Single-Use Kitchen Gadgets You Don’t Need, and What to Use Instead
October 8, 2021
No matter the size of your kitchen, the important thing is making it work for you. Kitchen clutter can be a total headache and can quickly become frustrating, especially when you don’t have enough Ogdensburg storage. With more products on the market than ever before, it’s hard to know which gadgets deserve your precious drawer space. This advice isn’t one-size-fits-all. If hyper-specific kitchen tools make your heart sing, go ahead and indulge. But if your drawers and cabinets are bursting and your space has no longer become functional, here are a few single-use tools we suggest passing on.
Cherry Pitter
In most parts of the US, cherries are in season for an exceptionally short period of time. While it’s true that pitting them can be a messy and tedious undertaking, you don’t need a dedicated cherry pitter taking up valuable drawer real estate. A stainless steel drinking straw, cake decorating tip, or even a chopstick can do the job just as well. Just hold the cherry over a bowl and push the tool of choice through until the pit pops out.
Garlic Press
It’s tempting to consider adding a garlic press to your stash of kitchen gear- they’re sold as time-savers with the added benefit of preventing stinky fingers. But expert cooks prefer not to use them because the pieces of garlic they produce are too small. The smaller pieces can burn easily and quickly overpower a dish with garlic flavor. Instead, roughly chop the clove with a chef’s knife and smash it with the edge of the blade to create a paste. And you don’t need a special tool to remove the smell from your hands either- just wash your hands in cold water (hot water will cause your pores to open and make the smell settle in) with soap and add a tiny bit of baking soda.
Avocado Slicer/Pitter
If you’ve been taught to remove an avocado pit by whacking it with a blade and twisting the knife, a dedicated tool might seem like a safer bet. But there’s an even easier way. Literally, all you have to do is slice your avocado in half, place your middle and pointer fingers on either side of the pit, and push with your thumb from the back. The pit will pop right out. A large spoon and a knife are all you need to scoop the avocado out of its peel and slice it up.
Turkey Baster
We’re willing to bet that if you have a turkey baster you use it at most once a year. But many chefs believe that basting a bird is unnecessary at best. Covering the breast meat with aluminum foil before cooking will almost certainly result in a juicier final product. If you must baste, just use a spoon to collect drippings into a measuring cup and pour them on the bird that way.
Onion Goggles
Nobody wants to look like they just watched the end of The Notebook every time they chop an onion. Luckily, It doesn’t need to be such a tearjerker of a task. Specialized onion goggles do work, but there’s no need to buy a pair if you already have swim goggles handy. Covering your eyes isn’t the only effective method, though. Try placing a damp paper towel on your cutting board- it will absorb the chemical irritant produced by onions, which would otherwise find a home in your tear ducts. Another method is to keep the onion’s root intact while cutting it. Certain methods seem to work better for different people, so you may go through a few tissues while finding the best one for you.
Got any other helpful storage Sparta tips? Shoot us a message if so.
AA1Self Storage provides self storage, storage units, moving storage, and secure storage in Southern, Ogdensburg, New Jersey
