I spent part of my weekend gearing up for a rummage sale (more on that later) that will take place in late March. We have to get rid of crap or we’ll have to set up camp for the baby in the dog’s house. Which, by the way, is really nice.

I discovered, among other treasures, in our garage, a few items I have never – not even once – used. I blame my mother. I think she left them there. I found a rice cooker. Huh? I found a bread maker. I found a set of plastic bowls that are supposed to look like wood, but they are irrelevant to this post.I also found a fondue set specifically for chocolate (is that even mine? I don’t think so), a crock pot without a lid, and I found an antique ice cream maker, complete with back breaking hand cranker.

Many of these items are the dreaded “uni-taskers”, which Alton Brown long ago admonished against. I can cook rice in a saucepan, thankyouverymuch. And I don’t make bread, but if I did I think I’d just go the old fashioned route.

I have, for quite some time, been trying to avoid adding uni-taskers to my kitchen, but it is certainly hard. I lust after the pasta maker (which I wouldn’t need if I had the kitchen aid mixer). I linger in Bed Bath and Beyond near the Panini press, the avocado peeler, the egg slicer. How delightful it would be to pull out just the right gadget for every kitchen task! But I have, of late, beaten the devil inside me, and resisted the call of the garlic clove peelers and egg separators of the world.

I still have a few beloved items, like the apple slicer/corer from pampered chef. Um, ever made an apple pie? Worth it.

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If you’re so inclined, you might share with us your best kitchen gadgets, and the uni-taskers with which you cannot part.I used to think my microplane zester was a uni-tasker, but it’s not.

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It does all manner of scraping, but I don’t recommend using it on your heels.