Rubber Spatulas

[DerekW]

I wonder if they are available in Canada somewhere???

I can't speak to those particular spatulas, but Trudeau products are sold by The Bay, if I recall correctly. I also often see them in HomeSense, at discount.

I'm a Chef'n spoonula fan, myself.

[thegreatdane]

I've noticed over time rubber spatulas stay greasy, particularly ones I've used for chocolate. A friend said it's plasticizers coming out. Anyone know about this or good spatulas to use for oily substances?

Thanks,

Tom

[Kerry Beal]

I've noticed over time rubber spatulas stay greasy, particularly ones I've used for chocolate. A friend said it's plasticizers coming out. Anyone know about this or good spatulas to use for oily substances?

Thanks,

Tom

I looked at the stuff that shows up on my silicone spatulas under the microscope - it appears to be fat crystals - I assume it's cocoa butter.

[gap]

I would second cocoa butter. Nothing scientific to back that up, but it has that "feel" to me

[Mjx]

I've noticed over time rubber spatulas stay greasy, particularly ones I've used for chocolate. A friend said it's plasticizers coming out. Anyone know about this or good spatulas to use for oily substances?

Thanks,

Tom

I switched to silicon spatulas a while ago, because I didn't feel like worrying about plasticizers in maybe-rubber-but-probably-some-sort-of-plastic spatulas. But generally, to get the grease off plastic, rubber, or silicon, you need to apply the detergent directly, work up a lather, and repeat as necessary. I believe (organic chemistry is about a decade behind, me now) it has something to do with these compounds having a greater affinity for lipids than glass, metal, or ceramic.

Edited January 27, 2011 by Mjx (log)

[prasantrin]

Rubber spatulas are not all created equal. Some really suck--too stiff so they don't conform to the bowl, and you can't scrape the last bits out, etc. etc. This is especially true if you own a Vitamix since the containers are square-ish and it's almost impossible to scrape them out well.

So what brands make perfect spatulas? Perfect for scraping cake batter? Perfect for folding egg whites into whatever? Perfect for scraping smoothies and soups out of my Vitamix?

I do know Vitamix makes spatulas ($9 for 3, and they're nylon), but I'm hoping not to have to resort to mail order.

[Deus Mortus]

Well not sure if you have the brand in America, but I'm rather fond of my Le Chef spatula's, have about 5 of them, I use them for everything.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I swear by the silicone spatches made by Cafe du Joy (no idea whether those are available in the US) - just springy enough to conform, just stiff enough to scrape really well, and I can stir hot things with them as well without worrying that they're going to deform. I have seven different shapes and sizes for various uses.

[andiesenji]

I prefer the Rubbermaid, High-Heat spatulas and in the Vitamix I use the spoon scraper.

Cook's Illustrated (America's Test Kitchen) uses these too.

They are good to 500° F.

For cake batters %etc., this big one works better than others. I used to have a long one made by Pyrex that was almost identical (17 inches long) but the handle broke, after several years heavy use and I replaced it with this one and a shorter one but I usually use the big one.

This is the "spoonula" I use for the Vitamix

I should add that I have a bunch of rubber and silicone spatulas, Trudeau, Orka, OSO, KitchenAid, HIC and some others with no names.

I had some with wood handles that I tossed out because they couldn't go into the dishwasher - well, they did but the handles separated from the blade.

I had a Le Creuset and the handle broke when I was scraping a bowl of cookie dough.

Edited June 5, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[rotuts]

I like pyrex professional silicone:

http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-Professional-Silicone-Spatula-Set/dp/B000095SE1

they are not very popular as they have a ridge you can barely see where you put your hand. its meant to keep the spat. from sliding into the bowl when you rest it there or something like that.

I ended up removing it.

it has a firm handle and a semi-firm working 'blade'

I have yet to find the model used on American Test Kitchen, but would love to try one.

[rotuts]

i thought Id ask here:

that red RubberMaid: is the handle stiff ? so some reason I dont care for Spats. that have flexibility in the handle

thanks

[Darienne]

The all-in-one-piece Trudeau spatula9", 4 of the regular yellow ones and one of the teal spoon ones. Love them!

[LindaK]

I like my Le Creuset spatulas, just the right flexibility for me.

For getting into tight spaces, like blenders, I rely on the smaller, skinny spatulas--they're half the width of a standard spatula:

[Darienne]

Because a certain DH was earlier impatiently waiting for me to get of the computer, I never said why I loved my Trudeau spatulas in post #7. They are sturdy little critters and come in various sizes which means that 9" is just perfect for my hand. Plus being all of one piece, the heads can never come off. They come in all different shapes. The price is right. What more can you ask for?

[qrn]

I prefer the Rubbermaid, High-Heat spatulas and in the Vitamix I use the spoon scraper.

Cook's Illustrated (America's Test Kitchen) uses these too.

They are good to 500° F.

I agree on the Rubbermaid,I also use them to turn stuff in teflon nonstickpans...

Bud

[andiesenji]

i thought Id ask here:

that red RubberMaid: is the handle stiff ? so some reason I dont care for Spats. that have flexibility in the handle

thanks

There is only very slight flexibility in the handle. For all practical purposes, it is stiff and stable when working fairly heavy dough.

[Kerry Beal]

A very small selection of my spatulas - I do have a bit of a fetish.

Second and fourth from the right are perfect in the Thermomix.

[natasha1270]

I really want to like these Chefn Switchit Spatula & Spoon I just bought but the spatula blade is just too flimsy!

http://www.amazon.com/Chefn-Switchit-All-Purpose-Silicone-Spatula/dp/B00276BXQ0

http://www.amazon.com/Chefn-Switchit-Silicone-Spatula-Cherry/dp/B001CJXJX8

I loved my old silicone spatula/spoonulas from Wm Sonoma (they are the same as Le Creuset I think) but didn't repurchase because I don't like the big wooden handle they switched to. Are the metal handled ones they sell in store the same or is there anywhere you can still buy the Le Creuset spatulas with the old handles?

[natasha1270]

Kerry - it looks like you have the trudeau spoonula that Darienne likes. Is it a similar firmness to the little william sonoma one you have? Thx!

[andiesenji]

I think I must also have a rubber/silicone spatula/spoonula scraper fetish like Kerry.

I gathered most of mine from various crocks and hangers (a couple are in the dishwasher) and lined them up and took photos.

The longest and largest 16 1/2" at the far left, spoonulas at the far right, along with a "chopula" recent addition at the far right that doubles as a scraper, chopper, flipper & etc.

Some are showing their age but are still useful. A while back I tossed all the ones with wooden handles after breaking one and getting a big splinter in my hand.

Edited June 17, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry - it looks like you have the trudeau spoonula that Darienne likes. Is it a similar firmness to the little william sonoma one you have? Thx!

Oops just saw this now - sorry. About the same stiffness I'd say.

[deepfryerdan]

Good lord. I have 4 rubber spatulas - all from a local restaurant supply store. I do enjoy kitchen gadget collections, though. So nice collection, andiesenji.

[andiesenji]

After all that I forgot to mention that the spatulas I use with best effect in the Vitamix are the long skinny ones with blue, green and clear paddles. The paddles are flexible enough to slide under the Vitamix blades and yet firm enough to clean even fairly sticky stuff from the corners.

[Richard Kilgore]

Andie - What brand are those three skinny ones?

[baroness]

I'm not Andie, but I bought the ultra slim spatulas HERE!