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From: MaryW
Date: 10-05-2005, 12:27 PM (1 of 32)
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What appliance, big or small have you bought and never or hardly ever used. These things can be expensive and can take up a lot of room. My husband is a real gadget person. He must have five can openers in a drawer somewhere that are not worth a darn. I still use the old fashioned manual crank one. We also have a huge popcorn machine that has been used maybe twice.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: SummersEchos
Date: 10-05-2005, 01:24 PM (2 of 32)
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Mine is the electric can opener I got as a present. It doesn't open quite a few cans and is to short for some of the taller and bigger cans. My own thoughts are it is just as easy to do it the old fashion way for me, than to get it out of the cupboard, plug it in, and hope it works the way it is suppose too. Next I would have to say the microwave. I basically use it for instant oatmeal, or warming up water. I am sure if I sat down I could figure out the better qualities of the microwave, I just find I can do things better the old fashion way.
Summer
FREE FALLIN |
User: SummersEchos
Member since: 09-29-2004 Total posts: 884 |
From: debsews
Date: 10-05-2005, 01:31 PM (3 of 32)
| One of those salad shooters I had to have one Christmas just sat in the cabinet until I sold it a garage sale. The other one was one of those floor cleaners that shoot out solution and then it sucks up the dirty water and then it blows air on the floor to dry it! Also a spacesaver can opener that mounts under the cabinet. It wouldn't cut all the way around the can and so I use the manual one also. I could not live without my microwave. I love it for so many things. We like steamed vegetables and I have a pampered chef pan that is for steaming in the microwave. I should preference that by saying that I've had microwaves that don't do a good job but this one has a sensor and does a lot of things that don't require me to know anything about it! Corn on the cob is especially good steamed in the micro! |
User: debsews
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 254 |
From: Sewhappie
Date: 10-05-2005, 01:43 PM (4 of 32)
| My Kitchen Aid mixer, bread maker, bubble jet sauna for the tub, foot bath, cookbooks, my blender/chopper. They're just dust catchers as far as I'm concerned!!!!! |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: mommydionne
Date: 10-05-2005, 01:49 PM (5 of 32)
oooooo I LOVE my kitchen aid mixer  but the most useless appliance I had was a sandwhich maker, so much easier just to toast a sandwhich in a frying pan and MUCH easier to clean! (It was a wedding gift, I gave it to one of my dh's buddies years ago),
Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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From: Sherri
Date: 10-05-2005, 02:06 PM (6 of 32)
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My Kitchen Aid mixer, bread maker, bubble jet sauna for the tub, foot bath, cookbooks, my blender/chopper. They're just dust catchers as far as I'm concerned!!!!! can I have your kitchen aid I would love one.
My website
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User: Sherri
Member since: 02-07-2001 Total posts: 357 |
From: GreenDragonLady
Date: 10-05-2005, 02:07 PM (7 of 32)
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I love my kitchen aid mixer too! I use it for mixing cookie batter, and hubby uses it to grind raw potatoes for potato pancakes. Yum! We don't really have any totally useless appliances. We use them all. (and we have just about everything, too!) The least used would probably be our meat slicer (it's like a deli one). I think we've used it twice since we got it two years ago. It helps to have them all handy I think. We have a "butler's pantry" with lots of shelves, and all of our small appliances are in there to grab at a moment's notice. photos.yahoo.com/greendragondesigns
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User: GreenDragonLady
Member since: 07-29-2004 Total posts: 495 
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From: Mom of Six
Date: 10-05-2005, 02:57 PM (8 of 32)
