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I LOVE the immersion blender! Especially when I need to break down or puree a soup. That I can now do that in the pot and not dirty up a Cuisinart or blender is magic to me. I appreciate it every single time I use it.
"I'm an enthusiastic home cook who recently discovered some new 'tools' that I was previously skeptical about and have found very handy. I just wanted to share and see what others are finding surprisingly useful," the author of the thread told Bored Panda what had inspired her to start the discussion in the first place. "It was great to get a lot of feedback."
She said that, among the things listed in the thread, she already has some. Others, like the thermometer and mandoline, she already owns and needs to use more. Meanwhile, the OP learned about new uses for the immersion blender and told us that she still needs to get a knife sharpener and cookie scoop.
Bored Panda was very interested to learn more about the pros of owning an air fryer. Redditor u/SuccessExtreme4373 was happy to walk us through her own experience. "I have found an air fryer surprisingly useful. It is great for cooking small batches of food, everything from proteins to roast vegetables. My five-year-old son loves broccoli tossed in olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and air fried for a few minutes," she said.
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Restaurant secret for sure — I have them in all different sizes.
Not only that, but air fryers are also great for reheating leftovers. According to the OP, it works with everything "from lasagna to muffins so that they have closer to a fresh baked texture instead of soggy microwave texture." In the meantime, the appliance is "good for quick homemade pizzas on frozen naan bread."
"You can toast odd-shaped pieces of bread. I sat on the fence for ages before getting one but now use it pretty much every day," the home cook said.
We were curious about what the OP thinks someone should keep in mind before purchasing any new kitchen appliances. She pointed out that a lot will depend on the size of your kitchen space, as well as how you cook.
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"Less is generally more if you're like most people and don't have a lot of space. You can do a lot with the basics. And if you can't see it and it's hard to access, you're not going to use it," she explained to Bored Panda that tools that aren't in an accessible space and are stowed away somewhere probably won't end up getting used.
"But I have been on a bit of a spree lately. In addition to the above mentioned, I bought a bread maker last week, after years of thinking that would be a no-no for me—and am currently baking my second loaf."
The OP shared in her original post that she bought an air fryer, a rice cooker, and a cherry pitter, and they were completely satisfied with their performance. Not only did the redditor gush about how convenient everything is, but she's also using the appliances often. So her investment is already paying off.
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But before you go off and buy every single thing mentioned in this list, seriously think about your cooking and eating habits. No, you will not magically transform into a Masterchef contender just because you’ve got a few new toys. You need to focus on the tools that you’d actually use, not that some ideal version of you as a person would love to use. Trust us, that’ll stop you from making a lot of impulse purchases.
For instance, cherry pitters are great for someone who bakes a lot, grows cherries, or buys a lot of fresh berries at their local market. But for many of us, it would be money down the drain. The pitter would be used twice, then left to rot in some God-forsaken corner of the cupboard, with only rats and roaches to keep it company.
On the flip side, a rice cooker is a great investment if rice is an important part of your diet. If you’re constantly frustrated at having to ‘babysit’ the rice pot so it doesn’t burn or overcook, you may want to splurge a bit to save yourself a lot of future headaches. However, the cooker would be next to useless to someone who mostly eats pasta (a pasta machine might be a better fit) or bread (some utensils to make bread-baking easier may be the way to go there).
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Mine never leaves my counter. I only buy whole spices and grind them. It takes seconds to do once you get the hang of it. It's WAY worth the effort to learn and use it.
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Whatever new kitchen equipment you do end up buying, remember that you can tell a lot about someone from the way they take care of their tools. You do not want to be the chef who buys all the coolest gadgets and fanciest tools, only to let everything slowly deteriorate.
Clean them well and often after use, store them properly, and remember to maintain them. That can mean anything from regularly sharpening your knives to tightening the screws in whatever fab postmodern gadget you have in your drawer. Your tools will also last longer if you use them according to their purpose. So don’t go boiling rice in a frying pan or cutting steaks with spoons.
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Yes!! I have about every kitchen tool known to man and this is my ‘desert island’ spatula. It's not just for fish. It’s thin enough and wide enough and flexible enough to scoop up anything like cookies, roasted veggies, eggs, burgers — whatever.
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