I loved the onion chopper story, I refrained to buy one because of the same reasons you mentioned as my gut feel and almost booked tickets for 2 Countries (in Pune) but refrained based on the same gut feel :)
A couple of months back, as a favour to an uncle, I walked into an agriculture expo in the Hitex exhibition grounds and surveyed the various exhibits on display. Among efficient drip irrigation technologies and pest-resistant hybrid crop varieties I came across something that truly excited my married soul - a vegetable chopper. A grid of metal blades over which you place an onion, and with a lever above it this man gave it one swift jab and voila! Chopped onion. No tears!
I was so excited that I quickly fished out four hundred rupees from my lean wallet and threw them at the guy....