17 Kitchen Gadgets Generation X Needs to Discard

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Born between 1965 and 1980, Generation X has witnessed an amazing change in the technology available for use in the kitchen. Their kitchens have been a playground for culinary innovation, going back to early microwave ovens up to today’s voice controlled gadgets. Yet caught in cabinets and drawers, under desks and in drawers, are relics of the past gathering dust and now in disuse. These items may have sentimental value, but let’s face it: More often than not, they’re more of a hassle than a help.

Holding onto old kitchen tools can make the kitchen feel like a race in flip flops—awkward and unnecessarily hard. And, since more efficient alternatives exist, it’s time to say goodbye to some of these culinary dinosaurs.

Electric Can Openers

Electric can opener? Sure, it was revolutionary in its time, but… These days most manual can openers are smoother, more compact and, let’s face it, far less likely to jam at the worst possible moment. Also, they don’t hog counter space or require a permanent power source. If you don’t open cans for a living, a sleek, handheld option will do the trick just fine.

Fondue Sets

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Anyone remember the 1970s trend of the fondue craze? We can safely say that we’ve moved on. The idea of communal cheese or chocolate dipping may be nostalgic, but fondue sets are obnoxiously taking up a ton of space for something most people use once every blue moon. Cleaning those skewers, let’s not even get started. You can achieve the same results with a regular pot and some skewers from your grilling set, no storage woes.

Rotary Egg Beaters

Rotary egg beaters were the thing before hand mixers became a thing. If you’ve still got one, it’s because you forgot it was there. Today’s mixers, handheld or stand alone, do the job faster and need less elbow grease. What’s more, you can save your wrist from the workout no one asked for.

Salad Shooters

The salad shooter was touted as ‘the answer to hectic lifestyles’ promising to slice and shred vegetables for you like there’s no tomorrow. With salad shooters, however, it’s pretty clear that their heyday is over; most food processors now offer multiple functions and don’t take up as much space. It’s also a pain because those small parts are notoriously hard to clean, especially for anyone who actually values their time.

Electric Carving Knives

Back in the day, electric carving knives were a given for precise roast slicing. Today, a good quality chef’s knife or carving knife will make short work of them as far as versatility and elegance are concerned. And let’s face it, there is nothing that says ‘holiday chaos’ more than the hum of an electric knife at the dinner table.

Butter Warmers

Butter warmers are tiny pots meant only to keep butter warm. This one feels a little over the top unless you’re running a seafood restaurant out of your kitchen. This can be had with a simple ramekin and a microwave without adding another gadget to your stash.

Popcorn Makers

Back in the 80s, movie nights weren’t complete without popcorn machines, but microwave popcorn means they’re obsolete for all but the die hard popcorn fans. An air popper or stovetop method will provide theater quality results if you love fresh popped corn, but without all the attendant bulky equipment.

Crepe Makers

Crepe makers promise the perfect thin pancake, but a regular non stick skillet and a little practice will yield equally tasty results. Save your counter space by channeling your inner Julia Child with tools you already have.

Hot Dog Rollers

Do you really need one at home? Convenience stores have hot dog rollers as a staple, but you don’t have to do the same thing in your home. If your kitchen isn’t also a concession stand, you’re going to love how easy, quick and space saving it is to grill or boil your hot dogs.

Ice Cream Makers

Ice cream makers are fun, but they are usually a short lived novelty. Once you’ve made the first few batches though, its a pretty good bet that they will end up in the back of the cabinet. For those who dream of homemade ice cream, many modern blenders have a setting for frozen desserts that means you don’t need to own a separate gadget.

Juice Presses

Not too long ago, juicing was all the rage, but bulky juice presses have been replaced by sleek, multifunctional juicers or blenders. What’s more, you can now find cold pressed juices in most grocery stores that can rival what you can make at home.

Avocado Slicers

While this thing might be Instagram famous, do you need a one time use tool to do something a spoon and knife can do in seconds? The worst kitchen clutter of all is the avocado slicer. Unless you’re an avocado toast mogul, it’s time to kiss this one goodbye.

Melon Ballers

Melon ballers make cute little spheres of fruit but how often do you actually use one? You don’t need a drawer full of tools to make appealing fruit shapes — a simple spoon will do. Let’s keep it simple.

Egg Poachers

Poached egg — Image Credit: Webandi/Pixabay

Egg poaching is promised to be perfect, but you can get just as good results on the stovetop using vinegar and a slotted spoon. Plus, you won’t have to deal with the pain of cleaning those weird poaching trays.

Pizza Scissors

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While cutting pizza with scissors seemed like an opposite thing to do, it looked to be quirky and fun for a while. Now, a pizza wheel or chef’s knife serve much better purpose. They also don’t take up nearly as much room in your kitchen drawer.

Bread Machines

Bread machines had their moment during the homemade bread boom, but they’re bulky, and aren’t as necessary as you’d imagine. Homemade bread is easier and more flexible with modern ovens and versatile mixers that don’t hog your counter.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.