Food News and Trends Product Reviews and Buying Guides The 12 Best Spatulas for Every Kitchen Task, Tested by Allrecipes Effective for numerous kitchen tasks, the versatile Cuisinart Flex and Flip Silicone Spatula is our top choice for everyday use. By Samantha Lande and Melanie Fincher Melanie Fincher Melanie Fincher is a Birmingham, Alabama–based food writer who covers everything from cooking techniques to gadget reviews. She has nearly 7 years experience writing news and lifestyle content. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on August 7, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Photo: Allrecipes Illustration A spatula is for more than flipping burgers. Vital for essential cooking tasks like turning, mixing, scraping, and more, a spatula's versatility makes it one of the most reached-for utensils in the kitchen. Because of that, it's worth doing your research to find a good one. We tested a dozen top-rated models to uncover the best spatulas on the market. Some of the important factors we considered were ease of use (e.g. comfort and maneuverability) and durability (e.g. heat resistance and sturdiness). We also evaluated them based on their uses and types, testing how well they perform their intended tasks. One winner was Cuisinart's Flex and Flip Silicone Spatula, which we love for everyday use because of its impressive versatility. Whether you're flipping pancakes or mixing the batter, these are the best spatulas for every kitchen need. Best Spatulas at a Glance Best Everyday Spatula: Cuisinart Flex and Flip Silicone Spatula Best for Baking: GIR Ultimate Spatula Best for Eggs: DI ORO Designer Series Classic Spatula Best for Cast Iron: Pampered Chef Stainless Steel Fish Spatula Best for Nonstick Pans: Anolon SureGrip Slotted Turner Best Offset/Icing Spatula: Wilton Angled Spatula Most Stylish: Material The Soft-Edge Turner Best Set: OXO 3-Piece Silicone Spatula Set What to Consider When Buying a Spatula The term "spatula" is really an umbrella term for a number of kitchen utensils that perform a whole host of different tasks. Though some can perform double duty, you'll most likely want to have at least two different types of spatulas on hand for everyday use: one for mixing and stirring, and another for flipping and turning. From there, you can get even more variety depending on your needs. Types of Spatulas Silicone Maybe the most multipurpose of all types of spatulas, silicone spatulas are generally associated with baking, but their uses don't stop there. Of course, a silicone spatula is going to be the best option for many baking tasks, such as mixing wet and dry ingredients together, folding chocolate chips and/or nuts into dough, or scraping batter from a mixing bowl. But they may also be used to make stir-fries, scrape food from the bottom of a large pot when making soups or stew, or wrangle that last bit of peanut butter out of the jar. Silicone, unlike rubber, is extremely heat-resistant, meaning it can handle hot foods and/or cookware (and this also means it's usually dishwasher safe). Plus, it's very flexible so you can maneuver it to get the last bits of batter from your mixing bowl; on the flip side (pun intended), this means silicone spatulas are typically not suitable for flipping heavy foods like fish or burger patties. And finally, silicone spatulas are excellent for use on nonstick cookware because they won't scratch the coating. You'll usually find silicone spatulas constructed one of two ways: one-piece silicone or a silicone head with a wooden handle. Although the wooden handle is attractive, in our testing we found that the one-piece silicone spatulas were more comfortable and far easier to clean (for spatulas with wooden handles, the silicone heads are often removable so you can wash them in the dishwasher, but the handle must be hand washed). Turner A turner, sometimes called a "flipper" or "flat spatula," has a long, flat paddle sticking out from the end of the handle for sliding under foods like eggs, fish, burgers, or even cookies on a baking sheet. They can be used to turn foods over, or simply carry them from pan to plate. Turners can be made of metal, silicone, or nylon (sometimes the core and the exterior are made of different materials). They may also be solid or slotted, with the latter allowing liquids or fat to fall off the food. Fish Spatula