These 8 kitchen accessories are a waste of money, according to several chefs

Home cooking is increasingly appreciated in France and around the world, many accounts on social networks share their recipes as well as their cooking tips to make the daily lives of Internet users easier. Who has never seen a real person talking about cooking on Tik Tok or Instagram? Short videos which also allowed us to learn about a large number of kitchen accessories and tools which, according to some professional chefs, are not that useful in addition to being very expensive for the average French person’s wallet.

It is in this context that several professional chefs have created a list of kitchen utensils used by influencers on social networks which are in reality not effective and too expensive to add to their own shopping list! Here are the eight accessories that win the prize for utensils that are a waste of money:

Vegetable and herb cuts

For people who suffer from physical disabilities, vegetable cutters can be a real kitchen helper, but for anyone who is able to master a knife, this purchase is completely unnecessary according to chefs. Not only does it waste valuable kitchen space, but according to Manuel Hewitt, owner and chef of Barrel House in San Francisco: “ Those kitchen gadgets that only serve one function just get in the way, they are rarely used due to their specialization. All the “cutter” style gadgets generally replace what might be considered basic knife skills, and it’s better to use a knife than clutter your kitchen with more plastic trash. »

The garlic press

It’s head chef Scott Smith who questions the use of the garlic press as a crucial tool in the kitchen. Indeed according to the specialist when using this accessory “ garlic that gets around the edge is actually a mess, and the garlic press takes longer to clean than the time you “save” by crushing the garlic“. The chef recommends “simply roughly chop the garlic» or crush it with the help of one side of the knife.

Rice cookers

While many home cooks praise the merits of this accessory, chef Oscar Gonzalez of the Hard Rock Hotel in New York disagrees: “ Rice cookers overcook food or don’t cook everything evenly. Rice is delicate and needs attention» he emphasizes. He recommends “cook rice traditionally — it takes the same amount of time, and you can create fluffier rice with the ability to add different flavors“.

Classic pressure cookers

During the pandemic and the various confinements, many people on social networks extolled the merits of pressure cookers of the typeInstant Potcreating a real trend. However, Jason Goldstein, chef and cookbook author, does not agree. While he emphasizes that their use can be tempting, he adds that they are in reality“ harder to use than you think. If it’s not set at the right temperature, you can ruin your food, and if it’s not locked in properly, you can really hurt yourself.» In addition to being bulky in a kitchen, they only perform one function, which is why the chef advises buying an instant pot instead, easier to use, they also have a good system locking.

All-in-one pans

These stoves which ensure “braise, bake, steam, strain, sauté, fry, boil, serve and store» are actually not that effective according to Kevin Ashton, head chef: “My main concern is its poor heat distribution, which can be a significant drawback for recipes requiring precise temperature control“. If you are looking for a pan that can work, whatever the dish, the professional advises to turn to “a good old cast iron skillet“.

Mini mixers

While mini blenders are perfect for use in the office or while traveling, they are useless in a kitchen due to their limited function. For Chef Nawab, it is more useful to invest in a powerful and adequately sized blender that offers higher blending quality. Plus, if they are well maintained, they last for years.

A panini machine

Once again this type of machine is only used for a single culinary task and clutters up kitchens. The panini machine can for example be replaced by “a non-stick baking tray» multifunction which are «ideal for all types of sandwiches, including melts and burgers, as well as French toast and even grilled vegetables like carrots, asparagus, green beans and zucchini» according to Chef Rolnick.

A kitchen torch

While the kitchen torch can be enjoyed for making the perfect crème brûlée at home, unfortunately they can only be used a few times as pastry chef Casey Doodu reveals:“ What home cooks may not understand is that the torches do not come with extra butane, and they will have to purchase the butane cans separately to refill them“. Costs that add up to the base product in addition to producing a flame “not very strong» according to the cook. He therefore recommends opting instead for a real kitchen torch which, in addition to bringing a little touch of caramelization to all your dishes, can be used to “warming up my knife when slicing brownies, cakes, cheesecake — it’s my secret to getting sharp, clean edges !» as revealed by Chef Doody.

The people? A whole world! Passionate about the media, networks, series, films, and investigative investigations of all kinds, it was natural that Jessica turned to writing and that she takes…