Yep, my kitchen counter is cluttered with c@rp. All sorts of one-trick-pony appliances that only kinda-sorta do one thing well. I mean, if you're going to build a salsa maker, why not have it grind coffee, too? Nooooo. I even have one of the early Ninja blender-oids. Fine, but it can only handle containers up to a B-cup size. A cheap-@$$ waffle maker. Why can't it grill sandwiches or wraps? Flea market time...

same with 3-in-1 printer-scanner-fax units: either they print good, or scan good.

or SUVs: either they suck gasoline good, or ... no, wait.

My brother and I have a saying: products that do multiple chores seldom do any of them well.

That said, I can use a toaster oven or a (real) blender or a food processor for a multitude of uses. A few weeks ago, I was in one of the big chain department stores. That had a line of little one-task counter-clutter devices that looked to be about same. I looked a little farther and discovered yet another kit that combined the other five in one box with various attachments or accessories. It was only about the price of two one-shot machines. That made me happy -- but I still didn't buy it...

I can imagine. the more machines you have the more time they consume while you copuld hav edone it by hand easily. it's called "convenience", while it isn't.

here you can buy machines that bake you a bread overnight: add ingredients, adjust the machine, press a button. problem A: to make a bread that's not a loaf of wood you need to know how to really bake a bread. if you don't have the time you need the chemicals no bakery can survive anymore without. problem B: joe average has a hard time aquiring and using that stuff. problem C: if you include the energy wasted overnight and everything else hitting the bakery for a loaf of your favourite bread (germany has a coupe hundred sorts of bread) about costs the same.
but the machine had a price tag to it as well.

I can't have regular bread, so I was never in the market for a breadmaker. I've heard nightmare stories from friends and contacts, my girlfriend tells me a coworker had one catch fire on her. I think I'll continue to buy my special bread...

wow. what is this, a wholegrain, high quality food product, in 'murrica? and it's even affordable? WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CLICHES WE ALL GUNADIE*explodes*

The funniest part is I can buy it (and their 'English' muffins) at MALL*WART.

funky. so it's not all thrash they offer, after all.

The problem is, they make great frankfurter rolls, but I haven't seen them in years.

it's sometimes the same here in germany; we have a lot of supermarket chains, but some things you only find at XYZ...

OMFG XD

Should have got him a nutcracker.

Puppy dog eyes on a 'roo.

You two have such a wonderful friendship.

Repurposed Dalek?

Reprogrammed!