We Tested the Best Tongs So You Can Feel Like a Top Chef

Best Overall

OXO 9-Inch Tongs With Silicone Heads

Orig. $16 $14 at Amazon $20 at Wayfair $16 at Oxo

This pair of tongs by OXO features a silicone head with scalloped edges, making it easy to grab onto food firmly while also being safe for use with nonstick cookware and bakeware. Made of sturdy stainless steel, they're capable of lifting and turning thick pieces of meat without warping or bending. This pair also features silicone grips and a thumb rest so you know where to position your hand for the best grip.

During testing, we noted that the angled head lets you grab food securely without having to squeeze too hard, though the thicker edges of the tong's head made it slightly difficult to slide under a burger patty or pan-seared steak that hasn't fully released from the skillet. Still, it worked well to pull slippery noodles from boiling water and toss vegetables while roasting on a baking tray, offering great control and overall ease of use.

Aside from using them for cooking, they're a good size to use for serving salads or plating up green beans—they're pretty versatile. These are heat-safe to 600 degrees and dishwasher-safe for cleaning, and they feature a lock so you can store them easily.

Material: Stainless steel, silicone | Length: 9 inches | Weight: 5.7 ounces | Heat Max: 600 degrees | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 1

Best Value

HOT TARGET Set of 3 Tongs

$10 at Amazon

Don't be fooled by the price tag of these tongs—they're inexpensive, but they work wonderfully. This set includes three pairs: a 7-inch, 9-inch, and 12-inch version, so you have every size you need at a great price point. Each pair has a slightly angled silicone-tipped head that lets you grip without squeezing too hard and a lock to keep them closed for convenient storage.

We used the middle-sized pair to stir fry noodles in a nonstick pan and found them lightweight and easy to maneuver, with no worries about damaging the pan's coating. The smallest pair of tongs was used to pluck pastries from a baking sheet with ease, and the largest pair to flip steak in a cast iron pan. There wasn't much to find wrong with this set, though its lightweight quality could work against it if faced with oversized, heavy cuts of meat like brisket or whole chickens.

All of these tongs are heat-safe up to 600 degrees F. When it's time to clean up, toss them in the dishwasher, and they'll be ready for your next meal. They come in black, red, or multicolor (which can come in handy for avoiding cross-contamination).

Material: Stainless steel, silicone | Length: 7, 9, and 12 inches | Weight: 2.2, 4.2, and 4.9 ounces | Heat Max: 600 degrees | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 3

Best Metal-Tipped

DRAGONN 12-inch and 9-inch Stainless Kitchen Tongs

Orig. $10 $8 at Amazon $9 at Walmart

Made primarily of stainless steel, these metal-tipped tongs also have a comfortable silicone grip so you have great control, even when you're working at a distance. The included 12-inch pair is long enough to give you room to flip foods in the pan without worrying about being hit with oil splatter or holding your hand over high heat; the 9-inch pair is the right size for serving food or mixing up a salad.

We like how lightweight these tongs are and used them to sear steaks and pan-fry Korean mandoo while keeping a comfortable distance. The thin edges made it easy to slip underneath the steaks for better grip and to gently pry them off a carbon steel pan if they get a bit stuck. The thumb rests add to the comfort and security of the grip.

Since these are made of metal, they are safe to use on the barbecue grill, but they shouldn't be used with nonstick pans as they might scratch them. They are incredibly easy to clean with a quick run through the dishwasher.

Material: Stainless steel, silicone grip | Length: 9 and 12 inches | Weight: 3.7 ounces/5 ounces | Heat Max: Not specified | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 2

Best for Barbecue

Grillshogs 16-Inch Barbecue Grill Tongs

$16 at Amazon

Heavy cuts of meat require heavy-duty tongs, and this pair from Grillhogs is up to the task. Made from high-quality stainless steel, the grips are made of smooth, damage-resistant oak wood and keep the tongs cool while you're flipping sausages, vegetables, and chicken wings on the grill.

During testing, we zeroed in on the sturdiness of these tongs, using them to grab an entire roast chicken from its pan without any fear of slippage. The slightly angled heads allowed maximum grip without having to squeeze the tongs too tightly. The 16-inch length of these tongs makes it easy to reach across a large barbecue grill surface or deep into an oven without exposing your hands to too much heat.

We tested the 16-inch version, but these tongs are also available in smaller 9- and 12-inch sizes. All of the sizes feature a pull-tab locking mechanism for storage and a loop to hang them on your grill's tool rack when not in use. Because of the wooden handles, it's best to wash these by hand.

Material: Stainless steel, oak wood | Length: 16 inches | Weight: 9.6 ounces | Heat Max: Not specified | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but hand wash recommended | Number of Pieces: 1

Best Design

Dreamfarm Clongs

$35 at Amazon $35 at Walmart $35 at Target

This uniquely-designed pair of tongs (called "clongs") by Dreamfarm features a bend in the handle that keeps its head elevated off of the countertop and a sharp point and divot that you can use to pierce and separate sausage links while grilling. While most other styles of tongs have a pull tab to lock the pincers closed, this pair uses a click-to-lock mechanism that functions much like a retractable ballpoint pen—simply use your thumb to activate it.

These tongs seemed too light to handle very heavy cuts of meat during testing, but worked well for individual-sized steaks. We also tested them on other typical BBQ foods—pulling corn on the cob from boiling water and transferring roast potatoes to a serving platter—and found them to grip well without feeling too heavy or difficult to keep closed.

We tested the 15-inch pair, but this style of tongs is also available in a 10-inch model, as well as a silicone-tipped version that is safe to use with nonstick cookware. All versions of clongs are heat-safe to 500 degrees and can be cleaned easily in the dishwasher.

Material: Stainless steel | Length: 15.6 inches | Weight: 7.9 ounces | Heat Max: 500 degrees | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 1

Best for Toast

Laboos Magnetic Bamboo Toaster Tongs

$9 at Amazon $21 at Walmart

It can be really tempting to use your fingers to fish a piece of toast out of the toaster, but for safety's sake, pick up a pair or two of these toaster tongs instead—you'll thank us later. Made from renewable bamboo, these tongs feature a magnet that allows you to store your tongs on any magnet-friendly surface for easy access.

We appreciated the magnet feature, as the tongs can be stored right on the side of the toaster (or toaster oven). The tongs provided a secure grip when pulling thick pieces of brioche from the oven, as well as when flipping blinis in a frying pan. While they're too small and not really meant for use as full-on cooking utensils, they're great for grabbing breakfast items like pancakes, waffles, and drained strips of bacon.

To keep these in top condition, wash them by hand. These come bundled in a set of two, so you’ll always have one handy for the toaster while using the other to pluck a teabag out of a hot cup of tea.

Material: Bamboo | Length: 8.7 inches | Weight: 0.8 ounces | Heat Max: Not specified | Dishwasher-Safe: No | Number of Pieces: 2