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The Best Metal Spatulas

This essential tool can be a cook's best friend—but only if you choose the right one.

Miye Bromberg
By Miye Bromberg ･ Published Nov. 1, 2018. Appears in America's Test Kitchen TV Season 21: Butter-Basted Fish and Succotash
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Top Picks

WINNERWüsthof Gourmet 7" Slotted Fish Spatula

  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
Full Ratings & Specs

BEST BUYMIU France Flexible Fish Turner–Slotted

  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
Full Ratings & Specs
See Everything We Tested

What You Need to Know

A good metal spatula is an essential component of any cook’s toolkit. Often referred to as a turner or flipper—likely to avoid confusion with thicker silicone spatulas that are used to fold and scrape—it’s used to flip or transfer foods whenever we’re working with metal cook- or bakeware. (When cooking in more delicate nonstick pans, we prefer plastic spatulas.)

It had been a while since our last review, and we wanted to know if our old favorite, the Wüsthof Gourmet 7" Slotted Fish Spatula ($49.95), still held up to the competition. We bought 10 models priced from $4.53 to $49.95, including our previous winner, and put them through their paces, using them to flip and remove eggs, pancakes, burgers, fried fish, and home fries from a variety of cooking vessels and to transfer sugar cookies from a baking sheet to a wire rack. Five models were conventional spatulas, featuring sturdy square or rectangular heads, some slotted and some solid. The other five, including our former winner, were fish spatulas. Often found in restaurant kitchens, these spatulas feature long, tapered, slotted heads; as their name implies, they are traditionally used to lift and support slender fish fillets.

We used spatulas to flip and remove pancakes and turn delicate fish fillets.

The good news? All the spatulas performed reasonably well and were able to get the food from point A to point B more or less intact. Still, a few factors made certain models easier, more comfortable, and generally more pleasant to use.

Fish Spatulas Versus Regular Spatulas: What’s The Difference?

There’s a reason that professional cooks swear by fish spatulas. The spatulas’ unique head shape makes them versatile, allowing them to excel at flipping and moving not only delicate pieces of fish, but foods of different shapes and sizes. For one thing, the heads are roomy—on average, about 12 square inches, compared to 11 for the conventional models. They are also long and slim, tapering out from the base, so they can nimbly navigate even the tightest spaces, such as the 8-inch cast-iron skillet we used to make over-easy eggs. The length of the fish spatulas’ heads—5.5 inches on average for the models in our lineup—was particularly important. Longer heads act as more extensive landing strips for food to travel along, so food didn’t fall right off or get squashed when we shoved a little too forcefully to get the spatula under the food.

By contrast, the heads of the five conventional metal spatulas in our lineup were squat and rectangular, which made them a little awkward to maneuver in confined spaces. Because the heads are shorter than a fish spatula’s (most were less than 4 inches long), fragile foods such as pancakes and soft cookies sometimes hit the back end and got dented if we slid the spatula under them too vigorously; heavier foods such as pub burgers sometimes fell backward onto the cooking surface. And these spatulas’ smaller surface areas meant that long fish fillets and large pancakes sometimes draped over the sides a bit precariously.

In addition, most of the conventional spatulas in our lineup had heads that were either too rigid and thick (more than 1 millimeter), making it harder to get under food without damaging it, or too flexible and thin (0.2 millimeters), buckling slightly when we lifted the 1/2-pound pub burgers. Fish spatulas hit the sweet spot: At 0.8 to 0.9 millimeters thick, their moderately flexible heads hugged the cooking surface and slipped easily under all foods without tearing or bumping them, but they were still substantial enough to support heavier foods and do a little scraping when foods stuck.

Associate Editor Miye Bromberg uses a metal spatula to transfer sugar cookies from a baking sheet to a wire rack.

