Friday, September 2, 2011
Reader Request: Kitchen Essentials (Part 2)
Thanks for joining me for Round Two of Kitchen Essentials! I got some great feed-back with Part One… and I loved hearing some of your favorite kitchen tools! I decided for Round 2, I’d write about kitchen tools I DON’T like.
I know, I know it’s Friday - where is the cocktail Friday post?! Well, hubs is down in Key West this weekend for a fishing trip/bachelor party for one of his best friends so I DO have a cocktail - I just have to photograph it later for ya’ll and I’ll have it up later this evening. Expect it to be girly - really girly! 😉
**NOTE: please take everything I say in this post with a grain of salt, as this topic is COMPLETELY subjective! These are my own personal opinions based off of my own experience!**
First off: I TOTALLY missed two of my favorite kitchen essentials that CANNOT go unnamed:
- CrockPot!!!! DUH (how’d I miss it?!) I have this one and LOVE it! Nothing like coming home to a ready to eat one-pot wonder meal!
- Automatic Soap dispenser: I’m a bit OCD about raw chicken and eggs… I’ve told you this before - it’s not new knews 😉 Anyhow, this sopa dispenser is the BOMB. Seriously. I can be working with chicken and have soap to wash my hands with without touching anything! LOVE. IT. This is an absolute essential in my kitchen.
Okay, now the Things I registered for that I NEVER/HARDLY use(d):
- Salad Spinner: Some people swear by them, I however find it to be a waste of space!! I use the ol’ throw a few paper towels in the bottom of a bowl trick & let my lettuce drain that way. I do know that this tool is a necessity for Kale Chips (something I’ve wanted to try - so yay! I’ll get a use out of this baby. hah)
- Toaster Oven: I ended up selling mine and bought a regular old pop-up toaster! The darn thing took up serious counter space… and it took SO long to toast anything. I am thrilled with my cheapy pop-up toaster & I use my oven when I need to re-heat things other than toast/bagels. Problem solved.
- Electric Juicer: I registered for an electric juicer & hardly ever pull it out. To me, it’s more of a hastle to clean, dry, and put away than it’s worth…
- I ended up buying a handheld reamer for juicing that fits right in my drawer. Fast to use and easy to clean. The funny thing is that hubs and I use a LOT of citrus juice (you’d think the electric would be better for us)… but this hand held baby seems to do the trick for us!
- Tea Kettle: yah, for me this is another waste of space item. Don’t get all mad, tea drinkers! I’m a coffee gal, and don’t drink a lot of tea so this isn’t really a necessity for me. When I need hot water - I use my microwave (SO much faster)! Don’t act like you don’t do it too 😉
Things that we didn’t bother registering for (again this is TOTALLY personal preference):
- We opted out of Fine China, Silverwear, and Crystal Drinkware: We are casual people… Fine Dining /China isn’t really our thing. Is it beautiful? Absolutely. But it’s not for me. We love to entertain, but I prefer it to be in a casual setting, with a warm, welcoming feeling. I am way too uptight about things, and I would have a HEART ATTACK if I (or one of my guests) broke a fancy China dish that cost an arm and a leg! So we decided against it and registered for a stonewear set of dishes (that we use for “nicer” occasions). Then we bought an “everyday white” set for our daily use dishes from the crate and barrel outlet (12 place settings for under $100 - no heart attacks if one of those babies breaks! haha).
- Crystal Keepsakes: Candlesticks, candy dishes, picture frames, etc… TOO gauddy for me. I’m not into shiney crystal stuff (call me crazy, but i’m not!). I’m more of a homey/rustic mixed with traditional Pottery Barn type. Crystal doesn’t fit in with that 😉
So, what are things that you registered for that you don’t use??? Or what did you opt to skip?
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susie t. — September 2, 2011 @ 3:10 pm
We registered for the china but NEVER use it. I dont feel like I can sell it or get rid of it because my sweet MIL got me the serving pieces (veggie bowl, platters, etc) for Christmas the first few years we were married. Our first clue on china should have been how long it took to agree on a pattern. We skipped the fine crystal and silver. The more I type- our lists are the same! We got the candlesticks, decoration bowls- and don’t use them. Almost all of it is in storage.
Kristina replied: — September 2nd, 2011 @ 5:36 pm
You know what they say, “hind-sight is 20/20” If we could do it all over again… sigh
Crystal's Cozy Kitchen — September 2, 2011 @ 5:21 pm
Being from a rural area, I didn’t actually register (I couldn’t swallow registering at wal-mart which was the only place in common between my hometown and hubby’s hometown!) If I had registered, I would have wanted China, and would only use it once or twice a year! We did get a rice cooker which I totally use a lot (5 years after we got married it died and I had to buy a new one!)
