I Have 15 Spatulas and I Need Every Single One of Them

Full disclosure before we begin: I actually have more spatulas than what’s pictured here.  A lot more. I have a spatula issue, it would seem, and it’s not always pretty (I say looking in my kitchen drawers), but I can’t stop.  I use many, many spatulas a day, and over the years have learned which one to reach for when. Because each one does a particular thing (or two) better than another.

I’ve whittled things down to just 15 of my favorites; here is a short tour and why I love each one. (From the top of the photo and then clockwise from the bottom left.)

The huge surface area of this spatula makes it ideal for flipping big pieces of fish, but also for flipping big pieces of anything, like steaks or omelets or whole chicken legs.  It’s also great to use when grilling.  I have also used it to transfer a cake from a cooling rack to a plate, or a roast from the pan to a cutting board.

Buy: Fish Spatula, $13

Ok, maybe this is more like a cheese knife (which I, of course, also use it for), but it’s so pretty and cute than I use it to serve little appetizers as well, like Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraiche Puff Pastry Tartlets and Bacon, Leek, Mushroom and Cheese Mini Quiches. I got it at a flea market, and I love the Bakelite handle.  You can find things like this on Ebay and Etsy.

This is from Heston Blumenthal’s Everdure line, and I love the heavy-duty solid construction, and the defined straight edge.  It lets you slide underneath your food decisively, which is very handy when flipping burgers neatly and cleanly, and has a good soft grip handle. It is designed to be used on the grill, and comes with a pair of nice tongs, and they both also have a bottle opener at the end. This set will have to tide me over until I splurge for the Everdure Charcoal Grill and Smoker.

Buy: Everdure Tool Kit, $59

Mine is another flea market find, and I love it partly for how cool and retro it looks.  But it’s nice for turning or removing things when you want to leave any cooking fat or liquid on the bottom of the pan, like when you are making a pan sauce.  I use it to make everything from Chicken with White Wine, Leek, Spinach and Arugula Pan Sauce to  Sautéed Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Bacon.

Buy: Rosle Perforated Spatula, $37

If you’ve never owned an offset spatula or known what to do with one, this discovery could be a game changer for you. Yes, it’s great for spreading batter in a pan and icing cakes, but I also really like it for lifting out pieces of frittata from a pan.

Buy: OXO Good Grips Offset Icing Spatula, $10

These fun and purposeful spatulas are terrific.  They have been created in a partnership with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign, and every year about 15 celebs (chefs, actors, activists, musicians, etc.) are asked to design a silicone spatula that Williams Sonoma produces and sells — and the money goes to fight childhood hunger in this country.  Mine is by Jeff Bridges, but there are loads more to choose from. (See the hunger relief-inspired story behind each design here.)  And, yes, they are great at doing everything a good silicone spatula can do, from scraping Arugula Basil Dipping Sauce from the food processor to folding egg whites into a spoonbread.

Buy: No Kid Hungry Spatulas, from $14 each at Williams Sonoma

I don’t remember where I got this one — I’m thinking it was a dollar store purchase of some sort, but when I need to get that last bit of mustard out of a jar or that little bit of pesto from the corners of the mini food processor, this is my gal. 

Buy: Mini Silicone Spatulas, $4 for two

Yes, again, obviously this is intended for turning fish, which it does beautifully, but it also is such a nice blend of thin and slotted, and angled and flexible that I use it for turning anything in a pan, especially if that thing is a bit fragile, like a potato pancake for instance.

Buy: MIU France Large Stainless Steel Slotted Turner, $17

My ode to offset spatulas continues. This tiny one is perfect for creating gorgeous swoops in whipped cream toppings (Atlantic Beach Pie for everyone!), or to make perfect peaks and valleys in the meringue for a Lemon Meringue Pie, for instance. Also great for spreading mustard, peanut butter, jam, mayonnaise, and more on bread for sandwiches.

Buy: Ateco 4.5-Inch Mini Spatula, $4.50

I use this exclusively to serve things, because I love the red handle.  The squared-off edge makes it great for picking up baked goods and stickier desserts out of the pan.

My love for spurtles is no secret, and back to the topic of how many spatulas I really own… well, the number of spurtles alone is in the double digits.  There are spurtles for all occasions, and they come in sets. I use the long one with the slotted surface for general stirring and sautéeing.

Buy: Mad Hungry 5-Piece Multi-Use Bamboo Spurtle Set, $24 at QVC

This is really just like an oversized offset spatula, and if you’ve seen those guys at the flat grill in a restaurant scrambling eggs, slipping pancakes, making hashbrowns on the griddle, this is a version of what they are using.  Mine is from OXO, like many of the spatulas and other kitchen utensils in my arsenal, and I love it for getting a nice-sized square of lasagna out of the baking pan or taking pork chops from a skillet, or flipping roasted vegetables on a baking sheet so they brown more evenly.

Buy: OXO Good Grips Restaurant Turner, $14

This is a combination cutter and server, and so it’s perfect for slicing and serving cakes, pies, cornbread, and the like. Mine is another flea market find, but try Etsy for an online score!

Even though I own a stupid amount of spatulas, I reach for the classic version over and over again.  The very thin blade/surface slides so easily underneath cookies on the baking sheet or pancakes in a skillet. And in the end, some things just need to be removed or flipped, and removed or flipped cleanly.

Buy: Chef Craft Spatula, $6.50

This clearly well-loved spatula (another OXO classic) is very multi-purpose. Great to use on nonstick surfaces because it won’t scratch any coating. It’s also heat resistant to 400°F and the handle is very comfy in the hand.

Buy: OXO Good Grips Nylon Flexible Turner Set, $13 for two

Are you a spatula fanatic like me?