It turns out that not every “life-changing” kitchen hack is worth the hype. One Reddit user recently sparked a lively debate after claiming that “75% of viral kitchen hacks actually lengthen the whole cooking process.” She explained that many of these so-called shortcuts rely on bulky appliances or extra gadgets that create more cleanup than convenience.
As an example, she pointed out a hack that suggests using a whisk to scoop avocado flesh from its peel, arguing that this approach takes longer and makes a bigger mess than simply using a spoon.
The reactions
The comment section had plenty of personal stories about so-called shortcuts that only complicate cooking. While many people also shared their ‘go-to’ hacks that actually shorten the process.
One comment nailed it: “The real kitchen hack is to just get better with using the already versatile tools you have, especially a knife”. One responded to this by saying, “I watched a video of Rick Bayless explaining proper posture while using a knife: it sped up my cooking and made my back pain go away. There are useful things that can be taught in relatively short videos. But they aren’t “hacks”
You don’t have to buy every other gadget in the market to make cooking easier. Using the tools you already have, such as a knife, can also give you quick results and can actually shorten the whole process.
In a video, Rick Bayless discusses choosing the right chef’s knife for everyday cooking and demonstrates the importance of balance, grip, and posture. He emphasizes not hunching over the cutting board.
Stand tall, keep your shoulder blades down, and hold the knife with your arms hanging loosely. Flaring them will only tire you out. It may not be the hack, but using the tools correctly can solve many issues people face every day.
The one thing most people struggle with is cutting or scooping an avocado, but one person shared a quick solution: “If your avocado is ripe, you can just gently squeeze the sides of the half that still has the stone in, and it pops straight out. No spoon needed.”
That’s actually true, though this only works if the avocado is perfectly ripe. If it’s underripe, the seed may not come off easily; if it’s too soft, you’ll just squeeze it into mush.
Personally, I like the “move your avocado around the knife and then lift" method for the pit, and then either slice the avocado while it’s still in the skin or scoop with a spoon. A small serrated knife also glides through the skin much cleanly than a chef’s knife, especially on the less-ripe ones.
Another user mentioned a pasta trick that doesn't use the big pot of boiling water:
“Just about the only kitchen hack I swear by speeds up cooking pasta immensely. Put your pasta in any cooking vessel (pan/pot) and cover it with an inch or two of water. Salt the water still, but way less than you normally would, since the water will be more concentrated.
Put it on the stove at high heat, and once it starts simmering (180°F if you want to be precise, like I am), start your countdown timer for your desired cook time from the box. It has come out perfect every time for me.”
As the reader mentioned, instead of starting with a big pot of water, just get enough water to cover the noodles, heat it until it reaches about 180 degrees, and then start the timer. Ethan Chlebowski, who popularized the method on YouTube, shows it cuts cooking time nearly in half, from more than 13 minutes to six and a half minutes using the traditional approach.
He also notes that the smaller amount of water leaves more starch behind, which helps in binding the sauces like Alfredo.
One commenter brought up the big question: how to peel a mango properly.
“Has anyone ever tried peeling mangoes with the side of a glass? I only ever got mango juice all over the place.”
The “glass trick” may look helpful, but it can crush the food, and you end up washing sticky juice off your hands, the counter, and the glass itself. The better method is to slice off the cheeks, score the flesh into cubes, and push the skin outward so the cubes pop out. It's clean, quick, and doesn't increase cleanup.
Some said frying bacon on the stove is faster, “Cooking bacon in the oven. It just takes longer than frying it. That said, it's still my preferred method.”
Cooking bacon in the oven is one of the best ways, especially when you are making it in bulk. A sheet pan of bacon cooks evenly without constant flipping, and you can store the strips for sandwiches, breakfast, or crumbling into salads over the next few days.
Another person mentioned the best way to mince garlic as it’s one of the many things people struggle with: “Mincing garlic with a knife and crushing with coarse salt and the flat of the knife saves me having to struggle getting out dried garlic from a garlic press.”
Salt acts as an abrasive, turning garlic into a paste without sticking to the blade. A garlic press is convenient if you’re using many cloves of garlic, but it may take a bit of effort to clean up. Using a knife and salt is quick, and you season the garlic simultaneously.
One commenter summed up the whole thread by saying that people should do what is practical. “Like others have mentioned, cooking hacks only really pay off when you’re calculative. If you’ve got just one potato to chip, you’re not going to drag out the Kenwood chopper… But if you’ve got 30 potatoes, then of course the chopper makes sense.”
That’s probably the best advice in the thread. Not all hacks work well in the kitchen. A mandoline slicer is a great tool if you’re prepping gratins or slaws for a party, but for a single salad cucumber, it’s unnecessary. The real time-saver is knowing when to reach for the tool and when to use a knife, to make your tasks shorter and easier.
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