Kitchen gadgets come in all shapes and sizes but that doesn't mean all of them are actually useful. While essential kitchen utensils get used constantly and can speed up your cooking process, some options are just going to take up space and end up collecting dust. Choosing versatile options like a quality knife, or kitchen shears, means that you'll build skills and ensure those tools get used on a regular basis.
Instead of chasing every buzzy new appliance, it pays to stick with gear that's functional, reliable and actually makes your life easier. To help you sort the essentials from the excess, we asked chefs and kitchen pros which gadgets are worth the hype -- and which ones are better left behind. When decluttering your kitchen, knowing what not to buy is just as important as knowing what to keep.
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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.
Masaharu Morimoto
Celebrity chef, restaurateur
Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
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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