Our kitchens have become hotbeds of innovation, packed with high-powered air fryers, countertop smokers and other impressive tools designed to make cooking easier. But not every gadget deserves a spot on your counter — some are better off in the trash with the food scraps.

Rather than falling for every shiny new trend, it’s wiser to invest in reliable, versatile gear that can actually make life easier. To help separate the helpful from the hype, we asked chefs and kitchen pros to weigh in on the tools they think are overrated — and the ones worth holding onto. If you’re looking to cut clutter and boost efficiency, knowing what not to buy can be just as valuable as knowing what to keep.

These career cooks are the ultimate authority on which kitchen gadgets should get the boot — especially when cupboard, counter and drawer space is limited. Each one listed their least favorite kitchen tools and offered their preferred method or tool for completing the cooking task that they’re meant to do.

Masaharu Morimoto 

Celebrity chef, restauranteur

1. Mandolin

Why: “While it brings good slices, mastering proper knife skills gives you more control, precision and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be bulky, hard to clean and risky if you’re not extremely careful. Relying too much on a mandolin, or tools like a two-in-one apple cutter or a tomato corer can hold you back from developing real technique. Taking the time to learn how to handle a sharp chef’s knife or Japanese blade will help you in almost every recipe.” 

What to try instead: Mac 8-inch Japanese chef knife.

Eric Rowse 

Lead chef-instructor Institute of Culinary Education, Los Angeles

2. Onion holders

Why: “These look like a weapon for Wolverine wannabes; it’s meant to help you hold a whole onion and “chop” it. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface so it won’t roll away. If you’re trying to cut rings, save the $14 and stick a fork in the root and hold the fork.”

What to try instead: Learn to properly slice an onion the old-fashioned way.

3. Onion goggles 

Why: “A waste of money, as they don’t form a great seal around the eyes to prevent the sulfur compounds from getting to your eyes and making you cry. Keep your knife sharp and open a window or turn on a fan instead.”

What to try instead: CNET’s Peter Butler shares tips for cutting onions without crying.

4. Metal, glass, stone and acrylic cutting boards

Why: “Cutting on hard surfaces is bad for your knives; instead, go for wood or poly.”

What to try instead: Our list of the best cutting boards features plenty of knife-safe options. 

5. Chicken shredder 

Why: “I can’t think of anyone needing a tool devoted to shredding chicken outside a restaurant and even restaurants don’t use it. This item only has one purpose so I’d skip it.”

What to try instead: Two forks.

6. Herb stripper

Why: “I love thyme but hate stripping it. When I was young I got suckered into believing this tool would help me … It’s been sitting in my cupboard, laughing at me for almost a decade now.”

What to try instead: For heartier herbs like rosemary and thyme, just use your fingers to slide down the stem, opposite to how the leaves grow.

7. Bluetooth wireless probe thermometer

Why: “These are a great tool but can be very expensive. I can see myself losing, breaking, dropping, accidentally throwing away or dropping it in the coals.”

What to try instead: ThermoPro’s Lightning Instant Read Thermometer

Peter Som 

Cookbook author and lifestyle expert

8. Electric can opener

Why: “Most of us grew up with an electric can opener permanently stationed on the kitchen counter, like it was a vital appliance. But truthfully, they’re more nostalgia than necessity. They take up space, can be a hassle to clean and often struggle with irregularly sized cans. A good manual opener is compact, reliable and gets the job done without needing an outlet or a user manual.”

What to try instead: Oxo’s soft-handled can opener.

Richard Ingraham 

Personal chef to Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and author of Love: My Love Expressed Through Food

9. Avocado slicer

Why: “A knife and spoon do the job just as easily and the specialized tool rarely fits all avocado sizes properly. It’s a one-trick pony that clutters drawers.”

What to try instead: A good paring knife like this $35 Wusthof. 

10. Egg separator

Why: “A tool just for separating yolks is unnecessary for most home cooks.” The only exception may be this one, and even that is just for yolks. Err, I mean yucks.

What to try instead: Cracking an egg and using the shell halves or your fingers works just as well. 

11. Garlic peeler tube

Why: “Rolling garlic cloves in a silicone tube may work but requires storing a single-purpose gadget.”

What to try instead: Smashing garlic cloves with a chef knife is quicker and more reliable.

12. Pizza scissors

Why: “A pizza cutter or knife works better and faster. These scissors are gimmicky, awkward to clean and take up more space than they’re worth.”

What to try instead: KitchenAid’s stainless-steel pizza wheel. 

13. Herb scissors

Why: “They’re hard to clean and don’t offer a huge advantage over a sharp chef’s knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs more than slice them.”

What to try instead: Made In’s 8-inch Chef Knife.

14. Electric egg cooker

Why: “Boiling eggs in a pot is straightforward and flexible. The electric version just adds clutter unless you boil eggs constantly and hate using a stove.”

What to try instead: This 1-minute hack for making poached eggs in the microwave.

15. Butter cutter and dispenser

Why: “It slices sticks of butter into pats… but why? A knife works instantly, and you don’t have to load and clean a plastic gadget for it.”

What to try instead: Williams Sonoma breakfast butter blade.

16. Pasta measurer

Why: “It’s a plastic disc with holes to tell you how much spaghetti to cook. Just eyeball it or learn the rough weight by experience. It’s not worth the drawer space.”

What to try instead: A kitchen scale for precise measurements.

17. Oil mister

Why: “Often clogs, sprays unevenly and requires constant cleaning. A small spoon or brush does the job with less frustration.”

What to try instead: World Market’s olive oil cruet.

18. Electric potato peeler

Why: “Takes up a surprising amount of space and peels slower than a regular peeler. Plus, it’s overkill unless you’re peeling dozens of potatoes at once.”

What to try instead: Oxo’s Swivel peeler.

19. Bagel guillotine

Why: “Sold as a safer way to slice bagels but takes up a ton of space and is awkward to clean. A serrated knife does the job just fine.”

What to try instead: Opinel’s 8-inch bread knife. 

Jackie Carnesi 

Executive chef, Kellogg’s Diner

20. Oven mitts

Why: “Oven mitts are the most useless item in a home kitchen! A sturdy kitchen towel does the same job, and odds are, it’s more likely to be washed regularly. I don’t know many people who wash their oven mitts frequently enough … it seems many have deemed it an item that doesn’t warrant regular cleaning. It does.”

What to try instead: Stock a plethora of kitchen towels.