The Times newspaper (Monday January 17) has put kitchen tools on a pedestal in a feature where four leading male journalists reveal that food preparation gadgets have changed their lives. Self-confessed ‘gadget obsessive’ Harry Wallop pays tribute to housewares innovation: ‘Some people believe the age of discovery and invention ended when Nasa wound down the Apollo moon missions. Those people need to visit a kitchenware shop.’
Harry talks about his adoration of kitchenware, stating: ‘Where some men dream of a Tesla Model Y, I dream of a Zyliss Easican electric can opener – “one touch to start and stop” – with a guarantee of no sharp edges.’ Acknowledging the joy of ‘flicking through the Lakeland catalogue,’ Harry confesses: ‘I lust over the curves of the OXO Good Grips fat separator.’
He also applauds the attributes of the Zyliss Easy Pull manual food processor, which ‘deserves to be up there with the iPhone and Ford Model T,’ and highlights the effortless good results of the Masha (electric potato masher). ‘I can’t pass a shop that sells kitchenware without going in, and I’m not the only one,’ admits Harry, owner of two banana guards. Recognising the rise of scratch cooking during the pandemic, he also includes comments from Katrina Balogh, John Lewis buyer and Philippa Simmons, Lakeland’s head of buying.
Meanwhile, Sathnam Sanghera reflects on his love for the pizza wheel, and his recent introduction to pizza scissors, which is ‘proof that great things can sometimes get even better.’ Simon Mills talks about his devotion to premium kitchen knives, stating: ‘Give a man a decent knife and he’ll be happy.’ He illuminates the joy of using a good quality knife, admitting that his wood-handled Swiss bread knife ‘has turned the simple act of cutting bread into a transcendently artistic process.’
Lastly, journalist Hugo Rifkind reveals that his ‘favourite present ever’ is an apple corer and slicer, describing it as a ‘life-changing wonder’ that takes ‘those last few degrees of hassle that put you off eating an apple.’
Top: Journalist Harry Wallop praises the Zyliss Easy Pull manual food processor (from DKB).
