Salad tongs are one of those kitchen tools that seem simple until you try a pair with a poor grip. Slippery tongs can turn the simple act of serving a fresh salad into a frustrating game of chase, with lettuce and toppings scattering instead of landing neatly on the plate. The right pair, however, feels like an extension of your hand, offering precise control and a secure hold on everything from delicate greens to hearty pasta salads.
Beyond just avoiding kitchen mishaps, a well-designed pair of tongs enhances your entire serving experience. A secure grip means you can confidently toss dressings, serve generous portions, and present your culinary creations with ease. This roundup focuses on finding the best salad tongs that prioritize this essential feature, ensuring your focus remains on enjoying the meal, not struggling with the utensils.
Our Top Picks for Secure-Grip Salad Tongs
- Spring Chef Stainless Steel Kitchen Tongs
- Chef Craft Premium Salad Scissor Tongs
- Ironwood Gourmet Spring Salad Tongs
- Goodcook Gourmet Stainless Steel Salad Tongs
- Maphyton 2 Packs 304 Stainless Steel Cooking Tongs
- OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Tongs With Nylon Heads
- RSVP International Endurance Locking Tongs
- Muso Wood Acacia Salad Servers
- Prepworks by Progressive Stainless Steel Locking Tongs
Spring Chef Stainless Steel Kitchen Tongs
This set from Spring Chef provides excellent value, offering two 12-inch tongs designed for a firm grip. One pair features stainless steel tips, while the other has protective silicone tips, making them suitable for both non-stick cookware and direct serving. The scalloped edges on the tips are a key feature, providing a textured surface that grips food firmly without tearing delicate ingredients like leafy greens.
Built with user convenience in mind, these tongs feature a comfortable, ergonomic design. A secure locking mechanism allows you to lock them closed for compact storage, and a built-in hanging ring offers an alternative storage solution. The robust construction ensures they can handle high heat, making them a versatile tool for both cooking and serving.
Chef Craft Premium Salad Scissor Tongs
For those who prefer a different mechanism, the Chef Craft Scissor Tongs offer a unique and effective approach to serving salads. Made from heavy-duty plastic, they are durable yet lightweight. The scissor-style action provides natural, precise control, allowing you to easily pick up individual cherry tomatoes or a full serving of mixed greens with equal ease.
A significant advantage of this design is its cleanability. The tongs are designed to come apart into two separate pieces, ensuring no food particles get trapped in hinges or hard-to-reach areas. This feature, combined with an ambidextrous design that is easy to use with either hand, makes them a practical and hygienic choice for everyday use.
Ironwood Gourmet Spring Salad Tongs
If you value aesthetics as much as function, the Ironwood Gourmet tongs are an excellent option. Crafted from beautiful acacia wood, each pair features unique, natural grain patterns, ensuring your serving set is one-of-a-kind. The rich wood finish adds a touch of warmth and elegance to any table setting, making them perfect for entertaining.
Beyond their good looks, these tongs are highly functional. They utilize a simple one-handed spring mechanism that is easy to operate, eliminating the struggle often associated with stiff, clunky tongs. Designed to pair perfectly with wooden salad bowls, they create a cohesive and stylish serving presentation for your dining table.
Goodcook Gourmet Stainless Steel Salad Tongs
The Goodcook Gourmet tongs feature a classic scissor-style design refined for better control. The hinge on these tongs is positioned closer to the handles than on many conventional models. This clever design shift provides superior leverage, resulting in more precise and comfortable handling when serving slippery or delicate foods.
Constructed from durable stainless steel, these tongs are built to last and are suitable for use in both home and professional settings like buffets or cafes. Their versatile design makes them ideal for serving not just salads, but also pasta, bread rolls, and pastries, proving to be a multi-purpose tool in your kitchen drawer.
Maphyton 2 Packs 304 Stainless Steel Cooking Tongs
Maphyton offers great value with this two-pack of heavy-duty stainless steel tongs. Made from food-grade, rust-proof SUS 304 stainless steel, they are built for durability and long-term use. The smooth, polished edges ensure safe handling, preventing any scratches or nicks on your hands or cookware.
These tongs feature a practical design with perforated holes in the gripping ends. These holes serve a dual purpose: they increase the friction on the contact surface for a better grip on food, and they allow excess water or oil to drain away while serving. The comfortable handles and simple design also make them easy to clean and store.
OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Tongs With Nylon Heads
OXO is renowned for its user-friendly designs, and these 12-inch tongs are no exception. The signature Good Grips handles are comfortable and non-slip, providing a secure hold even with wet hands. The heads are made from durable nylon, which is gentle on non-stick cookware surfaces, making them safe for use in a wide variety of pans.
The brushed stainless steel construction is both sturdy and reliable for everyday kitchen tasks. These tongs are versatile enough for tossing salads, turning food while cooking, and transferring ingredients. Like many OXO products, they include a practical locking mechanism to keep them securely closed and save space in your utensil drawer.
RSVP International Endurance Locking Tongs
For tasks that require more precision, the RSVP International Endurance locking tongs are an ideal choice. Their compact 6.5-inch size is perfect for handling smaller foods like cherry tomatoes, olives, or pickles, and for serving from smaller bowls. The small size helps prevent mess and makes them easy to maneuver with excellent control.
Despite their smaller stature, they are built with the same quality as full-sized tongs, featuring durable stainless steel construction. The locking feature is particularly useful for keeping them neatly shut in a drawer or stored in a utensil crock. They are a great secondary pair to have on hand for specific serving or preparation needs.
