24 Incredibly Beautiful, yet Utterly Niche Kitchen Objects You Didn't Know You Needed Until You Saw Them

Stainless steel asparagus steamer, anyone? How about a mother-of-pearl caviar spoon? These are the things you may not need, but you'll definitely want

caviar display from georg jensen
(Image credit: Georg Jensen)

Have you ever seen something and immediately thought, 'That's completely ridiculous, I have to have it'? A tiny mother-of-pearl caviar spoon, perhaps. Or a modernist, color-blocked nut-cracking tool.

There's a special kind of joy that these entirely unnecessary but extremely endearing pieces evoke. When the modern kitchen is so dominated by functionality, with every appliance claiming to be a life-changing 8-in-1 tool, there's a kind of quiet rebellion in something that serves one sole (preferably hyper-niche) function. You can keep your all-in-one microwave air fryer hybrids; I'd much rather have an Italian, stainless steel pasta measurer, thank you very much.

Some may write these pieces off as silly or frivolous, but those just happen to be two of my favorite descriptors. Plus, if using your ceramic garlic grater at the end of a hard day brings a smile to your face, doesn't that alone make it worthwhile?

These products may not change your life; you may not even use them more than four times a year, but for some of us, owning something incredibly and undeniably design-y is reason enough to add it to your collection. Plus, you might just find yourself surprised by how much use you actually get from your professional truffle shaver. Just saying...

It won't be long until the festive season rolls around again, and these items would make the perfect gift for the design lovers in your life. Or to yourself- we won't judge.

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Maya Glantz
Design Writer

Maya Glantz is a Design Writer at Livingetc, covering all things bathrooms and kitchens. Her background in Art History informed her love of the aesthetic world, and she believes in the importance of finding beauty in the everyday. She recently graduated from City University with a Masters Degree in Magazine Journalism, during which she gained experience writing for various publications, including the Evening Standard. A lover of mid-century style, she can be found endlessly adding to her dream home Pinterest board.