<p>I second the Pampered Chef chopper. It’s a real time saver and easy to clean. I’ve had mine forever, so it doesn’t look like the one in the picture, but I’m sure the new one is just as good–or maybe even better!</p>
<p>microplanes, my new Unicorn Magnum Plus Pepper Mill , kitchen aid mixer, Henckels Santoku knife.</p>
<p>Zyliss chopper (similar to Pampered chef, above), rice cooker, microplane grater.</p>
<p>I second shrinkwrap’s microplanes!</p>
<p>Glad to see no one thinks any of the infomercial gadgets are musts. I love my immersion blender. If I could have no other utensils, I’d go for a wooden spoon and a wire whisk. I have a rubber thing shaped like a head of garlic – it’s supposed to be a garlic peeler – but I use it as a jar opener because it’s so flexible. I also love my Mouli (which I got in France 25 years ago)–used it to grate anything. </p>
<p>Other useful tools that I don’t use on a daily basis – cookie dough scoop.</p>
<p>I also love my immersion blender. The gadget that gets a surprising amount of use around here is an inexpensive shave ice (sno-cone) maker.</p>
<p>I second a garlic peeler - they are really handy little tools:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips-Garlic-Peeler/dp/B0002YTFV4/ref=pd_sbs_hg_2[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips-Garlic-Peeler/dp/B0002YTFV4/ref=pd_sbs_hg_2</a></p>
<p>My wife, unknown model and make.
Pluses:
Voice activated.
She chops, dices, and purees
Bakes, frys, boil, and microwaves.
Built in timer.
Multiple outputs and inputs.
Multi-tasking.</p>
<p>However:
She is reaching the proscribe memory capacity.
Definitely showing some wear.
Controls are getting more difficult to find.
Temperature regulation is getting more unpredictable-hot to cold in a flash. </p>
<p>I understand that newer models are available. I am debating whether I can try one out on the sly. What do you think?</p>
<p>Har har! </p>
<p>P.S.
“Controls are getting more difficult to find.”</p>
<p>What makes you think it’s not operator error?</p>
<p>I have an knife that I love-Henckel, I think… It is the size of a small paring knife with a blade about 3.5 in long, but the blade is concave, rather than straight across. Totally useless for cutting on a cutting board, but terrific for things like quartering an apple and cutting the core out or other times I cut fruits or vegetables in my hand. What do we call that cutting action when you slice across an object up to your thumb while holding the object in your hand? I feel quite inadequate here…</p>
<p>my moms hand operated egg beater. Precision engineering, perfect heft. They dont make them like this anymore. Most important she held it and now I’m holdimg it w/ thoughts of her each and every time :)</p>
<p>operator error …lol</p>
<p>awwwww, sax, that’s so sweet.</p>
<p>Two items on my wish list are an immersion blender and a microplane.</p>
<p>My favorite kitchen gadgets–my Shun Ken Onion chef’s knife. It’s amazing. I also like the Unicorn salt and pepper grinders that I got last summer along with a Kitchenaid box grater. (I found them in a great kitchen store in NH that’s near the camp where D2 is a counselor.) I’ve been looking for the perfect omelette pan–anyone have suggestions?</p>
<p>Oh, good one, shrinkrap!</p>
<p>What is a microplane grater and what do you do with it?</p>
<p>food processor, zester, immersion hand mixer, and I have to say the chopper my mother sent me from QVC1</p>
<p>I love my Cuisinart food processor, especially to grind fresh parmesan cheese with. I just grind up a big 'ole wedge, put it in a plastic container, and use as needed. Wonderful.</p>
<p>[Microplane</a> Zester/Grater - Microplane Graters, Choppers, Mills](<a href=“http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=789]Microplane”>http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=789)</p>
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<p>Getting rid of the old model can be VERY expensive, I’ve heard!</p>
<p>I use my microplane grater to grate a hard cheese, like the waiters do with parmesan in the restaurant. It works so much better than any cheese grater I’ve used in the past.</p>
<p>You can do the Old Spaghetti Factory’s Spaghetti with Browned Butter and Mizithra Cheese at home and it comes out quite wonderful!</p>
<p>I love a well-made, well-conceived kitchen tool. Three really useful ones come to mind:
- Potato ricer (makes it very easy to make smooth mashed potatoes)
- Cake tester (wooden handle with metal poker to see if your cakes are done)
- Silicon omlet flipper (sort of looks like a tiny pirate sword that is slightly flexible)</p>
<p>Electric kitchen tools are clearly impressive, but I somehow really appreciate the simple, low-tech ones that make daily tasks a little bit easier. William Sonoma and BB&B seem to have a lot of them.</p>