A melon baller looks like a small spoon with a sharp rim, and that rim does the work. You press it into the fruit, turn it a full circle and lift out a round ball. It takes a minute to learn, and after that a plain cantaloupe turns into something that looks like you went to some trouble.
The best melon baller for you depends on the size of ball you want and how long you plan to hold it. This guide covers seven true ballers from OXO, Norpro, Rösle, Mercer and Progressive, from a 3/8-inch garnish scoop to a 1.25-inch fruit salad scoop. If you want a spring-loaded scoop for dough instead, see our guide to the best cookie scoop.
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Quick verdict: which melon baller to buy
Buy the OXO Good Grips Double Melon Baller. It gives you a 1-inch and a 1.25-inch scoop on a soft non-slip handle, and it can go in the dishwasher. If comfort matters most, the Norpro Grip-EZ has the handle The Daring Kitchen rated most ergonomic. For tiny garnishes, add the Mercer 3/8-inch mini baller.
Five melon ballers by the job they do
| Melon baller | Best for | Scoop size | Handle | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
OXO Good Grips Double Melon BallerBest overall
|
Most kitchens | 1 in and 1.25 in | Soft non-slip grip | View on Amazon |
| Comfort, long jobs | 1.25 in | Santoprene | View on Amazon | |
Rösle Large Melon and Potato BallerBest all-steel
|
Steel, long-term use | 1.2 in (3 cm) | Round stainless steel | View on Amazon |
Mercer Culinary Double Melon BallerBest small double
|
Fruit cups, plating | 7/8 in and 1 in | Polypropylene | View on Amazon |
Mercer Culinary 3/8-inch Mini Melon BallerBest for garnish
|
Cocktail and dessert garnish | 3/8 in | Polypropylene | View on Amazon |
Our picks for the best melon baller
1. OXO Good Grips Double Melon Baller – Two Sizes, Soft Grip
This is the one to buy if you want a single tool for fruit salad and seeding squash. It has a stainless scoop at each end, one 1 inch across and one 1.25 inches, on a soft non-slip handle. OXO suggests the small end for strawberries, pears and tomatoes, and for clearing the seeds from peppers, cucumbers and summer squash. The large end is for fruit salad, drop cookies and ice cream.
It also has the best independent record of any baller we found. The Daring Kitchen, which says it physically tested ten ballers, reviewed it in detail, and BestReviews named it best of the best for its sturdy steel and its handle. The one fault The Daring Kitchen raises comes from the same thing that makes it work: the edges are sharp enough that they sometimes punched through the rind and left bits on the melon balls. Stopping a little short of the skin should help.
OXO says the edges are sharp enough to scoop fruit but safe to touch, and it lists the tool as dishwasher safe.
Why we like it
- Two scoop sizes, 1 inch and 1.25 inches, per OXO
- Soft, non-slip handle
- Dishwasher safe, per the listing
- Reviewed well by The Daring Kitchen and BestReviews
Key specifications
| Model | 39781V3 |
|---|---|
| Scoop size | 1 in and 1.25 in |
| Heads | 2 |
| Head material | Stainless steel |
| Handle | Soft non-slip grip |
| Length | Not stated |
| Care | Dishwasher safe |
| Warranty | OXO satisfaction guarantee |
Why we recommend it
It suits most home cooks, because the two sizes cover both fruit and seeding work and the soft handle gives you something to hold on to when the melon is wet.
Skip it if you work close to the rind and want a blunter edge, since The Daring Kitchen found this one can break through.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Two useful sizes in one tool
- Soft non-slip grip
- Goes in the dishwasher
Cons
- Sharp edges can cut through the rind
- Some buyers told BestReviews it is larger than they expected
2. Norpro Grip-EZ 1.25-inch Melon Baller – An Easy Handle to Hold
If your hands tire easily, start here. The Grip-EZ has a single 1.25-inch stainless scoop on an oversize Santoprene handle with finger indents. Norpro says the patented shape works in either hand and keeps your hand clear of the working end. The Daring Kitchen rated the handle the most ergonomic of the group it tried and picked this as its best single-head baller.
The drawback is a small one to live with. The Daring Kitchen found the hole in the cup too small, so suction can hold a ball in place and you may need to nudge it out. At 1.25 inches the scoop makes a good bite-size ball, which is what most people want for a fruit bowl, but you give up the smaller end of a double tool.
It measures 7 inches long and has a hang hole. The Daring Kitchen says it is listed as dishwasher safe but that some users report damage to the finish, so wash it by hand.
