The Worst Dressed Appliances of 2010

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4.1.11

The Worst Dressed Appliances of 2010

41PFKNNXE7L._AA260_ By now, if you are a regular reader, then you know how much I hate clutter. (Wow..I REALLY hate clutter!!) And having too many appliances..or the wrong kind…  is to me ‘Cardinal Sin #1”  Since my kitchen is pretty small (to be truthful--‘tiny’) at least for a family of five, there simply isn’t room for a bunch of appliances that I don’t need.

Here are my LEAST favorite appliances not just of 2010 but period (either because they are too big..or useless in my opinion’).  And if you think I’m just too fussy..or picky..then just know that you can find these ‘EN MASSE’ at your local thrift store. Personally, if I find a bunch of one particular appliance at a thrift store, then that tells me something--I don’t need it!! :o)

On My Worst Dressed List for 2010

pasta maker

The Pasta Maker  You know, as soon as I open my big mouth, I know what’s going to happen. Someone  is going to shoot me for taking a stand. But if I find 20 of these on a thrift store shelf…well..I KNOW what is going on. Someone got ‘took’ for a lot of money for something they thought they would love..and then changed their mind.  The local thrift store is the best place to ‘market test’ appliances..and books in my opinion. If you see too many--that’s a red flag! Don’t believe me? Guess what the second most prevalent items are to buy from a thrift store…Exercise equipment. Ha! Got you!” :o)

tea pot

The Iced Tea Maker   Now don’t get me wrong--I ADORE iced tea!! I’m the ‘queen and connoisseur’ of the perfect pitcher of iced tea. But an appliance? What ever in the world for?? When it comes to taking up too much space, this tops my list.  :o) If you want one…just pick one up for pennies at your local thrift store. Perhaps you, too, will find out why it’s there. :o) I’m embarrassed to admit that I often revert to your old fashioned teapot. Yes..I have one of those. :o)

mickeymousewaffleiron1

The Belgian Waffle Maker

I admit, that I received one of these as a wedding gift…and I moved it 22 times!!  I believe I used it four times, if my  memory serves me correctly. Why so few times? Well, it isn’t because my dear hubby doesn’t like Belgian waffles. But it only served two. We had three mouths to feed…right from the beginning..and then every other year, we added another mouth to feed. Do you know how long it takes to make waffles..one at a time? Sorry, but until we retire, I’m not buying another one. It never fit..on ANY shelf in ANY kitchen. After 22 kitchens, you would think it would fit somewhere?! It’s so embarrassing to eat that first waffle, while everybody else drools and watches you eat. My advice?…Stick with the four-waffle iron if you really want one. :o)bread machine

Automatic Bread Baking Machines   Ok,… don’t shoot me girls..but why,  may I ask, are the thrift stores so buried in bread baking machines? I can’t tell you how many complaints I’ve heard from people who have owned one of these.  Now, the bread does taste great…IF it all works the way it’s supposed to. My daughter-in-law’s father, Klaus, swore by his.  But the flour is so expensive..and the machines appear to get very mixed results. I think the problem is, that it’s hard to find a good one.  So, even though it’s a lot of trouble, learning to make your own bread is better in the long run.  This one gets a ‘4’ from me. The bread is great..but the purchase is risky. If you want fresh baked bread and don’t want to go to the trouble to learn to make your own…then buy frozen bread dough and let it rise..then bake it. That way you get some freshly baked bread without the expense of an expensive machine. If you are itching to try this, then buy it at a local thrift store so you can save your money and your space! :o)

 

dehydratorjuicer

Food Dehydrators and Juicers

Ouch..I just felt someone giving me the evil eye..Was it you? Oh..you have one of those up on the top shelf of your pantry taking up space too..right along side your juicer.  Tee-hee! Now, to be fair, if you are committed..and I mean VERY committed..you may very well consider this appliance and your juicer to be your two most important appliances in your kitchen. (Shhh..my daughter inherited one of these and LOVES it!) But if you are just ‘wishing’ you would eat healthier, then this appliance may be taking up unnecessary space in your cabinet or on your counter too.   I don’t use this for the same reason that I don’t use a juicer--It’s a lot of fruit and veges that for the most part  are going ‘down the drain’ for the sake of health. The fiber gets dumped when the fresh vege or fruit would be much better for us. This baby is too expensive for us frugal folk, if you ask me.

