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Even if you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, you know there are a lot of gadgets you can buy to fill up the space. Peelers, choppers, zesters, salad spinners, melon ballers – these are just a few. Are these gadgets really worth the money?
GOBankingRates spoke to two chefs, fine dining chef Dennis Littley and Apéritif executive chef Nick Vanderbeeken, about the kitchen gadgets that aren’t worth buying and why. Read on to find out which equipment adds no value to your kitchen.
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Avocado slicer
Both Littley and Vanderbeeken agreed that disposable equipment like avocado slicers just aren’t worth the price.
“In my experience, these devices tend to be more fiddly than they are useful, and the design often results in a mashed avocado instead of a clean cut,” Littley says.
Both chefs also agreed that instead of buying an avocado slicer, a simple knife works just as well and produces excellent results — plus, it won’t clutter up your kitchen drawers.
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Garlic Press
Garlic presses seem convenient, but they take time to clean after use and tend to waste food, Littley said, because the device traps the garlic in its mechanism, which he said tends to waste it.
As with any avocado slicer alternative, Littlely recommends using a knife for any garlic-related needs: Cooks can use the flat side of the knife to smash the garlic cloves, then finely chop them.
Electric can opener
While an electric can opener may seem like a worthwhile purchase, don’t rush into one: In Vanderbeeken’s experience, electric can openers take up space on your counter and break down more often than manual can openers.
Speaking of manual can openers, Vanderbeeken recommends investing in one because they’re reliable and easy to store after use.
Specialty Coffee Makers
If you’re working from home and thinking you should buy a specialty coffee maker to make an expensive latte at home on the cheap, think again. Vanderbeeken has seen many people invest in expensive, complicated coffee makers only to never get the most out of them.
“A quality French press or pour-over setup will give you great results without the high price tag or high maintenance hassle,” advises Vanderbeeken.
Egg separator
An egg separator also seems like a handy tool to have in your kitchen, but Littley found that it’s rarely necessary.
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“By simply transferring the egg whites between the egg shells, you can accomplish the same task without having to keep another tool in your kitchen drawer,” Littley says.
Spiralizers (and other trendy gadgets)
Be honest: how often do you make zucchini noodles per week? When we hear about a particular kitchen gadget, like a spiralizer, becoming popular overnight, it’s no wonder that consumers suddenly feel like they need one.
Before purchasing a spiralizer or any other trendy gadget, Vanderbeeken recommends caution: “Items like spiralizers may have been trendy for a while, but unless you intend to make cutting vegetables into spirals a regular habit, it may not be worth the investment.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I’m a Chef: 6 Kitchen Appliances You Won’t Want to Waste Money on