Kristina replied: — September 2nd, 2011 @ 5:31 pm
ooo rice cooker- i actually got one not too long ago and LOVE it. So easy 🙂
Crystal's Cozy Kitchen — September 2, 2011 @ 5:37 pm
I’d only used a rice cooker for 5 years and actually put a pot on the stove to make rice (I use to think it was easy…), totally ruined it! I love the rice cooker :).
Kristina replied: — September 7th, 2011 @ 11:48 am
fail proof… it’s awesome!
Stephanie — September 2, 2011 @ 6:12 pm
im totally with you on the fine china. We registered for some, but didn’t get any and that’s fine with me bc we have no space and I’m not into fancy dinners either. I prefer casual parties around the coffee table!!
Kristina replied: — September 7th, 2011 @ 11:47 am
TOTALLY agree!
Fran {The Flavorful Fork} — September 2, 2011 @ 6:24 pm
Completely agree with you on the salad spinner. Total waste. In hindsight I wish I had not registered for fancy china since we use it maybe once a year. I would have preferred some simple, white china instead. I also wish I had asked for some nicer pots and pans. But who knew then that I would be a personal chef! 😉
Lindsey@Lindselicious — September 2, 2011 @ 8:28 pm
I love my toaster oven- its the best to reheat crunchy things like fried chicken, pizza, etc. LOL I use it a lot. Oh and to bake like 2 cookies!!
Kristina replied: — September 4th, 2011 @ 9:47 am
see i told you this was a subjective topic 😉 I always use my oven for that sort of stuff now…
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts — September 3, 2011 @ 12:21 pm
I was still in college when I registered and my mom convinced me I had to register for china. Biggest mistake!! I think we have used it once in 10 years! Completely agree with the salad spinner and the toaster oven (just sold my toaster oven in a garage sale)!
Kristina replied: — September 4th, 2011 @ 9:49 am
I’m surprised how many people are totally on the same page as me with this! hah
Kerry (newlywedcooks) — September 3, 2011 @ 12:43 pm
I am right there with you on the toaster oven. I didn’t have one growing up, but my husband did. So we registered for one and it was HUGE. I didn’t, and still don’t, understand the necessity. I have an oven and it works! Ha. Our toaster oven is now sitting in our closet. I don’t want to sell it (it’s bright red and gorgeous) but I definitely don’t need it in the kitchen!
Kristina replied: — September 4th, 2011 @ 9:48 am
AGREED! My oven works perfectly good! 😉 Plus we have the convection oven option so it crisps way better than any toaster oven!
Lilly — September 4, 2011 @ 3:33 pm
I love part 2! That automatic soap dispenser is genius! I need one of those! Well actually I decided not to get whatever I want anymore. 9 out of 10 it ends up somewhere unused, just because I can’t be bothered cleaning them or it takes to much space.
Ps: I am ashamed to admit…but my kitchen aid is one of hose items…for now…
Kristina replied: — September 7th, 2011 @ 11:47 am
You HAVE to get it… it’s the. best!!!! Especially if you are a touch OCD like me 🙂
Mike — September 6, 2011 @ 4:30 pm
we have a juicer???
Kristina replied: — September 7th, 2011 @ 11:46 am
haha yes, hunnay we do 🙂
ErinsFoodFiles — September 6, 2011 @ 10:08 pm
Haha, we use our toaster oven ALL.THE.TIME. That’s how we cook our turkey bacon. And it will reheat pizza 1000x better than the microwave. Seriously, it get used nearly everyday!
And my salad spinner, I wish I had a bigger one! I only have a small one, but with all the wonderful lettuces & greens (kale!arugula!turnip greens!collards!), it sometimes takes me 4 batches. 😛
Kristina replied: — September 7th, 2011 @ 11:46 am
haha isn’t it funny how we all differ on these things?! 🙂
Leah @ LoftyBites — September 8, 2011 @ 1:33 pm
Just found your site and I LOVE it! I am also a newlywed (as of this May) and relocated to Upstate NY. We did NOT register for fine china because we knew it would never get used - very happy with that decision. We registered for a toaster oven but didn’t get it… I’m actually glad because I agree with you that the regular toaster works great and is a space-saver. I held out on getting other kitchen tools but recently gave in as I’ve found they are necessities - colander, pastry blender, and flour sifter.
Kristina replied: — September 8th, 2011 @ 2:28 pm
Aw well welcome!! Glad you found us 🙂 Congrats on become a MRS… it’s way fun huh? I’m not sure I can actually consider myself a ‘newlywed’ anymore after more than 3 1/2 years married… but we’re rolling w/ the title hah 😉