Why we like it
- Oversize handle with finger indents, per Norpro
- Works in the right or left hand
- 1.25-inch head suits bite-size fruit
- Rated the most ergonomic by The Daring Kitchen
Key specifications
| Model | 115 |
|---|---|
| Scoop size | 1.25 in |
| Heads | 1 |
| Head material | Stainless steel |
| Handle | Santoprene |
| Length | 7 in |
| Care | Hand wash suggested |
| Warranty | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits cooks who care most about comfort, including anyone doing a big tray of fruit for a party.
Skip it if you want two sizes in one tool, or if you dislike working a ball out of the cup.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Comfortable oversize handle
- Hang hole for storage
- Simple single scoop
Cons
- Only one size
- Small air hole can let balls stick
- Finish may suffer in the dishwasher, per user reports The Daring Kitchen cites
3. Rösle Large Melon and Potato Baller – All Steel, Lifetime Warranty
Most ballers have a plastic or wood handle. The Rösle does not. It is made of 18/10 stainless steel, with a round handle that works in either hand, and the ends of the handle are filled with epoxy cement. Rösle says that keeps it watertight, anchors the head and gives the tool its weight and balance. There is a polished loop at the end for hanging.
The Amazon listing does not give the head size, but Chef Supplies sells the same model, 12710, as a 1.2 inch (3 cm) baller. That is close to the large end of the OXO. As the name says, it is also meant for potatoes, so it can turn out small round potatoes for the pan as well as fruit.
The listing gives a lifetime warranty. It does not say whether the tool can go in the dishwasher, so check before you assume it can. This pick rests on the listing and maker details, since we did not find an independent test of it. A steel handle will also feel harder in a wet hand than a soft grip, which is worth weighing if you plan to do a lot of fruit.
Why we like it
- 18/10 stainless steel, per the listing
- Handle sealed with epoxy cement to keep water out
- Hanging loop for a utensil rail
- Lifetime warranty on the listing
Key specifications
| Model | 12710 |
|---|---|
| Scoop size | 1.2 in (3 cm), per Chef Supplies |
| Heads | 1 |
| Head material | 18/10 stainless steel |
| Handle | Round stainless steel |
| Length | 6.7 in |
| Care | Not stated |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Why we recommend it
It suits a cook who wants one solid tool to keep for years and who also makes small round potatoes.
Skip it if you want a soft grip or two sizes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No plastic or wood to wear out
- Sealed, weighted handle
- Lifetime warranty on the listing
Cons
- One size only
- Steel handle has no soft grip
- Care is not stated on the listing
4. Mercer Culinary Double Melon Baller – Smaller Balls for Plating
Mercer makes tools for foodservice kitchens as well as home cooks, and this one has two scoops that are smaller than the OXO’s: 7/8 inch and 1 inch. Those sizes suit a garnish, a dessert plate or a fruit cup better than a big bowl of fruit. Small balls also take more scoops per melon, so it is a better fit for neat plates than for a crowd.
The tool is 6.5 inches long, with stainless scoops at both ends of a molded polypropylene handle. Mercer describes the handle as non-slip, even with wet hands. Mercer is firm on care: wash it by hand with warm water and mild soap, dry it completely, keep it out of the dishwasher and do not leave it soaking.
This pick rests on the listing and maker details. We did not find an independent test of this double model. The Daring Kitchen did review Mercer’s single 3/8-inch baller and found its handle slippery, so a similar handle here may not be as grippy as the listing suggests.
Why we like it
- Two small scoops, 7/8 inch and 1 inch
- Molded polypropylene handle
- Compact at 6.5 inches
- From a maker that supplies foodservice kitchens
Key specifications
| Model | M15100P |
|---|---|
| Scoop size | 7/8 in and 1 in |
| Heads | 2 |
| Head material | Stainless steel |
| Handle | Molded polypropylene |
| Length | 6.5 in |
| Care | Hand wash only |
| Warranty | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits cooks who plate desserts or make fruit cups and want smaller, neater balls than most home ballers give.
Skip it if you want dishwasher care, or if you mostly make large balls for fruit salad.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Smaller sizes than most double ballers
- Scoops at both ends
- Short and easy to store
Cons
- Hand wash only
- Too small for fast work on a whole melon
- Handle grip is unproven on this model
5. Mercer Culinary 3/8-inch Mini Melon Baller – Tiny Pearls for Garnish
This is a specialty tool. The 3/8-inch scoop makes tiny pearls of melon for a garnish, and it is far too small for a fruit salad. If you want small round garnishes for a cocktail or a dessert plate, nothing else on this page will do that job.
