Straight to the Point

The best kitchen tongs are the OXO Good Grips 12-inch Tongs , hands down. They're solidly built, easy to use, and precise.

Kitchen tongs remind me of the fantasy novels I loved as a kid, where the hero trains until they can wield their sword like an extension of their arm. My go-to pair of kitchen tongs is my version of that; they’re always there whenever I need to grab, lift, flip, or serve. It’s not quite fighting mythical monsters, but it still makes me feel cool.

At their core, kitchen tongs are just two metal arms connected by a spring hinge at the bottom. Anything beyond that is a perk, like silicone-lined tips to make them gentler on nonstick pans. The best pair of tongs is one you don’t have to think much about, which is tough because any flaw in its design (like a stiff spring, wobbly arms, or misaligned tips) can quickly become a nuisance.

To find the best kitchen tongs, I tested dozens of pairs.…