Get rid of other appliances?

[deedub]

I gave my moulinex food processor to my FIL - but I never used it, too much trouble to get it out of the cupboard & figure out how to put it together. That thing came with about 100 attachments! Also donated my rice cooker to the school fete - I have a microwave rice cooker which suits me better. Kept the stick blender with all it's attachments & also the slow cooker - I can't see myself getting rid of those. Like some others I've now got more cake tins etc.

[jkmt]

I gave my food processor to DH's neice when she got married recently. Like Deedub, I rarely used it before as it had too many attachments. However, since the TMX I have purchased both a yoghurt maker and an ice cream maker to handle the 'finishing stages' of making these in the TMX.

[Shayla]

I gave my Kewnwood plus all attachments to my two daughters who share a flat but then I earned another TM and they got my old one - don't know whether they ever use the Kenwood. I haven't used stick blender or rice cooker but regularly use my slow cookers and a hand blender occasionally.

[goldfish]

I lined up all the appliances I had stacked in the cupboards . .processor, blender, stick blender, coffee grinder (for spices, etc) ice cream maker, yogurt maker, scales, slow cooker, kitchenaid, hand mixer, bread maker that have accumulated over the years. . . . none have gone yet, but definitely on the "to go" list are the processor, yogurt maker (although the jars are perfect for veg stock, etc.), bread maker . . . and the others I'll hold onto for the time being - although the Kitchenaid will definitely stay.  I do find the scales come in handy and the slow cooker, particularly in winter.  Would certainly survive with just the TMX but the others are "like to haves"

[DizzyGirl]

I haven't gotten rid of anything to date. Just never know when I will need it.
I have a 3 tier steamer I no longer use and am looking at donating it to the school kitchen.

I am considering an ice cream maker for Mothers Day. The old 1.5L models are reduced to $79 at Robins Kitchens. Just don't know if it is really necessary as we don't eat alot of ice cream. What do you think?

DG 

[mcmich]

Mcmich, do you like the tefal grater and slicer? I nearly bought it but then decided not to since it looked like it was an awkward two hand operation. Am I right?

Courton, I find the tefal express really easy to use (one hand) and doesn't take up much space to store.
There is s thread on it somewhere here. Also Target has $10 off it this week.

[CarolineW]

I got rid of my food processor, my stick blender, electric mixer, and bread machine.  I also streamlined my pans (pots).  I've occasionally wished I'd kept my stick blender although I rarely feel the lack of it and wonder if I should have kept my bread machine since it was pointed out that dough made in the TM can be baked in the bread machine without the paddle so there's no hole, and it saves switching on the oven.  Still, it did take up a lot of bench space so I'd probably have got rid of it anyway.  I didn't have a rice cooker.

My big one recently was to get rid of the microwave, because it destroys the nutritional value of many (although not all) foods.  I now do my reheating in the TM, using either the bowl or the varoma dependent upon what it is.

However, I DID get a halogen oven so that I don't have to switch the oven on for all the baking I do now with the TM and it's great for so many other things too.

[goldfish]

My big one recently was to get rid of the microwave, because it destroys the nutritional value of many (although not all) foods.  I now do my reheating in the TM, using either the bowl or the varoma dependent upon what it is.

I was wondering about this just the other day - especially now that the cooler weather is setting in.    Could you give some examples of what you reheat and where, etc.? 

I often put frozen fish fillets in the varoma - the salmon fillets come out beautifully.

[courton]

Thanks mcmich..will check it out again.

[JuliaBalbilla]

I have had my Thermie for just over 6 months and haven't got rid of a thing, but I must create some more space as I want a water bath, vacuum sealer, pressure cooker and a food dehydrator when I can afford them However at least I now know which items I have stopped using, so I would keep your stuff for a while.

I have decided to keep: 
Kenwood Chef (I use it for mixing large quantities of dough)
Magimix for grating and slicing stuff evenly
Stick blender, as it is great for grinding small amounts of spices, coffee etc,
2 slow cookers (one large and one small)
Breadmaker because one forum member (Chookie or JD?) suggested using it to bake bread by removing the paddle, although the mixing is done by hand or in the TM or in the Kenwood
3 tier steamer (not electric), because I am attached to it
Hand mixer because DH is terrified of the larger appliances and makes an awful mess when using the stick blender
Tomato press because DD gave it to me

However, I do intend to get rid of:
Kitchen scales as I have 2 identical sets
Rice cooker and steamer - was only bought because DH could never make decent rice in a saucepan
Asparagus steamer as I now do that in the TM
Couscousier ditto

So I would think very carefully before getting rid of your existing stuff ...

JB

[fundj&e]

Tomato press and Asparagus steamer, google them now i have never seen them b4

[fundj&e]

ok i know the Tomato press very well , but not the asparagus steamer.

[JuliaBalbilla]

ok i know the Tomato press very well , but not the asparagus steamer.

I thought you might recognise the tomato press as the only ones we can get here are made Italy.  I use it when I buy boxes of tomatoes from a local nursery towards the end of summer when they are nice and ripe.  Brilliant for gazpacho and tomato sauces.

I suspect that asparagus steamers are quite a British thing.  You put the asparagus into it vertically and fill it up with enough water to cover the thicker stalk end so that the tips are just steamed to ensure even cooking, but I find that the TM does it just as well.  A lot of it is grown in the Vale of Evesham, which is very near to me, but the growing season is so short, I don't think the steamer warrants the shelf space 

JB 

[meganjane]

I got rid of my blender, food processor, juicer and rice cooker.  I've kept my stick blender for whipping small amounts of cream.
I've only just put my Kitchen Aid in the spare room. I never use it for cakes, only to churn ice cream and DH doesn't like home made ice cream.
I still have my hand beaters as they belonged to my late MIL.

[CarolineW]

My big one recently was to get rid of the microwave, because it destroys the nutritional value of many (although not all) foods.  I now do my reheating in the TM, using either the bowl or the varoma dependent upon what it is.

I was wondering about this just the other day - especially now that the cooler weather is setting in.    Could you give some examples of what you reheat and where, etc.? 

I often put frozen fish fillets in the varoma - the salmon fillets come out beautifully.

If it's complete meals or rice, etc then I heat it in the varoma.  If it's liquid based, eg casserole then I do it in the bowl.  Most things are steamed, though.  The only thing I quickly discovered was to make sure I covered the dish the food was in, I use the lid of the tupperware or a silicone cake tin liner, otherwise it got a bit watery from the water dripping down from the varoma lid.  I put 500 ml water in the bowl, varoma speed 3 for 18 minutes covers pretty much everything. If I'm in a hurry then I boil the water in a kettle then I only need 8-10 mins.