KTLA

Best salad tongs

Best salad tongs

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.

Which salad tongs are best?

Diving into a gorgeous bowl of leafy greens or a tempting plate of cold pasta salad is made much easier with the proper utensil. Salad tongs are built to grab and serve tons of oddly shaped veggies and slippery pasta, making serving simple and fast. But which are the best salad tongs for the job?

If you need your utensils to last a long time and to be good at more than one task, try the Spring Chef Salad Tongs. This two-piece set works as hard serving salad as it does a steak fresh off the grill.

What to know before you buy salad tongs

Salad tong materials

When it comes to salad tongs, there are plenty of materials available:

Style

Tongs are available in three basic styles, all of which you can use to serve salads.

Intended use

If space is not an issue and money is no object, by all means, select tongs designed specifically for serving salad. However, if you prefer your kitchen utensils to take on more than one job, you’ll need to select tongs that you can use for multiple applications. 

What to look for in quality salad tongs

Locking mechanism

Wide-open tongs are a pain to store and a hazard in your utensil drawer. Look for a locking mechanism that lets you keep them closed for storage. This may be a pull at the end of the tongs or a simple metal loop that keeps them closed.

Comfortable handles

Comfortable handles are important. If you are balancing a plate in one hand and need a simple operation that doesn’t pinch or require superhuman strength, this might be the most important feature. These should have a good non-slip grip, too.

Ambidextrous

Because most of the world uses their right hand for everything, southpaws may feel left out. The good news is that most salad tongs are ambidextrous.

How much you can expect to spend on salad tongs

The price varies depending on the type of salad tongs and the materials used. Expect to spend $7-$17. 

Salad tongs FAQ

How do you care for salad tongs?

A. You can wash most salad tongs in the dishwasher. The exceptions are wood tongs and those meant to be recycled or composted. 

If you notice that your tongs are damaged or are not working properly, it’s time to discard or recycle. Most salad tongs can be recycled. If your metal salad tongs have silicone tips, remove the tips and recycle as usual.

Wood and bamboo tongs can be composted.

Are there other uses for salad tongs?

A. This depends on the style of salad tongs you select, but in most cases, salad tongs have other culinary applications that include:

What are the best salad tongs to buy?

Top salad tongs

Spring Chef Salad Tongs 

What you need to know: This two-piece set has you covered, even when cooking in nonstick pans.

What you’ll love: The 12-inch stainless steel tongs are great for the grill, while the silicone tongs can toss a salad or move food from non-stick pans to the table. The silicone tips are removable for easy washing. These lock closed for easy storage.

What you should consider: Once removed, the silicone tips are difficult to wrangle back onto the tongs.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Top salad tongs for the money

Chef Craft Premium Salad Scissor Tongs

What you need to know: These are best for serving cold salads at informal gatherings.

What you’ll love: Both left-and right-handed people can use these heavy-duty plastic, scissor-style salad tongs. They can be separated for easy cleaning in the dishwasher.

What you should consider: They are challenging to reassemble, and these cannot be used on hot pans.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

Ironwood Gourmet Spring Salad Tongs

What you need to know: If good design matters as much as function, you will love these tongs.

What you’ll love: These acacia wood tongs can be used with one hand. They are elegant and smooth. The wood is eco-friendly, and the tongs are a good size.

What you should consider: These do not have a locking mechanism, so they may not be a good choice if storage space is limited.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.

Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.

Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.