Even if you're a very able and enthusiastic home cook, you've probably got at least a few impulse-bought kitchen contraptions gathering dust in a cupboard. From unwieldy tools that are an ordeal to clean to bulky machines that serve singular (and largely unnecessary purposes), we've gathered together the most useless cooking gadgets of all time. How many do you have in your kitchen?

Even if you eat boiled eggs daily, you've little need for this cumbersome contraption. An electric egg boiler typically requires you to pierce holes in the bottom of your eggs, add water, and set a timer for your required consistency. A saucepan of water and a timer is just as – if not more – quick and efficient, and it won't take up unnecessary space on your kitchen counter. 

Now check out these excellent egg recipes worth a crack

Another not-so-eggcellent invention... Poached eggs can be tricky to get just so. And they're even more likely to harden up if you zap them in the microwave for too long. Stick with a pan of boiling water and follow our foolproof tip for getting perfect poached eggs every time instead.

A favourite among health enthusiasts, fruit-packed juices have long been seen as a great way to pack in your five a day. But it turns out that juicing isn't as healthy a habit as you might think. Juicing reduces the fibre in your fruit and veg, and sugars are also released more quickly, since they're no longer bound within plant cells. Ditch the juicer and opt for whole fruits instead and save space on your countertops too. 

Garlic crushers might seem like nifty little tools, but they're mostly more hassle than they're worth. Little garlic chunks cling to every nook and cranny, meaning they're a waking nightmare to clean and you waste some of your ingredient too. The flat side of a knife to crush followed by the sharp edge to chop will do nicely, thank you.

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These all-in-one machines cook sausages and warm rolls simultaneously, so you can eat hot dogs at home to your heart’s content. But this clunky, space-gobbling contraption is really no substitute for a toaster and a frying pan.

While carrots sharpened to a perfect point might look pretty on a plate, the point of this bizarre kitchen gadget really does end there. If you can live without attractively arranged orange carrot shavings on your Sunday roast, then your few pounds is definitely better spent elsewhere. 

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While those who are elderly or less able may benefit from an electric can opener, these gadgets are probably gathering dust on many a kitchen side. A hand-held can opener is much easier to store and just as easy to use. You can always look out for tins with ring pulls too.

It's true – avocados are prone to browning when exposed to the open air for too long. But that's nothing a simple Tupperware container can't solve. Place the flesh side down to limit contact with the air and make sure the box is shut tight. A squeeze of acidic lemon or lime works wonders too.

If you're a yogurt lover, this might seem like a simple and effective money-saving gadget for making preservative-free homemade yogurt. But did you know it's super easy to make yogurt from home without a flashy device? All you need is a clay pot and a lid. 

Discover how to make your own homemade yogurt here

Dedicated herb keepers usually look a bit like covered vases or tall containers, with room for water at the bottom, and they may well preserve your herbs for longer. But DIY methods work just as well for keeping them fresh. Simply store herbs like basil and parsley in fresh water as you would a bunch of flowers.

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For the fraction of time they save, dedicated herb scissors really aren't worth the money. Regular scissors, or a sharp knife, will do just the same job, and won't take up nearly as much space in your kitchen drawers.

True, mandoline slicers allow cooks to dice and slice vegetables to perfection – but how necessary is such precision in a home kitchen? It's a nifty gadget (albeit lethal for fingers), but one unlikely to make it out of the box very often when a sharp knife will do the job.

Unless you're going to fill up on a hearty sarnie every morning, this breakfast-sandwich-making machine really isn't worth the surface space. It's more than a little faffy, with one section for your bread and other fillings, and another for your egg, which you slide out when cooked. And it's really not much quicker, or cleaner, than a frying pan and a fish slice. 

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These aren’t just for whipped cream, but for siphoning aerated sauces and foams too – not a huge requirement if your midweek meals consist of meatballs and lasagne. Probably best just leave to this one to the professionals and free up some room in your kitchen cupboards.

For a period in the 2010s, spiralizers were a kitchen must-have, particularly revered among health fanatics who loved turning carrots and courgettes into "spaghetti". The device is still popular with no-carb dieters, but the rest of us have moved on. There's only so long fruit and veg ribbons can win out over a steaming bowl of real tagliatelle.

Ditch the spiralizer and try these delicious and comforting pasta dishes instead

If you had every fruit-preparing tool on the market, you'd end up with a kitchen drawer you couldn't close. Strawberry hullers are designed to neatly extract the stem from the fruit – ultimately something you're unlikely to need to do very often at all – and they're more than a little fiddly if you're preparing in bulk. You can do a similar job with a knife or, of course, just go for it and eat around the leaves instead.

Cocktail sets with all the bells and whistles might seem fun and glamorous at first – but they can also be thoroughly overwhelming if you don't know how to use them. The good news is that all you really need to make great tipples is a cocktail shaker with an in-built strainer. 

Lose the extra kit and try these super simple three-ingredient cocktails

There's something wonderfully nostalgic about an electric kitchen knife – you might have fond memories of the cacophony it made when your parents were carving up a meat joint for the Sunday roast during the 1970s and 1980s when these gadgets were all the rage. But, ultimately, they're tricky to clean, unbearably noisy and you're much less likely to make accurate cuts. Best invest in a sharp, good-quality regular knife for cutting meat instead. They are, however, helpful for people with some disabilities.

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Apparently some people have a penchant for perfectly straight bacon. If that's you, then go for it. Otherwise this heavy bit of kit, used to weigh down rashers of bacon and stop them curling up in a frying pan, really is quite useless. Save your cash and save on the washing up too.

However much you love popcorn, there's really no need for a countertop appliance when you can make your favourite movie snack on the stove or in the microwave. Popcorn makers work by simply applying heat to the kernels until they pop. Save yourself time and money by using a saucepan with a lid instead. Here's how to do it.

These fall into the same camp as electric can openers and electric knives. It's an extra expense for something that can just as easily be done by hand. They do look smart on the dining table though, we must admit.

A melon baller may be gloriously retro, with balled melon on sticks conjuring images of 1970s dinner parties. But, if you have one, it's most likely something you used once or twice, then consigned to your utensils drawer forever. Use rounded measuring spoons instead – they'll do the job just fine. 

Read on for more retro dishes we think should make a comeback

Another single-purpose appliance taking up precious space in your kitchen, a muffin maker is basically an electric, countertop oven with special moulds for your cakes. And, even if you're a serious baker, there's little point buying one if you've got a working oven and a muffin tin... 

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Pizza scissors are essentially a regular pair of scissors, but typically with a kind of spatula/mini pizza peel attached to the bottom, so you can shovel up your slice and slip it onto your plate. It may sound slick, but they've got mixed reviews. And really why bother when a pizza cutter (or scissors if you insist) and a fish slice/your fingers will work a treat?

Fancy some sliced banana on your porridge, or stirred into your fruit salad? Slatted and slightly curved, this simple gadget might save you a fraction of time when preparing your favourite fruit. But that extra time will be lost in cleaning the thing, as banana inserts itself into all the little grooves. Best stick to a knife... 

The best kitchen gadgets from every decade