SPATULA CITY!

[cjsmith]

I broke my spatula yesterday. GRRRRR!

Of course it had many good attributes I can no longer find. I even brought the snapped-off handle piece in to work with me so that I could try to find this exact one. (The manufacturer name and product code were embossed into the hard plastic up near the hand end.) Nope. Any product that is well-liked, does its job, and isn't massively annoying to own, will be discontinued. That's the way things work. And since it's probably twenty years old, I realize I was nuts to think I could find it now. Neither this thing nor anything else as convenient is out there any more.

Good Attributes:
- Not made of metal; OK for nonstick pan use.
- Dishwasherable.
- No problems with high heat.
- NOT FLEXIBLE. I know what a scraper is, and I have several, thank you; I want a spatula. You know what a spatula is. You've seen UHF. It is not a scraper. A "turner" would also be okay as long as it's shaped the way I like and not like a big almost-circle.
- No holes in it.
- Total length small enough that it fits in the dishwasher's silverware rack without extending far enough to jam itself into the upper rack and wedge the whole works into immobility. I have no idea what "Good Cook" (Safeway brand utensils?) was thinking, but after they suckered me in with their three-foot-long* slotted spoons, I am NOT buying more utensils from them.

It is not like I have time to go to a store for this, much less several stores, hoping to find something I can stand. It's not often I want a store like SPATULA CITY to exist, but today I honestly wouldn't mind.

* exaggeration**
** but not much

Comments

[nosrednayduj]

Bed Bath And Beyond, if you have those there, has a very large kitchen section. I was stunned when I went in for some sheets to find all the kitchen gear. I guess it's the "beyond" part.

Ignore fancy foo-foo stores like Williams Sonoma. They never have anything actually useful.

25 years ago, the Macy's in Stanford Shopping Center had a good kitchen section. Probably the store's been razed to the ground by now ;-)

But maybe they have many spatulas

[katestine.livejournal.com]

Yes they have a large kitchen section, but they don't seem to have that much variety... I went in looking for can openers and couldn't find any that pull apart so you can wash them separately, or even the "safety" verion. Nada.

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

Sounds frustrating. I'd try and find one, but I'd need a few more hints (how long is too long? no holes in the working surface, or no holes even in the handle?)

If it were only the length that was the problem, I'd say take a hacksaw to this puppy: http://www.amazon.com/High-Temp-Spatula-13-1-2/dp/B0001MSE5U/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1214877164&sr=1-15

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

Well, of course I don't know how flexible it is, either. Well, foo.

[brooksmoses]

.GIF?

I'm continually frustrated by the tendency of plastic spatulae to get a bit melty and lumpy on the ends. Which is arguably my fault for how I use them, but even so.

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

I have had very good luck getting quality spatulas, whisks, etc., at Ross. The Cuisinart brand makes regular appearances there for about one third of what they cost anywhere else. And they're very well made.

[evilegg.livejournal.com]

We're big fans of all things calphalon.
If that's even how you spell it.
Maybe I'm not such a fan afterall.
Good luck.

[hnybny.livejournal.com]

Now I'm curious, what type/model was it?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

"Huan 40160-40340 Made in Taiwan" is all I have to go by. It was made of all one kind of material, very rigid, probably made in a mold, and it kind of felt like hard plastic and ceramic got together and had a kid.

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

Got Big Lots there? I find the best stuff there. My spatulas are plastic and ugly and work great!

[hanov3r.livejournal.com]

I guess it depends on how non-flexible you want it to be. sicarii and I got one of these (http://www.surlatable.com/product/oxo+large+turner.do?search=basic&keyword=turner&sortby=gsa&asc=true&page=all) as a wedding gift, and it's pretty awesome.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_opus_/]

IKEA had several choices that might fit the bill, last time we went.

[ambar.livejournal.com]

Spatula City == Sur Le Table. One of the Oxo turners on this page (http://www.surlatable.com/category/kitchen+%26+bar+tools/cooks%26%23039-+tools/silicone%2C+nonstick+%26+wood+utensils.do?method=view&shopby=&sortby=null&filterby=&asc=true&page=all) ought to cut it.

[porcinea.livejournal.com]

The spatula nature! Yes. I have a cheap-ass metal spatula from the early 80's that's *exactly* right. Okay, it's not as perfect as my mother's spatula (slotted and with a shorter, more rounded flap), but still. My 4-year-old can turn pancakes with it! It is absolutely irreplaceable.

[rampling.livejournal.com]

The relatively recent innovation of silicone as the material for the spatula end has made me very happy. It's both pretty (mine's a lovely clear purple, of course, with a clear handle, by Pyrex) and rated for extra high temperature use. I have a li'l one that I use for most of my cooking, plus a larger spoonish-shaped one that I find occasionally comes in handy. I feel like the end is relatively stiff, but I guess I don't really have a lot to compare it to.

This is the spoonish one I have (http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Purple-PYREX-Silicone-Spoon-Spatula-High-Heat-_W0QQitemZ140245320989QQcmdZViewItem?IMSfp=TL0806301936r414)
Drat, can't find the other one, the one I use all the time.

This page (http://www.goldaskitchen.com/merchant.ihtml?id=-5&step=3&searchterm=silicone%7Cspatula) has a ton of silicone spatulas to choose from -- p'raps faster than going out shopping and paying for gas -- it's sorta a SPATULA CITY online. ;)