Best Spatulas for Expert to Amateur Chefs

Hot Kitchen Essentials; Best Spatula Buying Guide

Spatulas are an essential kitchen tool. In this guide, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about buying your next spatula.

Every kitchen needs a spatula. If you don’t have one, then how on earth have you been flipping your pancakes and burgers? At Bestcovery, we know how complicated it can get when buying kitchen equipment. That’s why we’ve created this buying guide to ease the process.

In this guide, you’ll discover the different types of spatulas and what they are used for, the materials they are made from, and what exactly you should look out for before you add-to-cart.

But first:

What is a Spatula?

A spatula also called a turner, spreader, scraper, or flipper, depending on what you use it for, is a piece of kitchen equipment used in the process of cooking or frying. It’s also used for spreading things, like butter on bread or paint on canvas.

There are many creative uses for a spatula. For example, as mentioned, it can be used by painters to apply or scrape paint. It’s also used in medical settings by doctors to hold down the tongue of a patient for inspection.

Of course, we are focusing on the delicious use of a spatula. A Spatula is used in restaurants or home kitchens for many purposes. Some recipes or foods have a specific spatula used for them, hence its many synonyms.

In summary, just think of the spatula as your non-violent kitchen sword that protects your burgers, pancakes, or fish from burning.

Why Do I Need a Spatula?

Spatulas are a handy kitchen tool that makes cooking much easier. They can be used for the following reasons:

Sieving

Spatulas that come with holes in them, kind of like a sieve, can be used to reduce liquid or leave the excess liquid behind. For instance, if you are taking your fried chicken out of the pan, with a regular kitchen spoon, you’d carry oil along with the chicken.

However, with a perforated spatula, you can easily carry the chicken and watch the oil drain out. The spatula doesn’t just keep the oil out of your chicken, it will prevent hot oil from accidentally spilling on you or the floor.

Flipping

Have you ever tried to flip a pancake with a spoon? How did that go? Well, with a spatula, there’s reduced cause for accidents. You can flip your pancakes all you want, without worrying about them dropping or losing shape.

Spreading

Frosting a cake or spreading butter is so much easier with a spatula. Shockingly, most people would rather use a kitchen knife or a spoon. However, a spatula reduces significant mess and offers a convenience that a kitchen knife won’t.

Scraping

These make the scraping of your bottom pot or cooking dough bowl quite easy. They are also often made from plastic, so the risk of leaving scratches on your bowl or pot is unlikely.

Things to Consider When Buying a Spatula

The Weight and Shape of the Spatula

Ideally, a spatula should be thin and flat, but you’d be surprised at what passes for a spatula in most stores. The worst thing you can do when buying a spatula is to buy one that’s fat because it’d be useless to you.

A spatula has to be flat and thin enough to go under your dish without ruining it. It should be light enough that you can hold it without feeling its weight. It should also be flexible enough that you can flip your pancake or omelet with confidence.

It should also be strong enough to hold your pancake or omelet without dropping it. If a spatula is none of those things, don’t buy it.

The Purpose of the Spatula

There are many uses of a spatula, and if you buy the right one, you can use it for numerous cooking activities. However, before you buy a spatula, you should first determine what you want to use it for. For instance, we have the:

Fish Spatula

Obviously, you can turn your fish over with any type of spatula you want. However, if you are particular about how your fish comes out, you should invest in a fish spatula.

A fish spatula is often made from stainless steel. It’s the perfect tool for turning over your fish fillet without leaving any fish on the pan or having it stick to the pan. Its angular shape was made for just that purpose, and if you want, you can use it to flip your omelet too.

Grill Spatula

Not all spatulas can handle the heat of the grill, that’s why a grill spatula was made. It’s made out of steel, and as you can already tell, it can withstand the heat of the grill and is strong enough to support heavy foods.

Grill spatulas are also specifically shaped. For instance, they come with a deep handle to protect your hand from the heat of the grill and to allow you to carry your foods without tearing them on the grill.

Icing

Also known as the palette knife. As you can tell from the name this spatula is used for cake decorating. It is not as wide as the other spatulas, and it often comes with a wooden handle.

Its thin shape is also perfect for spreading cream or butter on bread, and whatever else you’d like. It is also perfect for frosting. Of course, this type of spatula cannot be used for flipping, grilling or scraping because it is not built for it.

Depending on what you need, it’s best to go for a spatula that can double in use, or if you are particular, go for one that serves a specific need.

FAQs

Q: What is the best material for a spatula?
A: Silicone is the best material for a spatula. Silicone spatulas are preferred because they have a higher heat resistance than any other spatula material. Also, if you use it right, it won’t scrape your pot or pan.

Q: How do I choose a good spatula?
A: There are two things to look out for when buying a spatula. Check the heat resistance and make sure it is stainless steel. Also, check to see if it has a long handle, and make sure it is flexible in your hands.

Q: Can you use a metal spatula on a non-stick pan?
A: It is never a good idea to use a metal spatula on a non-stick pan. If you do that, it could ruin the surface of your pan. Even worse, it could make the coating on the pan come off on your food, and that could be dangerous for your health.