A few weeks ago Betta Living dropped me an email and challenged me to test out and review 5 kitchen gadgets. I thought this sounded like fun. I like discovering new tools and methods to streamline my cooking and baking.
I spent a little time before I went away to Budapest getting to grips with each gadget. The gadgets the Betta Living team sent out for me to test were; a Triblade spiralizer, a VonShef Juicer, a John Lewis Pasta Machine, a One Touch Automatic Can Opener and a Chef’n Freshforce Potato Ricer.
I’ve put together a review and score out of 10 for each of the gadgets. I’ve taken the ease of use, practicality and price into consideration. As always, if you have any further questions then please leave a comment below or drop me a message on Twitter.
The Triblade spiralizer – 9/10
This has been well used in my kitchen, especially for making courgetti. The machine is fairly big but neat and very light. I’ve kept the box so I can store it easily in the cupboard when it’s not in use.
One of the first things I noticed about the spiralizer is that it has pads on the bottom to ensure it doesn’t slip and slide around. They’re very strong and keep the machine in place while making it easier to turn the handle.
The machine comes with 3 blades which you can alternate between depending on what you’re making. The blades store neatly and safely within the machine. There is a slicer blade which I’ve used with courgette and apple when making salads at lunch time. You could also use a potato, I’m going to give this a try at the weekend. There’s a chipper blade which is the one you’ll all be familiar with. It’s used to make pasta strands and this is the one I’ve used the most. I made courgetti and also used used carrots to add into my salads. The final blade is the shredder blade. This blade creates a thinner pasta strand and had been particularly handy for making those vegetable fritters which I love so much.
The whole machine comes apart which makes it very easy to clean.
The VonShef Juicer – 8/10
I use a juicer about 4 times each week so I was keen to try out the VonShef Juicer. I found the machine fairly easy to clean by hand but it’s useful that all the removable parts can also be popped into the dishwasher. The machine obviously takes up space on your worktop but it’s much more sleek than other juicing machines I’ve used. The machine is a little too tall to fit into my cupboards but as I use it regularly I’ve kept it out on my worktop.
This juicer is very easy to use. You can put whole fruits into the machine but out of habit I always cut mine first. There are suction pads on the bottom of the juicer to stop it moving about on the worktop when it’s in action. I found the machine to be quite noisy but I’m yet to find a quiet one. The machine works quickly to juice the fruit and vegetables so I didn’t find the noise an issue.
One of my favourite juices to make with this is; cucumber, apple, ginger, lemon and mint. It’s such a refreshing drink and perfect for when the afternoon slump hits.
John Lewis Pasta Machine – 7/10
I’d never used a pasta machine before so this was all very new to me. I followed a recipe from BBC Food to make fresh pasta to use with my machine.
The pasta machine is quite heavy but durable. I found that some of the edges on the machine were a little sharp so you have to be very careful with it. It was easy enough to clean and I’ve been storing it within it’s own box in my cupboard. It doesn’t take up a lot of space so you could easily sit it on a shelf without the need for the box.
The machine makes a variety of pastas including lasagne sheets, tagliatelle and fettuccine. There are also 9 thickness settings available. I liked that the machine has a clamp to secure it to the table to prevent it from moving around.
I have found that the machine takes a lot of work to cut the pasta fully. I’m not sure if that’s me, the pasta mixture I made or the machine. I feel like the more I use this the more I’ll get the hang of it, or I hope so anyway. I’d love to be able to make fresh pasta with ease but I think it’s one of those things you have to do on a regular basis. I’ll be trying this out again soon and I’ll be sure to share the process on Snapchat and I may edit this post with how I get on. Have you ever made pasta at home?
One Touch Automatic Can Opener – 8/10
I’d never thought about using an automatic can opener before. I’m always opening up cans of chickpeas and chopped tomatoes and the ones I buy rarely come with ring pulls.
This can opener is very easy to use and does exactly what it says on the packaging. You simply place the opener on the tin, press the button and let go. The opener makes its way around the tin and the lid comes off cleanly.
The automatic can opener isn’t a necessity but it certainly adds a little ease to daily kitchen tasks.
Chef’n Freshforce Potato Ricer – 8/10
I’d never used a potato ricer before but it’s turned out to be extremely handy to have in the kitchen. It’s quite a chunky piece of kit but if you have somewhere to store it then it’s worth a purchase. I like to keep a basket in my cupboard for things like this. I can then lift it out in one easy go and find what I need.
The ricer is very easy to use. Simply boil your potatoes ’til they’re soft, add them into the ricer and squeeze. You’ll find yourself with lump free mashed potato ready for your evening meal. I love adding spinach with my mash, give it a try next time you make it.
So far the ricer is proving to be very good quality and it’s not too heavy to use. The ricer can even go in the dishwasher but I’ve found it easy enough to clean by hand.
Pop over to Betta Living for their round-up of reviews.
What are your favourite kitchen tools at the moment?