Which salad tongs are best?
Diving into a gorgeous bowl of leafy greens or a tempting plate of cold pasta salad is made much easier with the proper utensil. Salad tongs are built to grab and serve tons of oddly shaped veggies and slippery pasta, making serving simple and fast. But which are the best salad tongs for the job?
If you need your utensils to last a long time and to be good at more than one task, try the Spring Chef Salad Tongs. This two-piece set works as hard serving salad as it does a steak fresh off the grill.
What to know before you buy salad tongs
Salad tong materials
When it comes to salad tongs, there are plenty of materials available:
- Metal: Metal may not be a traditional choice. While they appear more industrial than elegant, these have the added benefit of being a more versatile kitchen tool. The scalloped edges offer a firm grip on salad greens and do double-duty as a serving utensil for hot foods, too.
- Silicone: Silicone is laid over metal for a salad server that you can use on non-stick pans. Like their straight metal counterparts, these may not be the most stylish, but they are durable and multi-purpose.
- Plastic: Plastic salad tongs are great for outdoor events and a more casual setting. They can go straight into the dishwasher and are designed to use on multiple times.
- Wood: If you value form as well as function and want to add an elegant touch to your table, consider wood salad tongs. They usually feature clean lines and simple styling, but you need to handwash them.
Style
Tongs are available in three basic styles, all of which you can use to serve salads.
- Buffet: The tip of buffet tongs is triangular or scalloped. This makes picking up and serving easier.
- Salad: Tongs designed specifically for salad might have one end that is a scoop and another that resembles a fork.
- Scissor: These use a pivoting motion to open and close. The tips are shaped like paddles and are good for cold pasta salads.
Intended use
If space is not an issue and money is no object, by all means, select tongs designed specifically for serving salad. However, if you prefer your kitchen utensils to take on more than one job, you’ll need to select tongs that you can use for multiple applications.
What to look for in quality salad tongs
Locking mechanism
Wide-open tongs are a pain to store and a hazard in your utensil drawer. Look for a locking mechanism that lets you keep them closed for storage. This may be a pull at the end of the tongs or a simple metal loop that keeps them closed.
Comfortable handles
Comfortable handles are important. If you are balancing a plate in one hand and need a simple operation that doesn’t pinch or require superhuman strength, this might be the most important feature. These should have a good non-slip grip, too.
Ambidextrous
Because most of the world uses their right hand for everything, southpaws may feel left out. The good news is that most salad tongs are ambidextrous.
How much you can expect to spend on salad tongs
The price varies depending on the type of salad tongs and the materials used. Expect to spend $7-$17.
Salad tongs FAQ
How do you care for salad tongs?
A. You can wash most salad tongs in the dishwasher. The exceptions are wood tongs and those meant to be recycled or composted.
If you notice that your tongs are damaged or are not working properly, it’s time to discard or recycle. Most salad tongs can be recycled. If your metal salad tongs have silicone tips, remove the tips and recycle as usual.
Wood and bamboo tongs can be composted.
Are there other uses for salad tongs?
A. This depends on the style of salad tongs you select, but in most cases, salad tongs have other culinary applications that include:
- Serving hot spaghetti.
- Tossing a salad.
- Removing baked potatoes from the oven.
- Retrieving corn on the cob from boiling water.
- Tossing a stir fry.
- Reaching for a jar on the top shelf.
- Cleaning the grill (use a piece of aluminum foil to scrub).
- As practice for chopsticks with small children.
- Rotating a pan in the oven.
- Picking up food that has dropped underneath the grill plate on a gas stove.
What are the best salad tongs to buy?
Top salad tongs
What you need to know: This two-piece set has you covered, even when cooking in nonstick pans.
What you’ll love: The 12-inch stainless steel tongs are great for the grill, while the silicone tongs can toss a salad or move food from non-stick pans to the table. The silicone tips are removable for easy washing. These lock closed for easy storage.
What you should consider: Once removed, the silicone tips are difficult to wrangle back onto the tongs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top salad tongs for the money
Chef Craft Premium Salad Scissor Tongs
What you need to know: These are best for serving cold salads at informal gatherings.
What you’ll love: Both left-and right-handed people can use these heavy-duty plastic, scissor-style salad tongs. They can be separated for easy cleaning in the dishwasher.
What you should consider: They are challenging to reassemble, and these cannot be used on hot pans.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Ironwood Gourmet Spring Salad Tongs
What you need to know: If good design matters as much as function, you will love these tongs.
What you’ll love: These acacia wood tongs can be used with one hand. They are elegant and smooth. The wood is eco-friendly, and the tongs are a good size.
What you should consider: These do not have a locking mechanism, so they may not be a good choice if storage space is limited.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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