Straight to the Point

Our favorite mini whisk was the Kuhn Rikon 6-Inch Balloon Wire Whisk . It beat eggs thoroughly, emulsified vinaigrette in a snap, and blended a tahini sauce in seconds.

Some jobs are just too small for a standard-size utensil: an egg or two for breakfast, a vinaigrette for a lunchtime salad. It’s annoying to bring out a large mixing bowl and a 12-inch whisk for such a tiny task. Fortunately, there are a variety of mini whisks available. But that begs the question: just what qualifies as a “mini" whisk?

There doesn’t seem to be a standard size when it comes to naming; whisks that were labeled “mini” by some brands were 75% longer than others. When we did side-by-side comparisons of everything in our lineup, however, it became clear that once a whisk cleared 6.5 inches, it could no longer qualify.…