Clean up your kitchen!

Check out our list of unnecessary cooking gadgets which look fancy but rarely ever serve any purpose

Thanks to MasterChef, the world of cooking has been revolutionised. The growing popularity of the culinary reality show has inspired new found interest in cooking for many amateurs and people in Pakistan are now actively following the show to satisfy the foodie in them. But much to their disappointment, some of the recipes shown on MasterChef are either too complex for inexperienced cooks or require special pots, pans and electric appliance to be made successfully.

If you are eager to learn and your budget and counter space allow, feel free to invest in the specialised cooking utensils used on the show. But here at MsT, we believe in minimising wastage and so, have devised this list of overrated kitchen products you can easily do without.



Electric Griddle: These swanky-looking cooking trays may be ideal for frying pan cakes and eggs but in reality, they will take up almost all of the space on an average-sized kitchen counter. The large, flat surface of the griddle also tends to get very greasy and is difficult to clean and creates a mess in the kitchen. A better alternative would be to opt for a cast-iron skillet or a simple non-stick pan for your morning recipes. Not only are they cheaper than the griddle, they are also much easier to replace or repair should they breakdown.



Mandoline: For those of you who don’t know, a mandoline is a utensil used for slicing and cutting julienne style. A mandoline can be really precise when cutting vegetables and fruits but is dangerous for a newbie. Peelers may not be as quick or produce uniform results but they can achieve the same results as the mandoline — you just have to learn how to use it right. For maximum efficiency and control, find one with a handle that fits your hand comfortably.



Roasting Racks: If you are fond of roasted food, you will know that many recipes for chicken and mutton roasts ask for the meat to be cooked on a roasting rack. This rack boasts of all-around roasting as the space between its iron rods allows the meat to be cooked through. In Pakistan, however, roasting racks are a rare sight and our mothers have been making delicious charghas for decades using regular flat baking trays.



Crock Pot: Boiling rice and veggies for big families becomes easy with these crock pots. However, they are way too big and bulky for a normal-sized kitchen.Get rid of them and use any ordinary pots to enjoy boiled veggies and rice. No matter how many people you have to cook for, it is better to have a collection of different-sized pots to cater to your needs, as oppsoed to one big one.



Woks: While woks are great for sautéed vegetables thanks to their ability to retain heat and large surface areas, the deep, round pans also take up extra space in your cabinets. Also, the bowl shape of the wok renders it useless for most desi recipes. We recommend sticking to regular, steel saucepans as they can be used for all types of dishes, local or international.



Toaster Ovens: A sensation in the 1990s, the toaster oven was an all-in-one appliance which could toast, bake, fry and heat finger-food items like mini pizzas and samosas. Sadly, the world has now moved on and most kitchens have separate toasters and ovens, making these box-ovens redundant. Save up on kitchen space by doing away with your toaster oven — unless you still use it of course.



Deep Fryer: A one-inch saucepan should be enough for crispy nuggets and fries — you don’t need an electric fryer for it! These cylindrical deep pans aren’t just difficult to store, they also use up large amounts of oil and electricity. Keep your health and utility bills in check by disposing off this wasteful machine and sticking to regular steel pans.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, November 30^th, 2014.