The Best Type Of Spatula Handle

Fish spatulas had advantages on the other end as well. Their handles—all 4.5 to 5 inches long—moved our hands closer to the action and gave us more control for flipping and scooping. By contrast, the handles on conventional spatulas were simply too long—8 to 9 inches on the most unwieldy models—leaving us to poke clumsily at the food from afar.

More generally, we preferred handles of moderate thickness, about 2.5 to 3.25 inches around. Thinner, flatter handles cramped our hands after extended use, and thicker handles were hard for smaller-handed users to hold. We also liked handles made of textured wood or plastic, as these were easier to grasp than smooth metal, especially when wet or greasy.

Our Favorite Metal Spatula: Wüsthof Gourmet 12" Fish Spatula

By the conclusion of testing, one thing was clear: We significantly preferred fish spatulas to conventional models. Two products swam to the top of our rankings. They are nearly identical, with moderately long, medium-thick handles made of easy-to-hold plastic. Both also have large, long heads that could lift any food without damaging it and just enough flexibility for good control. There was just one small critical difference between the two models: the curvature of the head. Once again, our old favorite from Wüsthof had the edge—literally. The end of its head curves upward with a pronounced swoop, affording more leverage for prying up roasted potatoes or lifting the corner of a pancake to check its browning. The curved head also positions hands higher, putting them at a safer distance from hot pans. At $49.95, it’s not cheap, but we think it’s a worthy investment, considering how frequently we use it. That said, our Best Buy, the MIU France Flexible Fish Turner—Slotted ($16.57), was a very close second. Its head is nearly flat, so it can’t command quite the same amount of leverage as our winner and it brings your knuckles a little closer to the hot pan. But it performed almost as well—and at a third of the price.

  • Big, long, narrow, medium-thick head
  • Curved edge
  • Moderately long, grippy handle

  • Flip and remove over-easy eggs from 8-inch cast-iron skillet
  • Flip and remove pancakes from 12-inch cast-iron skillet
  • Flip and remove fillets of sole from 12-inch carbon-steel skillet
  • Flip and remove 1/2-pound pub burgers from 12-inch cast-iron skillet
  • Flip and remove home fries roasted on half-size rimmed baking sheet
  • Transfer soft sugar cookies baked on baking sheet to wire rack
  • Have users of different hand sizes and dominant hands use each model to flip and transfer pancakes
04:07

America's Test KitchenMetal SpatulasWatch Now

Everything We Tested

Good 3 Stars out of 3.
Fair 2 Stars out of 3.
Poor 1 Star out of 3.

Highly Recommended

  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

WINNERWüsthof Gourmet 7" Slotted Fish Spatula

Our former winner continues its reign: Its perfectly proportioned head supported foods of all shapes and sizes and maneuvered nimbly even in tight spaces. And because it's also moderately thin and flexible, it excelled at getting under food. The head's pronounced curve provided extra leverage for prying up food and kept our hands higher above hot pans. All users found its handle easy to hold, though some wished the otherwise comfortable plastic were grippier.
Model Number: 4433 or 9035092117Handle length: 4.75 inHead thickness: 0.9 mmHandle material: Polyoxymethylene (high-density plastic)Head surface area: 12.1 sq inHandle circumference: 2.75 inAverage head dimensions: 2.2 x 5.5 inPrice at Time of Testing: $49.95
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
Our former winner continues its reign: Its perfectly proportioned head supported foods of all shapes and sizes and maneuvered nimbly even in tight spaces. And because it's also moderately thin and flexible, it excelled at getting under food. The head's pronounced curve provided extra leverage for prying up food and kept our hands higher above hot pans. All users found its handle easy to hold, though some wished the otherwise comfortable plastic were grippier.
Model Number: 4433 or 9035092117Handle length: 4.75 inHead thickness: 0.9 mmHandle material: Polyoxymethylene (high-density plastic)Head surface area: 12.1 sq inHandle circumference: 2.75 inAverage head dimensions: 2.2 x 5.5 inPrice at Time of Testing: $49.95