A fish spatula is basically a slotted metal turner, but it gets its own category because its uses are slightly more niche than your standard flat turner. Fish spatulas are usually bent at an angle and have a sharp, blade-like edge that can easily slide under browned foods and pull them up in one piece. The large slots allow cooking liquids to drain and help to distribute weight so the food doesn't fall off. For the grill master or anyone who loves to cook with cast iron, fish spatulas are a must for lifting off stuck-on foods like chicken breasts, fish filets, and more. But keep in mind that because they're made of metal, fish spatulas will result in significant scraping if used on nonstick cookware. Offset Spatula A must-have for any baker (or aspiring cake decorator), offset spatulas (also called "icing spatulas") are long, narrow metal spatulas most commonly used to seamlessly ice or frost cakes. They may also be used to smooth out cake batter before it goes in the oven, or to loosen baked goods like brownies, bars, and cookies from the pan. Now that you know the spatula lingo, check out our picks for the best spatulas to buy now. The Best Spatulas of 2022 Best Everyday Spatula: Cuisinart Flex and Flip Silicone Spatula Amazon Buy Now Type: Silicone If you want to keep the number of utensils in your kitchen to a minimum, this multipurpose tool is a great option. Its flexibility and tapered edge help it easily scrape a bowl and handle delicate foods like omelets. Meanwhile, it remains sturdy enough to also flip pancakes, saute, and more. According to product tester Samantha Lande, "It's not what I would recommend using for fish or anything with major weight, but it can work for the basics." The Cuisinart Flex and Flip Silicone Spatula is BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and heat resistant up to 450 degrees. Plus, it comes with a lifetime manufacturer's warranty. Buy It: $8; Amazon Best for Baking: GIR Ultimate Spatula Amazon Buy Now Type: Silicone This silicone spatula checks all of the boxes for being a baking workhorse, stirring and scraping down sides of bowls, and cleaning up easily. It's just the right amount of flexibility and strength. "It bends where it needs to without feeling flimsy," says Samantha. The spatula is easy to clean, dishwasher-safe and has a lifetime guarantee so you don't need to worry about using it to full capacity. Buy It: $17; Amazon Related: This Silicone Spatula Has an Eternal Place of Honor In My Kitchen, and My Heart Best for Eggs: DI ORO Designer Series Classic Spatula Amazon Buy Now Type: Turner This spatula had just the right amount of length and weight to make it easy to flip, remove, and push around things like scrambled eggs. It can handle heat up to 600 degrees F and is dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. "I had no worries about it scratching up our pans with ample silicone surrounding the stainless steel core," says Samantha. The rubber, no-slip handle is a nice bonus too. For $12, this is a very well-made tool. Buy It: $12; Amazon Best for Cast Iron: Pampered Chef Stainless Steel Fish Spatula Pampered Chef Buy Now Type: Fish Spatula This "fish spatula" works for so much more than fish. It was our favorite pick for both the grill and any cast iron cookware (we'd worry about it scratching a non-stick pan) or stainless steel pans. The long handle keeps our hands far enough from the heat. "The metal is delicate enough for fish but can also stand up to something heartier like a burger," says Samantha. It's dishwasher-safe and comes with a one-year guarantee. Buy It: $20; Pampered Chef Best for Nonstick Pans: Anolon SureGrip Slotted Turner Amazon Buy Now Type: Turner This slotted spatula may look a little strange, but the beveled edge helps you pick up everything from cookies to burgers with ease. The durable yet gentle nylon head makes it great for use with nonstick pans, or for removing your favorite chocolate chip cookies from a cookie sheet. It's heat safe up to 400 degrees F — and it's dishwasher-safe. The SureGrip is even sturdy enough to flip a filet of fish. Plus, it's under $10. Buy It: $8; Amazon Best Offset/Icing Spatula: Wilton Angled Spatula Amazon Buy Now Type: Offset The two offset spatulas we tested were very similar (the other was OXO), and this one won by a small margin because of the cost. It's very simple to