I find that people – myself included – do not always put as much time as they should into selecting spatulas for their kitchen. Many people assume that a spatula is a spatula is a spatula, only to discover (perhaps after melting a spatula or a spatula handle) that not all spatulas are created equal. The same is true of offset spatulas. These angled spatulas are perfect for spreading batter into the corners of a pan and for frosting cakes, but the design of an offset spatula can make the difference between a perfectly frosted cake and a cake wreck. In a recent issue (Sept/Oct 2015), Cook’s Illustrated set out to test offset spatulas and put these little tools through their paces to see exactly how important form is to their function.
The test kitchen tested six different models and evaluated them with several criteria in mind. They looked for spatulas that were 7-8 inches in length (their preference for ease-of-use), were able to hold a generous dollop of frosting, were thin enough to slip easily under a layer of cake without damaging it and had an offset that made frosting a piece of cake. After a lot of frosting, two models rose to the top with “Highly Recommended” ratings: The OXO Good Grips Bent Icing Knife and the Ateco Offset Spatula. Both spatulas had a good lenth that made them easy to use, with comfortable handles and blades set at just the right angle. Fat Daddio’s Offset Spatula ended up with a “Recommended” rating, missing the top mark because some testers found its “beefy” handle difficult to hang on to.
What do you think?