8 Surprising Uses for Kitchen Tongs
Updated: Jan. 08, 2024
These additional uses from our experts give you an excuse to have a pair in every color.
Your kitchen tongs are ideal for flipping steaks or chicken on the grill. But they can do so much more. Next time you’re cooking, reach for tongs to squeeze juice from lemons or limes. It’s an easy way to add bright flavor to one of our puckery citrus desserts. (Buy our best-loved tongs here.) Now follow along for more unexpected ways to use kitchen tongs.
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Pop Open a Cool One
With the inside part of the handle, crack open a beer or soda bottle. Drink up! Don’t stop there. Check out 15 easy ways to transform beer into a cocktail.
Get a Grip on the Strainer
If your colander is smaller than your cooking pot, loop tongs through the colander handle to strain things like stock from one pot to another. Feeling inspired? Here’s what to cook with every type of noodle.
Dry Kitchen Gloves
Turn your tongs upside down in your dish drainer and put your dishwashing gloves on either side to drip dray. Don’t don kitchen gloves? Don’t miss the three reasons why you definitely should.
Prop Up Recipe Cards
Use tongs that lock to hold a recipe card or smartphone upright while cooking. These beautiful recipe card templates help you keep track of your favorite dishes the old-fashioned way.
Clean the Oven
Grab a damp, folded cloth with your tongs and use it to wipe down warm oven; the steam from the damp cloth helps to loosen and remove spills and stains without the use of harsh chemicals.
Up next: We put the leading oven cleaners to the test and found our best-loved brand. Find out which product took the top spot.
Grease the Grill
Grease a hot grill by using tongs to hold a wad of paper towels wetted with oil. Learn more non-stick grilling tips here.
Tackle Hard-to-Reach Places
Use tongs as an extension of your arms to grab items on the higher shelves in your kitchen and pantry, or to reach dog or cat toys that take up residence with the dust bunnies under your couch.
Check out these 10 surprising ways to use a pizza cutter.
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