The typical kitchen drawer is a museum of impulse buys. Corn peelers, banana slicers, avocado cutters—all guarantees of comfort that, most of the time, sit unused and collect mud. These single-use devices could appear useful at first, however over time, they find yourself clogging your drawers, losing cash, and amassing grime.
As 2025 approaches, there’s no higher time to take a tough take a look at what’s in your kitchen. The house you save and the performance you achieve by eliminating one-trick instruments is effectively well worth the effort. Even higher, right this moment’s market presents intelligent, compact options that do the work of a number of units in a single.
Listed below are 10 single-use kitchen gadgets that must go and the multi-task marvels you have to be utilizing as a substitute.
1. Garlic Presses
Garlic presses look like a no brainer. Simply drop in a clove and squeeze, proper? In actuality, they’re a ache to wash, usually go away behind priceless garlic oils, and are restricted to only one operate. Most individuals don’t even understand how a lot taste they’re lacking out on by urgent as a substitute of mincing or grating.
In 2025, ditch the garlic press and go for a microplane or advantageous grater. Not solely can it flip garlic right into a paste, however it will possibly additionally zest citrus, shred nutmeg, and finely grate cheese. It rinses clear in seconds and earns its place in your drawer.
2. Avocado Slicers
Avocado slicers, with their oddly formed plastic blades and seed-removal instruments, are the definition of kitchen overkill. They take up house and remedy an issue {that a} knife and spoon have dealt with completely effectively for many years.
You possibly can simply slice, cube, and scoop avocados with a easy chef’s knife and a tablespoon. Need extra effectivity? Use a utility knife and a paring knife combo. These primary instruments deal with dozens of different elements, too, so there’s no must dedicate house to one thing with such a slender focus.
3. Egg Separators
Egg separators are marketed as the answer to a slippery, sticky activity, however they’re truly extra cumbersome than useful. Most individuals nonetheless find yourself with some yolk of their whites after which have to wash a plastic software on prime of it.
The reality is, your palms or the eggshell itself work simply as effectively. And if you need a neater various, a slotted spoon can do double responsibility for separating eggs, draining blanched veggies, and serving pasta. Why waste drawer house on a gadget that solely does one factor?
4. Popcorn Makers
Devoted popcorn machines appear enjoyable till you understand how a lot house they occupy for one thing used, possibly a few times a month. Countertop or electrical fashions are cumbersome, arduous to wash, and require space for storing you in all probability don’t have.
As a substitute, change to a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a lid. Not solely does it pop corn simply as effectively, but it surely may also be used for sauces, soups, boiling pasta, and extra. Add a steel mesh splatter display if you need extra air flow and fewer stray kernels.
5. Herb Scissors
Herb scissors with 5 blades might look spectacular, however they not often ship clear cuts and have a tendency to mash tender herbs. Cleansing between the blades can be a chore, and so they solely work for a slender vary of elements.
A pointy chef’s knife and a chopping board are sooner, neater, and much more versatile. With correct approach, you possibly can chiffonade basil, mince parsley, and even chop hardier herbs like rosemary with out dragging out a specialty software. You’ll additionally save time on cleanup and eradicate one other gadget out of your drawer.
6. Strawberry Hullers
Strawberry hullers are supposed to avoid wasting you time, however they usually go away behind half the berry or battle to take away the inexperienced tops cleanly. They don’t retailer simply and provide zero utility for the rest.
A easy paring knife removes strawberry tops, cores tomatoes, and trims mushrooms with ease. It matches in your drawer, lasts for years, and doesn’t require a number of makes an attempt to get the job achieved. Single-use hullers, alternatively, simply add pointless muddle.
7. Electrical Can Openers
Until you’ve got a medical situation that limits hand energy, an electrical can opener isn’t crucial. They’re noisy, require frequent cleansing, and occupy priceless counter house. Worst of all, a lot of them break inside a few years.
A well-designed guide can opener does the job simply as quick, and it matches in a drawer, wants no energy, and infrequently lasts for many years. Search for fashions with smooth-edge chopping wheels and ergonomic handles. You’ll save house, scale back waste, and nonetheless open cans with ease.
8. Single-Use Espresso Pod Machines
Espresso pod machines may appear handy, however they’re among the many most wasteful kitchen units on the market. The price per cup is astronomical in comparison with floor beans, and the environmental affect of the pods is troubling. Plus, you’re locked into utilizing a selected sort of pod system.
A French press or pour-over system not solely provides you brisker, better-tasting espresso however may also be used to brew tea or infuse water. They’re reasonably priced, compact, and create far much less waste. In case you want pace, electrical kettles now warmth water in below two minutes—sooner than most pod machines.
9. Rice Cookers
Rice cookers might have been a staple of the early 2000s, however in 2025, there are higher multi-use home equipment that deserve your counter house. Normal rice cookers do exactly that—prepare dinner rice. And typically, not even very effectively.
An Prompt Pot or comparable electrical stress cooker can deal with rice, however it will possibly additionally make yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, pulled pork, soups, stews, pasta, and steamed greens. That form of versatility makes it a kitchen powerhouse. There’s no motive to maintain a one-note rice cooker when so many higher choices exist.
10. Yogurt Makers
Devoted yogurt makers look like a sensible purchase for health-conscious households, however they are typically restricted in operate, finicky in course of, and take up shelf house you may use extra successfully.
Multi-cookers or Prompt Pots with yogurt settings eradicate the necessity for a stand-alone gadget. They permit you to make yogurt, ferment dough, and put together slow-cook meals, in addition to a whole week’s value of lunches. The result’s higher worth and fewer muddle in your kitchen.
The best way to Make the Change
Begin with a easy audit. Empty one kitchen drawer or cupboard and ask your self how usually you utilize every merchandise. If it hasn’t been touched in six months and solely serves one operate, it’s in all probability time to let it go.
Substitute not often used devices with instruments that serve a number of roles. Search for high-quality knives, forged iron pans, silicone spatulas, and small home equipment with a number of cooking modes. You’ll not solely achieve again house but additionally enhance the move and performance of your cooking routine. The very best kitchen instruments aren’t those that promise to do one factor higher. They’re those that allow you to do extra, sooner, with fewer obstacles in the way in which.
Declutter for Higher Cooking
2025 is the proper 12 months to reclaim your kitchen. With better-designed, multi-purpose instruments out there at each value level, there’s no motive to maintain drawers stuffed with novelty devices and damaged guarantees. Let go of the one-hit wonders and put money into kitchen necessities that actually earn their hold.
A cleaner, extra environment friendly kitchen means extra satisfying cooking, fewer irritating messes, and fewer cash wasted on impulse buys. Don’t let your instruments management your house. Select ones that serve you effectively and infrequently.
Which single-use gadget do you remorse shopping for, and which multi-use software has earned a everlasting place in your kitchen?
Learn Extra:
What Kitchen Renovations Carry the Most ROI in 2025?
Right here Are the Most Helpful Kitchen Devices Below $10 on Amazon
Riley is an Arizona native with over 9 years of writing expertise. From private finance to journey to digital advertising to popular culture, she’s written about every little thing below the solar. When she’s not writing, she’s spending her time exterior, studying, or cuddling along with her two corgis.
