If you’re trying to declutter your counter space and kitchen cupboards, consider replacing items you seldom use with multipurpose alternatives. Popcorn poppers, ice crushers, and cheesecloths may as well be obsolete, and take up valuable cupboard and countertop space. Here are 18 kitchen items you don’t actually need to keep.
Manual Ice Cream Maker
Manual ice cream makers are much more labor-intensive than modern automatic makers. Both will take up significant storage space in your kitchen, but an electric machine is better if you want to make ice cream regularly.
Egg Separator
An egg separator is an unnecessary kitchen tool. Spoons or the eggshell itself can do the job just as well and will teach you how to separate eggs manually. Tools like egg separators with only one purpose clutter kitchens, so they’re best avoided.
Popcorn Popper
Popcorn poppers take up space in your kitchen that could be freed up for more important items. The Vegetarian Times notes that while they are convenient, they’re not necessary. Using a regular frying pan or pot with a lid will achieve the same results, and you can add your toppings and flavorings.
Pasta Maker
Pasta makers are bulky items that are only worth the space they take up if you frequently use them. High-quality, readily available fresh and dried pasta is an easier choice, drastically reducing meal preparation time.
Electric Can Opener
Manual can openers are generally smaller than their electric counterparts and have longer lifespans. They’re also more straightforward and portable, making them easy to pack when going on vacation.
Standalone Meat Grinder
Standalone meat grinders are satisfying but unnecessary and take up space in your kitchen. The food processor you regularly use can be an effective alternative for grinding meat when cooking.
Salad Spinner
Salad spinners are great tools for drying freshly washed greens, but they take up a lot of cupboard or countertop space and are a hassle to clean. So, it’s best to dry your salad with a kitchen towel or paper towel.
Electric Griddle
Electric griddles are unnecessary, one-use appliances that clutter up your kitchen. A regular stove top serves the same purpose and doesn’t take up extra space on your countertop or cupboard.
Garlic Press
Garlic presses are obsolete kitchen items that are notoriously difficult to clean. Finely chopping garlic cloves with a sharp knife or grating them with a microplane cheese grater are easier-to-clean alternatives.
Bread Machine
Bread machines are unnecessary and take up limited counter space. Tom’s Guide argues that “if you enjoy the process of making dough and creating rustic artisan loaves,” it’s best to make bread in your oven, as “a bread machine will feel too restrictive for you and won’t be worth the counter space.”
Teapot Warmer
Teapot warmers are only helpful for one specific task and take up valuable space in your kitchen. Simple alternatives that don’t take up as much space include wrapping a teapot in a towel or using an insulated pot.
Melon Baller
Melon ballers are unnecessary items that are often seldom used. Learning how to use a knife for a similar result is a valuable skill that’s more satisfying and doesn’t require any extra space in your kitchen drawer.
Electric Knife
Manual knives are older than their modern electric counterparts, but they have better stood the test of time. A good, sharpened manual knife can handle all kitchen cutting needs and will be much easier to handle than an electric version.
Yogurt Maker
Yogurt makers are large, bulky items that gather dust in kitchens. Making yogurt at home can be a fun family activity, but you can also make it in a multipurpose pot or slow cooker that is easier to clean.
Ice Crusher
Ice crushers are great tools for crushing ice in bars and restaurants. However, they’re bulky, and if you want to crush ice for your drinks or cocktails, a standard blender, which is multifunctional, will do the job.
Cheesecloth
Cheesecloth is useful for basting poultry, straining, and dusting food. Still, other items lying around your kitchen, including coffee filters, can do the job and are easier to wash and reuse. People notes that Martha Stewart recommends a clean t-shirt as an alternative to cheesecloth when cooking your Thanksgiving turkey.
Electric Pepper Mill
Manual pepper mills have been around for centuries and are generally better choices than their electric counterparts. They don’t rely on batteries, are easier to fix, and offer tactile pleasure and control that electric versions can’t match.
Fondue Set
Fondue sets spend most of their time gathering dust in kitchens, only to be used once in a blue moon. A pot or a stove can be used for similar results without taking up unnecessary space in your kitchen.
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