Balance of kitchen utensils

[Stephen Tashiro]

Why are so many kitchen utensils designed to be impossible to rest inside a pan?

Many (modern) kitchen utensils like spatulas are designed so the handle is heavier than the business end. If you put them in a pan so the tang rests on the edge of the pan, they tip out of the pan. The only advantage I see to this design is that if you put the utensil down directly on the counter then it sits so the business end is raised up a little above the counter.

[Jim Koepke]

Many years ago our spatula (turner as SWMBO insists it be called) had a plastic handle. It was accidentally left in the oven when SWMBO turned the oven on to preheat it. Long story short, the handle was replaced with some hardwood scrap. Lee Valley sold the rivets at the time.

We have a couple of ceramic owls spoon/spatula rests on our stove for setting them down when out of pan.

Our other spatula also has a wood handle. Both of them and our other small spatula can be made to set in the pan. Many years ago our large one came from Sur la Table. Looking at their online catalog looks like they do not carry such an item now. It appears they are all made for coated pans or have stainless steel handles.

Sometimes if setting the handle outside of the pan with the end of the spatula on the edge of the pan it helps to turn the spatula over. This can make it stay with the handle resting on the stove or counter.

I haven't hunted for kitchen utensils in years. There are stores like Chefs Choice in many areas.

Just found this on the internet > https://www.webstaurantstore.com/40765/turners.html

This one looks promising if the photo isn't faked > https://www.webstaurantstore.com/8-x-4-solid-turner-with-cutting-edge-wood-handle/407WTSD48.html

Happy hunting.

One last thing that made my SWMBO happy was to grind a bevel on the top side of the front of the spatula. This is helpful in many ways and especially when baking cookies.

jtk

[Patty Hann]

....

One last thing that made my SWMBO happy was to grind a bevel on the top side of the front of the spatula. This is helpful in many ways and especially when baking cookies.

jtk

You have now [unintentionally] transformed a common kitchen spatula into a razor edged (?) lethal weapon.
Them cookies had better behave themselves.;)

[Jim Becker]

It's true that a lot of kitchen utensils have heavier handles at this point...largely from the effort to make them more comfortable to hold and because the "business end" of many are no longer heavier metal to allow them to be used with non-stick coatings without damaging those coatings. I use several composite and wood utensils when cooking which helps alleviate this imbalance since there are no heavy handles. That only leaves spatulas and they are what they are. I don't leave them leaning in a pan, anyway.