Clear Cluttered Kitchen Countertop Wires With This Nifty Tech Find

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Avid home cooks know cluttered countertops are seriously difficult to work with. Whether you're cooking an elaborate meal or just brewing a cup of coffee, any kitchen decluttering habit that instantly makes cooking easier is welcome. And when it comes to those gangly cords from electronics and countertop gadgets, there's a simple, inexpensive solution that can have an outsized impact on your kitchen routine: stick-on cord organizers.

These devices are usually flexible (often made of soft plastic or silicone) and work with an adhesive backing you can install directly onto the flat or gently curved surfaces of your device. Most have flexible hooks designed to neatly hold the wrapped cords out of the way until you need them. There's usually a little notch in the center that allows you to clip the end of the cord in place as well. This kitchen gadget is not only useful but often affordable, available in many different styles and sizes. For example, the Indemo six-piece stick-on cord organizer set is just $9.99. It comes in various colors (black, white, clear, or a variety pack featuring gray), making it easy to pair with different appliance designs and kitchen decor. 

Best yet, these self-adhesive cord organizers don't require you to purchase yet another organizer to clutter up your counter. Instead, they make use of open space on the appliances themselves. And since small appliances are among the items you should avoid leaving on the kitchen counter, this organizer makes putting them away neatly that much easier.

Just because these adhesive hooks work for a lot of different appliances doesn't mean they're always a universal match. Some buyers note that they've had issues when it comes to larger cables. For example, heavy appliances like stand mixers, induction burners, and countertop ice makers have thick cords to accommodate the thicker wires needed to run that much power to the devices. For those, you might need something like the Cfyouend large-capacity cord organizer four-pack, which at just $8.99 offers a pack of expandable adhesive hooks that are compatible with longer or thicker cables that other cord organizers may not fit. 

But some appliances also get hot when in use, and that can melt weaker glues, causing the cord organizers to fall off. That's why some cord organizers have heavier-duty adhesive backing that can withstand the long beating times of the stiffest European meringues. Cord Wrapper has a two-pack of heat-resistant round cord organizers that offer a scalloped circular design to wrangle difficult cords and adhesive that secures well to appliances that get hot for $15.99. This model is also adaptable to various surfaces, with one reviewer noting, "they adhered to both matte and brushed stainless steel surfaces on my appliances."

This is why it's important to thoroughly read the reviews of any cord organizers you're considering and maybe make a list of the appliances that need organizers and their potential pain points before purchasing. That will help you buy models with the right size, adhesive type, and features to suit each device.

Even if you read the reviews carefully, you're bound to end up with at least one device that doesn't suit the cord organizer you bought. You might also run into unanticipated issues, even if you did read the reviews. One common issue is a plug not being compatible with the center plug holder. If that happens, it may be that you need a larger or expandable model, or you can try the round scalloped style that's supposed to hold the cords in place. 

If the hooks are simply too small, you may want to try another option altogether instead of forcing it to fit. In fact, you should expect to need more than one style. You might need something different for the high-speed blender than you need for the food processor.

But perhaps the most common issue has to do with a lack of adhesiveness. Depending on the devices you're using it on, you may want to double check whether you need something heat resistant, which could be part of the problem. It could also just be that your hooks aren't sticking because of built-up grease and grime. That's especially true if you tend to buy older kitchen appliances. Before you install the hooks, spend some extra time cleaning the surface with rubbing alcohol to make sure your appliance is residue-free and allow it to dry completely before installing the organizer. If you're still having trouble getting it to stick but you love the way the cord organizer itself works, you can replace the adhesive it already has with something stronger. Clear self-fusing silicone tape may be one of the low-key handiest things to come out of the 20th century. It secures things without budging and leaves behind no residue when you remove it. Honestly? Maybe start with that.