Gadgets Are Not Essential

Skill + performance remain.

Sep 19, 2025

This is 3Bits & Change, an email about building a service and retail business. This one was written to the silence of my airpods and the dog chewing on a toy.

Good day,

Gadget marketing works to get us to buy. But that doesn’t mean the gadgets work when we use them.

This week, three quick bits on those very promising sharpening shortcuts that sell better than they should.

//no.1 - The Contraption Trap

You buy the thing. It looks like a shortcut. It promises ease.

You unwrap it. Maybe use it once or three times. It sorta works. What do you know? You’re a new user. Then the contraption goes into the drawer.

And that’s where it stays… next to the three double peelers, the avocado tool, the corn butter-er that sounded cool but never quite felt right.

We’ve all been there. You might be there now. But here’s the question:

Was the tool broken? Or was the promise broken?

//no.2 - Skill Required (Even With the Shortcut)

Even the best gadgets and contraptions require skill to render performance. The fancy sharpener still needs judgment and know-how. The grill still needs timing and seasoning and attention. The Instant Pot won’t fix bad taste or habits. The strap for your golf swing can’t swing for you. And, on and on.

In fact, most gadgets introduce new and unique learning curves of their own. And they are seldom planned. When they fail, they fail in slow motion. They suck time, storage, and hope.

Skill still matters. Whether you use a whetstone, a “right” angle on a gadget, or a ~$300 powered machine, you still have to know what sharp means, how to make it and what it feels like when it’s not there vs. there. That’s how you’ll know when you’re done, when it’s sharp.

//no.3 - Or Outsource It

Some tasks are worth mastering. Others are worth delegating.

You didn’t likely plumb your replacement water heater, trim your own hair, or cook each of your meals in the last week. Why? Because you don’t have to do it all yourself.

Kitchen knife sharpening can be like an oil change. Sure you could do it. But… it’s a mess, necessary, and better left to someone with the tools, know-how, system and training to do it well.

So, now what?

Drop your knives off at Vivront in Edina (we’re open 7 days a week),
Order a Sharpow.com shipping kit (we’ll handle the edge from your doorstep),
Or pick up a shipping kit at your local grocery store (we partner with a few like Kowalski’s Markets and select Hy-Vee stores in MN).

No gadgets. No gimmicks. No contraptions. Just sharp knives.