When it comes to equipping a kitchen, people tend to focus on the large electric appliances and often overlook the importance of some of the lesser-used utensils and devices. Yet, without the right smaller utensils, there will be a huge amount that simply cannot be done, and no amount of perfect worktops and expensive appliances will remedy the situation.
The popularity of food processors as a convenient and fast pureeing and blending method is understandable, but put something like potatoes in a blender and you risk them becoming over-processed and glutinous. When making mashed potato, the traditional potato ricer is still by far the best option. Furthermore, with the introduction of products such as the Oxo Good Grips potato ricer, these tools are easier to use and more comfortable on the hand than perhaps they used to be.
The more simple the process you are carrying out, the more simple the products you are likely the need. Something as straightforward as preparing a salad will therefore need straightforward solutions to help you get the best results. Using a device such as an Oxo salad spinner will help you to quickly wash and dry salad, whilst keep it crisp and fresh, and eliminating the film that can appear on salad that has been left standing.
Although it goes against our instincts in a modern gadget-crazy society, sometimes the simple tools remain the best, and overlooking simple tools in favour of complicated gadgets will n o doubt leave you frustrated in the kitchen. As such, the compromise lies in admitting that it is a combination of gadgets and simple tools that will provide the surest path to hassle free cooking.