The Daring Kitchen reviewed this exact size. It found that making balls takes much longer, as you would expect, and that the small plastic handle was slippery and not very comfortable. Mercer’s listing calls the handle non-slip, so the two disagree, and we would go with the reviewer who held it. Plan on using it for a few minutes at a time, not for a whole melon.
Care is the same as the larger Mercer: hand wash with warm water and mild soap, dry it fully and keep it out of the dishwasher. The listing gives the size as 1 by 1 by 6 inches.
Why we like it
- 3/8-inch scoop for tiny garnishes
- Stainless steel head
- Small enough to store anywhere
Key specifications
| Model | M15300 |
|---|---|
| Scoop size | 3/8 in |
| Heads | 1 |
| Head material | Stainless steel |
| Handle | Molded polypropylene |
| Length | 6 in |
| Care | Hand wash only |
| Warranty | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits cooks who garnish drinks and desserts, as a second tool next to a regular baller.
Skip it if this would be your only baller, because it is far too small and slow for fruit salad.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Smallest scoop here
- Makes garnish-size balls no other pick can
- Takes no storage room
Cons
- Slow work, per The Daring Kitchen
- Handle found slippery by the same review
- Hand wash only
6. Norpro Double Melon Baller with Wood Handle – Classic Wood Handle
This is the old-fashioned kind: a wood handle in the middle with a stainless bowl on each end. The scoops match the OXO’s sizes at 1 inch and 1.25 inches, and at 8.25 inches long it is the longest tool here, which helps when you reach down into a deep melon half.
BestReviews named it the best value and noted that some buyers find it hard to hold. That fits the design, since a slim wood handle gives you less to grip than a thick soft one. Norpro says the edges are thin and sharp, and that the tool also works for hollowing cherry tomatoes, seeding cucumbers and shaping butter.
Norpro recommends washing it by hand. Keep it out of the dishwasher and dry the wood soon after washing, as you would with any wooden tool.
Why we like it
- Same two sizes as the OXO, 1 inch and 1.25 inches
- Polished stainless bowls, per Norpro
- Longest reach here at 8.25 inches
- Named best value by BestReviews
Key specifications
| Model | 5135 |
|---|---|
| Scoop size | 1 in and 1.25 in |
| Heads | 2 |
| Head material | Polished stainless steel |
| Handle | Solid wood |
| Length | 8.25 in |
| Care | Hand wash recommended |
| Warranty | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits cooks who prefer wood to rubber and who use a baller only a few times a year.
Skip it if you have weak hands or want a dishwasher-safe tool. Some buyers find the handle hard to hold.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Two common sizes
- Long reach
- Wood handle with no rubber to wear out
Cons
- Some buyers find it hard to hold
- Hand wash only
7. Prep Solutions 2-in-1 Melon Baller and Seed Scoop – Baller Plus Seed Scoop
Most ballers do the same job at each end. This one from Progressive’s Prep Solutions line does two different jobs. One end is a stainless ball scoop. The other is a scoop for clearing the seeds out of a melon half and taking the flesh away from the rind, so you can clean the fruit first and then ball it with the same tool.
The listing keeps the details short. It says the tool is made of stainless steel and plastic, is BPA-free and is dishwasher safe. It does not give the scoop diameter or the length, and we list those as not stated. The pick rests on the listing and maker details alone, so buy it for the design, not for any proof of how well it holds up.
It makes the most sense with cantaloupe and honeydew, which have a large seed cavity to clear before you start. Seedless watermelon gains less from it.
Why we like it
- Seed and rind scoop at one end, ball scoop at the other
- Stainless steel ball scoop
- Dishwasher safe and BPA-free, per the listing
Key specifications
| Model | PS-3316 |
|---|---|
| Scoop size | Not stated |
| Heads | 2, one ball and one seed scoop |
| Head material | Stainless steel and plastic |
| Handle | Not stated |
| Length | Not stated |
| Care | Dishwasher safe |
| Warranty | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits a cook who breaks down whole cantaloupes or honeydews and would rather keep one tool in hand.
Skip it if you want a choice of ball sizes, because only one end makes balls.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Handles seeding and balling
- Dishwasher safe
- BPA-free, per the listing
Cons
- Only one ball size
- Scoop size is not stated
- Listing says little about how it is built
How to choose a melon baller
This is a small tool, and only a few things separate a good one from a poor one.