use and is perfect to spread frosting, even out cake batter, and even maneuver in and out of jars. For just over $5, it's worth trying, even if you have never used an offset before. Buy It: $5; Amazon, Walmart, or Target Most Stylish: Material The Soft-Edge Turner Material Buy Now Type: Turner This has to be one of the most stylish turners we have seen — but it's not just a pretty pick. The Soft-Edge Turner held up very well in our testing and was just shy of being our first pick. It has a reinforced nylon core for optimal stability, but with a silicone exterior that's gentle on nonstick pans. Although it's a little more expensive than the DI ORO, and offers a little less surface area, you really can't go wrong. It's sleek, stylish, and dishwasher-safe. Buy It: $15; Material Best Set: OXO 3-Piece Silicone Spatula Set Amazon Buy Now Type: Silicone It's always nice to have variety. These silicone spatulas are well constructed and similar to the GIR, though we found the GIR to be slightly more substantial. But in terms of value, OXO takes the cake (and makes it too), offering three different silicone spatulas all for $20, including a small spatula, an everyday spatula, and a spoon spatula (the ultimate double-duty kitchen companion). The long handles have a sturdy nylon core, and the heat-resistant silicone is dishwasher safe. Buy It: $20; Amazon or OXO Other Spatulas We Tested Tovolo Flex-Core Wood Handled Spatula Amazon Buy Now Type: Silicone This spatula was easy to use, very sturdy, and well made. It came down to a personal preference of not loving wooden handles as much as the convenience of the one-piece silicone options. The head is removable to wash in the dishwasher, but the handle needs to be washed by hand. Samantha says, "I could see this potentially being an issue with the head of the spatula getting loose or lost!" But this is no doubt a good spatula with heat resistance of up to 600 degrees F. Buy It: $8; Amazon or Target Le Creuset Revolution Medium Spatula Le Creuset Buy Now Type: Silicone Similar to the Tovolo, this is a wood handle with removable head spatula. We found the handle very uncomfortable (but again, it's personal preference), and found it quite difficult to remove the head for cleaning. The silicone was a bit thicker and a little less flexible than other models we tried. Buy It: $15; Le Creuset Cuisinart Oceanware Solid Turner Amazon Buy Now Type: Turner We wanted to love this one because it's the most eco-friendly (the handles from Cuisinart's Oceanware collection are constructed primarily of recycled fish nets), but we were disappointed. "The only part of the spatula made of ocean plastic is actually the handle," Samantha says. It also didn't perform as well as the others, with the edge already starting to warp when it was cooking eggs in a nonstick pan. At $9, it's no big investment, but it's worth spending a little bit more to get something that will last. Buy It: $9; Amazon OXO Good Grips Bent Icing Spatula Amazon Buy Now Type: Offset We really don't have anything bad to say about this one. It was so similar to the Wilton one, just a few dollars more. We went with Wilton simply based on budget. If you come across this one, it certainly serves its purpose. Buy It: $10; Amazon or OXO How We Tested Each Spatula Because there was so much variety among the spatulas we tested, Allrecipes product tester Samantha Lande tested each category of spatula based on its uses: For silicone spatulas: Each was used to scramble eggs and mix and scrape brownie batter and frosting from a bowl. For turners: Each was used for flipping pancakes and removing a fried egg from a pan. For fish spatulas: Each was used to lift and flip fish from a pan. For offset spatulas: Each was used to spread frosting. During testing, Samantha paid special attention to the following factors: Ease of Use: How well does it do its intended job? Does it feel flimsy or hold up? Is it comfortable to hold/use? Does it scratch pans/bowls? Longevity: Is it heat-resistant? How well does it wash? Does it ding/scratch easily? Does it feel sturdy?Value: Is it worth the money? More Tested Product Reviews: The 9 Best Food Processors, Tested by Allrecipes The 9 Best Pizza Stones and Steels of 2021, Tested by Allrecipes The 13 Best Cutting Boards for Meat, Tested by Allrecipes Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit