Spatulas and peelers

[imcookin]

Is anyone else bothered by the quality of the cooking utensils usually found in stores? I went nuts trying to find a replacement spatula for one I had bought 28 years ago. The black plastic handle had been destroyed by the dishwasher. I tried so many different ones which were too thin and weak or too thick and inflexible -- with the front edge too fat to slide under things well. Finally when my mother-in-law died, I got hers. It is also old and the wooden handle is not great -- I wash it by hand to avoid destroying it completely. I don't have any idea what I will do when that one goes. I will have to find one at a yard sale ... not easy; I tried before.

The other thing I had a really hard time finding was a good potato peeler. I kept buying them hoping to find one which would work right. I think I bought one of each kind -- some were dull and others peeled off too much pulp. I finally found that Kuhn: Rikon, Switzerland, makes one which is just like we had in the old days.

It seems that when everything started getting made in China, even the stuff not made in China went down in quality. Meanwhile, my trash can is full of horrible spatulas and potato peelers which I will not pass on to my enemies, nevermind the thought of giving them to my kids.

Does this bother No one else? I worry that the next generation will never have a chance to experience the ease of using a good tool.

 

[Katie H]

I'm in the boat with you as far as spatulas go. Many of mine are over 30-years-old and I dread when one of them goes to the great big skillet in the sky.

I solved my peeler problem by buying a ceramic one. Shaves the finest bit of skin/peel off and even makes peeling raw sweet potatoes a breeze. Those peels come off like butter.

 

[desertland]

Potato peelers is the one that always bothers me. There are definitely a lot of bad ones out there! I think that it's a matter of personal preference though - my wife can't stand the peeler I use, and I don't understand how she peels anything with the peeler she prefers.

I've been trying to adapt to a new silicone spatula, and I've found that I need ed to be much more gentle when using it. But I was able to happily adjust It just took some getting used to.

 

[jennyema]

I love Le Creauset spoonulas.

I have a bunch of cheap Kuhn Rikon peelers which I like just fine and have recently purchased a Kyocera ceramic peeler which is good but not a world apart from the one below.

 

[Andy M.]

I have an OXO peeler with replaceable blades.

I have a tough time finding spatulas satisfy me. I have the same issues as imcookin. Not too thick, flexible, etc. I have a combination of silicone high temp ones and some cheapos that don't go near a hot pan.

 

[Robo410]

I bought a five dollar bag of black nylon kitchen tools thinking "these will last a week before I melt them" but they are now 10 yrs old and going strong. I have great AllClad spoon and spatula (promos) from their regular product set, the spatula is great for eggs and crepe as it is very thin. I like the seafood spatula...angled and slotted...also a great egg spatula. Everything else I have (except my wisks) is wood, olive or bamboo are the best. I like the thin wisk best of my three.

Almost forgot...my rubber scrapers are blue silicon three pack with metal handles curved into the silicon so they can't come loose. Three pack $2.50...fantastic...good to 600*F.