Cook Better: Three Reasons to Get a Set of Silicone Spatulas

Silicone spatulas are quickly replacing standard plastic and heavy duty metal spatulas, and it’s easy to see why. Silicone is durable, flexible, sturdy and won’t scrape the non-stick coating off your pots and pans. Switching out your plastic or metal cooking utensils with silicone also makes clean-up a lot easier. Even sticky stuff like scrambled eggs wash right off with just a little warm water and a sponge. Here’s what to look for in a silicone spatula set.

Silicone spatulas come in a variety of styles and can be used for all kinds of food prep. From making scrambled eggs in a hot pan, scraping the cookie dough out of the mixer, or frosting a cake, the right silicone spatula will glide through food and make preparation a little easier.

One key benefit of switching out your spatula set for food safe silicone is most silicone can withstand very high heat—up to 600° F. This means it won’t leach chemicals or melt into your food when it heats. Bonus, it also means you can throw it in the dishwasher with no worries.

If you like the look and feel of cooking with wooden utensils but also want the durability of silicone, consider a wood and silicone hybrid. Choose a handle made from a renewable hardwood like acacia or bamboo (which also stays cool to the touch when exposed to high temperatures), with a sturdy silicone scraper firmly attached to the end.