As a general rule, I dislike gimmicky kitchen gadgets. They’re often poorly made, solve a problem that doesn’t exist, and do only one thing (and are usually lousy at that, in any case). This tool, however, seems to be different.
The truth is that even something as simple as frying an egg requires more practice than many people are willing to put in. Part of getting this right involves blending flavors and estimating doneness by sight and texture, but even seemingly simple mechanical actions like turning a sausage requires some skill, too.
Especially if you’re older or have limited mobility in your wrist, this factor can make cooking seem like an intimidating chore. Until the robots take over, though, it is one that we’re stuck with unless we’re willing to spend more and eat less healthily. So, any help on this front is most certainly welcome.
As you can see from the photo, this is actually three tools in one. Turn it upside down and you have cooking tongs; leave it open and it’s a spatula which you can also use to gently grip an item; apply some pressure to the handles, and it becomes a spoon. This kind of versatility can be really important; if you just can’t seem to grab your food in one way, there’s no need to rummage in a drawer for a different utensil.
This product comes in a set of one large and one small spatula/tongs combination, 9″ and 12″ long, respectively. The handle is dishwasher-safe stainless steel, while the business end seems to be made of silicone plastic, which is easy to clean and almost impossible to burn or melt.
Although this kitchen utensil is mostly aimed more at kitchen novices, even experienced chefs will find it useful. If having a fry-up for breakfast, for instance, you can easily handle sausages, eggs in different styles, pancakes, hamburger patties, roast tomatoes, and more; all with just these Clever Tongs and without worrying about any of your food falling apart. Here’s a quick demo:
It is, most definitely, not a replacement for slotted, wooden, and other spoons, conventional tongs, and all the other hardware crowding your kitchen drawers, but is indeed capable of performing the functions of most of them. This also makes it an ideal companion when camping.
