this post was submitted on 27 Apr 2025
34 points (100.0% liked)

chat

8433 readers
54 users here now

Chat is a text only community for casual conversation, please keep shitposting to the absolute minimum. This is intended to be a separate space from c/chapotraphouse or the daily megathread. Chat does this by being a long-form community where topics will remain from day to day unlike the megathread, and it is distinct from c/chapotraphouse in that we ask you to engage in this community in a genuine way. Please keep shitposting, bits, and irony to a minimum.

As with all communities posts need to abide by the code of conduct, additionally moderators will remove any posts or comments deemed to be inappropriate.

Thank you and happy chatting!

founded 4 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Had a lovely night and need a little snack before bed. The popcorn maker makes me perfect popcorn everytime no jhudgemnt no questions asked. I live in an otherwise-gizmo-free household, but I do genuinely use this things twice a week on average. What gizmo are you not ashamed of?

I also got an immersion blender for $20 a week ago and used it once to make squash soup. Perhaps that isa second gizmo... It's gotten more use than my microave in the same timespan...

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] OrionsMask@hexbear.net 16 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

This is gonna sound silly, but dishwasher. I got a small one only this year after many, many years of being the dishwasher (and not cooking as much as a result). But since getting a dishwasher, I've been cooking loads. It's genuinely amazing the difference it makes, knowing that you don't have to leave a big pile of stuff to clean up later every time you cook. I can even put my whole air fryer basket in there!

Plus it uses a controlled amount of water for the whole load so you aren't running the tap constantly and wasting water.

[–] Barabas@hexbear.net 8 points 2 months ago

Never used to have a dishwasher and getting one was a huge difference. It saves a huge amount of time in washing glasses and cutlery most of all.

[–] OutrageousHairdo@hexbear.net 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Basic bitch answer, but ceiling fan 100%.

[–] Dessa@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago

No, that's a great answer. People take them for granted

[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 12 points 2 months ago

either air fryer or stick blender
beautiful crispy tofu (among other things) vs lovely sauces

🤔

[–] Dessa@hexbear.net 10 points 2 months ago

Rice cooker. I do not want to fail at rice often enough to get good at it, and I never have to with my trusty rice cooker on hand

[–] RedWizard@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Kobo eReader. It gets used for multiple hours a week. I never would have thought a device used for reading would be my favorite gizmo.

[–] bubbalu@hexbear.net 4 points 2 months ago

I have one too! The warm backlighting is nice.

[–] Angel@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago

Why did I misread the title as "I thank god for giving me a pronoun maker"

I immediately said, "The woke have gone too far this time!" of course.

My answer would have to be my audio interface... let's me directly input audio into a DAW. Definitely something essential for me to have. Honorable mention to my portable charger thing that I got during Milton.

[–] DragonBallZinn@hexbear.net 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Everyone’s already said it, but rice cooker.

I don’t have to even put much thought into making rice, and just season it how you want and you get an easy comfort food whenever.

(True science fact: put in a quarter cup of rice vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar for every cup of short grain white rice to get sushi rice. Then just add in crispy tofu and stir-fried vegetables and you get what is objectively the best bulking meal possible.)

[–] SkingradGuard@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

popcorn maker

A microwave? very-smart

Anyway my favourite gizmo is those can openers that are just a hunk of metal with a blade and a bottle opener in one

[–] bubbalu@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] SkingradGuard@hexbear.net 5 points 2 months ago (3 children)

On over engineered stove top very-smart must make 100% perfect popcorns tho

[–] TheSpectreOfGay@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

mine has a spinny thing to stop the kernels from burning

[–] Dessa@hexbear.net 5 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Things like this are wastes of space for most people, who would be better off using a generalist tool. But if you're making popcorn 3 times a week, it's showing its worth

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] bubbalu@hexbear.net 8 points 2 months ago

its a hotplate with a very wide heat distribution, an agitator for spinning the kernels and a big ol bowl for the popcorn

[–] thelastaxolotl@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

Mine is an ice cube machine, i cant imagine life without it specislly now with the heat waves in mx

[–] DickFuckarelli@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

Inside - air fryer.

Outside - kamado smoker/grill.

[–] FlakesBongler@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Oxo GoodGrips Reusable Lint Roller

As someone with many pets, it keeps me looking crisp and stylish

[–] Carl@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I've used lint rollers before, had no idea they made a reusable one. I should get one - I live with a siberian husky!

[–] LanyrdSkynrd@hexbear.net 2 points 2 months ago

Oxo makes good stuff. There's clearly a lot of thought that goes into their kitchen products.

