The equipment testing team at America’s Test Kitchen has spent thousands of hours over the past decade separating the good from the bad–and once in a while they come across gadgets and equipment that perform so poorly, they deserve special mention.
Quesadilla Maker
If we’re going to shell out money for a gadget devoted to just one dish, it better be awfully good. This quesadilla maker, however, severely limits the amount of cheese that can be sandwiched between the tortillas. So, uh, what’s the point? Unless you’re on a diet, use a skillet instead.
Shrimp Butler
Although this gadget is supposed to peel and devein shrimp, it only accomplishes the task partway by slitting the shell to reveal the vein. Even worse, we found that the shrimp sometimes became mangled in the machine.
Thermometer Fork
Ouch! Put away your thermo fork and grab an instant-read thermometer and pair of tongs instead. Thermometer forks are designed to enable the user to move the food being cooked on the grill and take its temperature at the same time. We found this gadget awkward to use, especially when trying to flip or turn meat for even browning.
Alligator Chopper
This gadget claims to deliver perfectly cubed onions and elegant batons of carrots, bell peppers, or apples with one punch of the handheld chopper blades against its platform base. But too often, we found ourselves cautiously extracting suspended vegetables from the blade. We’ll stick to chopping veggies the old-fashioned way–with a sharp knife and cutting board.
Banana Hanger
Supermarkets often suspend unripe bananas from tall poles covered with small hooks. Banana hangers miniaturize this idea for the home kitchen. Sounds good, but we found no difference in the ripening time between hanging bananas and simply setting them on the counter. Both bunches turned spotty brown at the same rate, too.
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I can’t believe the Rachel Ray garbage bowl or the Guy Ferry wristbands didn’t make the list.
A garbage bowl isn’t a bad idea if you keep animal products and fat out and then use it for your compost pile… not that you need a special bowl for that though.
I would add the cupcake maker I saw advertised all over the place as a christmas gift item recently.
I NEVER leave the house without my Shrimp Butler.
Mandolins – I have bought three…I have given away three. Various Brands ranging from $99 the worst…the $25 far better. But time in cleaning, poor design and efficacy made them all complete Hall of Shame Items.
I have to disagree with the quesadilla maker…we have one…use it all the time…no complaints and easy to clean up
plastic melon-baller…now that’s a waste of time…once that melon is in there, it’s never coming out; unless you have a fork, which kinda defeats the purpose.
Sandwich maker, can’t fit enough filling into the little triangles. I agree with the compost bowl. The brownie pan that cooks them or cuts into perfect bar shape.
Interested you included the alligator chopper – it is totally useless!
I thought the purpose of a banana hanger was to keep them from getting bruises from resting on the counter, not to make them ripen faster.
I have an alligator chopper and I like it! I don’t use it often because it’s a pain to clean, but when I have a lot of carrots that need a small chop, I always use it. I use the one that has the built in measuring cup.
re: RR’s garbage bowl I just put a grocery bag or other used plastic bag in a bowl or just stand it up on the counter….maybe she likes washing one more bowl, but I don’t. Also….I’ve been doing that since before she was born.
I have an alligator chopper that I got at Williams Sonoma that I use all the time. I don’t have a problem cleaning it, I just scrape out the little grid with the tool it came with, and throw it in the dishwasher. I also use a banana hanger, because I found that I got brown patches on the bottom bananas when I just set them on the counter. I agree with the rest of them though. A quesadilla maker? Really??
I like my “perfect brownie pan” I’ve made the brownies from the article several years ago, doing the opposite sheets of parchment as a lift-out bottom. But for standard box brownies, it makes great little portions. I haven’t had any leaking problems. How about those Debbie Meyer green bags. Never had any luck with those.