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I would have to say the bread maker. It just doesn't make enough at 1 time for my family. I do make a loaf in the winter sometimes so they can have it hot when they get home from school. I don't use my sandwich maker but my kids use it a lot when they are the only one eating. I couldn't live without my Microwave & Mixer, also my electric griddle is a life saver some times for quick meals. Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115 
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From: beachgirl
Date: 10-05-2005, 03:11 PM (9 of 32)
| I love my Kitchenaid stand mixer plus the hand mixer. Just wish I'd had the stand mixer years ago when I baked more than I do now. Mine doesn't get dusty, I made a nice cover for it. The most useless thing I bought was one of those air popcorn poppers. Gave it away. I don't care for electric can openers. Gave that one away too. The good hand ones I like better. To each their own though. I'm sure I can think of more gadgets later on that I didn't like. After all these years of cooking there has to be more. |
User: beachgirl
Member since: 08-31-2004 Total posts: 615 
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From: SandyGirl
Date: 10-05-2005, 05:52 PM (10 of 32)
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Yes! I would love to have the Kitchen Aid mixer!! The George Foreman grill. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I rarely use a blender for anything..............I drink beer! |
User: SandyGirl
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 97 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 10-05-2005, 06:20 PM (11 of 32)
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A combination waffle iron and sandwich grill.. It has to be 35 or 40 years old..Every time I clean out closets , etc.. I put it in the trash pile and one of the two DS rescues it.. Has not been used in 10 years, I know..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 10-05-2005, 06:25 PM (12 of 32)
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My husband brought home a juice maker -- I think he used it once. He has an espresso machine -- used maybe twice. My mother-in-law gave us a George Foreman grill -- used a couple times but I have a grill pan that stretches across two burners on the stove that I use all the time. What really ticked me off was when I needed a blender my husband -- the gadget man -- brought home one his mother gave us. It was his grandmothers. She died 30 years ago. I tossed it and bought a cheap blender. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Catalina
Date: 10-05-2005, 06:46 PM (13 of 32)
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electric can opener- worst blender combo food processor and crock pot- best |
User: Catalina
Member since: 01-06-2005 Total posts: 119 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 10-05-2005, 09:05 PM (14 of 32)
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I have my parents waffle maker circa 1951. I don't know why I have it. I don't really care for waffles and I haven't used it in about 20 yrs. It was a wedding gift to my parents. (my Dad, back in the 70's some time, thought the waffle maker needed to be cleaned...it was black from use. So he took it to work and sand blasted all the nice black NON-stick grease from it and made my Mother yell about it for yrs..it took a lot of yrs to get it black again.) It's a Sunbeam...my sister has a Sunbeam mixer, circa 1940 that belonged to my granmother. It still works too. But she never uses it...she hates to cook or bake... My husband keeps a Krups coffee pot...I don't know why. Neither of us drink coffee. (we also have a coffee grinder, and all the stuff that goes with it.) I own -3- KitchenAid mixers, food processor, and blender. (I won some of them from Sears back in 96/97) I LOVE my KitchenAid mixers. Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: DragonLady
Date: 10-06-2005, 01:59 AM (15 of 32)
I have an electric ice cream maker. It seemed like such a good idea, because our house is so hot in the summer (just one window a/c). But I didn't realize that even though it's electric, the core still has to be frozen. In the summer it defrosts long before the ice cream gets made. A total waste.  Otherwise, I use all of my pots, pans and appliances. And am always on the lookout for more.
"No more twist! No more twist!"
