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What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
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62 posters
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Page 1 of 9 • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Does anyone have any handy gadgets you use in the kitchen/garden?
I use the handy gadget below. It goes by several names (Slice-Pro, Clever Cleaver, Clever Cutter). It's a thin, sharp knife blade on top & a small cutting board on the bottom and you use it like a pair of scissors. It's ESPECIALLY good for slicing carrots.
BUT I also use it to chop up things for the compost pile. It's GREAT at cutting melon rinds!
LOL Amazon.com has one for sale for $177 which I truly believe is an error. I got mine YEARS ago at JC Penney for around $15. If it IS that valuable, I'll be glad to sell mine for the bargain price of $150.
I'd love to hear if anyone else has handy gadgets or if you use an everyday item in an unusual way for your kitchen or garden.

Thanks,
Kim
I use the handy gadget below. It goes by several names (Slice-Pro, Clever Cleaver, Clever Cutter). It's a thin, sharp knife blade on top & a small cutting board on the bottom and you use it like a pair of scissors. It's ESPECIALLY good for slicing carrots.
BUT I also use it to chop up things for the compost pile. It's GREAT at cutting melon rinds!
LOL Amazon.com has one for sale for $177 which I truly believe is an error. I got mine YEARS ago at JC Penney for around $15. If it IS that valuable, I'll be glad to sell mine for the bargain price of $150.

I'd love to hear if anyone else has handy gadgets or if you use an everyday item in an unusual way for your kitchen or garden.

Thanks,
Kim
Last edited by camprn on 4/7/2015, 11:14 am; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : e)
I have seen women looking at jewelry ads with a misty eye and one hand resting on the heart, and I only know what they're feeling because that's how I read the seed catalogs in January - Barbara Kingsolver - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
Our handy item
Our handy item really isn't a gadget at all but a multi-purpose tool. It's an old garden spade handle. It has a pointed end which is perfect for making planting holes in MM so I can drop larger seeds while standing, and then cover them up without having to bend over.
My husband turned it on its side and with a marker he marked off one foot sections to use as a guide for measuring grids on the boxes and beds. He marked one section off into inches to use as a planting guide for each grid.
It is sturdy enough that I can use it to push over-reaching vine crops back to their places, and I've used it to push Juicy Fruit gum rolls down into vole holes.
It serves as a walking stick on those days when I'm a little "weebly", and it also keeps rambunctious pups at bay.
If my husband ever needs a new spade handle, it can always return to the purpose for which it was created.
My husband turned it on its side and with a marker he marked off one foot sections to use as a guide for measuring grids on the boxes and beds. He marked one section off into inches to use as a planting guide for each grid.
It is sturdy enough that I can use it to push over-reaching vine crops back to their places, and I've used it to push Juicy Fruit gum rolls down into vole holes.
It serves as a walking stick on those days when I'm a little "weebly", and it also keeps rambunctious pups at bay.
If my husband ever needs a new spade handle, it can always return to the purpose for which it was created.
ander217-
Posts : 1450
Join date : 2010-03-16
Age : 67
Location : Southeastern Missouri (6b)
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
My favorite toy is my knife. It is a 10" Victorinox chef's knife and while under $30, its reviews on Cook's Illustrated compare it easily to knives costing hundreds of dollars. I loooooove it!!!
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47521-10-Inch-Fibrox-Handle/dp/B0000CF8YO
Second favorite is my bench blade. Third, the veggie peeler which loops over my finger so I don't have to grasp a handle.
After that, hard to say. Garden, I think my favorite so far (and best buy) was my irrigation system. I got the basic setup going for under $50. Kitchen, my lid-lifter is very handy. Basically it's a magnet on a plastic stem, used for fishing canning lids out of hot water. It came as part of a kit and cheap as it was, I'm sure I paid far more than needed, but it's so handy I have no complaints.
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47521-10-Inch-Fibrox-Handle/dp/B0000CF8YO
Second favorite is my bench blade. Third, the veggie peeler which loops over my finger so I don't have to grasp a handle.
After that, hard to say. Garden, I think my favorite so far (and best buy) was my irrigation system. I got the basic setup going for under $50. Kitchen, my lid-lifter is very handy. Basically it's a magnet on a plastic stem, used for fishing canning lids out of hot water. It came as part of a kit and cheap as it was, I'm sure I paid far more than needed, but it's so handy I have no complaints.
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Love the ideas. Keep 'em coming.
Kim
Kim
I have seen women looking at jewelry ads with a misty eye and one hand resting on the heart, and I only know what they're feeling because that's how I read the seed catalogs in January - Barbara Kingsolver - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
I bought myself one of these last year: rolling gardening seat. I really love it. I've got bad knees so I can't really kneel on the ground. I don't really have a bad back but bending to plant does make it sore. The seat is the perfect height to sit & plant in the SFG.
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
This is a great garden kneeler/stool that I got a couple years ago for $18.99. I bought two and use them all the time.
http://www.amazon.com/Step-2-5A0100-Garden-Kneeler/dp/B00004W431/ref=sr_1_6?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1287674031&sr=1-6
http://www.amazon.com/Step-2-5A0100-Garden-Kneeler/dp/B00004W431/ref=sr_1_6?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1287674031&sr=1-6
Squat_Johnson-
Posts : 440
Join date : 2010-05-25
Location : Beaver Dam, Kentucky, zone 6a
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Speaking of gadgets, does anyone know of a source for the wire cage you use to blanch large #'s of tomatoes all at once? I've seen pictures of them in the Ball Book but they don't seem to sell them.
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Megan wrote:Speaking of gadgets, does anyone know of a source for the wire cage you use to blanch large #'s of tomatoes all at once? I've seen pictures of them in the Ball Book but they don't seem to sell them.
tee-hee .... If it's metal, I can find it ...LOL
Blanching basket 1
Blanching Basket 2
Blanching Basket 3
acara-
Posts : 1012
Join date : 2010-08-27
Age : 53
Location : Wesley Chapel, Florida (Zone 9)
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Ah hah! Thank you. That last one was EXACTLY what I was looking for!
Hmm... but they seem to be sold out! Cry.