To their credit, I don’t see these at the thrift store much. I think the crowd who buys these is pretty committed. But when I’ve received not one but TWO of these as hand-me-downs from people who’ve changed their minds…well..what can I say?  I kept meaning to use that dehydrator..but I just never ‘got a Round TUIT’, if you know what I mean.

 can opener

The Electric Can Opener

OK, I thought my husband was just NUTS when he suggested ditching my electric can opener. Was he out of his mind? How dare he even suggest such a thing? His response, “My mom never used  one.”  I hate to say, “So What?!!” quite so non-chalantly..but really! What does that have to do with anything? His mom never used a meat tenderizing hammer either…but then she doesn’t make Southern style chicken fried steak, so of course, she doesn’t have one. It’s not MY fault she didn’t grow up in the South is it?  Are we going to skip  a taste of heaven..which requires owning one, just because his dear sainted mother didn’t use one?  She is a darling..but still…each woman to her own kitchen!

canopener2

But our kitchens were always small, so I thought, OK, just this once, I’ll do without an electric can opener. Well, sometimes husbands are smarter than you think. I’ve been using a good quality heavy duty hand cranked can opener for 23+ years…and I’ve never looked back. Since it slips right into the utensil drawer, I can’t complain.  Now, the meat tenderizer..that’s an entirely DIFFERENT story! Don’t you even THINK of messing with my meat tenderizer, Buddy-boy!

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In Summary…

Honestly, though, it’s January, and we all have the de-cluttering bug. If  you have a big kitchen and WHOLE drawers to put your appliances in, then maybe this isn’t a big issue for you. But if you, like me, are tight for space, or you’re mentally exhausted from having too many choices, then maybe some of these appliances should join their sisters and brothers..on the shelves of your local thrift store. Tee-hee!

rice cooker

PS. On the other hand, just know that as far as I’m concerned, if you love one of these appliances and USE it, then enjoy it with my personal blessing. Everyone has their own take on appliances and I’m no expert. :o)  Each woman is the queen of her kitchen and KUDOS to any of you who regularly use your juicer or dehydrator. I bet you have a rice cooker too. All I can say is..I’m impressed!

 my signature

22 comments

claudia b said...

oh no!!! don't tell me that! I just ordered a dehydrator, but i am one of those committed folks. or maybe I need to be committed? :D

i grow my own veggies and some fruit and we purchase in bulk so i wanted to save some for the winter months next year.

love your blog!!!

Donna said...

Claudia.. To tell you the truth, I wished I still had one of these. Don't feel bad. :o) I was just having a little fun. :o)

This post is leading up to my 'favorite' appliances of 2010. If someone gave me a dehydrator now, I'd use it for healthy snacks now that I'm on a low carb diet.

But when I think of the YEARS it took up needed space in my pantry. Sigh.. It's painful to think of! :o) I'm so very glad you enjoy my blog. Thanks for saying so!

:o)

Shona Cole said...

this was fun to read donna!
I don't even know what a dehydrator is!!! I am not an appliance person, but I have a couple of things that are wasting space - the juicer (it is just not heavy duty enough to actually do the job, I use my food processor instead) and an old fashioned popcorn pot, we used it like once, so much cheaper and easier to use the microwave bag popcorn.

Shona Cole said...

One appliance I DO use all the time (besides the table top microwave, which sometimes I use more than the built in one) is my George Forman grill - we use that puppy EVERYDAY. makes grilling chicken or sausage for lunch so quick and easy.

Shona Cole said...

Foreman, sorry George

Karena said...

Donna, too much, I have actually decluttered most of my appliances. I do still have a fondue pot which I have not used in several years!

Happy New Years!

Xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Myra said...

I used to think a blender, but now it's handy for copying Starbuck's frappucinos. I think a waffle maker, because I really do use a bread machine, alot, as well as crockpot, toaster over, microwave, stand mixer and hand mixer. Large food processor comes in second for not useful - it is at times, when I have alot of tomatoes or produce to puree for freezing or canning, but not everyday.

Donna said...

I had a feeling this was going to inspire some lively conversation. :o) LOL! We either hate an appliance..or love it. No in betweens here I see. :o)

Shona, the George Forman grill, which I first used at your house, was really the inspiration for my follow up post on my new favorites. How did you read my mind?

I knew someone was going to like the bread machine..it just has to be the right one. So many friends I know have one..but they have to make the bread by hand..or mix something first, because they can't use it 'as is'. Something just didn't quite work right.

I suppose the best thing is to check out Consumer Reports Magazine and find out which one they recommend. Then you could avoid the 'Thrift Store cemetary'. :o)

Donna said...