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User: DragonLady
Member since: 11-10-2004 Total posts: 152 
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From: Sancin
Date: 10-06-2005, 03:14 AM (16 of 32)
When I read Mary's questions I thought I knew right away - then read the others!! Right away I thought of my steamer cleaner - you know the 'hang on your shoulder and clean everything in the house' that they demo on TV. Well I think the dirt on those stoves and cutting boards were put there especially for the demonstrations. I call mine "Nancy's Folly".  It only holds a cup of water, takes forever to start and then you have to run to use the steam before it is all used up because it runs out quickly as you can't turn it down or off. Good for steaming clothes only. And a snakey thing to store.But I also have and do not use: a waffle iron (why I do not know, because I like waffles) - have a riotus story about a relative and one; a cheap bag sealer to get air out of bags to seal for freezer. I am glad no one dropped in with a video camera the one and only time I tried it. I foolishly thought it was romantic to have a handcrank ice cream maker which kids liked years ago and also gone years ago. I would like a small one for the freezer; my blender went with my husband many years ago and I bought one of those thunder sticks recently which I do like, but think a full blender would have been easier to store; got rid of the crock pot and deep fryer years ago; juice maker still in box but food processer it came with almost worn out; Bubbler for bathtub, but had a good giggle when my mother used it and we couldn't find her in the bathroom!  ; travel iron and steamer for clothes; Curling iron; use my hair dryer for things other than my hair; barbeque - I am afraid of the gas. I like and use: microwave - couldn't live without as debsews describes- mine is an original Amana dial type which I doubt will ever wear out and allow me to buy one with a rotating bottom; my electric can opener (went right out and bought a new one the day my last one fell apart - unfortunately the knife sharpener included with most never seem to work as promised); I really like my George Forman copy grill - I have a gourmet stove with upper grill oven which I fear will die with the stove soon as is over 35 years - grill works a little differently and is FAST; LOVE my bread maker (I live alone) and replaced the first one the day it wore out; couldn't live without my dishwasher and clothes washer and dryer.  The real truth is that since everyone has left home and I retired I spend as little time as possible in the kitchen and in fact get tired when I have to when I have visitors. At one point I was the hostess with the mostess but now no longer interested - "been there, done that". I have learned what a deli is and love it, my freezer and Costco and microwave.  What's a salad shooter? 
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: allie-oops
Date: 10-06-2005, 03:56 AM (17 of 32)
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My stove. I hate to cook. If dh didn't cook, I'd store fabric in it. Matter of fact, when we had a stove that didn't work, I didn't miss it! I used the crock pot and an electric burner on the counter. Threw out the electric can opener years ago. Hid the George Foreman grill from dh, he would use it but never clean it - he hasn't missed it. Fry Baby - blech. Never even took that one out of the box, lol. Microwave - useless in my house. My counters are bare, I HATE GADGETS! Now - the counter in my sewing room -  NOT bare at all. Allie "onward through the fog"
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User: allie-oops
Member since: 10-25-2002 Total posts: 282 
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From: HeyJudee
Date: 10-06-2005, 07:36 AM (18 of 32)
Electric knife...have 2 (bought one and won the other) and never use either. Just taking up space in a drawer. Blender...have one but rarely use that either. Sandwich maker...used it a lot in the beginning but now it sits in the cupboard next to the blender. Coffee grinder....kept wanting one so I would make fresh coffee, etc. Got it & used it once. Now it sits next to the rest. Meat grinder - my mother gave it to me as she used one all the time. Not me.  Couldn't live without my microwave, Black & Decker grill, hand mixer and my Miracle Blade set of knives. 
TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: LauraM62
Date: 10-06-2005, 08:52 AM (19 of 32)
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Off the top of my head 2 things I just threw out 1) the bread maker, just didn't like the loaf sizes, etc; with my kitchen aid mixer & dough hook it doesn't take long to make my own bread without the big clunky machine 2) the espresso/cappuccino coffee machine, dh thought I'd like this, but the cup it made was so small, and way too much work for such a small cup I still love espresso & cappuccino, but buy the bigger cups at Starbucks Somethings just don't come out the same at home On the other side ... I love my microwave, do all sorts of cooking in it! Wouldn't give up my kitchen aid mixer or blender! Use my food processor during canning season. My waffle iron gets plenty of use, and gets replaced every year or two, my family loves frozen waffles that get expensive, so I will make up batches of homemade waffles & freeze them up, nuke them on defrost for about 20-30 sec then pop them in the toaster, family says they're better then the store frozen waffles. With a family love my griddle, & my crock pot - my knock off George Foreman grill has it's uses too - really does make great chicken breast, for things I want more of a grill texture for - Rattlesnake Pasta, Chicken Alfredo ... etc. Other gadgets have gone! I'm not like my DH, if I haven't used it within a year it is history, or if it causes to much frustration, like several of the electric can openers Oh! And we love our electric ice cream maker! Wonderful homemade ice cream in the summer, it just gets eaten so fast around here
LauraM
SW Indiana If everyone cared and nobody cried; If everyone loved and nobody lied; If everyone shared and swallowed their pride; Then we'd see the day when nobody died --'If Everyone Cared' by Nickelback |
User: LauraM62
Member since: 08-10-2003 Total posts: 246 
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From: sewingrandma
Date: 10-06-2005, 09:41 AM (20 of 32)
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Bread maker,used 3 times. George Foreman grill-small size, used twice.