Recommended

  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

BEST BUYMIU France Flexible Fish Turner–Slotted

This fish spatula was nearly identical to our winner, with one small but important difference: Its head was almost flat, lacking the curvature that would allow users to summon extra leverage and keep their hands higher above hot surfaces. It still excelled at every task we gave it and was comfortable to hold, although its handle, like the one on our winning model, was a bit too smooth.
Model Number: 90011Handle length: 4.5 inHead thickness: 0.8 mmHandle material: Polyoxymethylene (high-density plastic)Head surface area: 12.1 sq inHandle circumference: 2.6 inAverage head dimensions: 2.2 x 5.5 inPrice at Time of Testing: $16.57
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
This fish spatula was nearly identical to our winner, with one small but important difference: Its head was almost flat, lacking the curvature that would allow users to summon extra leverage and keep their hands higher above hot surfaces. It still excelled at every task we gave it and was comfortable to hold, although its handle, like the one on our winning model, was a bit too smooth.
Model Number: 90011Handle length: 4.5 inHead thickness: 0.8 mmHandle material: Polyoxymethylene (high-density plastic)Head surface area: 12.1 sq inHandle circumference: 2.6 inAverage head dimensions: 2.2 x 5.5 inPrice at Time of Testing: $16.57
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

Victorinox 3 x 6-Inch Chef's Slotted Fish Turner

Like our winner, this fish spatula had a well-proportioned, nicely curved head of moderate thickness and flexibility, which allowed it to effortlessly flip, transfer, and support foods of all sizes. But testers were mixed on its handle: While the textured wood surface helped us keep our grip on the spatula when handling greasy, splattering foods, a rough metal edge stuck out from that wood, digging into our hands and making the spatula unpleasant to hold for extended periods.
Model Number: 40415Handle length: 4.75 inHead thickness: 0.9 mmHandle material: WalnutHead surface area: 12.4 sq inHandle circumference: 2.75 inAverage head dimensions: 2.25 x 5.5 inPrice at Time of Testing: $19.20
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
Like our winner, this fish spatula had a well-proportioned, nicely curved head of moderate thickness and flexibility, which allowed it to effortlessly flip, transfer, and support foods of all sizes. But testers were mixed on its handle: While the textured wood surface helped us keep our grip on the spatula when handling greasy, splattering foods, a rough metal edge stuck out from that wood, digging into our hands and making the spatula unpleasant to hold for extended periods.
Model Number: 40415Handle length: 4.75 inHead thickness: 0.9 mmHandle material: WalnutHead surface area: 12.4 sq inHandle circumference: 2.75 inAverage head dimensions: 2.25 x 5.5 inPrice at Time of Testing: $19.20
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

Mercer Culinary Hell's Handle High Heat 6” x 3” Fish Spatula

This fish spatula's head was well proportioned, moderately thin and flexible, and gently curved, allowing it to perform every task well. We liked the grippy plastic material of its handle, which was easy to hold even when covered in grease. The only problem? The handle itself was quite thick, which made it slightly harder for even larger-handed testers to hold comfortably for extended periods.
Model Number: M33183Handle length: 5 inHead thickness: 0.8 mmHandle material: Polypropylene (plastic)Head surface area: 12.4 sq inHandle circumference: 3.4 inAverage head dimensions: 2.25 x 5.5 inPrice at Time of Testing: $17.57
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
This fish spatula's head was well proportioned, moderately thin and flexible, and gently curved, allowing it to perform every task well. We liked the grippy plastic material of its handle, which was easy to hold even when covered in grease. The only problem? The handle itself was quite thick, which made it slightly harder for even larger-handed testers to hold comfortably for extended periods.
Model Number: M33183Handle length: 5 inHead thickness: 0.8 mmHandle material: Polypropylene (plastic)Head surface area: 12.4 sq inHandle circumference: 3.4 inAverage head dimensions: 2.25 x 5.5 inPrice at Time of Testing: $17.57
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

