Gadgets for Specific Foods

There are hundreds of kitchen gadgets on the market today. Some, like an egg slicer, can serve multiple functions. (Most slicers are equally adept at mushrooms, cheeses, etc.) Others, like a garlic press, are indispensable for the task they perform. And there are some, like an apple corer, that do one thing only and may see only limited use in your kitchen. These tools often take the place of a knife, but a kitchen knife can perform the majority of tasks with minimal trouble.

There are three important questions you should ask yourself before purchasing any gadget.

• Do I have enough space for it in my kitchen? (Especially important in apartments!)
• Would I use it often enough and would it save me enough time to be worth purchasing?
• Is it easy to clean?

With these questions as your guide, have fun exploring the wild world of kitchen gadgets. The ones listed on this page are some of the most common, but this is not a comprehensive list by any means.

Happy Cooking!

The Big Five

There are a few "gadgets" that are, in fact, completely indispensable. They do tasks that cannot be performed at all well in any other way. The first four are a must for every kitchen; corn cob holders are a must for anyone who eats corn on the cob, which is a very large majority.

Fresh ground pepper is one of the most essential flavors in cuisines from around the world. Pepper loses its flavor quickly, and once you have a good pepper grinder  at your disposal, you will never buy pre-ground pepper again. Don't forget a large jar of peppercorns  to refill it!	Freshly crushed garlic  adds loads of flavor to any dish. A garlic press  allows you to process large quantities of garlic quickly and easily. If you often use sliced garlic as well, look for a garlic press and slicer.  Don't forget a handy garlic peeler  as well, and an odor-removing soap  for afterwards!	Squeezing citrus fruits with just your hands is not the most effective way to get juice. If you like more than a little squirt of citrus juice, invest in a good quality citrus juicer  or reamer . They quickly and easily get the juice out of lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits.	A good set of poultry shears  will help you perform delicate chicken preparation tasks that would be difficult or awkward to perform with a knife. Look for a pair that comes apart for easy cleaning, since you'll be using them on raw meat.	If your family eats corn on the cob, even just a few times a year, you need a set of corn cob holders.  Although they are very task-specific, nothing else can do what they do in any way. If the typical yellow plastic ones aren't for you, look for a set of stainless steel  ones instead.

Garlic Tools

A hand-held garlic press , for all the reasons mentioned above, is necessary for any kitchen.	The Garlic Twist  is designed to quickly and easily mince garlic cloves.	Garlic peelers  remove the skin from individual cloves efficiently and easily.	The Garlic Genius  is another gadget designed to mince garlic.

Spice It Up

Pepper mills, as mentioned above, are an essential ingredient in any gourmet kitchen.	Honey drizzlers  are an alternative to using a spoon to get at the sticky stuff.	Herb mincers  are palm-sized gadgets that are useful for fine mincing.	Nutmeg grinders  allow you to leave a whole nutmeg in the base and just grind a little at a time.

For Meat and Seafood

Poultry shears , as mentioned above, are indispensable.	Tenderizers  and pounders  are handy for flattening chicken cutlets.	Lobster tools  are necessary to access lobster and crab meat.	Presses  are great for making bacon, but can also be used for paninis!	Basters  and flavor injectors  are great for roasting meats and poultry.

Miscellaneous Fruits and Veggies

Corn cob handles  and corn cob cutters  keep your fingers from getting burnt (or buttered)!	Avocado/potato mashers  are key for mashed potatoes and guacamole.	Mango splitters  remove the pit from the mango flesh.	Artichoke steamers  support the artichoke while it cooks and make them easier to stuff.	Pineapple corkscrews  remove the inside of the pineapple with just a few twists.

Cherry pitters  are handy if you make a lot of cherry pie. (Also work on olives. )	Avocado slicers  make perfect, even wedges of avocado.	Asparagus tools (tongs  and steamers ) make this springtime favorite even easier to enjoy.	Steakhouse onion cutters  allow your onions to "flower".	Corers  are useful if you cook a lot of dishes with apples or make a lot of apple pie.

Tomato Tools

Tomato presses  are used to make tomato sauce or tomato paste.	Tomato knives  are serrated to gently slice thin-skinned tomatoes.	Tomato slicers  make quick work and even slices; great if you make a lot of sandwiches!	Tomato corers  remove the squishy seed-containing pulp from your tomatoes.

Citrus Tools

Lemon reamers  are indispensable for adding citrus juices to recipes.	Citrus juicers  make fresh orange juice an everyday treat.	Zesters  are tiny graters that remove just the outer part of citrus rinds.	Citrus trumpets  are another kind of juicing apparatus.	Grapefruit spoons  are designed for removing segments easily.

Egg Tools

Egg slicers  make quick work of slicing and dicing eggs (or mushrooms.)	Egg/pancake rings  make perfectly round breakfast treats.	Egg coddlers  treat your eggs with love and affection.	Egg Poachers  can make eggs for a group or just for one.	Whiskie  is a little whisk that stands on its own two feet. Cute