The kitchen is one room of the house that's constantly being updated. New gadgets are always coming out that promise to make cooking easier, faster, and generally more efficient.
So, as technology advances, there are plenty of once-beloved tools that have fallen out of use (and might be collecting dust in the back of your cabinet.)
From decorative breadboxes to quirky toast racks and butter molds, here are some outdated cooking gadgets that might bring you nostalgia but aren't found in many modern kitchens anymore.
1. Cookie Presses
Williams Sonoma
The cookie press was once a must-have for home bakers hoping to create perfectly-shaped cookies. All you had to do was fill the canister with dough and pull the trigger to squeeze out cookies in fun shapes and designs, oftentimes themed for holidays like Easter and Christmas!
But while this tool has some nostalgic charm, it's typically seen as more of a novelty than a necessity nowadays. Modern bakers have gone back to rolling out dough by hand and using cool cookie cutters or other tools like rollers that offer more versatility.
2. Butter Molds
Etsy
Butter molds, typically made out of wood, featured ornate designs like flowers or wildlife and were prized for their ability to shape butter into beautiful patterns. Then, the decorative butter was often used to impress guests at dinners or other formal occasions!
Outside of antique stores, though, this kitchen tool is rarely seen today. The convenience of pre-packaged butter and the move toward minimalist kitchens among homeowners have made these fancy molds almost obsolete.
3. Breadboxes
IKEA
You probably remember your grandparents' decorative breadbox sitting on their kitchen counter – it was designed to keep loaves fresh by protecting them from air and light while still allowing for enough ventilation.
The invention came during an era when bread was usually homemade or purchased fresh on a regular basis. But today, the availability of pre-sliced bread and the widespread use of plastic packaging have caused the breadbox to fall by the wayside.
4. Egg Poacher Pans
Amazon
Next up is the egg poacher pan, which had small cups to hold eggs as they gently cooked in simmering water. The tool was supposed to simplify breakfast prep without the need for precise technique or timing.
Yet, as home cooks became more skilled in the kitchen, they realized the same result could be achieved using just a large pan of water and a dash of vinegar. This has rendered the egg poacher pan pretty obsolete.
5. Cake Breakers
Etsy
First invented during the 1930s, cake breakers were designed to help people slice through delicate cakes without squishing them. The tool almost looked like a very long-toothed comb and would be used like a knife.
But, much like with the egg poacher pan, the evolution of baking techniques and the rise of better gadgets have caused the cake breaker to be replaced by things like sharper knives.
6. Cherry Pitters
Amazon
People who frequently enjoyed fresh cherries once viewed the cherry pitter as a must-have. Instead of battling with a knife, the contraption used hand-crank technology to pull the pits out.
Nonetheless, cherry fans can now find pitted cherries readily available in supermarkets, so de-pitting them at home is no longer a typical chore.
7. Hand Mixers
Williams Sonoma
You probably have memories of cranking a hand mixer to whip, beat, or mix ingredients. Thankfully for your forearms, more efficient appliances have been released that rendered the hand mixer unnecessary.
Obviously, there are electric hand mixers and even more heavy-duty stand mixers on the market, like the famed KitchenAid. Plus, some people use regular blenders or immersion blenders to achieve the same result!
8. Toast Racks
Amazon
Last (but certainly not least) is the toast rack! This quaint kitchen item helped hold slices of toast upright, allowing the bread to cool without becoming soggy.
It was particularly well-used in more formal settings or when multiple people were being served at once. Nowadays, it's just less convenient, as home cooks can lay their toast out on larger cooling racks to save time and space in their kitchens.
Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more "outdated" trends!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