Kuhn Rikon Flexi Spatula, 11”

While this turner performed ably in every task, its head and handle were a touch undersized next to the other fish spatulas in the lineup. Because the spatula had a smaller surface area, it felt less secure when flipping or transferring larger items such as pancakes. The metal handle was a bit short, narrow, and slick, which made it slightly harder to hold.
Model Number: 2165Handle length: 4 inHead thickness: 0.8 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 10.9 sq inHandle circumference: 2.3 inAverage head dimensions: 2.07 x 5.25 inPrice at Time of Testing: $17.95
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
While this turner performed ably in every task, its head and handle were a touch undersized next to the other fish spatulas in the lineup. Because the spatula had a smaller surface area, it felt less secure when flipping or transferring larger items such as pancakes. The metal handle was a bit short, narrow, and slick, which made it slightly harder to hold.
Model Number: 2165Handle length: 4 inHead thickness: 0.8 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 10.9 sq inHandle circumference: 2.3 inAverage head dimensions: 2.07 x 5.25 inPrice at Time of Testing: $17.95

Recommended with reservations

  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

Norpro Krona 12″ Stainless Steel Solid Turner

This conventional spatula had plenty of surface area for supporting and transferring foods, so it did a fairly good job on most tasks. But its head was more rectangular than the fish spatulas', which made it more unwieldy to maneuver in tight spaces. Since the head was also somewhat thick and very rigid, testers found it tricky to slide the spatula under fragile foods such as pancakes and cookies. Finally, the metal handle was slicker and narrower than we preferred, which made it less comfortable to hold.
Model Number: 1226Handle length: 4.1 inHead thickness: 1 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 12.4 sq inHandle circumference: 2.4 inAverage head dimensions: 3.1 x 4 inPrice at Time of Testing: $10.47
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
This conventional spatula had plenty of surface area for supporting and transferring foods, so it did a fairly good job on most tasks. But its head was more rectangular than the fish spatulas', which made it more unwieldy to maneuver in tight spaces. Since the head was also somewhat thick and very rigid, testers found it tricky to slide the spatula under fragile foods such as pancakes and cookies. Finally, the metal handle was slicker and narrower than we preferred, which made it less comfortable to hold.
Model Number: 1226Handle length: 4.1 inHead thickness: 1 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 12.4 sq inHandle circumference: 2.4 inAverage head dimensions: 3.1 x 4 inPrice at Time of Testing: $10.47
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

OXO Good Grips Flexible Turner-Stainless Steel

Faced with stiffer competition, our previous Best Buy fell in our rankings. Most users still liked its grippy plastic handle, though it was a touch thick for some. The real problem was its ultrathin, very flexible head. Although it hugged the surfaces of pans closely and did a great job of sliding under food, it was too flimsy; holding a ½-pound burger felt like a risky proposition. It was also a bit small, so long fish fillets drooped over the edge and threatened to break.
Model Number: 34491Handle length: 4.6 inHead thickness: 0.2 mmHandle material: Thermoplastic rubber (TPR)Head surface area: 10.8 sq inHandle circumference: 3.25 inAverage head dimensions: 2.35 x 4.6 inPrice at Time of Testing: $7.99
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
Faced with stiffer competition, our previous Best Buy fell in our rankings. Most users still liked its grippy plastic handle, though it was a touch thick for some. The real problem was its ultrathin, very flexible head. Although it hugged the surfaces of pans closely and did a great job of sliding under food, it was too flimsy; holding a ½-pound burger felt like a risky proposition. It was also a bit small, so long fish fillets drooped over the edge and threatened to break.
Model Number: 34491Handle length: 4.6 inHead thickness: 0.2 mmHandle material: Thermoplastic rubber (TPR)Head surface area: 10.8 sq inHandle circumference: 3.25 inAverage head dimensions: 2.35 x 4.6 inPrice at Time of Testing: $7.99
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

