Why A Tiny Whisk Reaps the Biggest Rewards in My Kitchen
I like small whisks and I cannot lie ...
Test Kitchen Pick: Food Network Kitchen staffers share the kitchen tools they can't live without — both at work and at home — plus, their tips and tricks for using them like a pro.
When it comes to kitchen tools, bigger isn’t always better. Sure, a big spatula is great for flipping burgers on a flaming hot grill and an extra-large ladle is great for scooping up those hunky heaps of beef and carrots in a winter stew. But for certain tasks, smaller is better and a tiny tool means way more control. It’s this very idea that first introduced me to my now-favorite tool in the kitchen: a baby whisk. I know, a smaller tool means your fingers might be that much closer to a hot pan, but that’s half the fun of it. Let me explain.
I first started using a baby whisk while working as a food stylist. This whisk, which the team at Food Network aptly nicknamed the “baby whisk” as it measures just nine inches long, helped me to perform tasks more neatly and efficiently. I found it to be particularly perfect for whisking together small amounts of ingredients which is really helpful when styling food photoshoots. The small whisk felt like it was almost an extension of my hand, and allowed me to perform tasks with more precision than a larger whisk would. I could whisk into crevices of any pot or pan, and didn’t have to use a huge mixing bowl for every job. After getting accustomed to my new found accuracy in the kitchen I decided to bring this tool home with me, and I haven’t looked back since.
These days the only whisk I use is a nine-inch OXO brand wire whisk with a brushed metal handle. (It also comes in a soft grip handle, pictured above, if that's more your style.) This whisk is perfect for whipping up a quick vinaigrette, a sauce for stir fry or even a small batch of cookie dough. It fits in any drawer, is easy to handle and comfortable to hold. It can get into tiny crevices and corners that a larger whisk couldn’t. I can whip, whisk and stir, and the pear-shaped handle never slips, even with slippery or wet hands. I love how it allows me to beat my eggs to perfection and whip cream by hand — a particularly arduous task — with ease and efficiency. Best yet, it’s lightweight, stainless steel and dishwasher safe. It just keeps getting better, and I’ll never go back to a regular size whisk!
Young Sun Huh is a recipe developer for FoodNetwork.com. She has a nostalgic love for all the cooking shows she used to watch on PBS as a kid, before Food Network ever existed. Her favorite condiment is Sambal Oelek and she loves a good cocktail. If she wasn’t in food, she could see herself dabbling in architecture or urban planning.
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