How to Use This Odd Tool—and What Its Function Really Is
Every kitchen drawer has at least one: an odd-looking gadget you don’t remember buying, shaped unlike anything else you own, equal parts confusing and intriguing. Maybe it came as part of a set, maybe you inherited it from someone who swore it was “useful,” or perhaps you found it at the back of a drawer and thought, What on earth is this for?
You’re not alone.
The world of kitchen tools is a maze of clever inventions, quirky specialty gadgets, and humble items whose genius isn’t immediately obvious. But before you toss that mysterious tool or let it keep collecting dust, it’s worth uncovering what it does—because some of the strangest-looking tools turn out to be surprisingly practical.
Here’s how to demystify that odd tool in your drawer—and how to put it to good use.
1. Identify the Tool’s Shape and Features
Before you can use an unfamiliar tool, you have to understand its design. Pay attention to:
✔ The handle
Is it meant to be gripped tightly? Lightly held between fingers?
✔ The end mechanism
Is it sharp, pronged, serrated, flat, hollow, or looped?
✔ The size
Small tools often do delicate work; larger ones tackle force-heavy tasks.
✔ Any moving parts
Does it clamp, press, scoop, or cut?
These clues tell you what type of job the tool was created for—cutting, scraping, peeling, pressing, or shaping.
2. What Odd Kitchen Tools Are Usually For
Most unusual tools fall into a handful of categories. Here’s what your mystery gadget might be designed to do:
• Extracting
Some tools remove pits, cores, seeds, or shells quickly. Examples include cherry pitters, apple corers, and shrimp peelers.
• Shaping and Decorating
Small looped or ridged tools often make patterns, curls, or garnishes—think channel knives or citrus zesters.
• Specialized Cutting
Things like herb scissors, tomato slicers, or avocado tools look strange because they’re built for one specific ingredient.
• Pressing or Crushing
Garlic presses, lemon squeezers, and meat tenderizers all have unique shapes tailored to their function.
• Scooping or Portioning
Melon ballers, cookie scoops, and butter curlers fall in this category.
Your odd tool likely fits one of these groups.
3. How to Safely Experiment With It
If you still aren’t sure what the tool does, here’s how to explore without damaging your food—or your hands.
✔ Try using it on soft ingredients first
Bread, fruit, or soft vegetables show what shape the tool creates.
✔ Observe what it naturally wants to do
Does it press, puncture, slice, or scrape?
✔ Grip it where it feels most ergonomic
Tools often “tell” you how they want to be held.
✔ Look for its limits
If the tool struggles or slips, you’re probably using it incorrectly.
Think of it like trying to solve a puzzle made of metal or plastic.
4. Once You Understand It—Here’s How to Use It Properly
After identifying the tool’s purpose, mastering it becomes simple:
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Position the food correctly (flat side down, rounded side up, etc.)
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Grip the tool firmly but lightly—kitchen tools work best with control, not force
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Use smooth, even movements
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Clean it immediately after use, especially if it has small grooves or holes
With practice, that odd gadget might become surprisingly handy.
5. Why Odd Tools Are Worth Keeping
Many unusual kitchen tools were invented to solve problems you didn’t know you had. They can:
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Save prep time
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Improve precision
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Reduce waste
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Make challenging tasks simple
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Add decorative flair to dishes
The right “weird” tool can turn a frustrating job—like peeling ginger or zesting citrus—into a painless one.
6. But When Should You Let It Go?
If you discover the tool:
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Has no clear function
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Duplicates something you already own
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Is flimsy or poorly designed
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Takes more time to use than traditional methods
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Will never fit your cooking style
…it’s perfectly okay to donate or recycle it.
Minimalism in the kitchen is just as valuable as having the right gear.
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