Good gadgets you wished you had bought sooner.

My Lakeland ice-cream maker that I bought just before last Christmas.
I never used to be an ice-cream fan but I am now.
So far I’ve made vanilla, Sicilian orange, tutti frutti, raspberry, strawberry, salted caramel, blackberry and apple, and plum 😋

Another air fryer fan, great for just the two of us,easy, quick and cheap to run. Our bread maker is ten years old and I've not bought any bread since.

I always looked at the Remoska in the Lakeland shops and catalogues, but nver bought one.
I thought they looked as useful as you say they are.
Our nearest Lakeland shop closed down a few years back sadly. I loved wandering in their and have bought msny wonderful things. And some not so well used, but I couldnt resist.

I have a gadget called a Remoska it pre dates the popularity of the air fryer. We used it a lot in our touring caravan. It's a mini oven in the form of a double handled steel pan and a lid that contains the heating element (bought from Lakeland) you can use the pan directly or put a container in it. I have made pies, quiches , cakes stews and casseroles and it does a wonderful roast chicken. Like the air fryer saves on electricity and I still think it does the best roast chicken ever.

That's ok DaisyAnneReturns.
It might help someone else anyway.

I must retrieve the soup maker from the back of the cupboard.

I have had an air fryer for many years, and I have no idea how I managed without one before. I couldn't live without a washing machine, an air fryer, a dishwasher and a rotary dryer for outside.

Thanks Allira. Unfortunately I can't use onions (just as I can't use the stems if broccoli!). Hopefully useful to others though. I'm hoping to find undiscovered (by me) low fodmap veg but I think I will need to add protein as the fermentable sugars layer up.

Sorry, you don't need to know all this. It was really to say all hints help

DaisyAnneReturns

Thanks for all the information about soup makers. Mine arrived yesterday and the first batch has been made, and the firdt portion eaten. I went for broccoli (all stems carefully cut out) and it worked very well. My biggest problem is finding veg low in fodmaps but it will be great to have some put aside in the freezer whatever I make. I've just got over the recent form of Covid and soups from the freezer would have been good.

I imagine the usefulness of gadgets varies depending on our size of household, age, retired/working etc., so there is no right or wrong - just useful information.

I do soften the onion (if used) in a little stock before putting it in the soup maker DaisyAnneReturns because it doesn't seem to cook as well as other vegetables. I just do it in a small bowl in the microwave.
Mine's a Morphy Richards.

Thanks for all the information about soup makers. Mine arrived yesterday and the first batch has been made, and the firdt portion eaten. I went for broccoli (all stems carefully cut out) and it worked very well. My biggest problem is finding veg low in fodmaps but it will be great to have some put aside in the freezer whatever I make. I've just got over the recent form of Covid and soups from the freezer would have been good.

I imagine the usefulness of gadgets varies depending on our size of household, age, retired/working etc., so there is no right or wrong - just useful information.

Steering wheel aid

After my lymph nodes were removed under my right arm, leading to it being rather gammy, my DS fixed a round gadget to my steering wheel which makes manoeuvres much easier.

What kind of car do the posters drive who don't use any sort of gadget at all? Is it a prewar model with gears, a starting handle, a folding hood (leaky) and a can of petrol in the boot in case there are no sources of fuel on the five mile journey to the village shop?

Or is it an automatic with speed control, GPS, press-button sunroof and a fuel capacity which will get you to Lands End and back on your credit card?

Grammaretto

I must be from a previous era. I detest most gadgets. The ones suggested here don't appeal at all.

The gadgets I have owned and passed on include breadmaker, bread slicer, juicer, toastie maker, coffee grinder, food processor, cake mixer, egg slicer, garlic peeler (well it never comes out of the drawer) herb scissors which cut
me badly.
The usual cheese slicers, melon ballers, apple corers, olive stoners, icecream servers, pizza cutters are in the drawer. and never come out
I use the microwave and hand held wand and egg beater but I can't be bothered with much besides a very sharp knife.

I’m absolutely with you here, Grammaretto. Over the years I’ve had every kitchen gadget imaginable. Now I don’t have any, other than a hand whisk.

It's hardly a gadget, but my late husband bought a pack of silicon pouches for toasted sandwiches. I was sceptical, but they're really good. You make your sandwich, put it into a pouch, and pop it into the toaster. Out comes a perfect toasted sandwich. And they're really easy to clean.

I have a Tower air fryer (more like a mini fan oven), 3 shelves, takes an 8” cake tin, it’s brilliant, Just me, and it’s in daily use. I’ve made the usual chips, fish, ready -meal heating, but I also make scones, sponge cake, pastry, roast potatoes, everything my large oven does, but in smaller amounts. It sits on the worktop, front opens down, so it’s easy to clean. Mine is from Amazon, was about £60, probably costs a bit more now. Saves a lot of electricity, it heats really fast. Ideal for one or two people.

Oh not forgetting the slow cooker, especially in the winter months.

My most used gadget has to be my breadmaker, an airfryer and meat thermometer. Wouldn't want to be without them.

V3ra

^My most used "gadget" is also the air fryer. Has anyone baked a cake in theirs?^

Not cake, but I bake flapjack in mine.

Interesting. Thank you V3ra.

Tuinoma

Cleaning button is useless, i used the program once and after it went through the 30mins program i still had to scrape bits of. Much better by hand really, just a rinse and leave to dry. Cheaper too.

The cleaning button simply flushes the hot soapy water round, rinsing the soup off the sides and the blade. It’s not a program on my soup maker. It’s a press release action, which I do for a few minutes.
You do still have to rinse the soapy water away and dry, but I find it helps clear the inside more easily than doing it by hand. I’ve never had to scrape bits off the inside of my soup maker, so I don’t know about that.

Cleaning button is useless, i used the program once and after it went through the 30mins program i still had to scrape bits of. Much better by hand really, just a rinse and leave to dry. Cheaper too.

Mollygo

Soup makers -option to purée or not.
Cleaning button helps easy cleaning.
Quantity you want to make: mine makes enough for 6-8 bowls, great for batch cooking and freezing.
Doesn't take up much room.
Inexpensive and does the job.
Mine’s a Salter and cost £20

Others might have more suggestions.

Cleaning button helps easy cleaning.
Oh, must investigate!

Should read the instructions

Mollygo you've got me thinking now! I always thought a soupmaker would be unneccessary as I usually boil/roast veggies and use my stick blender - one of my favourite gadgets.

We bought a breadmaker a couple of months ago and we love it. So many additives in pre packed bread and we don't have a proper bakery nearby.

My most used "gadget" is also the air fryer. Has anyone baked a cake in theirs?

Not cake, but I bake flapjack in mine.

Thanks Mollygo!

Soup makers -option to purée or not.
Cleaning button helps easy cleaning.
Quantity you want to make: mine makes enough for 6-8 bowls, great for batch cooking and freezing.
Doesn't take up much room.
Inexpensive and does the job.
Mine’s a Salter and cost £20

Others might have more suggestions.