I love their flipper spatula

[–] EstraDoll@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

toaster oven

whole oven is too big? usually. use small oven! it also works as an air fryer! the last one i had even worked as a dehydrator on the two times i year i might ever need one! broiling stuff too? why not! use it as a toaster! perfect for heating stuff up in one particular way!

[–] Carl@hexbear.net 5 points 2 months ago

aww yeah I used to be about that life until my toaster oven mysteriously stopped working. I was gonna try to fix it but other stuff came up and I don't think I have it anymore.

[–] GladimirLenin@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (4 children)

I love my induction cooktop. And my rice cooker. And my bullet blender thingy. The only things I use multiple times a week. Oh and my jaffle iron

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] Barabas@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Rice cooker and dishwasher are the two huge ones that I didn't use to have in childhood that have changed a lot for me. I am pretty good at cooking rice in a pot, but the constant anxiety that it will get burned and stink up the entire apartment gets to me, and the rice cooker is better at it than me anyway.

Otherwise (not really a gizmo but it was a huge change for me) I guess a stainless steel saute pan with a lid is my most used kitchen appliance. Cast iron is fine but heavier to handle, doesn't fit as much and is harder to wash. Non-sticks just start peeling. My trusty stainless steel pan has lasted years and is still just as good.

Oddly I wouldn't want a popcorn maker, was brought up making it on the stovetop, it took me a while to adjust to induction but I've managed. I get more unpopped kernels but they are ridiculously cheap anyway. When I am alone and get especially distracted I sometimes just have popcorn for dinner and then the leftovers for breakfast.

[–] bubbalu@hexbear.net 3 points 2 months ago

I do that too with the popcorn dinner. A technique I learned was heat the oil with 3-4 kernels in it. Wait for them to pop and turn off the heat. Then add all your kernels and preheat them in the oil for about 30 seconds before putting the heat back to high.

[–] Zetta@mander.xyz 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] kittin@hexbear.net 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I got this microwave plastic dish designed for cooking rice that is like 90% as good as a proper rice cooker.

The secret to it seems to simply be a perforated top (like 40% of the surface area would be holes of about 0.5cm diameter) so I imagine it would be easy to make one by punching small holes in some Tupperware, but also the real thing only cost about $15.

A very economical almost-as-good option, and more space efficient.

[–] volcel_olive_oil@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago

got like a little plug thing for glass bottles that makes it easy as shit to pour without spilling

[–] sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Stove top electric kettle and a projector

Also I have a compass as in the one for drawing and I consider that a gizmo

[–] LocalOaf@hexbear.net 5 points 2 months ago

Immersion blender and those little grabby wand things for getting cat toys out from under the furniture lol

Oh and the hose nozzle with the multiple spray patterns for watering different plants and the sprinkler with the different spray patterns

I just think they're neat

[–] Ram_The_Manparts@hexbear.net 4 points 2 months ago

I like my Zoom R4

[–] KuroXppi@hexbear.net 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Nutribullet for just whizzing shit up. Easy as to clean.

[–] SootySootySoot@hexbear.net 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

As someone who eats popcorn very regularly, I find the microwave to be 100% perfect at it (so long as the kernels aren't many years old). Also I super hate "microwave popcorn" because it's usually at a 10-100x markup compared to just a bag of kernels which are equally 'microwave'able.

I intended to follow up by joining in with a mention of a gizmo, but I think I literally don't have one. So now I'm just a spoilsport. no-fun-allowed

[–] Esoteir@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

a microwave is a gizmo comrade

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] hexthismess@hexbear.net 4 points 2 months ago

A rasp pi, I can make more gizmos!

[–] m532@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Drawing tablet. Good for playing nds games, balatro and spider solitaire (and for drawing)

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Carl@hexbear.net 3 points 2 months ago

Love my ice maker and reverse osmosis water filter, use them both every day and I can't imagine how i lived my life before getting them.

[–] Blep@hexbear.net 3 points 2 months ago

My pc is too general to count as a gizmo, so i guess my microwave

[–] Speaker@hexbear.net 2 points 2 months ago

Instant Pot. Cooks everything, requires almost no effort. If it had arms to hug with it could probably replace your family.

[–] 7bicycles@hexbear.net 2 points 2 months ago (4 children)

an immersion blender is not a gizmo wtf. what are you gonna do, stab your soup a lot to make it smooth?

[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

big mortar and pestle or a food mill

[–] 7bicycles@hexbear.net 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

if an immersion blender is a gizmo so is a big mortar and pestle or a food mill

[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 2 months ago

i dunno, smash it with a rock?

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] LanyrdSkynrd@hexbear.net 2 points 2 months ago

Breville Barista espresso machine.

It's pretty extravagant, but it's been very reliable for over 10 years. It's surely paid for itself many times over compared to going to a cafe.

load more comments
view more: next ›