Scoop size
Think about the ball, not the tool. Scoops around 1 to 1.25 inches make a bite-size ball for fruit salad, and that is the range most home cooks want. Scoops under an inch are for plating and fruit cups. Anything near 3/8 inch is purely a garnish tool. Smaller scoops also mean more turns of the wrist for each melon, so a tiny baller is a poor choice for a party bowl.
One head or two
A double baller gives you two sizes for the same drawer space, which is why we put one first. A single head has one job, but the handle can be built around it, as with the Norpro Grip-EZ. If you only make one size of ball, a single head is no real loss.
Handle
Melon is wet and slippery, so the grip matters more than it seems. Soft rubber handles were the ones reviewers praised, while slim wood and small smooth plastic drew complaints. Read a maker’s “non-slip” claim with care: Mercer’s listing uses that phrase, and The Daring Kitchen still found the small Mercer handle slippery.
Rim and air hole
The rim should be thin enough to cut cleanly and strong enough not to bend. BestReviews reports bending and lost shape on some multi-piece sets, which is one reason we kept to single tools from known makers. Look for a small hole in the bottom of the bowl too. It lets air in so the ball can drop out, and The Daring Kitchen found that if the hole is too small the ball can stick.
Care
Two of the picks here go in the dishwasher per their listings. Both Mercer tools and the Norpro wood handle should be washed by hand, and the Rösle listing does not say. If you hate hand washing, sort by that first.
How to get round balls
Halve the melon on a stable cutting board and use ripe but firm fruit. Press the rim straight in until the bowl is full, turn the tool a full circle and lift. Work from the outside in, leave a little space between balls and stop before you reach the rind. Chill the balls in a serving bowl until you need them. For the trimming a baller can’t do, a small paring knife is the better tool.
How we picked these seven melon ballers
We did not test these ourselves. We started with what a working kitchen asks of a small hand tool: a clean edge, a handle that stays put when wet and easy care. Then we read the Amazon listings and maker details for every candidate and looked for independent reports. The Daring Kitchen, which says it tested ten ballers, BestReviews and a Yahoo roundup gave us reports on four of these picks: the OXO, both Norpro tools and the Mercer mini. The Rösle, the Mercer double and the Prep Solutions pick rest on the listing and maker details, and each says so.
Every pick was in stock on Amazon when we wrote this. We left out Spring Chef’s “melon baller scoop” models, which are spring-loaded cookie scoops and not true ballers, and we left out sellers we could not trace to an identifiable maker. KitchenAid, Victorinox and Fox Run ballers were low in stock. Winco’s wood-handled baller was in stock, but its listing gave too little detail to describe it fairly.
Melon baller questions, answered
What is the difference between a melon baller and a melon baller scoop?
Often nothing. The name is used for the same fixed spoon-shaped tool. Some sellers also put “melon baller scoop” on spring-loaded cookie scoops, which release food with a squeeze. Those are built for portioning soft food, not for cutting a clean ball from firm fruit, so check the photo before you buy.
What size melon baller is best for fruit salad?
About 1 to 1.25 inches. That makes a bite-size ball without taking too many scoops per melon. OXO and Norpro both offer those two sizes on one tool.
What else can a melon baller do?
The makers list plenty of uses. OXO suggests clearing seeds from peppers, cucumbers and squash, and scooping drop cookies. Norpro adds hollowing cherry tomatoes and shaping butter. Rösle’s tool is also sold for potatoes. A mini baller can make a small fruit garnish for the drinks in our margarita accessories guide.
Can a melon baller go in the dishwasher?
It depends on the model. The OXO and Prep Solutions listings say yes. Mercer says no, Norpro recommends hand washing its wood-handled tool, and The Daring Kitchen suggests hand washing the Grip-EZ after user reports of finish damage.
Why does the ball stick in the scoop?
Usually suction. Wet fruit seals against the bowl, and a small air hole cannot break the seal quickly. Rinse the bowl now and then, or nudge the ball out with a fingertip.
Our last word on melon ballers
For most kitchens the OXO double is the one to buy, and it will cover both fruit and seeding work. Add the Mercer mini only if you garnish often. For the spring-loaded tool that handles dough and batter, read our guide to the best cookie scoop. If you would rather leave the cooking to us, call to order from Julia’s at (346) 546-8283.