Tongs

What they are better at

• Turning meat. A fork pierces and lets liquid escape; tongs grip the edge and turn cleanly.
• Lifting anything from hot fat or water. Far more controlled than a slotted spoon, and you can feel what you are holding.
• Tossing pasta and salad. Two hands' worth of dexterity in one tool.
• Reaching into a hot oven or a deep pan without putting your hand in.
• Holding food against a pan — pressing a fish fillet flat, or holding a steak on its fat edge to render it.
• Serving. Neater than a spoon and fork, and one-handed.

What to look for

Spring-loaded with a lock

So they store closed and open with one hand.

Around 30cm

Long enough for a deep pan and short enough for control. A second pair at 23cm is useful for plating.

Scalloped, not toothed, tips

Scalloped tips grip without piercing. Sharp teeth tear delicate food.

Stainless steel

Durable and heat-proof throughout. Silicone-tipped versions protect non-stick but melt if left touching a hot pan.

Tips that meet exactly

Tongs that cross or gap will not pick up anything small.

Reasonable stiffness

Too stiff and your hand tires; too soft and you cannot grip a chop.

Using them well

• Hold them like a pencil rather than gripping the whole handle. You get far more control and less fatigue.
• Use the tips, not the middle. Most of the precision is in the last two centimetres.
• For delicate things — fish, eggs — use a fish slice instead. Tongs grip, and grip damages soft food.
• To turn several pieces of meat in order, always start at the same corner of the pan. It sounds fussy and it is how you avoid overcooking one piece.
• Never leave silicone tips resting against a hot pan edge.
• Two pairs is not extravagant: one for raw and one for cooked, which is a sensible habit around raw meat.

Why not a fork

A carving fork or an ordinary fork does turn meat, and it does it by making holes. Each hole is a route for liquid to escape, and while the effect on a whole roast is small, on a steak or a chicken breast being turned repeatedly it is not.

The larger issue is control. A fork holds meat at one point, so a piece being lifted swings and slips, and putting it down means dropping it. Tongs hold it at two, and you can place food precisely — which matters when the alternative is dropping a chop into hot fat.

The exception is a large joint, where a proper carving fork holds the meat steady while you carve. That is a different job and a fork is right for it.

Common questions