S/O Hoarders - minimalist kitchen? (a poll of sorts)

[DarlaS]

We have a kitchen remodel on the horizon, and of course, I'd like to rethink some of what's in there.

 

Which top five tools/appliances etc do you feel are must haves? (Major appliances excluded. I'm not even going to consider life without a fridge! ;))

 

Mine would be:

 

Really sharp knives

good cutting board

complete set of cookware for every day

my slowcooker

a toaster

 

Which five would be the first to go?

 

I would toss small cluttery gadgets like:

 

garlic press

egg slicer

that box grater thing (I have a food processor that does the same tasks)

extra dishes & accessories like napkin rings etc.

duplicate knives that are just "so-so"

[Parrothead]

How horrible is it that I would keep everything in my kitchen. It took me years to collect the proper tool for the job. And since we move every couple of years I keep the things I don't use down to a minimum. So everything in my kitchen is used regularly or used for holiday baking.

[The Girls' Mom]

Knives

Kitchenaid Mixer

A good Food Processor

Immersion Blender

Great set of cookware

 

The rest, I could easily make do without. If I could squeeze in one more thing it would be a slow cooker.

 

First things to toss...

My Salad spinner

Toaster

Sandwich maker

The umpteen million little gadgets I've inherited over the years that I don't even know what half of them are.

[eternalknot]

My kitchen is pretty minimalist, as is. I'm just not a gadget gal!

 

My five must-haves are:

knives (I have two plus a sharpener)

cutting boards (I have one small, one large)

cast iron (I have one skillet, one wok)

bamboo steamers (I have a variety of sizes)

rice cooker

 

I don't own a mixer, blender, coffee maker, food processor, box grater, garlic press, or egg slicer or any of the other gadgets. The only items I have aside from my must-have list above are a teapot, crockpot and toaster oven, the latter two a friend left with me while he was in between homes. I've used each a few times, but prefer to just continue on doing my own thing. I'd miss my teapot, but could make do without it.

[Sherry in OH]

Keep

Knives and scissors

Colander

Cookware

Toaster oven

Mixing bowls

 

 

Toss

Wooden block for the knives and scissors (I really need a better way to store them)

Mortar and pestle

Glass pitcher

Pizza stone

Garlic press

[Laura Corin]

Things I use all the time:

 

Slow cooker

Rice cooker

Blender

Electric kettle

Toaster

Microwave (that's six)

 

Things I can do without:

 

Coffee maker (I'm happy making coffee in a cone on a cup)

 

Laura

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

How horrible is it that I would keep everything in my kitchen. It took me years to collect the proper tool for the job. And since we move every couple of years I keep the things I don't use down to a minimum. So everything in my kitchen is used regularly or used for holiday baking.

 

:iagree: I am with you. I bake a lot and I have 3 cabinets just of baking pans and tools.

 

I do get rid of tupperware on a regular basis, it always seems to multiply.

[BikeBookBread]

The items that I own and would ALWAYS keep:

 

Le Creuset French oven

Le Creuset frying pan

Silpat

Henckels chef knife, boning knife and paring knife (can those count as 1? a set? :lol:)

KA stand mixer

My locking OXO metal-safe chef's tongs: they have functionally replaced my wooden spoons, pasta scoop and meat fork - a super handy tool!

Heavy duty kitchen scissors

Baking stone

Microplane classic grater

 

The items that I have that I could live without, but I'd be sad without them:

 

rice cooker

garlic press

KA mini chopper/food processor

Poultry scissors for cutting apart poultry

blender

food processor

the million specialty gadgets that are handy, but aren't used on a weekly basis

 

Stuff I'd ditch in a heartbeat:

 

automatic bread maker

Ebelskever pan

[Remudamom]

My kitchen has plenty of room, I keep a lot in it, but I really am a chunker, not a hoarder. If it was crowded I'd get ride of more.

 

I've kept-

Kitchen Aid

food processor

five crockpots

Four sets of china

Knives, cutting board

small grinder thingy for when I don't want the processor out.

I hate toasters but the family insists on one.

 

Things I wouldn't keep

bread maker

garlic press

egg slicer

cheese grater

no good deep fat fryers that never work and make me sit around for 45 minutes waiting for them to heat up until I lose my temper and toss them in the garbage.

[hsmom]

That is the one room I would never be able to minimize! That is my hobby, my passion. I could not do it. I have worked hard at getting what I need for everything I do, well it is a constant work in progress.

 

Now I could minimize the rest of the house, but not the kitchen.

