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I don't know much about non-electric gadgets, but I must say a few months ago I got a KitchenAid 12-cup wide mouth food processor that I use almost daily to chop, grate, mince, and mix.

I originally bought it for pie and pizza doughs, and never thought I'd use it as much as I do! I was just thinking today that I also got a KA 5-quart pro stand mixer that I thought I'd use much more than the FP, but thanks to the convenience of the FP, and the 4-cup mini bowl that makes chopping small amounts so simple, and the clean-up so easy, I use the FP much more.

I have muscular dystrophy that affects my lower arms, and lower legs, as well as a lot of other ailments that make it hard for me to stand up a long time, and the food processor has made it possible for me to chop, mince, and grate in seconds as opposed to the extended length of time it used to take me to do all that prep by hand, not to mention the risk of cutting myself due to the numbness. I really can't recommend a full size FP enough (preferably one with the mini bowl so you can also do small amounts).

But if you're really looking for cheaper items, I think I saw on AOL recently that the as-seen-on-tv item the Alligator Chopper or something to that effect actually works really well.

suggestion on what NOT to get - cuisinart mini food processor. i got it for christmas and was so excited to use it, only to find that it is awkward to use and doesn't chop very evenly. go for kitchenaid.

Unless you're in a situation that makes knife-wielding a challenge (such as bobcat described), I'd strongly encourage you to master these tasks with a good knife. Chopping and mincing in particular are a breeze with a sharp chef's knife and good block. Not to mention the cleanup -- much easier than washing all the parts of a food processor or even your little gadget. I hardly ever use my food processor except to save myself arm-fatigue when I'm doing really huge volume. It just doesn't work as well as a knife, it's a pain in the butt to get it out and set it up, and then I get to wash all the parts and put it away. Ultimately, it saves me no time.

In my experience -- and I've seen this observation made again and again by people who cook a lot -- the vast majority of gadgets end up being a waste of money. They don't work as expected, offer virtually no gain in efficiency or convenience (e.g., chops quicker but more cleanup, etc.), and take up space. Sure, you find a little gem here and there, but that's the exception.

So, assuming there aren't other reasons to avoid it, and if you're not very skilled with a knife, I'd start by making sure you have a good quality, very sharp one, that feels good in your hand. Equally important is a good chopping surface, ideally an end-cut hardwood butcher block. Then, learn technique by watching the various instructional clips you can find on YouTube and GoogleVideo.

Practice, practice, practice -- before you know it, you'll wonder why you ever thought you needed that gadget!

It's called a Flavour Shaker and is available for sale on Jamies site, www.jamieoliver.com. You put your herbs and dried spices, peppercorns, cloves, etc., in it and shake them up. There's something in there that breaks everything open so the flavors meld. It reminds me of the ball bearings in nail polish bottles. If you check out the chat threads on the site you can see what people in the UK, OZ and Canada have to say about it. There's a post there now complaining about the thing leaking.

One tip I did pick up from Jamie was to pound my herbs in my mortar and then add oils and other liquids right into the bowl when making marinades and dressings. Keeps you from making another bowl dirty and you don't lose any residue of flavor from the mortar.