Spatula City!

Spatula A

Spatulas are great tools in the kitchen.  They can be used to stir things, mix things, toss them around while cooking, etc.  Basically I love my spatulas, but it took me a while to find the right ones for the jobs I needed them for.

Since my search is finally over, I figured I’d let you know which ones I buy, and why.  I’ve probably had 30 different spatulas over my life, some were horrible, some were worse, some were just useless, and a very few were perfect.

There are a lot of options when you’re looking for a spatula.  Most people go for the basic silicone spatula with the simple wooden or bamboo handle (Spatula A.)  These are fine, and they’re pretty ubiquitous and cheap.  So if you’re on a budget, they’ll work.

Spatula 2

The problems with them are they’re cheap.  The heads fall off in the middle of cooking.  They may be made of poor quality silicone and melt to your pan in higher temperatures.  There’s usually a gap between the head and the handle where water and food stuff gets in and bacteria, mold, mildew, or other nasty goop will grow.  Unsanitary stuff and nothing you want near your food.  And then, they’re cheap.  I can’t count the number of broken handles I’ve gotten splinters from.

The second type of spatula are the higher end wooden handled ones (Spatula 2.)  These are better.  They usually have a higher quality silicone, so they’re less likely to melt on a hot stove.  The handles are better quality and are less likely to break as well.

Spatula Charlie

The other problems still exist though.  You can still get gunk between the head and the handle.  The head can still fall off in the middle of cooking.  Regardless of the type of wood, it can still splinter of break.  So, better, but not great yet.

Next we have the same spatula, but with a metal handle (Spatula Charlie.)  These are better than the wooden handled options, because they’re not going to break, and you can put them in the dishwasher without fear.  Otherwise they’re equivalent to the high-end wooden handled spatulas, and they do the job.

While you’re less likely to have growth on metal, it is still a possibility.  It’s a lot easier to clean off though.  Depending on the ones you buy, the heads may fall off, but many are made in such a way that the silicone is formed around a loop of metal so that’s less likely.  They’re slightly more expensive than other spatulas, but as with anything, you get what you pay for.

Also, metal isn’t very giving, and they get a little annoying to hold.  You also have to take into account that metal is a better conductor of heat than most other options.  So you have to be careful where you leave it sitting so you don’t burn yourself.

Spatula Buy Me

Finally, there are the all silicone spatulas (Spatula Buy Me.)  They’re formed completely from silicone.  I’m no chemist, but the head is soft and pliable and the handle is stiff and easy to grip.

Being made completely of one piece the head won’t fall off.  There’s also no way for anything to get between the head and handle, because there’s no separation of those pieces.

Now you’ll have to play around with different ones, because the heads’ pliability isn’t the same from brand to brand, but as long as it has a little bend, and all of them do, then they’ll do the right job.

All in all, I prefer the all silicone spatulas.  That said, I still have a variety of the other types sitting in various places in my kitchen.

Featured Image Credit:  sunshinelibrarian