Brockie
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User: sewingrandma
Member since: 03-06-2003 Total posts: 432 |
From: beachgirl
Date: 10-06-2005, 02:20 PM (21 of 32)
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Hey Judee, Keep one of those electric knives. They are the best for cutting foam. Someday you'll need it. I've had a good one for years but never cared for it to slice meat, can do better with my knives. Glad I kept it though. Wouldn't have but it was tucked away & I forgot about it. I don't use my stove oven. Dust it out once in awhile. I have a Farberware convection oven that will cook even a large turkey but it doesn't take up much space. Cooks & bakes faster & better than the big oven. Saves money too. Microwave is used a lot & not for just heating up stuff. I learned the ins & out of it years ago. I never fry ground beef for casseroles or tacos. Crumble it in a micro safe strainer & put that over a dish to catch the grease & no mess, no fuss. If you want it browned leave it & nuke it more. I always put a paper towel over the hamberger. Steaming veggies is great too. |
User: beachgirl
Member since: 08-31-2004 Total posts: 615
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From: Magot
Date: 10-06-2005, 03:43 PM (22 of 32)
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I got one of those hot air blower things for stripping paint - my hair dryer would do a better job. I bought Tony a really neat tiny gas soldering iron that you could refill - except we can't buy the gas anywhere. I have a coffee grinder wedding present that is a dust gatherer, did use it for a while but now you can buy good ground coffee it isn't much use to me - except when I run out of castor sugar I blitz the granulated in it, and I have been known to use it for breadcrumbs. I love my breadmaker, the Kenwood food processor I bought to replace the food mixer which had no guts - but I still haven't thrown that away. I really should junk this stuff. Actually, I have just remembered - I use the mixer for Yorkshire pudding so t hat has to stay. The most useless and annoying cleaning thing is that floor wiper thing ( you put wet clothes on it to wsh the floor) Tony wanted it because it would be better than mopping the laminate floor cos that makes it wet. Not the way I do it it doesn't - anyway this thing is so useless at cleaning the surface area of floor that I have it is such a waste of space. Sold by the power of advertising to the gentleman in the corner! love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: debsews
Date: 10-06-2005, 04:34 PM (23 of 32)
| Sancin: A salad shooter is a thing you put your vegetables in the top and they come out sliced, shredded, and it's supposed to save you so much time. Problem is it's harder to clean than a knife and cutting board. It would be handy if you cooked large qty a lot but I tried it several times and out it went. This thread is so funny because you see yourself over and over with all the things we buy and never use. I will agree that if i could design a house without the kitchen I would! Wasted space! |
User: debsews
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 254 |
From: patti2
Date: 10-07-2005, 08:55 AM (24 of 32)
| Pasta machine!! I read the instructions, said no way and donated it to a silent auction at my kids school! |
User: patti2
Member since: 05-28-2005 Total posts: 78 |
From: misstwoshoes
Date: 10-07-2005, 07:28 PM (25 of 32)
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It's true! One man's trash is another man's treasure! I have a Salad Shooter that I use for making coleslaw and it works better than a hand grater or a food processer. I also have a juicer I only use once a year when I make black berry jelly but it is worth its weight in gold at that time. I have a few things I don't use very often but they are the best tool for certain jobs so I keep them. I love my Kitchen Aid mixer, waffle maker,blender, Bosch bread mixer and K-tec grain ginder. Of all the things I have that I seldom use I would have to say my food processer is the thing I could most easily live without. To me it is more trouble than it is worth. It is a really nice Quisinart and I hate to get rid of it...I guess I need to go back to FlyLady and get flywashed some more! Artie Ann |
User: misstwoshoes
Member since: 10-02-2005 Total posts: 17 |
From: vickki
Date: 10-07-2005, 08:26 PM (26 of 32)
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I can't believe anyone would throw out their breadmaker.We are on our 3rd one.I'll sure my husband would divorce me if I threw it out.(Wow never though of that before) He uses it every couple off days..Now if I had my way I would eat out every day and all I'd need is a bed and bath.HATE cooking.I don't even want to try and like it.... 
