1. Cake Breaker
This strange-looking tool looks like a hair pick or maybe something you’d find at a science museum. But back in the day, it was used to cut delicate cakes—especially angel food—without squishing them. The idea was that the thin wires would slice through the cake without deflating it. While it worked well for ultra-light cakes, most of us just reach for a serrated knife now says Eater.
Unless you’re baking an angel food cake every weekend (which, let’s be honest, most of us aren’t), it’s hard to justify the drawer space. Plus, today’s knives do the job without needing an extra tool. It’s one of those things that made sense in a very specific baking era. Now it’s mostly a head-scratcher at estate sales adds SLB.
2. Rolling Mincer
This little gadget looks like a tiny lawn mower with several blades. The idea was to roll it over herbs or meat to finely chop it in one go. It sounds kind of smart, but it turns out it was harder to clean than it was to use. The blades would get stuck, food would jam in the gears, and washing it was a total pain says Slate Magazine.
Nowadays, we just use a good chef’s knife or toss things in a food processor. Plus, who wants something that looks like it could shred a finger just sitting in a drawer? It’s fun to look at, but it’s definitely one of those gadgets that makes you wonder why anyone ever thought it was easier than a regular knife. Simplicity wins in modern kitchens adds Popsugar.
3. Butter Curler
This one feels more like a party trick than a kitchen necessity. The butter curler’s only job was to create little ribbon-like curls of butter, perfect for dinner parties in the ’50s. And sure, the curls looked fancy sitting on a crystal dish, but was it worth the extra effort?
These days, most of us are just happy if the butter is soft enough to spread. The idea of sculpting it into shapes feels like something only a food stylist would attempt. It’s charming, but also kind of hilarious in its over-the-top fussiness. We’ll stick to a plain butter knife, thanks.
4. Gelatin Mold Assortment
You know those copper or plastic molds shaped like fish or rings? People used to pour all kinds of questionable combinations into them—shrimp Jell-O, anyone? These molds were a kitchen staple for decades, and it wasn’t a party without a molded salad wobbling in the center of the table.
Now, they mostly hang on walls as retro décor. The idea of suspending vegetables—or worse, meats—in gelatin is downright confusing to today’s taste buds. They made sense in a different culinary era, but now they just make us shake our heads. And maybe our stomachs, too.
5. Milk Glass Juicer
These heavy glass juicers look beautiful on a shelf, but using them feels like a small workout. You’d press citrus halves onto the pointed middle and twist until your wrist hurt. It worked fine, but it was slow, messy, and didn’t separate seeds very well.
Today’s cooks want things fast and efficient. A modern handheld or electric juicer does the job in a fraction of the time. The vintage ones are lovely to look at, but they’re more form than function now. Unless you’re going for that farmhouse-chic aesthetic, they’re best left as decorations.
6. Nutmeg Grinder
This tiny, oddly shaped gadget was built to grind whole nutmeg seeds. It seems quaint now, but whole nutmeg was common in older kitchens. People would crank this little device to get a few sprinkles of spice. The problem? It clogged easily and never ground very finely.
Most modern cooks just buy pre-ground nutmeg and call it a day. It’s rare to even see whole nutmeg in a pantry anymore. The grinder looks charming on a shelf but doesn’t make much sense in a fast-paced kitchen. Another case of “nice idea, impractical tool.”
7. Toast Rack
Here’s one that looks elegant but serves almost no real purpose today. Toast racks were meant to hold slices of toast upright so they wouldn’t get soggy from steam. It made sense at a formal breakfast table, but most of us are just trying to eat before work.
Not to mention, cold toast is no one’s idea of delicious. The whole concept feels unnecessarily complicated. A plate and a napkin work just fine. Plus, who wants another oddly shaped item to wash?
8. Meat Tenderizer Mallet
Sure, some people still use these, but the traditional wooden ones with metal spikes were intense. They were used to pound meat into submission—literally flattening it before cooking. It worked, but it also sprayed juice everywhere and was nearly impossible to clean.
Today, you’re more likely to marinate meat or buy it pre-tenderized. And if you really need to flatten something, a rolling pin or skillet does the trick. The mallet is overkill for most modern kitchens. It’s like bringing a sledgehammer to do a job a fork could handle.
9. Egg Cuber
This one always gets a laugh. It was made to take a peeled hard-boiled egg and reshape it into a square. Yes, really. You’d place the warm egg in the mold, screw the top down, and wait for it to take shape.
It looked weird, felt unnecessary, and added extra steps to a snack that’s usually simple. Who decided square eggs were more appealing anyway? Most people today just want their eggs easy to peel and eat. The egg cuber feels like a solution to a problem no one had.
10. Ice Pick
This tool looks more at home in a horror movie than a kitchen drawer. Before automatic ice makers and cube trays, people had to chip off chunks from big blocks of ice. Enter the ice pick—a sharp, stabby device that was surprisingly common.
Today, most of us just open the freezer or hit the fridge dispenser. Ice picks are outdated and a little scary if you’ve got kids in the house. They’re a reminder of a time when even making a cold drink was a bit of a chore. Cool in a historical sense, but not super useful now.
11. Flour Sifter with Crank
These vintage sifters had a crank handle and mesh screen to aerate flour. They were messy, clunky, and left a fine dust everywhere. Sure, they helped make cakes fluffier, but they were also a pain to clean.
Modern recipes rarely even call for sifted flour anymore. And when they do, a fine mesh strainer gets the job done without the bulk. The crank-style sifter feels like more trouble than it’s worth. It’s a kitchen relic that’s lost its shine.
12. Asparagus Tongs
These fancy little tongs were made just for picking up stalks of asparagus. That’s it. They were supposed to be more refined than regular tongs and prevent the vegetable from breaking. But let’s be real—how delicate does your asparagus really need to be?
Today, most of us use regular tongs or even our fingers. The idea of owning a utensil for just one vegetable seems silly. They’re fun to spot at thrift shops, though. Just don’t expect them to be useful.
13. Ham Holder
If you’ve never seen one of these, picture a stand with spikes designed to hold an entire ham leg in place for carving. It’s something you might see in an old deli, not a modern kitchen. Unless you’re hosting a ham feast, it’s kind of overkill.
These holders are large, awkward, and hard to store. Most of us just buy pre-sliced ham or carve on a cutting board. The holder was great for presentation but impractical at home. It’s more likely to collect dust than carve dinner.
14. Glass Knife
Yes, an actual knife made of glass. These were used to slice things like cakes or soft fruits without dulling the blade. They looked elegant, but one wrong move and you’d have a shattered knife—and possibly a mess of broken glass.
They were fragile, expensive, and not exactly safe. Today’s cooks prefer something that won’t break mid-slice. It’s a lovely relic but totally impractical for daily use. The risk far outweighs the reward.