Hmm... but they seem to be sold out! Cry.

Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
SWIM GOGGLES!!!!!! Yes I am shouting with joy! It is the only way I can cut onions thanks to severe eye allergies. I have tried every trick in the book for cutting onions and nothing worked. Thankfully I have three kids in swim team so there are always plenty of goggles handy!

milaneyjane- Posts : 422
Join date : 2010-03-18
Location : MN Zone 4
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Megan wrote:Ah hah! Thank you. That last one was EXACTLY what I was looking for!![]()
Hmm... but they seem to be sold out! Cry.![]()
Too bad they are out of them. Can you make do with a basket from a deep fryer? That is what I use
GK
Old Hippie- Regional Hosts
-
Posts : 1156
Join date : 2010-08-12
Age : 71
Location : Canada 3b
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
WOW. I could have used the rolling garden cart today. I was helping our church for a Make A Difference Day (M.A.D.D.) project. Each year we do an "Extreme Makeover" on a teachers' lounge in a school in our area.
Today I was painting and I really would have loved to "scoot" around the room on the cart instead of crawling on the floor.
Today I was painting and I really would have loved to "scoot" around the room on the cart instead of crawling on the floor.
I have seen women looking at jewelry ads with a misty eye and one hand resting on the heart, and I only know what they're feeling because that's how I read the seed catalogs in January - Barbara Kingsolver - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Old Hippie wrote:Megan wrote:Ah hah! Thank you. That last one was EXACTLY what I was looking for!![]()
Hmm... but they seem to be sold out! Cry.![]()
Too bad they are out of them. Can you make do with a basket from a deep fryer? That is what I use
GK
I would... if I had a deep fryer. In the past I've used a spider... guess I will be using it again. Maybe I'll splurge and buy a big one; the one I have now is only big enough for one tomato at a time.
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Try 2nd hand stores or thrift stores in their household depts. It is amazing the stuff you can find in there. We have a couple of stores like that here the very often have a good collection of kitchen stuff for very cheap and you can always advertise on Freecycle if you have one in your area.
GK
GK
Old Hippie- Regional Hosts
-
Posts : 1156
Join date : 2010-08-12
Age : 71
Location : Canada 3b
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
Megan, I use a large flat skimming ladle to scoop out the veggies when they are done blanching.
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
That's what a spider is, more or less. Mine is relatively small, but they are made larger, too. I think I'll just put up with what I've got, as I don't have a lot of storage space for additional stuff. Thanks so much to everyone for ideas!
HANDY
Whilst processing my first batch of 
I sort of ended up with

Then for my second batch I got smart and used

and then I was sort of


I sort of ended up with

Then for my second batch I got smart and used

and then I was sort of

Furbalsmom-
Posts : 3141
Join date : 2010-06-10
Age : 76
Location : Coastal Oregon, Zone 9a, Heat Zone 2 :(
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
LOVED IT camprn. I only have 2 questions . . .
1. Picture #3 wasn't a proctology appointment was it? Mixing hot peppers and . . . well you know.
2. Is it a burden being that gorgeous peaceful person in the last photo?
1. Picture #3 wasn't a proctology appointment was it? Mixing hot peppers and . . . well you know.

2. Is it a burden being that gorgeous peaceful person in the last photo?

I have seen women looking at jewelry ads with a misty eye and one hand resting on the heart, and I only know what they're feeling because that's how I read the seed catalogs in January - Barbara Kingsolver - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
ksroman wrote:LOVED IT camprn. I only have 2 questions . . .
1. Picture #3 wasn't a proctology appointment was it? Mixing hot peppers and . . . well you know.![]()
My first guess was Rocky Horror Picture Show exerpt ...


acara-
Posts : 1012
Join date : 2010-08-27
Age : 53
Location : Wesley Chapel, Florida (Zone 9)
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
I am putting the Mason Bee and bat house on my short list. http://www.etsy.com/shop/andrewsreclaimed
Re: What's your favorite kitchen/garden gadget?
That bat house has a wire landing pad area. This is not recommended by most bat rehabbers. Most recommend grooves cut into the wood or plastic or fiberglass mesh/screen, not wire. The wire can cause frost injury in the cold and heat injury in the summer.
There are good boxes and plans available here:
http://www.batworld.org/bcs/bat_houses.html
Amanda Lollar is considered one of the world experts on rehabbing bats and has written a book just on rehab of bats (as well as other books - info on the website). She is also one of the nicest people I've ever met and you will NOT find a more dedicated individual anywhere. JMHO
There are good boxes and plans available here:
http://www.batworld.org/bcs/bat_houses.html
Amanda Lollar is considered one of the world experts on rehabbing bats and has written a book just on rehab of bats (as well as other books - info on the website). She is also one of the nicest people I've ever met and you will NOT find a more dedicated individual anywhere. JMHO
Odd Duck-
Posts : 327
Join date : 2010-03-08
Age : 60
Location : DFW, TX, Zone 7b/8a
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