[DarcyB]

Keep:

 

too many to list ROFL

good set of utensils - tongs, silicone spatula, metal spatula, whisk

good set of knives - one chef's, one paring, one bread, sharpener

good set of cookware - 12" skillet stainless steel, dutch oven

Blender

KA - (with all the attachments in my fantasy world!)

Stoneware - bar pan. (I waffled between that and the pizza stone, but I can do everything in bar pan, even though cookies take an extra couple of minutes.

 

Get rid of:

Bread Machine

All the duplicates. I don't need 3 whisks or 4 spatulas or 4 sets of tongs or 4 measuring cups, 5 casserole dishes (yes..I have them and need to be able to get rid of them. But who do I offend..MIL..or my memories of my mom (inherited her kitchen lol)

Microwave

Food Processor

Cookie press

[Carrie12345]

Keep:

Knives

Hand mixer

Coffee maker

Toaster (though I'd like to trade it for a toaster oven)

Crockpot

 

Ditch (or at least store elsewhere):

Stemware (we rarely drink)

Infrequently used baking supplies like cookie cutters and novelty cake pans

Food Saver and it's accessories

Blender

and I'm on the fence about the microwave.

[Parrothead]

Those of you that would get rid of your garlic press - do you just not use fresh garlic?

 

I use garlic and the press every day sometimes more than once.

[Mejane]

We lived in a furnished condo when we moved. The kitchen tools were a frying pan, two pots, one sharp knife, a spatula, a big spoon, and place settings for four. We survived quite nicely for two months, and it made me rethink whether I needed all the stuff I had packed.

[Mejane]

Those of you that would get rid of your garlic press - do you just not use fresh garlic?

 

I use garlic and the press every day sometimes more than once.

 

Me, too. I'd grab my garlic press in a fire. ;)

[Carrie12345]

Those of you that would get rid of your garlic press - do you just not use fresh garlic?

 

I use garlic and the press every day sometimes more than once.

 

I've never owned one. I just chop mine with a knife nearly every day.

[rafiki]

.

[rafiki]

.

[KidsHappen]

I need a coffee maker, coffee cups, a popcorn bowl, a microwave, a funnel, some cereal bowls and some silverware. I could make due without anything else. Of course, I would have to go out to eat or get take out every night but that's all right with me.

[Crissy]

I cook every day and bake at least once a week, and I have a fairly minimalist kitchen.

I haven't ever owned extra appliances like a blender, food processor, bread maker, crock pot, etc. I do have a KitchenAid mixer and a Magic Bullet.

 

I enjoy working in the kitchen, so mincing garlic with a knife, using a hand-held pastry blender for pie crust and scones, chopping herbs and vegetables by hand, etc., aren't jobs for which I've ever wished to own a big, clunky appliance or extra tools to clutter the drawers.

 

I really dislike stuff stored on my kitchen counters, and I don't have much storage space elsewhere.

Two appliances that were given to me that are stored in a shed somewhere are a panini press and a deep fat fryer. I should dig them out and pass them on, but since they're not in the way I tend to forget they live here.

 

The things I couldn't do without are good knives, a decent set of pots and pans, a couple of large mixing bowls, sturdy whisks and tongs (I have two of each), heavy-duty measuring utensils and a few pieces of bakeware (half-sheet pan, muffin tin, loaf pan, casserole dish, pie pan).

Edited November 4, 2010 by Crissy

[Nan in Mass]

We're pretty minimal.

 

Use all the time:

 

Iron frying pan

Revereware pots - huge, 2 medium (one with steamer), 1 small

Two jelly roll pans (use for cookies, pizza, bread, and many other things)

Big and small bread pans

Muffin tin

Three cake tins (we like big birthday cakes : ) ) and a pie tin

Cookie racks

Wooden spoons

Bread knife, big knife, paring knife

Silverware and china for about 6 people and lots of glasses and mugs

Big nylon spoon (almost a ladel)

Three big metal bowls

Big glass mixing bowl and a glass measuring cup

Several cutting boards

Potato masher

Dish drainer and mat

Bread maker

Toaster oven

Several casserole dishes

Tupperware and some thermouses (we eat in the car A LOT)

Serving bowls

 

I do have a tiny mixer and a blender; they are nice but I don't use them much.

I have various other items in the silverware drawer, like a parer and an apple corer, but we don't use them much.

