Comments on: Unitasker Wednesday: The strawberry huller

By: Magda

Magda — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:36:44 +0000

Haha. I thought everyone had one or more of these. I remember my mother teaching me how to use it, and digging through the way back of the drawer to find it when it was time to make a fruit salad … one for me, one for the salad.

When I got married, I asked my mother for one, since, knowing how, it’s the easiest way to prepare strawberries for eating. Well, that and a whole lot of sugar.

By: Michael G

Michael G — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:43:17 +0000

Well how ’bout the Oxo Good Grips Mango Splitter then?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi.....tterer-20/

By: Michael G

Michael G — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:39:49 +0000

So you’re probably not going to like the Progressive Avocado Slicer I got you for the holidays, even though it simultaneously gets the fruit out of the peel and cuts it into perfect parallel little strips for your turkey sandwich with bacon and swiss. I debated and almost got you the Tovolo since the editorial review calls it “a real eye catcher”; or the Norpro Stainless Steel Avocado Slicer, because I think it sounds cool with “stainless steel” in the name.

And then I wondered if you wouldn’t also want the Van Vacter Avocado Knife, Black and Stainless Steel. It’s a whole different approach to the avocado. And it is specially engineered for lifting the pit out. And I wondered if you migth enjoy a hanging basket to put all your avocado utensils in…and now I find out that you just don’t like these cutting-edge culinary marvels. You’re so hard to shop for.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb.....utterer-20

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:45:19 +0000

@Margaret –

First off:
http://unclutterer.com/2008/03.....explained/

Second:
If you’re a long-time reader of this site, then you know that I AM HANDICAPPED (yes, I qualify for the blue sticker on my car). A lot of the time, I am one of the “group of people who might actually need the device” and I still think the posts are hysterical. Lighten up! They’re jokes.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:49:13 +0000

Actually, Erin, you don’t acknowledge that some people may find a Unitasker object useful. At the bottom of each Unitasker post is a disclaimer, but it still calls the items unneccessary without any mention of the group of people who might actually need the device.

Maybe the statement is buried somewhere else on the site, but if you want to stop the flow of defensive responses (judging by your whiny “as we have said a million times”), a good starting place would be the disclaimer.

By: Anon Y. Mouse

Anon Y. Mouse — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:37:13 +0000

I used to work @ a large retail chain i occasionally see mentioned on this site. When we’d get couples into the store to start a bridal registry, we’d push these unitaskers on them so hard, it was almost scary. Our “consultants” were instructed to persuade our couples to not even look @ the wall o’ kitchen gadgets – to instead pick out a line they like (Good Grips, Calphalon, etc.) and the consultant would “add everything they need” to their registry for ‘em. Saves time, right? You have a whole store-ful of things to register for, why spend time deciding what gadgets you need (or will ever use? You know you need ‘em all…

Drove me frickin’ crazy. Maybe if you eat a lot of seafood you *do* need things like shrimp deveiners – I wouldn’t know since i’m veggie, maybe they’re more useful than i think? But does *everyone* need one? No!

/end retail-job rant

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:16:27 +0000

If you need a strawberry huller, your strawberries aren’t ripe yet.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 05:25:29 +0000

As we have said a million times … yes, we acknowledge that some people may find a Unitasker object useful. However, for the majority of people, the objects will be clutter.

By: Boinkie

Boinkie — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:18:36 +0000

Yes, more clutter. our cook just uses a ten inch carving knife for all and sundry…

But for restaurants or others who have to serve large numbers, it is useful.

And a lot of these gadgets help the elderly and those with arthritis…

By: Barb

Barb — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:39:09 +0000

As a strawberry lover, and inflammatory arthritis sufferer, any gadget that makes life easier, reduces pain, and allows one to enjoy the little things in life is not clutter, it’s a blessing.

By: Designer

Designer — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:55:30 +0000

This is my favorite, most usable kitchen gadget ever!

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:29:23 +0000

Too funny. A while back when you asked for a unitasker we thought was worthwhile, this was the first thing that came to mind!

I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi.....tterer-20/

I find, unlike some other commenters, that I waste a lot less strawberry this way than with a knife.

And I do need to hull my strawberries for desserts and because the kids won’t eat them with the stems on.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:27:07 +0000

Huh, I always thought the hull makes a great handle, and if i’m preparing them in a dessert or something, I do have a paring knife (and can use it without maiming myself).

FYI, never hull a strawberry until the last possible moment. Hulled ones don’t keep well.

By: Anita

Anita — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:31:50 +0000

I actually saw this gadget the other day in a magazine and thought to myself, “I should really email Matt.” Funny that now, just days after, here it is in the Unitasker column. Thanks for the laugh!

By: jocelyn

jocelyn — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:55:31 +0000

I agree, Megan. The knife is fast and easy and done the way you describe is different from and far better than wastefully lopping the top off.

By: Michele

Michele — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:28:18 +0000

If the strawberry is ripe – why eat anything but ripe fruit – a twist of the stem will remove the hull. And that’s how you know it’s ripe – a twist of the stem will remove the hull. Enjoy!

By: Megan

Megan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:28:02 +0000

@Kevin… hilarious.

I don’t understand why everyone is saying that using a knife wastes fruit and is not fast. Using a knife does not meant that we must resort to simply cutting off the top. As lantzilla pointed out earlier:

“Insert tip of paring knife. Twist strawberry in circle. Done.”

Quick and clean. One swift motion.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:19:58 +0000

My trick is I grab a big box of strawberries, and I sit on the front porch and start eating the stems. Pretty soon, a neighborhood kid will come up and ask me what I’m doing.

“Why, I’m just enjoying the greatest snack of them all! You mean you eat the nasty red part? I tell you what, these stems are the bee’s knees!”

The kid will then sit next to me and start eating the stems, all the while praising their virtues. Soon some other kids will join him, all of them very enthused about eating strawberry stems. At this point, I go inside and watch a movie. An hour and a half later, I come back out, and find all my strawberries de-hulled.

By: Leigh Ann

Leigh Ann — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:33:50 +0000

I got one free when I ordered some strawberry plants for my garden. It’s very small and lightweight, and I use it to quickly pinch out the leaves and hard part underneath. I used it this evening to make dessert. Gets the job done fast, even if it is a unitasker. I could use a knife, but I’d waste some of the fruit and I’d probably not be as fast.

By: Cliff

Cliff — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:35:29 +0000

I bet you could use the strawberry-huller to punch cigars too … so it’s not really a uni-tasker, it’s a duo-tasker, right?