If you haven't already read part 1 of this series, you can start here.
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Part 4: Collapsible Kitchen Tools
There is a lot of collapsible stuff around that's marketed as space saving, but we're not a fan of most of it. It tends to be gimmicky, and not very practical for real life use.
Take this set of collapsible mixing bowls. Let's set aside the obvious difficulty of snapping a lid on a collapsible bowl without it collapsing, and the fact that the sides are soft so it's going to be awkward to stir or whisk.
Just look at how tall they are when you stack them. The stack of collapsed bowls don't take up any less space than a set of nesting stainless mixing bowls! Better to get a set of real bowls that aren't going to be awkward to use.
The same could be said for collapsible measuring cups. Just get a standard set of nesting measuring cups. They'll work better, and they don't take up any more space.
Don't get me started on this collapsible tea kettle. It might make sense for camping (maybe, I guess?), but we're not camping. If you want a tea kettle, get a real tea kettle. Same thing for a collapsible cooking pot—it might work well for camping, but as we covered in part 1 of this series, you're better off with some real cooking pots.
There are two collapsible items that I think are worthwhile. This collapsible colander is fantastic. It's reinforced with stainless steel in all the right places, and it's rated for 425 degrees, so you can even use it as a steamer basket. I've tossed it in my bag when I'm going foraging, since it makes a nice collapsible basket.
This collapsible dish bin can also be a big help while taking up very little space. If you're hand-washing dishes, a couple of dish bins are a must, but standard dish bins can be bulky to store, even nested together. If you have the space, dish bins with rigid sides can be slightly easier to work with. But a couple of collapsible bins can easily slide in the space under most kitchen sinks.
The jury's still out on the collapsible salad spinner. If you've used one, leave us a comment. Does it work? Is it difficult to turn the spinner without collapsing it? Is it worth the space it takes up?
Keep Reading Part 5: Tiny Kitchen Cleanup.