 

I live for weeks on a boat with a galley that is about 2 1/2 feet long and about 9 feet wide. It has an ice box, a small locker for spices and cereal, one tiny drawer (6X6X18 inches) for silverware and knives, a holder for spatula and spoon and ladel and measuring cup, a small locker with a set of dishes, hooks for six mugs and a bread board, a tiny sink and a 2 burner alcohol stove with a locker under it for paper goods, plastic bags, tinfoil, metal bowls, three pots, and a frying pan. I have camped for months with about the same stuff.

 

If you are going very minimalist, some useful extra things to have in addition to what is in the boat list are a thermous (two if you drink tea and coffee because they don't mix successfully), a pitcher, two dishpans, three large metal bowls (wash things, cut veggies into, store fruit, serve chips, etc.), an iron frying pan, a strainer, expandable toasting forks, a table cloth, and some tupperware. If you want to go extra luxurious, get a beater, one with whirly blades.

 

-Nan

[DarcyB]

Those of you that would get rid of your garlic press - do you just not use fresh garlic?

 

I use garlic and the press every day sometimes more than once.

 

We use a ton of garlic, I just whack it with a knife and do a quick dice.

[delaney]

I can't live without my mixer, bread machine, Cutco knives, and crockpot for sure!

[DarlaS]

How horrible is it that I would keep everything in my kitchen. It took me years to collect the proper tool for the job. And since we move every couple of years I keep the things I don't use down to a minimum. So everything in my kitchen is used regularly or used for holiday baking.

 

It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into what's in there already and are not subject to impulse buying of oddball gadgetry.

 

Knives

Kitchenaid Mixer

A good Food Processor

Immersion Blender

Great set of cookware

 

The rest, I could easily make do without. If I could squeeze in one more thing it would be a slow cooker.

 

First things to toss...

My Salad spinner

Toaster

Sandwich maker

The umpteen million little gadgets I've inherited over the years that I don't even know what half of them are.

 

Now I would keep my salad spinner! lol! I like a variety of fresh washed raw greens, but I hate them wet.

 

That is the one room I would never be able to minimize! That is my hobby, my passion. I could not do it. I have worked hard at getting what I need for everything I do, well it is a constant work in progress.

 

Now I could minimize the rest of the house, but not the kitchen.

 

Okay, it doesn't sound like you add gadgets on a whim though. I'm kind of the same way about my sewing stuff. I don't have too many little doo-dads, since I know what I can realistically do, but I use what I do collect (when I sew...).

 

Those of you that would get rid of your garlic press - do you just not use fresh garlic?

 

I use garlic and the press every day sometimes more than once.

 

I use the flat side of a chef's knife to smash it, peel and chop. Cleaning mine is a real pain.

 

I know someone said they can live without their egg slicer. That is something I use regularly. I eat a lot of hard boiled eggs. Trying to slice them by hand is not impossible, but they come out much prettier with the slicer.

 

I'd probably end up keeping mine also. My dd would miss it even if I didn't. She's a gadget girl in the making. :D

 

I cook every day and bake at least once a week, and I have a fairly minimalist kitchen.

I haven't ever owned extra appliances like a blender, food processor, bread maker, crock pot, etc. I do have a KitchenAid mixer and a Magic Bullet.

 

 

I've noticed on cooking shows, the hosts never seem to have a plethora of little doo-dads. Anyone ever see Alton Brown use a garlic press? (Every one of them seems to have some kind of KA or Bosch mixer though!)

 

 

I live for weeks on a boat with a galley that is about 2 1/2 feet long and about 9 feet wide. It has an ice box, a small locker for spices and cereal, one tiny drawer (6X6X18 inches) for silverware and knives, a holder for spatula and spoon and ladel and measuring cup, a small locker with a set of dishes, hooks for six mugs and a bread board, a tiny sink and a 2 burner alcohol stove with a locker under it for paper goods, plastic bags, tinfoil, metal bowls, three pots, and a frying pan. I have camped for months with about the same stuff.

 

If you are going very minimalist, some useful extra things to have in addition to what is in the boat list are a thermous (two if you drink tea and coffee because they don't mix successfully), a pitcher, two dishpans, three large metal bowls (wash things, cut veggies into, store fruit, serve chips, etc.), an iron frying pan, a strainer, expandable toasting forks, a table cloth, and some tupperware. If you want to go extra luxurious, get a beater, one with whirly blades.

-Nan

 

Nan, I'm keeping your list to help us restock our camping supplies. We used to camp a lot when our two oldest were little, but the two youngest have never been. I think next summer would be a good time to change that.