Muso Wood Acacia Salad Servers
This set from Muso provides a complete and elegant serving solution with its beautifully crafted acacia wood tongs. The natural wood is hand-polished and treated with wood wax oil, resulting in a smooth, safe surface that is pleasant to touch and use. The weight and thickness of the servers are balanced for comfortable handling.
Designed specifically for mixing and serving salads, these tongs make the process quick and efficient. The ergonomic design ensures a easy grip, reducing hand fatigue. When not in use, the built-in hanging holes allow for convenient storage. Their attractive appearance makes them suitable for both daily meals and special occasions.
Prepworks by Progressive Stainless Steel Locking Tongs
The Prepworks by Progressive locking tongs are designed with practicality and durability in mind. Made from sturdy stainless steel, they are built to withstand regular use while maintaining their functionality and appearance. The locking mechanism is a key feature, ensuring the tongs remain compact and tidy when stored in a kitchen drawer.
These tongs are versatile for a range of serving tasks, from salads to pasta. The design focuses on providing a reliable grip and easy operation. The robust construction promises long-lasting performance, making them a dependable addition to any kitchen’s serving utensil collection.
Buying Guide: How to Choose Salad Tongs with a Secure Grip
When I’m looking for new kitchen tools, I focus on how they feel in my hand and how well they do their job. For salad tongs, the grip is everything. You don’t want a slippery handle when you’re trying to serve a big, leafy salad. The best salad tongs with a secure grip make the task easy and mess-free.
First, consider the material. Stainless steel tongs are durable, easy to clean, and have a good weight to them. However, the metal itself can be slippery. Look for tongs that have handles coated in silicone or soft, textured plastic. This coating provides a non-slip surface that stays put in your hand, even if your fingers are a bit greasy or wet from washing vegetables. Some tongs even have ergonomic handles that are shaped to fit the curve of your palm, which reduces hand strain and improves control.
Next, think about the locking mechanism. This is a small but important feature. A good lock keeps the tongs closed and tidy in your utensil drawer. More importantly, it prevents them from springing open and taking up too much space. The most common type is a sliding ring or clasp near the pivot point. Test this out if you can; a secure lock should feel sturdy and not flimsy. Tongs that can be locked are simply more convenient for storage.
The tips of the tongs are another area to examine. For salads, you generally want broad, scalloped, or slotted ends. Scalloped edges are great for grabbing different sizes of ingredients, from small cherry tomatoes to large lettuce leaves. Slotted ends are perfect because they allow dressing to drain away, so you’re not serving a pool of vinaigrette with your greens. Make sure the tips align properly when closed; misaligned tongs are frustrating and ineffective.
Finally, pay attention to the length and the spring action. Standard kitchen tongs are usually around 9 to 12 inches long, which is a comfortable range for serving from a bowl. The spring should provide enough resistance to make grabbing food easy, but not so much that it makes your hand tired. A smooth pivot point is key for a comfortable, secure grip that makes every use a simple task. By focusing on these elements—the handle material, the lock, the tips, and the overall feel—you’ll find a pair of tongs that are both functional and a pleasure to use every day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best material for salad tongs that won’t slip?
In my experience, the best material combination for a non-slip experience is stainless steel for the body and a silicone coating on the handles. The stainless steel is strong, rust-resistant, and easy to clean, while the silicone provides a soft, textured grip that stays secure in your hand. Avoid plain, polished metal or wooden handles without any texture, as these can become slippery, especially with wet hands.
Are locking salad tongs really necessary?
While not strictly necessary, a locking mechanism is a feature I find incredibly useful. It keeps the tongs compact and neat in your kitchen drawer, preventing them from snagging on other utensils or popping open. It also makes storage much more organized. If drawer space is tight, this small feature can make a big difference in keeping your kitchen tidy.
Can I use my salad tongs for cooking with high heat?
This depends entirely on the materials. All-metal stainless steel tongs are generally safe for use with high heat, such as turning food in a hot pan or on a grill. However, if your tongs have silicone parts, you need to check the manufacturer’s specifications. High-quality, heat-resistant silicone can typically handle temperatures up to 400-500°F, but it’s always best to confirm this to avoid melting the handles and ruining your secure grip.
What’s the ideal length for a pair of salad tongs?
For serving salads, a length between 9 and 12 inches is ideal. This size is long enough to comfortably reach into a deep salad bowl without your hand touching the food, but it’s not so long that it becomes awkward to handle or store. I find that 12-inch tongs offer a bit more reach for larger serving bowls, while 9-inch ones are perfect for everyday use and smaller kitchens.
How do I clean and maintain my salad tongs?
Most salad tongs are dishwasher safe, which is a convenient option. However, to preserve the finish and the non-slip coating on the handles for a longer time, I prefer hand washing them with warm, soapy water. For tongs with a locking mechanism, make sure to open and close them under running water to rinse out any food particles that might get stuck in the pivot point. Dry them thoroughly before storing to prevent water spots on stainless steel or potential damage to wooden components.
Why won’t the tips of my tongs close properly?
If the tips of your tongs aren’t aligning, it’s often because the pivot screw has become loose over time. Many tongs have a screw at the joint that you can tighten with a small screwdriver to bring the tips back into alignment. If the tongs are bent, you can sometimes gently bend them back into shape. For a pair of salad tongs with a secure grip, ensuring the tips meet correctly is crucial for picking up food effectively.