Farberware Professional Stainless Steel Slotted Turner

The head of this conventional spatula was moderately thin, allowing it to slip under food fairly easily. But it was also on the smaller side, providing less surface area to support the food and allowing fish fillets and large pancakes to drape off the sides. Its squat profile made it feel clunky, and testers disliked the smooth metal handle, which was too long and thin, providing less control and proving uncomfortable to hold for long periods.
Model Number: 5084423Handle length: 8.5 inHead thickness: 0.9 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 11.3 sq inHandle circumference: 2 inAverage head dimensions: 3.0 x 3.75 inPrice at Time of Testing: $13.01
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
The head of this conventional spatula was moderately thin, allowing it to slip under food fairly easily. But it was also on the smaller side, providing less surface area to support the food and allowing fish fillets and large pancakes to drape off the sides. Its squat profile made it feel clunky, and testers disliked the smooth metal handle, which was too long and thin, providing less control and proving uncomfortable to hold for long periods.
Model Number: 5084423Handle length: 8.5 inHead thickness: 0.9 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 11.3 sq inHandle circumference: 2 inAverage head dimensions: 3.0 x 3.75 inPrice at Time of Testing: $13.01
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

Cuisinart Steel Solid Turner

The swoop of this spatula's ultralong handle was elegant but not very practical, encouraging users to hold the part closest to the head to summon more control when turning or moving food. Larger foods sometimes fell off the small head, and because it was relatively thick, it had a harder time getting under food, occasionally denting fragile pancakes and cookies.
Model Number: CTG-08-SSTHandle length: 9 inHead thickness: 1.1 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 8.55 sq inHandle circumference: 1.25–3.25 inAverage head dimensions: 2.85 x 3.0 inPrice at Time of Testing: $9.63
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
The swoop of this spatula's ultralong handle was elegant but not very practical, encouraging users to hold the part closest to the head to summon more control when turning or moving food. Larger foods sometimes fell off the small head, and because it was relatively thick, it had a harder time getting under food, occasionally denting fragile pancakes and cookies.
Model Number: CTG-08-SSTHandle length: 9 inHead thickness: 1.1 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 8.55 sq inHandle circumference: 1.25–3.25 inAverage head dimensions: 2.85 x 3.0 inPrice at Time of Testing: $9.63
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design

Chef Craft 12.5″ Stainless Steel Slotted Turner

This spatula's head was too small, thick, and rigid, so it had a harder time getting under larger or more fragile foods. Its handle was long, thin, and rough on the edges, which made it somewhat uncomfortable to hold for extended periods. Still, for the most part, it got the job done.
Model Number: 10211Handle length: 6.6 inHead thickness: 1.3 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 11.3 sq inHandle circumference: 2 inAverage head dimensions: 3.0 x 3.75 inPrice at Time of Testing: $4.53
  • Head Design
  • Performance
  • Handle Design
This spatula's head was too small, thick, and rigid, so it had a harder time getting under larger or more fragile foods. Its handle was long, thin, and rough on the edges, which made it somewhat uncomfortable to hold for extended periods. Still, for the most part, it got the job done.
Model Number: 10211Handle length: 6.6 inHead thickness: 1.3 mmHandle material: Stainless steelHead surface area: 11.3 sq inHandle circumference: 2 inAverage head dimensions: 3.0 x 3.75 inPrice at Time of Testing: $4.53

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them. Have a question or suggestion? Send us an email at atkreviews@americastestkitchen.com. We appreciate your feedback!

The Expert

Author: Miye Bromberg

byMiye Bromberg

Senior Editor, ATK Reviews

Miye is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She covers bread, booze, and blades.

Miye Bromberg is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. Areas of specialization include bread, booze, and blades. A native of New York, she now lives in Kentucky, where she spends her free time thinking about film, tending her garden, and traveling long distances to eat dosas.

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