Tool Takedown
It's time for another Tool Takedown. We're having a head-to-head match-up of the latest kitchen tools and gadgets vs. the experience and skills of your favorite Kitchen hosts. How do these gadgets stack up? Do they work? Are they worth the money and, most importantly, the storage space?
David Katz, David Katz
The Avoquado
We pitted this 4-in-1 tool against the best the Kitchen has to offer. The tool is designed to cut through avocado skin, remove the pit and scoop and slice the flesh. The upside is that the cutter is blunt, lessening the chance of injury. And it fits easily inside a drawer. Now the drawbacks: the scooper doesn't always fit perfectly into every size of avocado, and it's a little difficult to remove the pit with the grabber. Even though the traditional method wins here, the Avoquado is still a pretty nifty tool.
Salad Cutter Bowl
It doesn't get more straightforward than this. Just pile your favorite veggies into the slotted bowl, press on the lid, then guide your knife through the slots. Give it a quarter turn, then cut again for a crosshatch chop. And, supposedly, voila--a perfectly chopped salad! What we love about this tool is that it keeps your veggies contained while you chop so you don't make a mess all over the cutting board. Less to clean up! The cons are that the bowl doesn't hold a lot of produce and the slots don't lead to the cleanest cuts (our Roma tomato took a real beating). The traditional method was the winner here, too.
Corn Stripper
Every kitchen store is up to its ears in corn-stripping gadgets. (We'd know, since we've tested quite a few!) We think this one is the best of the bushel. With a simple twist, the tool strips the kernels off the cob with ease. It's safer than a knife and perfect for making a fast and easy salsa or salad. It's also easy to store in a drawer. The only issue is that it didn't cut completely down to the nub of the cob, leaving some of the kernels behind. Still, the Corn Stripper is a winner in our book!
