Cooking Contraptions: The Kitchen Gadgets Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Cooking Contraptions: The Kitchen Gadgets Quiz
Image: © A. Huber/U. Starke/Corbis

About This Quiz

There's no limit to the number of gadgets and doodads that can clutter up your kitchen, from the must-haves to the "why did I buy that?" items. Take our quiz to see if you can identify these culinary gizmos!
Which of the following would you use a kitchen mandoline for?
tenderizing meat
slicing vegetables
making sweet music
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A mandoline is a handy kitchen tool for cutting veggies into neat, even slices with ease.

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When the earliest slow cooker hit the market, what was it designed to cook?
meat
potatoes
bean
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The earliest slow cooker was the Naxon Beanery, which came out in the 1950s. It found mainstream success after it was rebranded the Crock-Pot and sold 3.7 million units in 1975 alone.

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True or false: The lazy Susan was invented in the 20th century.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This handy kitchen server dates back to at least the 1720s, though it didn’t get its sluggish name until around 1917.

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Which of the following would you use a zester to do?
dice herbs
shake salt in precise amounts
grate citrus peels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A zester is a slender grater with very fine holes, making it the perfect tool for grating the skin of lemons and limes.

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What is a salad spinner designed to do?
mix dressing
shred veggies
dry greens
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A salad spinner uses centrifugal force to dry greens, which keeps them from wilting and allows dressing to stick more easily.

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What do you call a baking pan with a fluted center and a round, turbanlike shape?
Bundt pan
springform pan
brownie pan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bundt pan, which hit store shelves in the 1950s, allows you to create round cakes with holes in the center.

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Which of these typically requires the use of a colander?
sifting flour
draining pasta
coring a pineapple
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A colander is a large, perforated bowl, making it the perfect tool for draining pasta after boiling.

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What is a percolator used to make?
spaghetti
coffee
soda water
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A percolator is a covered pot with boiling water in a central tube and is used to brew coffee.

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What food was the raclette grill originally designed to cook?
meat
bread
cheese
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A raclette grill is technically designed for cooking cheese, which is then served over meat, bread or veggies. The term has recently been used to describe any electric grill that can be used in the home or on camping trips.

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True or false: A ramekin is a baking dish of any size that can be used safely in the oven.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A ramekin is a small bowl with steep sides that is designed to hold a single serving of food.

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Which of these would you use a spiralizer to make?
shredded cheese
veggie noodles
cake icing
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A spiralizer transforms vegetables into long, ribbonlike curls that can be used in place of pasta noodles.

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What type of whisk should you use to make your cream extra fluffy?
flat
round
either one
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A round, or balloon, whisk adds air to cream or eggs, while flatter whisks are perfect for making sauces.

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What is a kitchen mortar?
deadly weapon
mashing stick
small bowl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The mortar and pestle is an ancient tool used for food prep. The mortar is a small bowl, while the pestle is a heavy stick used for mashing, crushing and grinding.

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True or false: The silicone used to make kitchen tools and utensils has been around since the 1940s.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While silicone trays and mats may seem like modern inventions, they were actually developed for commercial use way back in the 1940s by Frederic Kipping.

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When did the first stand mixers hit store shelves?
1919
1949
1979
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The stand mixer, which wedding site The Knot calls the most registered-for item, has been around since 1919.

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Where did the Splayd originate?
United States
Australia
former Soviet Union
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Splayd — a utensil that combines a knife, fork and spoon into a single unit — originated in Australia in 1943. In less than 50 years, more than 4.75 million had been sold around the world.

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What does a SaladShooter do?
dry greens
slice and shred
mix dressing
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Created in 1988, the SaladShooter quickly slices and shreds fruit and veggies to simplify salad-making.

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What action does a springform pan make unnecessary?
turning a cake upside down to remove it from the pan
adding eggs to make a cake fluffy
the need to put a cake in the oven
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A springform pan allows you to remove a cake from the pan without flipping it upside down, making it ideal for cheesecakes.

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Why do onions make you cry?
The smell is so powerful.
They don't — that's just a myth.
They release a chemical eye irritant.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Onions release a chemical irritant called syn-propanethial-S-oxide, which stimulates tears. If this bothers you, pick up a pair of Onion Goggles to protect your eyes.

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Which of the following do you need an aerator for?
wine
coffee
soda
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An aerator allows oxygen to infuse with wine, improving the flavor.

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When would you be likely to use a trivet?
when chopping veggies
when serving food
when handling raw meat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A trivet is a metal plate designed to protect countertops and tables from hot dishes and is often used when serving food.

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True or false: Mezzaluna is a moon-shaped pasta.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A mezzaluna, Italian for "half-moon," is a crescent-shaped knife with handles at both ends.

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Which of the following would most likely require a spurtle?
stirring porridge or stew
tenderizing meat
removing the stems from rosemary
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Originally from Scotland, the spurtle is a thick stick that is useful for stirring porridge, stews and sauces.

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What type of egg would be the most likely to be served in an egg cup?
scrambled
poached
soft-boiled
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A soft-boiled egg is typically served in an egg cup, which holds the egg upright and in place so you can access the creamy yolk inside.

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What amazing result does the kitchen gadget the Golden Goose promise to deliver?
super easy eggshell removal
eggs that cook in seconds
eggs scrambled in the shell
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This gadget, which launched a Kickstarter page in 2014, promises to scramble eggs in the shell. When you remove the shell, the egg holds its shape and has a golden color throughout.

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Low on iron? Toss one of these in your soup pot.
iron fish
iron tablets
red onion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A simple iron fish boiled in water or soup for 10 minutes can provide 75 percent of an adult's daily iron needs. While it's less common in developed countries, this handy gadget is changing lives in the developing world.

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Why does brown sugar typically harden?
old age
exposure to air
bad batch
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Exposure to air causes brown sugar to harden as the crystals cement themselves together. Pick up a brown sugar saver, a ceramic disk that softens the sugar, to add moisture and salvage your sugar,

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Which of these would most likely require the use of a reamer?
tenderizing soft meat
injecting marinade into chicken
juicing a lemon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A reamer is a simple, bulb-shaped utensil that makes quick work of juicing citrus fruits.

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What does a corn zipper do?
protect your fingers from heat
apply butter evenly
slice off kernels cleanly
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A corn zipper promises to remove kernels from the cob for those in a hurry to chow down.

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True or false: A French press grinds coffee beans.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A French press may be an excellent tool for brewing coffee, but it requires that you grind the beans first.

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© A. Huber/U. Starke/Corbis