If you were to look in your kitchen cabinets, how many pairs of tongs would you see? One? Maybe two? Thats all that you need, right? Sure, you probably know there are more kinds of tongs out there, but maybe youve never actually stopped and thought about it. The fact of the matter is, there are some rather unique tongs out in the kitchen wild that will actually make your culinary experience so much easier.
So instead of one day finding yourself wandering the utensil section at Williams-Sonoma because its the only thing you can afford with the $50 gift card someone gave you and marveling at the unique tongs youve never imagined before, youll know exactly what those tongs are for, and how they can improve your life. Because yes, its true there are countless kinds of kitchen tongs out there, and its not a marketing gimmick from the tongs people. Much like sitting down for dinner in a royal palace where there are a dozen spoons on one side, each set of tongs has a unique function. Some of these functions might just blow your mind at how much easier they make certain tasks around the kitchen.
To help illustrate just how many kinds of kitchen tongs there are, here are some of the tongs youll run into, and some you might want to consider adding to your kitchen. However, we cant promise you that theyll be cheap enough to buy with that Williams-Sonoma gift card.
Chances are, these are the tongs you have in your kitchen. They are on the longer side, which makes it easier to grab and dish up just about anything you have in front of you. The ends are curved and spoon-like. Utility tongs are the go-to tongs in most instances, and if you only have one set of tongs in your kitchen, this is probably the way to go.
Most utility tongs will have what is known as a scalloped edge to the spoon-like end (it kind of looks like how youd draw your fluffy clouds back in grade school). The scalloped end does make it easier to pick up certain items, such as some kinds of pasta, but because it doesnt fully commit to being a set of pasta tongs (more on this later) it doesnt work as well.
In general, you can get by with most of your cooking using utility tongs, and because there are so many uses for them, the size range will vary from half a foot to nearly a foot and a half in length. Many grocery stores and kitchen appliance stores sell a number of utility tongs sizes. These kinds of tongs can be made from either food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
You will also find locking utility tongs. Locking tongs are spring-loaded in the middle and when activated will shorten the opening width of the tongs. This makes the tongs great for storage and for picking up slender objects.
If there is any pair of tongs we cant recommend enough for you to own, its a pair of pasta tongs. If youre like us, you love yourself some pasta, but that also means you have to try to scoop the spaghetti out of your pot. Ever try to do that with regular tongs? Like trying to grab an oiled pig. Those things just squeeze and flop out of your regular tongs grasp. But pasta tongs? Those things are pure magic. We probably make more pasta than anything else that requires tongs, which is why we cant get enough of these little helpful utensils.
So what makes pasta tongs so special? Its the little, finger-like extensions on the edges of the tongs. They basically look like a hair clip (especially when it is clamped down around some steaming angel hair pasta). Those finger claws do all the work.
Most pasta tongs are made from stainless steel. The most basic will have the standard “V” design of the tongs, which is rather universal with tongs, regardless of the type. This is better known as a one-piece construction. You can, though, find cheaper plastic options, or even spring-loaded locking pasta tongs. We recommend going with metal tongs over plastic. Yes, plastic will be cheaper, but plastic has a way of wearing down, which can give you limp tongs. Not to mention, they just dont look as pretty as sparkling stainless steel.
These kinds of tongs will also vary in length, although most will usually be around a foot or so in size. You dont need too much material slack when grabbing some pasta.
These are similar to utility tongs, although they are usually shorter and the ends are smoother, allowing you to plate and serve just about anything without causing damage. Serving tongs are basically the glamorous sibling to utility tongs, in that they are designed to be shown off. If youve ever been to a restaurant, or possibly a catered wedding, where the tongs next to a dish are a bit more elaborately decorated than your tongs back home, then youve used serving tongs before.
Serving tongs are still made with the one-piece construction, which makes them easier to wash (which is important to catering companies, as they will have a large number of tongs to clean at the end of the event). The tongs are almost always made from stainless steel and might have some kind of decorative finish on them. Sometimes this is a subtle texture pressed into the metal, or there might be cutouts within portions of the tongs. Essentially, they are functional utility tongs with a bit more pizazz to them.
The tongs range in length from around half a foot to 14 or 16 inches. If youre considering serving tongs, youll want to think about not only what you plan on serving with the tongs, but where you will store them. Theres nothing worse than buying a new kitchen utensil only to discover its too long to fit in your kitchen drawers.
What comprises salad tongs? One side will be a spoon, while the other will be a fork (or possibly a spork). This way you can toss, grab, and serve up leafy greens, no matter what you have tossed in the bowl.
These tongs are generally made from food-grade plastic, but some nicer ones might be made of wood. This way, they are easy to maintain, and the acidic nature of some salad dressings wont eat away at it, which might be the case with certain metals. There are also different kinds of grips for these salad tongs. As most salad tongs have one-piece construction, there are no additional moving pieces on the tongs, making them very easy to maintain and clean.
On the flip side, if youre looking for something a bit more elaborate, you can also find scissor-handled salad tongs. This handle very much looks like an oversized pair of scissors, only it gives you a better grip and usually comes with a longer handle. This is good if you are serving up a salad to guests in your home and you want to extend your reach. In general, though, youll probably be just fine with the inexpensive plastic salad tongs, which range anywhere from half a foot to a foot.
Silicone tongs are a popular choice for many chefs and line cooks because their silicone ends are great for high-heat cooking. They won’t melt or warp when subjected to high heat, making them a better, safer option for high-heat cooking than plastic and nylon tongs.
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So what makes pasta tongs so special? Its the little, finger-like extensions on the edges of the tongs. They basically look like a hair clip (especially when it is clamped down around some steaming angel hair pasta). Those finger claws do all the work.
Most utility tongs will have what is known as a scalloped edge to the spoon-like end (it kind of looks like how youd draw your fluffy clouds back in grade school). The scalloped end does make it easier to pick up certain items, such as some kinds of pasta, but because it doesnt fully commit to being a set of pasta tongs (more on this later) it doesnt work as well.
Now, while you probably wont ever need plating tongs stored inside your kitchen drawer, they are pretty fun to use. These are basically like using tweezers (the construction is remarkably similar), only with your food. They can be helpful if you need to pull out very small bones from seafood and dont want to shred the tender meat of your fish, so if youre eating a lot of seafood and you want that amazing Instagram food photo without the bones, and maybe with some elaborate decorations, plating tongs will be an option. Plating tongs can also work for garnishing elevated cocktails, although in a pinch you can always use tweezers (just not the ones next to the toenail clippers, please). But other than that, you probably wont need to have plating tongs on hand.
So instead of one day finding yourself wandering the utensil section at Williams-Sonoma because its the only thing you can afford with the $50 gift card someone gave you and marveling at the unique tongs youve never imagined before, youll know exactly what those tongs are for, and how they can improve your life. Because yes, its true there are countless kinds of kitchen tongs out there, and its not a marketing gimmick from the tongs people. Much like sitting down for dinner in a royal palace where there are a dozen spoons on one side, each set of tongs has a unique function. Some of these functions might just blow your mind at how much easier they make certain tasks around the kitchen.
The only real time you would want to consider silicone tongs is when you intend to use the utensil with other metal containers while cooking. Due to this, having a pair of utility silicone tongs might be a worthwhile investment, as it will help extend the life of your pans, which in itself makes silicone a valuable investment for your kitchen.
Five Surprising Ways to Use Kitchen Tongs
FAQ
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