Kitchen gadgets are fun—until they’re not. We’ve all fallen for the shiny promise of a device that claims to “change the way you cook forever,” only to shove it in the back of a drawer weeks later.
The truth? Most of us just need a sharp knife, a big spoon, and a bit of practice. Let’s talk about the tools that overpromise, underdeliver, and take up way too much space.
1. Banana Slicer
You know what already slices bananas beautifully? A regular knife. This plastic oddity adds nothing but bulk and cleanup.
It’s shaped to fit the perfect banana, which is laughable if you’ve ever met a real banana. Unless you’re feeding 30 toddlers at once, skip it.
2. Electric Can Opener
Sure, it sounds like a game-changer—until it eats the lid or refuses to open dented cans. It takes up counter space and somehow never works as smoothly as the manual one.
The cleanup alone is enough to make you miss the old-school crank. Unless mobility is an issue, go manual.
3. Avocado Slicer
It looks handy, but it turns ripe avocados into sad mush. The slicer blades are flimsy and the pitter is worse than using a spoon or knife.
Avocados aren’t complicated—they just need love and maybe a little lime. Save the cash and trust your hands.
4. Herb Scissors
Five blades, one headache. They’re a pain to clean, jam up with stems, and don’t offer precision.
A sharp chef’s knife does the job faster and with way less mess. Bonus: you’ll actually feel like a cook, not someone crafting confetti.
5. Quesadilla Maker
It presses, it burns, it leaks cheese. And then you have to clean it. Two frying pans or a skillet with a lid can make a far better, crispier quesadilla.
Unless your kitchen has unlimited storage, let this one stay at the store.
6. Hot Dog Toaster
It’s the kind of thing you buy as a joke and then realize it wasn’t that funny. The buns get burnt, the dogs get dry, and the cleanup is worse than you’d think.
Just toss ‘em in a skillet or boil ’em like it’s 1995.
7. Panini Press
A heavy skillet or even a foil-wrapped brick can do the same thing with more versatility. The press is bulky, hard to clean, and pretty much only makes pressed sandwiches.
It’s a one-trick pony in a kitchen that needs workhorses.
8. Egg Separator
Crack the egg and use the shell, your fingers, or a slotted spoon. The separator is just another thing to wash.
And honestly, it often breaks the yolk anyway. Let your instincts (and gravity) do the work.
9. Single-Use Garlic Peeler
The rubber tube seems magical—until it wears out, stains, or fails to actually peel anything.
Smashing cloves with the side of a knife is faster and feels more satisfying. Plus, no gadget means no weird garlic smell stuck in silicone.
10. Electric Wine Opener
It buzzes, whirrs, and still breaks corks. Manual corkscrews are elegant, reliable, and easier to store.
This one feels like a party trick that wears out its welcome. Wine deserves better.
11. Strawberry Huller
It pulls the tops off… and sometimes the whole berry. A small paring knife gives you more control and cleaner cuts.
Unless you’re hulling industrial quantities for a jam factory, it’s just clutter. Trust your knife skills instead.
12. Butter Cutter
It’s a stick of butter, not a brick wall. This cutter claims to give you perfect slices, but it’s messy, inconsistent, and hard to clean.
Most of the time, it just ends up in a drawer, greasy and forgotten. A warm knife does it better.
13. Pasta Measuring Tool
The concept: measure spaghetti portions using holes. The reality: no one eats only one portion of pasta.
It’s fussy, inaccurate, and unnecessary. Go ahead, eyeball it—your future self (and your leftovers) will thank you.
14. Cupcake Maker
It’s bulky, slow, and the cupcakes never quite taste right. An oven, a muffin tin, and a little patience give way better results.
You end up with uneven bakes and another appliance that gathers dust. It’s cute—but that’s not enough.
15. Meat Claw Shredders
They look cool, but feel like cosplay for BBQ night. Your hands (plus two forks) can shred pork, chicken, or beef just fine.
Claws are awkward, hard to clean, and frankly unnecessary unless you’re feeding a stadium. Skip the drama, keep the meat.
16. Electric Potato Peeler
The old-fashioned way takes just a few minutes and lets you keep control. Electric peelers often waste more of the potato and leave weird gouges.
Plus, they’re clunky and take longer to clean than the peeling took in the first place. Just peel and move on.
17. Breakfast Sandwich Maker
Stack your ingredients, close the lid—and then deal with runny eggs and stuck cheese. The idea is fun, but a pan, a toaster, and a little timing work so much better.
You end up babysitting the machine anyway. DIY breakfast wins every time.