[Sherry in OH]

Those of you that would get rid of your garlic press - do you just not use fresh garlic?

 

I use garlic and the press every day sometimes more than once.

 

I either buy roasted minced garlic (in olive oil) or slice and dice it with a knife.

[LostSurprise]

Keepers I use all the time:

cast iron skillet

saucepans (at least 2 with at least 1 lid)

vegetable knife, slicing knife, bread knife, scissors

mixing bowls (at least 2, small and large...lid for the large)

baking sheets

vinyl sheets liners (2) for pizzas (my silpat is unraveling after less then a year but my cheap one is not), french rolling pin

tong, large scraper, big spoon, flipper (I know, such technical terms :tongue_smilie:)

measuring cup/spoon (adjustable)

small bread pans, stone or clay tile for oven, scale

9x9 glass pans with lids (works for everything from cake to casserole)

 

I would get rid of in a heartbeat:

dutch oven (the cast iron taints my chicken stock and I only want 1)

microwave (keep the toaster oven)

KA mixer (I know, I know...but the lock broke three years ago and it flops around...I need a new mixer with more bread capacity)

hot chocolate maker (what was my husband thinking?)

blender

 

Things I don't need but I enjoy:

electric griddle (the boys eat pancakes soo fast)

crockpot

whisk

wooden spoon

large pasta bowls for serving

[Rosie_0801]

I'm not even going to consider life without a fridge! ;))

 

Why not? :D

 

Nothing would convince me to give up my kitchen gadgets, even the ones I never use. They make me happy. :) I would like to upgrade a couple though...

 

My most important are:

 

Grain mill

Nice expensive food processor

Paring knife

Microwave (I know they are bad, but I love mine)

Measuring cups and spoons

Seed trays. (For growing sunflower lettuce in, and yes, I do that in the kitchen.)

 

I'm saving for a new blender since dh broke mine, but I'm going to get one of those tough ones that puree everything, for green smoothies. After that, a dehydrator will be next on the list.

 

Rosie

[Onceuponatime]

We have a kitchen remodel on the horizon, and of course, I'd like to rethink some of what's in there.

 

Which top five tools/appliances etc do you feel are must haves? (Major appliances excluded. I'm not even going to consider life without a fridge! ;))

 

Mine would be:

 

Really sharp knives

good cutting board

complete set of cookware for every day

my slowcooker

a toaster

 

Which five would be the first to go?

 

I would toss small cluttery gadgets like:

 

garlic press

egg slicer

that box grater thing (I have a food processor that does the same tasks)

extra dishes & accessories like napkin rings etc.

duplicate knives that are just "so-so"

 

I'm already pretty lean on kitchen stuff. I just decluttered the kitchen last week.

 

I would keep the grater thingy, that's all I really use. It takes more effort to get out and clean the food processor.

 

If I went really minimalist, I would get rid of my crockpot, microwave, breadmachine, cheesecake pan that I've never used, bundt pan, hot air popper and whirly pop ( I know how to make popcorn in a pan on the stove).

[StaceyinLA]

I use mine almost daily. In fact, there aren't many kitchen items I have that I don't use. I tend to toss things I don't use.

 

Top 5 (I'm not listing the cutco knives and must-have tools, like spoons - they are necessities, as are pots and pans)

 

Grain mill

Bosch w/blender (gets daily use)

Crock pot

Salad spinner

Pizza stone

 

I also use my food processor and juicer a lot.

 

 

I could toss:

 

Electric Ice cream maker

Multiples of pots or pans (though I don't have many duplicates)

Probably some excess utensils

[Ginevra]

A lot of what I have in my kitchen I would not want to be without. I would not be without:

 

Henkles Knives (probably spelled that wrong)

Pizza stones (by far the best way to make pizza and bread)

Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer

Correll dishes - service for twenty

Electric skillet - I use the heck out of that thing

Crockpot - ditto; I have two

Roaster Pan and temperature probe. (Turns oven off when meat comes to temp.)

Garlic Press - I know a lot of you said no to this, but I use it almost daily and I just bought a new Pamper Chef one after wearing out my other PC one!

 

I wouldn't care if I lost:

 

Waffle Iron

Toaster

Blender

Salad Spinner

Frydaddy

 

And can I just say, one trivial gadget that I really love is a pie shield. Little piece of tin that keeps the crust edges from burning. That thing is so much better than trying to stick foil on there and keep it in place.

[StephanieZ]

OMG, I could not live w/o a garlic press.