What are your 'must have' kitchen gadgets?

[Headfry]

My must haves....
Aga
Aga
Aga!

Have you noticed that most of the machines that make everything quicker take ages to clean! or is it just me??

[Alison]

I would recommend a Bamix stick blender. It comes with three blades, and can be used in any bowl, or in the beaker provided. Very easy to use, and very easy to clean

valmarg

And its a beast that leaves all other for dead. Not cheap but will last a lifetime.

A friend of mine was talking about these last night and is thinking of getting one. I see they come with various add on bits. Do you have any of these (there's a slicing thing and a grinder but do they overlap????) and are they worth buying or is the basic tool all you really need???? I'll impress her if I can tell her but promise I will tell her how I found out

[Sebbster]

Blimey you lot have a lot of gadgets !!!

My favourite and cannot be without is a 5 quid Culinare runner bean stripper, esp at this time of year. Other than that I dont use any gadgets but I really want a pressure canner or a dehydrator.

[valmarg]

A friend of mine was talking about these last night and is thinking of getting one. I see they come with various add on bits. Do you have any of these (there's a slicing thing and a grinder but do they overlap????) and are they worth buying or is the basic tool all you really need???? I'll impress her if I can tell her but promise I will tell her how I found out

I bought mine from the Food and Drink Show at the NEC. Hadn't intended buying one, but watched the demonstration, and was hooked. Mine came with the three blades, the beaker and the grinder. The slicer is a recent addition.

I certainly wouldn't be without it.

The Aerator or "A" blade aerates, whips, beats mousse, egg white and whips cream and skimmed milk (must be non-fat) into whipped topping.

The Blender or "B" blade is for beating and stirring. Use it for drink mixes, gravies, soups, sauces, mashed potatoes, mayonnaise, batters and puddings. Since I bought my Bamix I've never bought mayonnaise - it is so easy to make.

Processor (mincer) or "C" blade, chops, minces, purees raw and cooked vegetables, fruit berries, baby food, cooked meat, frozen fruit for fruit ice cream, jam even crushes ice cubes.

The beauty of this disc is that if you are making soup you don't need to transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender, you just attach the blade and blend in the cooking pot.

The Wet/Dry Mill

Grinds, grates and chops finely all nuts, herbs, grains and cereals, chocolate, cheese, sugar (for icing sugar), spices, bread (for breadcrumbs) coffee beans, onions, garlic, horse radish, ginger. Also suitable for liquids, ie add milk to cheese to make cheese spreads, oil or honey to nuts to make nut butters.

Once you've used it you just run the blade and blender under the tap. So easy.

The above is a precis of the recipe booklet that comes with it.

I don't want to put you off it, but Gordon 'bleeping' Ramsey recommends it, but then, he is quite a good cook, I believe.

valmarg

[pigletwillie]

My bamix is the one item that has its own socket as its never unpluged, it sits on the workshop and is used most days.

[Two_Sheds]

Oh no. My OH has just bought me an electric coffee machine for my b=day. It uses disposable plastic cartons (non-recyclable) and has five separate fiddly bits to take apart and wash. I would have much preferred a simple cafetiere and a twizzly stick to froth the milk with. But men like gadgets, don't they? I will put it next to the other coffee machine that we never use either.

[yoanbob]

I still dont have a kitchen but my must haves for when i do are:
kenwood chef
range cooker
good knives

[mamamunk68]

Thanks for the info everyone.

Sady I seem to live in the middle of a gardening and culinary wasteland - a tin opener or juicer is the height of technology - if you are lucky!

[Sue]

Mamamunk
Lakeland do mail order - or shouldn't I have mentioned that!
best wishes
Sue

[TonyF]

I'm a real kitchen gadget person but I tell myself it's because they make my life easier. None of the bread or ice cream maker things though, mainly small hand things. Essentials:

Knives
Whisks (and electric just in case)
Good pans, pots but not always cast iron/enamalled

Latest thing, two very heavy industrial weight Tefal frying pans with an interchangable, detatchable handle. The joy being you can start things on the hob and then whack them into the over to brown or finish.

32 for lunch yesterday, it's when all the bits and bobs come into their own.

[Winged one]

Things I use daily _
Wooden chopping board and couple plastic ones too (mainly for meat and runny things - wooden for solid, non-meat things)
Wooden spoons (have about 10)
Flexible plastic spoon for scraping bowls, pots etc
Whisk with wire around a loop - scrapes up all the yummy stuff in the roasting tray and is better at preventing cornflour based sauces going lumpy
Balloon whisk for cream etc
Good set of knives
Microwave
Kettle
Lots of plastic bowls with lids - for prepping stuff before I start cooking, and storing stuff once I have cooked!
Peeler - I use a Y shaped one, and OH uses a different Y shaped one, each refusing to use the other
Colander
Kitchen scissors - used for everything from cutting string and greasproof paper, to snipping herbs, popping bottletops (special ends) and whatever OH thinks to use it for (he broke the last one PRUNING A TREE!! Luckily he only rarely finds my good sewing scissors)
Corkscrew - proper waiter's mate though - the angel wings don't like plastic corks...

Things I use loads so would not like to be without:
Large pot for stocks, double batches of dinners (spag bol etc - do a double batch on sunday's for Monday and freezer)
Juicer - I have a hand one that fits over it's own jug which is really clever
Kenwood stabby blender set - never use the whisk but use the stab bit and the chopping bowl lots
Kenwood chef - love baking when I have time
DH's coffee machine (ok HIS baby, but he was lost without it when old one broke)
Weighing scales - old one from a gran-aunt, but it works fine
Casserole dishes and other ovenware dishes

Things we only rarely use but are still useful:
Baking beans - I am convinced I had a set of these that I was using but can't find for the last while - currently using greaseproof paper and my collection of copper 1, 2 & 5c coins which works well too
Deep fat frier - we occasionally want proper chips, and there is room for it, so why not keep it.


Fads -
Toasted sandwich maker
Mini pie dishes
nightlight food warmers (never have food sitting long enough to go cold anymore)
Fondue set (have never used in 4 years sitting in the press)
Bun trays and muffin cases - still haven't figured out how to make buns....

[Paulottie]

I've got to say that those Aussie runner bean slicers are my must have. Made by Krisk they take the strings from the outside- much better than those little square ones of old.

The other thing I love is my diamond coated steel, Expensive, but much better than the old sort that wore out.... A joy to use razor sharp knives.

Most gadgets and mixers seem to take longer to wash than to do the job by hand. But we have taken to one of those steam juice extractors... its easier and safer than jelly bags.

[smallblueplanet]

Can't believe all you 'real foodies' out there don't drink real coffee () - just had a fab cappucino to make myself feel better cos it's cold and grey!

Gotta have an espresso machine - a gaggia classic which I 'pimped up' by upgrading the steam wand!

[Winged one]

I drink real coffe but in the plunger pot (so there is a second and third cup!!). Cos I occasionally admit to being a girl and can't work out certain gadgets (and of course, OH throws away instructions!!). But he has a small gaggia too, which is used every weekend morning for a nice coffee (alternates between cappuchino or espresso) while reading the papers.

I have a plunger pot and grounds at work too, for when I want coffee instead of tea. It impresses the hell out of any visitors for meetings!!

We actually have a jar of instant in the cupboard at the minute at home - cos we have builders in!!

[shirlthegirl43]

Filter coffee every morning in our house too - coffee machine from the States which makes 8 mugfuls and you push the mug against a button to dispense the coffee - brill, no heavy hot jug to pour from which is a must for me who cant always lift heavy stuff.