Kitchen space is precious, especially if you're working with limited counters and packed cabinets. The last thing anyone needs is a drawer full of gimmicky gadgets that never get used. Whether it's a strawberry huller you forget about or a banana slicer that takes up more space than it's worth, single-use tools can quickly become clutter.
Professional chefs know better than anyone which tools are truly essential and which are just hype. If you're aiming for a more efficient, minimalist kitchen, skipping the overpriced and underperforming gadgets is key. Instead, invest in reliable, versatile tools that earn their keep with every use. It'll save you frustration now and money in the long run.
To find out which kitchen tools aren't worth the space they occupy, I turned to five professional chefs. These career cooks are the ultimate authority on which kitchen gadgets should get the boot -- especially when cupboard, counter and drawer space is limited. Each one listed their least favorite kitchen tools and offered their preferred method or tool for completing the cooking task that they're meant to do.
Here's what they said.
Masaharu Morimoto
Celebrity chef, restauranteur
Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool. Dave Kotinsky/Stringer/Getty
1. Mandolin
Chef Morimoto encourages beefing up your knife skills to make thin and uniform vegetable slices. Milk Street
Why: "While it brings good slices, mastering proper knife skills gives you more control, precision and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be bulky, hard to clean and risky if you're not extremely careful. Relying too much on a mandolin, or tools like a two-in-one apple cutter or a tomato corer can hold you back from developing real technique. Taking the time to learn how to handle a sharp chef's knife or Japanese blade will help you in almost every recipe."
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