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User: vickki
Member since: 08-21-2005 Total posts: 374 |
From: debsews
Date: 10-07-2005, 10:52 PM (27 of 32)
| I buy it in a bag - don't need grater or salad shooter! Give me convenience foods every time! Just found pillsbury biscuits in the freezer section along with roasted potatoes. If I could just find someone to get them out of the freezer and cook and serve and clean up! Wow that would be great! |
User: debsews
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 254 |
From: paroper
Date: 10-08-2005, 08:57 AM (28 of 32)
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A few years ago my husband was cooking in the kitchen. My best friend's daughter (about 7 years old) came in and asked my husband what he was making. My husband replied that he was making bread. He asked her if her mother made bread. A terrible look of disgust and confusion came over her face, her nose went up about 3 inches as she said "We BUY OUR bread!". Needless to say, she took home a loaf that night.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: gm23237
Date: 10-08-2005, 10:05 PM (29 of 32)
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For those of you that do not know my name is George. I am curious to see if there are other men that use the forums? Now as a male I always got household things for Christmas from my sons. I never said a word but secretly I hated that, it only gave me another excuse to spend more time in the kitchen LOL. I would have to agree with the salad shooter was the most useless gift i ever got. |
User: gm23237
Member since: 11-03-2003 Total posts: 145 
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From: Bama
Date: 10-09-2005, 05:19 PM (30 of 32)
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I LOVE my KitchenAid mixer. And my bread machine. I HATE the George Foreman grill. My mother gave it to me when she got a bigger one. I used it twice and decided it was just too much trouble to clean. Of course mom got the new kind that has the removable grill pans in it. She says it's alot easier to clean, but I'll just stick with my cast iron skillets. |
User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116 
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From: beachgirl
Date: 10-09-2005, 08:42 PM (31 of 32)
| Bama, I can't say I'm crazy about the George Forman grill but will tell you an easy way to clean the thing. Spray when it's cold with pam or something like it. After your done grilling, wet paper towels & cover the bottom grill & close the lid . Shut the power off of course. After you have eaten & time to clean up the grill cleans so much easier. Maybe that will help you some. |
User: beachgirl
Member since: 08-31-2004 Total posts: 615
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From: Domestic Goddes
Date: 10-09-2005, 08:42 PM (32 of 32)
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A "flame thrower" for the kitchen - for caramelising stuff and losing your eybrows. Bought by my MIL, perhaps she's trying to tell me something? A little gadget for peeling and coring pineapples - have never managed it yet without ending up with mashed fruit and juice everywhere. A tiny knife thing for cutting cling film (do you call it saran wrap the other side of the pond?) that also severs finger nails. Things I use ALL the time - coffee bean grinder, expresso machine, balloon whisk, food processor (but not the shredding attachment), juicing machine and cylinder cheese grater (means I don't loose the skin off my knuckles when grating - it's French so must have been designed for french ladies who don't want to ruin their manicure). |
User: Domestic Goddes
Member since: 01-04-2005 Total posts: 108 |
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