Unused Kitchen Gadgets

We've all been there. 


And you can't use your oven because...?

You're in a kitchen store or at a yard sale or surfing the web.  And there it is!  What a great idea!  It's on sale, too!  Yeah, that will save so much time.  It'll make my life so much easier.

Not sure what I'm talking about?  Check the back of your kitchen cabinets or in the basement.  You'll find that rotisserie or battery-operated pepper mill or sandwich press. 

They're the kinds of things that are given as gifts or just strike you as you're shopping.  At the moment, it seems like a great idea.  But really, do you really need one of those rubber garlic peelers? 

Some of these gadgets just seem useless.  A gadget specifically made to pull a pickle out of a jar.  Or an asparagus peeler. 

Some of them may be legitimate, but using them every 3-4 years doesn't really warrant buying them.  I mean, a pizza oven might be good if you're making a lot of pizzas, but can't you just use your regular oven?

Every now and then, you'll find a gadget that actually works.  My mom bought me one of those pineapple corer/peelers.  And it works!  (If you have a pineapple that isn't too big.)  But most often, these things just take up space and empty your wallet.

Asparagus peeler.  Hmm...

Alton Brown's mantra is not to buy anything that isn't a multi-tasker.  If it's used for just one thing, it's not worth buying.  He's probably right.

So what are some of these unused gadgets that are taking space in your kitchen?  Let me know.  I'm sure my readers would love to hear what you have.  Maybe you can sell something!

To read about professional foodies who are in the same boat, check out this article from the New York Times.