to help you grab a whole onion and “chop” it. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface so it won’t roll away. If you’re trying to cut rings, save $14 and stick a fork in the root and hold the fork in place.”
What to try instead: learn to finely chop an onion The old fashioned way.
3. Onion Glasses
Save your money – and some dignity – and skip the onion glasses.
Why: “A waste of money because they don’t form a big seal around the eyes to prevent sulfur compounds from getting into your eyes and making you cry. Keep your knife sharp and open or turn on the window fan instead.”
What to try instead: CNET’s Peter Butler shares Tips to Cut Onions Without Crying,
4. Metal, Glass, Stone and Acrylic Cutting Boards
Glass, stone and metal boards are fine for serving, but wood is best when slicing.
Why: “Cutting on hard surfaces bad for your knivesInstead, choose wood or poly.”
What to try instead: our list best cutting boards There are plenty of knife-safe options.
5. Chicken Cutting Machine
You only need two forks to successfully shred the chicken.
Why: “I can’t imagine that anyone would need dedicated equipment for cutting chicken outside of a restaurant and even restaurants don’t use it. This item only has one purpose so I would skip it.”
What to try instead: Two forks.
6. Herb Stripper
Why: “I love thyme but hate taking it apart. When I was younger I was convinced this tool would help me… It’s been sitting in my cupboard laughing at me for almost a decade.”
What to try instead: for hardik herbs Like rosemary and thyme, simply use your fingers to slide down the stem as the leaves grow.
7. Bluetooth Wireless Probe Thermometer
The instant read meat probe works fast and doesn’t require a cumbersome Bluetooth connection.
Why: “These are a great tool, but can be very expensive. I can see myself losing it, breaking it, dropping it, accidentally throwing it away, or getting it incinerated.”
what to try instead, ThermoPro’s Lightning Instant Read Thermometer
Peter Som
Cookbook author and lifestyle expert
Cookbook author Peter Som didn’t hold back when asked about his least favorite kitchen appliances.
8. Electric Can Opener
A manual can opener is inexpensive, works great, and is less likely to break.
Why: “Most of us grew up with an electric can opener permanently placed on the kitchen counter, as if it were an important tool. But in truth, they’re more of a nostalgia than a necessity. They take up space, can be a hassle to clean and often have to contend with irregularly shaped cans. A good manual opener is compact, reliable and gets the job done without the need for an outlet or a user manual.”
what to try instead, Oxo Soft Handle Can Opener,
richard ingraham
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union’s personal chef and author Love: My love expressed through food
Richard Ingraham avoids certain kitchen tools when cooking for celebrities like Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union.
9. Avocado Slicer
Why: “A knife and spoon work just as easily and the specialized tool rarely fits all avocado sizes. It’s a trick to clutter up drawers.”
what to try instead: like a good paring knife This $35 Wusthof
10. Egg separator
Separating eggs by hand is not so difficult that it requires hardware.
Why: “For most home cooks a yolk-separator alone is unnecessary.” The only exception may be This oneAnd that’s just for the yolk. hey i mean Yes,
what to try insteadCracking an egg and using the shell halves or your fingers works equally well.
11. Garlic Peeler Tube
Why: “Rolling garlic cloves in a silicone tube can work but it requires storing a single-purpose gadget.”
what to try instead: It is faster and more reliable to break garlic cloves with a chef’s knife.
12. Pizza Scissors
Chef Ingraham says don’t use scissors on pizza night.
Why: “A pizza cutter or knife works better and faster. These scissors are gimmicky, awkward to clean and take up more space than they’re worth.”
what to try instead, KitchenAid’s Stainless-Steel Pizza Wheel,
13. Herb Scissors
Why: “They are harder to clean and have no major advantage over a sharp chef’s knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs rather than chop them.”
what to try instead, Made in 8-Inch Chef’s Knife,
14. Electric Egg Cooker
Why: “Boiling eggs in a pot is straightforward and flexible. The electric version only adds clutter unless you constantly boil eggs and hate using the stove.”
What to try instead: it 1 minute hack To make boiled eggs in the microwave.
15. Butter Cutter and Dispenser
A good butter knife works just as well and requires less space and maintenance.
Why: “It cuts sticks of butter into pieces… but why? A knife does the job instantly and you don’t have to load and clean a plastic gadget for it.”
what to try instead, Williams Sonoma Breakfast Butter Blade,
16.Pasta Measure
Why: “It’s a plastic disc with holes that tells you how much spaghetti to cook. Just pay attention to it or learn a rough weight from experience. It’s not worth drawer space.”
What to try instead: A kitchen scale For accurate measurement.
17. Oil Mr.
Why: “Frequently clogs, sprays unevenly and requires frequent cleaning. A small spoon or brush gets the job done with less hassle.”
what to try instead, World Market Olive Oil Cruet,
18. Electric Potato Peeler
All you need is a sharp vegetable peeler to peel a batch of potatoes.
Why: “Takes up a surprising amount of space and peels slower than a regular peeler. Plus, unless you’re peeling dozens of potatoes at once, it’s overkill.”
what to try instead, oxo swivel peeler,
19. Bagel Guillotine
Why: “It’s sold as a safe way to cut bagels, but it takes up a lot of space and is awkward to clean. A serrated knife works fine.”
what to try instead, Opinel 8 Inch Bread Knife,
jackie carnsey
head cook, Kellogg’s Diner
jackie carnsey
20. Oven Mitts
There’s a reason pro chefs don’t use oven mitts.
Why: “Oven mitts are the most wasteful item in the home kitchen. A sturdy kitchen towel does the same job, and is likely more likely to be washed regularly. I don’t know many people who wash their oven mitts very often… It seems that many people have mistook it for an item that doesn’t require regular cleaning. It happens.”
what to try instead: stock up a lot kitchen towels,
