Stand by your gadget!

This got started on another thread and I thought it was fun enough to break out on its own.
What's the oddball kitchen gadget you love the most? Or the one that does a singular task the best? Or the one you repurposed?

A guest sent us a cherry pitter. Never had one where we live because we don't grow cherries, but when cherries came from the west coast, we tried it out. Worked like a champ.

Saw a watermelon slicer the other day; I think at Dollar General. Don't think I ever saw one of those before...
Personally, I scalp it at one end - eat some - and put the "lid" back on to seal it. Not really need to slice the whole darn thing at once...

happykeeper said:

A guest sent us a cherry pitter. Never had one where we live because we don't grow cherries, but when cherries came from the west coast, we tried it out. Worked like a champ..

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We call ours a chopstick.

Butter slicer - turns a stick of butter into pat-size pieces in a flash. (For when I am not using the individual domed butter dishes)

Apple peeler....antique or brand new..wonderful!

EmptyNest said:

Apple peeler....antique or brand new..wonderful!.

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I have always wanted one of those but not much need here for it. Now that Mango Slicer that USea mentioned was interesting, but mostly made me chuckle.

Pineapple slicer, love it!

a microplane. Love it
a lemon reamer - I make a lot of lemonade

EmptyNest said:

Apple peeler....antique or brand new..wonderful!.

Click to expand...

EmptyNest said:

Apple peeler....antique or brand new..wonderful!

Click to expand...

We have an antique one that clamps to the tabletop. It amazes me every time I see it work. Hard to believe they could create something like that way back then, with no need for electricity or a microprocessor and sensors!

Now , no one needs a banana slicer, but one is for sale on Amazon. The reviews were hysterical. After some 5,200 reviews on the slicer, Amazon took down the entire review page. Fortunately the company now makes a two-pack, and there are still reviews for that one. Not quite as funny but still a good time waster

Pastry knife. Odd. Never thought I would need one, but always wanted one. I use it everyday now. Never got the same results using a fork or a couple of knives.

Arks said:

EmptyNest said:

Apple peeler....antique or brand new..wonderful!.

Click to expand...

EmptyNest said:

Apple peeler....antique or brand new..wonderful!

Click to expand...

We have an antique one that clamps to the tabletop. It amazes me every time I see it work. Hard to believe they could create something like that way back then, with no need for electricity or a microprocessor and sensors!
.

Click to expand...

Arks said:

EmptyNest said:

Apple peeler....antique or brand new..wonderful!

Click to expand...

We have an antique one that clamps to the tabletop. It amazes me every time I see it work. Hard to believe they could create something like that way back then, with no need for electricity or a microprocessor and sensors!

Click to expand...

That is the coolest thing to watch! We have one. Good for having fun when making pie. Takes more time to set up than to peel and core the apples!

I love my citrus press, a two-handled affair that works a little better for me (my hands have some arthritis) than a reamer. I take it with me on innsitting jobs. I actually have a wicker basket with my favorite tools: the reamer, my omelet pan, a silicone spatula, a bacon hooker (DH's favorite gadget), my wire-handle whisk, a serrated tomato knife and a santoku knife. It also has some hard-to-find ingredients - pomegranate molasses, chocolate balsamic vinegar, aleppo pepper, sea salt. Plus PG Tips tea for me.

happykeeper said:

A guest sent us a cherry pitter. Never had one where we live because we don't grow cherries, but when cherries came from the west coast, we tried it out. Worked like a champ..

Click to expand...

Last year when our cherry tree was ready to pick. We had some 50 plus lbs of cherries to pit, it sure came in handy . We could put some 20 cherries in the tray and send them down the shout. It took no time to pit all the 50 LBS of cherries.
I love my strawberry stem remover. All my knives. I would never leave home with out them.

muirford said:

I love my citrus press, a two-handled affair that works a little better for me (my hands have some arthritis) than a reamer. I take it with me on innsitting jobs. I actually have a wicker basket with my favorite tools: the reamer, my omelet pan, a silicone spatula, a bacon hooker (DH's favorite gadget), my wire-handle whisk, a serrated tomato knife and a santoku knife. It also has some hard-to-find ingredients - pomegranate molasses, chocolate balsamic vinegar, aleppo pepper, sea salt. Plus PG Tips tea for me..

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What a great kit! I can't imagine being in the kitchen without my silicone spoonulas. I think it would be in my must have basket.

I don't use it much for breakfast, but I love my mandolin. Zoom, zoom, zoom...all sliced and shredded!

I have a grater with really big holes I use for hash brown potatoes - scrub clean, par cook in microwave 2 min/pound, grate with the skin on. Fast, rustic, tasty. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of brown sugar. Easy on the fat, but I use bacon fat for flavor unless there is a vegetarian issue.
And my non-stick pans only for eggs. Never soap, never garlic; wipe and clean. I can't stand pans that smell nasty or chemical when they are heating. Eggs absorb any off flavor

I have friends that call me Mrs. McGyver because of my love of gadgets. My citrus press is a favorite too. Love my good knives and have been known to check bags just to ensure I have a good knife where I'm cooking. Love my digital scale. My zester. My Vitamix. Parchment paper and Silpat. It's an addiction!
My latest gadget is a water circulator called a "sous vide". It cooks things in a water bath to a perfect temperature and then can hold it at that temp for some time. Restuarants have been using them for years. They are cool and satisfy my current gadget craving.

Tom said:

I have a grater with really big holes I use for hash brown potatoes - scrub clean, par cook in microwave 2 min/pound, grate with the skin on. Fast, rustic, tasty. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of brown sugar. Easy on the fat, but I use bacon fat for flavor unless there is a vegetarian issue.
And my non-stick pans only for eggs. Never soap, never garlic; wipe and clean. I can't stand pans that smell nasty or chemical when they are heating. Eggs absorb any off flavor.

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Tom said:

...I use bacon fat for flavor...

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Absolutely! Makes a HUGE positive difference in the flavor of hash browns.