Brands invent all sorts of kitchen gadgets to make our lives easier. There are useful ones like whisks and graters. However, despite the hype, not all of them stand the test of time or prove to be as helpful as they promise. As you slide through, you’ll see 15 utensils that have fallen out of favor and are collecting dust in the back of cabinets or drawers.
Apple Corer
The Apple Corer is meant to prepare apples for baking or snacks by removing the fruit’s cores. It works by pushing the device through the center of an apple, extracting the core. But they often remove a sizable chunk of flesh, leaving behind a skinny piece and a pile of wasted fruit. So much for a tool that’s supposed to save time and effort! It’s long been forgotten since knives can do a more decent job.
Banana Slicer
According to reviewers, this appliance occupies more valuable drawer space than it deserves. The device features a grid of blades intended to slice a banana in one motion, but slicing with a knife is easier. Plus, using this device to slice, cut, or chop ripe fruits can make them mushy and create a mess.
Electric Butter Knife
While the manufacturers must have thought humans needed to spread cold butter faster, they built an appliance that wasn’t worth the trouble. Its heated blade was meant to melt butter but became outdated due to impracticality, safety concerns, and limited function. Users soon discovered they could do much better than a slow tool with a switch.
Egg Cuber
At first, squashing hard-boiled eggs into cube shapes was fun, so many decided to buy egg cubes. Though cute, they’re not very practical, and people outgrew the trend of serving perfectly square, “fun” eggs for breakfast with unevenly cooked corners. Plus, flawlessly round yolks look better!
Automatic Stirrer
This gadget mechanically stirs food in pots and pans, meaning you don’t have to do the tedious turning. Companies sold the idea of effortless stirring to buyers, which worked for a while, but when they started noticing how time-consuming and ineffective it was, they switched to the good old method of mixing with a spoon. Nevertheless, the stirrer could make a comeback if it worked better and became more appropriate for simple cooking.
Jell-O Molds
These molds were silicone or plastic containers that held liquid gelatin desserts and would solidify them into decorative shapes. However, their use declined due to changing food trends and health concerns over artificial ingredients. Then, they faded away when more convenient pre-packaged desserts started appearing in the market.
Rotisserie Chicken Deboner
Deboning a rotisserie chicken can be messy, but there has to be a better way than using this device. It’s often difficult to use, doesn’t remove all the bones, and can shred the meat in the process. Also, cooking methods evolved, favoring simplicity over large, overpriced devices. You’re better off removing bones with your hands or two trusty forks.
Spiralizer
A few years ago, these were much sought-after for making veggie noodles. They were also used to twist veggies around blades to make spiral-shaped strands for pasta alternatives. However, its popularity was brief because people started preferring pre-sliced options to save time. Plus, when cooked, spiral-cut vegetables lose their texture and become watery.
Egg Slicer
This tool was meant to slice hard-boiled eggs into uniform slices or wedges by pressing the egg through a series of wires or blades. However, buyers discovered that a simple knife can cut a hard-boiled egg faster and more efficiently. Today, homeowners seldom use it due to its single-purpose use, which wastes time rather than makes work easier.
Hand Cranked Whisk
The Hand Cranked Whisk, a kitchen gadget used to manually whisk or mix ingredients by rotating a handle, has yet to be forgotten due to the availability of electric mixers. With the convenience and speed offered by modern electric appliances, the laborious task of using a hand-cranked whisk has phased out. People now prefer faster and more efficient tools, relegating it to the counter.
Burger Chopper
A burger chopper is a glorified meat masher. Despite promising buyers perfectly formed patties, they were worth more trouble than their price. The uneven chopping compressed and ruined the meat’s texture, making burgers tough and dry.
Salad Spinner
Here’s another utensil that takes up space and is too big for an easy task. People soon figured they didn’t need to use a plastic basket whizzing around in a bowl when they could remove the excess water from lettuce with a clean kitchen towel. Although they can help dry large quantities of lettuce, most home cooks long ditched the Spinner.
Cupcake Push Pops
Cupcake Push Pops were popular when decorating cupcakes was a thing. Stacking them in a push-up container made them more fun to eat and portable. However, they soon faded to obscurity due to the messy assembly, the hassle of eating the cupcakes in layers, and having only one use.