Karena, Shona, and Myra...you are right. All three of those appliances, the popcorn popper, fondue pot, and bulky food processors are big NO-No's along with (at least in my mind), the WOK. Just use a skillet if you are going to stir-fry. I admired my 'retro-fondue pot' and my WOK just because they were 'decorative'. That should tell us something right there...

Grace on the Narrow Path said...

NO junk I mean no clutter here. I so agree with you.
Blessings,
Bren

Jill said...

LOL, this had me smiling a lot, I could relate to many. I brew my tea in a pot, even have made sun tea in the summer and I like regular can openers by hand,lol.
thanks for posting!
Blessings,
Jill

Needled Mom said...

I really don't have any useless appliances in my kitchen anymore, but I'll have to tell you that the juice (althought not a big one like you show) is probably the most used. We have an orchard full of citrus - oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes and cannot imagine squeezing all those by hand. OUCH!!

Happy New Year.

Donna said...

Dear Needled Mom, Obviously, you use your juicer for the right reason...the old fashioned one..fresh squeezed juice. That makes sense to me, but to take pounds of good apples, carrots, and other vegetables and turn them into juice instead of lightly steaming them and eating them..that's painful to think about. (Just the money issue of course.) Healthwise I'm sure it's great.

I would LOVE to have a small juicer to make my own fresh squeezed juice though...I think... EEk! I'll have to go check one out at our local thrift store. Ha!

Kelly said...

Hi Donna;
Hmmm... let me see... which appliances do we have in our pantry...
Breadmaker - used a few times but now collects dust
Juicer - used maybe twice, and now collects dust
Coffee Maker - used for guests which makes sense right?
Dehydrator - ya, got one for our wedding - never used it - sold it in garage sale!
Waffle Maker - we got for our wedding and have used over 1000 times - but ours is much bigger!
I think that's about it... many are useless and just take up space for sure!
Hugs to you and Happy New Year Donna!

GlorV1 said...

What a great post Donna! I loved it. To be truthful, I think I've had each one of those appliances.:) Right now I have my crock pot, my bread maker, my dehydrator which I couldn't be without come summer time, my rice maker which I use to make white rice for husband, and of course just the other necessary appliances. How funny, huh? We use these things not much, but we do use them. I use my dehydrator every year and then some. I love drying peaches, habaneros, you name it. I have a walk in pantry that was converted from a spare back bedroom, so I have plenty of room to store these appliances in the now shelved closet. :)) Great post, I loved it and love your old fashioned teapot. Take care.

fairyrocks said...

LOL too funny, My DH and I started cleaning our way around the kitchen on Boxing Day...We haven't made it all the way yet.
FYI we got rid of not one but 2 easy bake ovens, one Betty crocker kids icecream maker and a kids juice/ mess maker LOL....the baby is 13, they haven't been used in awhile. I do have 5 of your prior mentioned appliances/gadgets, out of the 5 I only use 1 on a regular basis....Not telling which ones.
I guess its time to say good by useless and hello freedom of things.

Donna said...

I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this topic. :o) And Fairyrocks.. please don't worry about which appliance you use. If you love it and use it..then it's a great appliance for you and that's all that matters. I have PLENTY of clutter in my kitchen. Lots of work left to do around here. :o)

Donna said...

From Mary (My Mom)

You can make jerky in your dehydrator and save a ton of money, plus time and energy having to check the oven several times or heating up the kitchen because you have to leave the door open to get the lower temps. OR dried fruit which is such a good snack and a lot better for one instead of some of the other stuff around and it is easier to store and looks pretty in a jar.

I totally agree about the hand held can opener. You are not limited to the size of cans that you can open!


I forgot the codes to use to post on the blog.

Love Mom -

Grace @ Sense and Simplicity said...

I so agree. I'm a minimalist when it comes to appliances too.

Anonymous said...

What is it with the curse of the belgian waffle maker? We registered for one for our wedding but didn't get it and I always think it would be so nice. But then I shouldn't be eating waffles all the time and it looks like it would take up a lot of counter space!
I just found you. Happy Homemaking to you, too! :)

Mary Ann Pickett said...

So funny. I put a counter in our new pantry where I keep (and use) all the appliances like the toaster, Cuisinart, etc.
Mary Ann

FFFM180P said...

I’ve learned a lot from your blog here, Keep on going, my friend, I will keep an eye on it,

“There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.” ~ Margaret Sangster

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