Do You Need a Lazy Susan? Maybe Not. But They Make Meals a Lot More Fun.

The simple rotating serving tray has gone by many names over the years: dumbwaiter, butler’s assistant and, most famously, lazy Susan. Accounts of its origins are similarly varied: Some say it was invented by Thomas Edison; others credit Thomas Jefferson, claiming he named it for one of his daughters, who would complain of always being served last at meals (though he seemingly didn’t have a child called Susan).…