My daughter worked in a cookware shop for a couple of months and tried all sorts of peelers but I have never found a better one than the cheapest available plastic handled swivel blade ones made by Dalson of Australia. It is very simple, light and fits in the hand. I have one which I have been using for at least 18 years. I use it on carrots and parsnips too if they need peeling. The blade has never been sharpened. It costs 95 pence over here (ca. $1.40). It' so cheap you might as well try one if you can find one. I can only find a tiny picture on Google. Here is a link that might be useful:

Thanks for the heads up, Dan. I have a couple of Kuhn Rikon gadgets, as well as a pressure cooker; they're good items. BTW, not meaning to hijack the thread, but I took your advice on cast iron: used a Norton Rapid Strip wheel to smooth off the cooking surfaces of some new Lodge items. Got them to nearly a mirror finish. Used some grapeseed oil to season, and brought it to near the smoke point (couldn't do it in the oven: bringing it to 550 didn't do anything but make a sticky layer). Put it in the gas grill outdoors, and it made a slick and tough layer, nearly nonstick by itself but with a little grease when cooking it's really slick, and as dark black as obsidian. And you're right: the slickness DOES make a difference in the cooking. Seared a couple of pieces of beef filet--nice crust formation. You da man, Dan!!

Renee, you are right. I love buying things... household things that is (I couldn't care less about things like clothes or jewelry). I try to be practical about spending though... my car is 11 years old (and I will always pay cash for any future cars), my apartment is very simple and small (which doesn't help since I like to buy things and collect vacuums), and I don't even have cable (I get by with Netflix and Youtube... Youtube has Maude and and Mamma's Family, who could ask for more LOL). When I want something, I really debate whether or not it will improve my life and if I will use it enough to justify the cost. I try to read reviews, and write them if I buy the item. I actually enjoy watching infomercials! I love seeing the products demonstrated and hearing all the fabulous promises they make... then testing the item to see if it lives up to any of the hype and letting people know either way. I should get a job with consumer reports! I try not to be cheap, but I still want fun stuff. I never use my mandoline or pressure cooker, but I'm glad to have them in case I do want to. My family was cheap, and I try be as unlike them as possible. I had an ex that was cheap... he didn't even have measuring cups, mixing bowls, or a cutting board. He cut everything on plates (with super cheap serrated knives... the shiny ones that are on black plastic handles with no full tang). I did convince him to buy mixing bowls after I tried to make him a cheesecake for his birthday once. He had me mix the silly thing in his stock pot. I tried to avoid the sides with his 12 dollar Walgreens mixer (yuck... he texted me about a year after I deleted him from my life to ask which Kitchen Aid to buy, I told him he had the wrong number and that my name was Michelle, not Bobby, I'd just gotten this "new" number)... anyway, there were black specks in the cheesecake and I knew I didn't put pepper in it. The beaters hit the sides of the pan in spite of my careful efforts and knocked the teflon coating off. We went to Target and bought a full set of plastic and metal mixing bowls that day... and from then on I cooked anything I made for him in my own kitchen and just brought it over if I thought it would survive the two hour drive to his house... but I digress... I DID buy one last night. I didn't mean to, it just happened (kind of like when my BF "accidentally" finished my ice cream and didn't tell me about it, said it "just happened", how do you accidentally finish half a gallon of ice cream? I went to get some after and hard day of work and found that mother hubbard's cupboard was bare, I was so mad!) :o) I went to Wal-mart to get a new clothes hamper (the wires came out of mine after 5 years of over stuffing it) and when I saw the Yoshi blades for 20 dollars, I couldn't resist. I didn't have to pay shipping, and it would be easy to return if I hated it since Wal-mart is right across the street (if it wasn't I wouldn't shop there, but it's just too convenient). I haven't tried it yet, but I took it out and felt it and read the book. There are some things I don't like about it... it's not dishwasher safe (but I don't put any knives in the dishwasher anyway, except serrated steak and butter knives), you can only slice and not chop with it, you can't cut bones or hard cheese with it... I think those are all things that have to do with it being a ceramic knife, I know they are brittle and can chip easily. It looks really cool with the white blade and is super light weight. After I have spent some time getting acquainted with it and putting through its paces, I will report back on what I think of it. It is so new, it's hard to find reviews online right now. The few I've seen have been positive. It's weird because they say not to chop with it, but it's shaped like a santoku knife which is designed for chopping. They show chopping celery on the commercial, so maybe if I'm not to vigorous I can still chop some things, but I will always be scared of breaking the blade. I didn't expect it to stay sharp forever, but if it holds and edge longer than a metal knife I'll be happy. It won't replace my metal knives, but it may be a good supplement. They say if it gets dull they will send a new one, but I don't expect the company to be around in 5 years... most infomercial products/companies go away after a while (and then are reincarnated with a different name several years later). If I like it though, maybe this will be a good introductory ceramic knife and I can upgrade to a Kyocera when it wears or breaks. That's interesting about lettuce. Are you staying that those plastic lettuce knives are just a gimmick? Who knew? :O)

Deana: You are right! If you are healthy.!!!!!! If your immune system is down, like from Cemo and Radiation treatments, you don't want any part of germs. SOOOOO!!!!!you do whatever, to eliminate as many as you can. Also you do what the doctor tell's you. My wife can't even go to Bingo, or Church when getting treatments. Can't be near anyone with colds. Naturally there are germs everywhere. Annie: you're right too! I do the same with tomatoes. Fenworth : You are right too. I wash the potatoes first. Take a slice off one side and stick the fork in and slice away.Then I wash the potatoes again when I'm done. I suggested the fork thing a while back, just for all the members who complained about Arthur in their hands. You are all right . Guess I'm just tired from all the running I've been doing lately. I apologize to everyone. Now, I will have to see where I started trouble in the other threads. LOU