Top Ten Kitchen Gadgets

Recently the Independent newspaper ran a poll to find out which were the UK's Top 50 Kitchen Gadgets. I think for reasons of space, and your time, I shall keep the list to the top Ten.

Here were the results

1 - Microplane Grater
"Once you've used one of these you can't go back. Microplanes make light work of cheese, lemon zest, chocolate, you name it. And you can get a nifty little attachment for ginger and garlic so you don't take your fingers off while you're grating. Apparently, it was invented to smooth wood, until a Canadian woman discovered it was great for grating, as it were"

2 - Bengt Ek Wall Clock and Timer
"It's true that most cookers come with timers these days but aside from the fact that I can't work mine, it also means that if you go outside or upstairs you won't hear it ring. This rather lovely retro clock comes with a detachable timer so you can disappear as far from the oven as you wish - even to the shops - and still remember to take the cakes out of the oven. You probably won't, by now, be surprised to learn that it's a Swedish design - that old form-and-function chestnut again"

3 - Amboine Nutmeg Grinder
"Regulars in the kitchen will know that Peugeot doesn't just make cars, it also makes, for some reason, the best grinders and mills. And for anyone who's scraped their fingers and knuckles and spent 10 minutes lying on the floor trying to relocate the nutmeg that just bounced off the mini grater, this is for you. A beautifully designed grinder that comes filled with seven nutmegs and will grind as much or as little as you require with a simple turn of the handle. It's also worth mentioning that it has a similar gadget for dried chillies"

4 - Sink Top Chopping Board and Drainer
"The thing about this category is that it isn't things that you really need as such, but they combine beauty and usefulness and, as such, will make some of those boring jobs, a little less dull because you will enjoy using the equipment. So this board fits neatly over the sink - creating more worktop instantly - and you can chop your fruit and then rinse, or chop and scrape all those ends and bits of peel into the collapsible colander and then remove it and take to the bin or compost. See, it's almost fun already"

5 - Kyocera Ceramic Knife
"A few months ago, I went for a cooking lesson, during the course of which I learnt how to make a lot of fancy things that I will never attempt to reproduce. However, I did pick up one piece of useful knowledge and that is the brilliance of the ceramic knife. It's incredibly sharp, never blunts, never needs sharpening and makes light work of meat and vegetables. It's lightweight, harder than any cutting tools except diamonds and stays sharp for ever. The only danger is that you might drop it. Once you've tried cutting with this you won't go back to steel"

6 - Remosaka Electric Cooker
"A friend of mine was given one of these recently and it's a brilliant bit of kit. It makes your oven practically redundant and uses hardly any electricity so it's cheap to run. Invented before the Second World War, it sank into obscurity before two Czechs scraped together all the money they could find to buy the machinery in 1990. Roast chicken, toad-in-the-hole, toasted sandwiches, casseroles and frozen pizza. It will even make cakes and scones. And as it just plugs in, it's totally portable"

7 - Stainless Steel Rotary Grater
"My grandmother had one of these and using it is my earliest cooking memory. I have no idea what we were making but just that it was immensely satisfying turning the handle and watching the cheese fall out into the bowl. One of these makes light work of recipes that call for large amounts of grated cheese and I seem to recall she used hers for parsley and some herbs as well. Good for getting small children interested, as it's a safe gadget with quick results"

8 - Compost Bucket with Charcoal Filter
"Many of you will be struggling to see how a compost bucket could be life-enhancing but aside from all the self-satisfaction that comes with recycling your food into more food for your plants and all that eco-friendly stuff, they can sometimes, in the summer, feel a bit whiffy. This rather attractive, silver compost bucket comes with carbon filters inside the lid that will absorb the odours and stop any pesky critters flying around your kitchen. The lid fits tightly and there's a carrying handle too. See, I told you it would improve the quality of your life"

9 - Potholders
"Everyone needs an oven glove, but Danish company Eva Solo has taken that basic item to the next level. This is a corrugated silicone, heatproof, dishwasher-proof, bacteria-resistant, bit of kit that also protects your hands from the hot pots. Perfect for anyone who doesn't like the lumpiness of oven gloves and who tends to grab a tea towel in a hurry. Comes as a set of two"

10 - Salter Disc Kitchen Scale with LCD Display
"The Ultra Slim Salter Disc Kitchen Scale has an easy to read LCD display. The Aquatronic function allows for liquid measurement, and Add & Weigh allows for weighing multiple ingredients. Capcity: 5 kg / 11 lb. Dimensions: 21.5 x 5 x 18.5cm. Batteries included. 15 year guarantee"

I personally am not too impressed with all of this new gadgetry, but I think some that I have highlighted are worth a look. This list leaves out some of the more traditional kitchen appliances, but it does give an idea to the way kitchenware is going this year.