Finding the right kitchen gadgets can make cooking feel like a breeze, or leave you wondering why you bothered in the first place. Today, I’m testing five unique kitchen gadgets that caught my eye. These gadgets claim to simplify everything from slicing bagels to perfectly timing pasta, but do they live up to the hype? I’ll break down my experience with each product, and in the end, I’ll rank them from best to worst. Let’s dive into the tests!
Where to Purchase
Bagel Guillotine
First Impressions
The Bagel Guillotine looks like a sturdy device with a pretty simple goal: slice bagels cleanly, quickly, and safely. The product description promises smooth, finger-safe cuts thanks to a built-in shield. This one has a high 4.4-star rating on Amazon, so I had high hopes.
Testing the Guillotine
Using the Bagel Guillotine was almost fun. All I had to do was drop an unsliced bagel into the base, line up the handle, and push down. Every cut was impressively clean and quick! I tried a range of bagels, from small plain ones to a larger raisin bagel, and each came out with a perfectly even cut. However, when I tried slicing a soft Kaiser roll, things didn’t go as smoothly—the guillotine crushed the roll slightly rather than slicing through cleanly.
Final Thoughts
If you eat bagels often, this is a fantastic tool. It’s efficient, easy to use, and surprisingly precise. Just don’t expect it to work as well on softer or oversized items.
Priority Chef Potato Ricer
First Impressions
The Priority Chef Potato Ricer promises fluffy, lump-free mashed potatoes with minimal effort. With 4.6 stars and claims of durability, anti-slip handles, and rust resistance, it sounded promising.
Testing the Ricer
I boiled my potatoes and filled the basket of the ricer. With a bit of pressure, the potatoes pushed right through, creating a smooth, rice-like texture. The effort was manageable, though I could see smaller hands struggling with the grip. The end result was indeed lump-free and smooth—perfect for mashed potatoes.
Final Thoughts
For anyone who loves creamy mashed potatoes, this is a great investment. It does take a bit of hand strength, but it’s simple, effective, and dishwasher-safe.
Ototo Can-Do Can Opener
First Impressions
The Ototo Can-Do Can Opener is a cute, compact tool designed by an award-winning studio, and it definitely stands out for its unique look. But as cute as it is, the reviews are mixed regarding functionality.
Testing the Can Opener
I was a bit skeptical, given that I’m used to larger, heavy-duty can openers. To operate, you position it on the can and twist the handle. It took a fair bit of effort, especially on larger cans, and my hand started to feel fatigued after a couple of cans. It does work, but it’s slower and more strenuous than my traditional can opener.
Final Thoughts
While it’s certainly cute, the Ototo Can-Do Can Opener may not be ideal for heavy kitchen use. It would work fine for opening the occasional can, but for regular use, it requires a bit too much effort.
Donut Stand
First Impressions
The Donut Stand is essentially a display rack for stacking donuts (or bagels). It’s rated 4.0 stars but looks a bit flimsy at first glance. It claims to hold multiple items neatly, but I was curious if it would really hold up.
Testing the Donut Stand
As I stacked donuts on the stand, I noticed it was already starting to lean, even with the non-slip pads attached. It holds donuts well enough, but if you have a mix of flavors, it’s impractical—you’d have to dig to the bottom to grab the donut you want. The stand also slightly squished some of the bottom donuts. When I tried bagels, it was much the same—functional but flawed.
Final Thoughts
While the Donut Stand could be a cute addition to a party table, it’s a bit flimsy and not ideal for variety packs. The idea is cute, but it feels cheaply made and isn’t the most stable.
5. Al Dente Singing Pasta Timer
First Impressions
The Al Dente Singing Pasta Timer floats in boiling water and plays songs at specific time intervals to alert you when your pasta should be ready. It has a 4.2-star rating, but reviews noted it could be a bit quiet. I was excited to see if this quirky timer would help me perfect my pasta cooking.
Testing the Timer
The Al Dente did indeed start playing tunes, but not exactly at the correct times. The 3-minute song began a little early, and by the time the “11-minute” song played, only seven minutes had passed. The tunes were soft, and it was hard to hear them over the boiling water, especially if the device was submerged. When I checked the pasta, it wasn’t done, so the timing was way off.
Final Thoughts
Al Dente may be fun as a novelty gift, but it was wildly inaccurate and not particularly practical. The tunes were hard to hear, and the timings were completely unreliable.
Conclusion and Final Rankings
Based on performance, here’s how I’d rank these five gadgets:
- Bagel Guillotine – Reliable, efficient, and great for bagel lovers.
- Priority Chef Potato Ricer – Excellent for smooth, lump-free mashed potatoes with a bit of hand strength.
- Ototo Can-Do Can Opener – Cute but more effort-intensive than a regular can opener.
- Donut Stand – Functional for light use but too flimsy for regular handling.
- Al Dente Singing Pasta Timer – Fun idea but far from accurate or useful.
Out of these, the Bagel Guillotine and Potato Ricer are the real stars, while the Al Dente is best left as a gag gift. Hopefully, this gives you a better idea of which gadgets are worth the buy!