Steel, Nylon or Long Handle: Finding the Best Slotted Spoon

A slotted spoon gets more work in a Mexican kitchen than almost anything else on the rail. It lifts charro beans out of their broth, fishes rajas out of a pan, pulls poached eggs from the water and moves carnitas away from the fat. All it has to do is slide under the food, hold it and let the liquid run away.

This page is about buying one good cooking spoon, not a matching set for the table. If you are laying out a buffet, our guide to the best serving utensils covers that job, and for frying, the best spider strainer drains faster. Here we compare steel, nylon and long restaurant spoons on the points that actually make a difference.

Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for, product specifications, verified buyer reports and the independent review we name. We have not used these products ourselves.

Quick verdict: which slotted spoon to buy

Five slotted spoons at a glance

Five picks side by side, one for each kind of cook, with what each maker or listing states. All seven spoons are reviewed below.

Product images from Amazon. Lengths and heat limits are as stated on each listing.

Our picks for the best slotted spoon

These seven spoons run from a light steel spoon to nylon heads for coated pans and a long, deep-bowled spoon for pots of beans. None is on our serving utensil page. We note where America’s Test Kitchen reviewed the same name, and where a listing is all we have to go on.

How to choose a slotted spoon

1. Choose the material for your pans

Steel bowls are the thinnest, which is why America’s Test Kitchen found they slide under food best: its top stainless bowl was just under 0.05 inch at the edge, and its top plastic and silicone bowls about twice that. But metal can mark a coated pan, so nonstick and enameled pans call for nylon or silicone.

2. Pick a shallow or deep bowl

Shallow bowls get under delicate food more nimbly, ATK found, and a reasonably large one holds big ravioli or shrimp. A deeper bowl carries more beans and broth on each lift, but it is harder to maneuver in a shallow pan.

3. Match the length to the pot

ATK found handles of 9 to 10 inches kept hands away from the heat and fit most hands. Longer restaurant spoons make sense for a tall pot and less for a saucepan.

4. Do not worry much about hole pattern

This surprised us. ATK reported that all of the spoons in its review drained water equally well, so the shape of the slots does not matter much for draining. Very large holes can let small peas get stuck or slip through, and that is the main reason to look at them at all.

5. Think about the grip and the weight

ATK preferred plastic and silicone spoons of about 3 to 5 ounces, and stainless ones of about 4.5 to 6 ounces. Textured or rubbery grips held up best when wet, and a lower handle angle was more comfortable.

Where a slotted spoon earns its keep

In a Mexican kitchen it is the tool for lifting whole beans from their pot when you are about to refry them, as we explain in charro beans vs refried beans, and for taking chiles or tomatillos out of the simmering water before they go in the blender. It also does well with poached eggs, blanched nopales and hominy. For hot oil, a spider is the better tool, because it drains far faster than a spoon.

How we picked these seven spoons

We started with America’s Test Kitchen’s slotted spoon review, the only independent comparison we found that gave real detail. We then checked which of its named models and which restaurant and kitchen brands were in stock from a new Amazon offer, and read each listing. Several names from the review, such as the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel spoon, were low in stock when we checked, so we left them out, and the Cuisinart Curve nylon spoon was also limited.

All-Clad’s stainless spoons are in stock, but ATK recommended its Professional model only with reservations for weight and a deep bowl, so we did not include them. We found no review of Calphalon’s Prime and Edge spoons. We have not used any of these spoons ourselves. A CPSC recall search by brand found no recall of any of these spoons; the recalls listed under some of these names cover other products, such as grill brushes and food processors.

Slotted spoon questions, answered

What is a slotted spoon used for?

Lifting solid food out of liquid while the liquid drains back: beans from broth, poached eggs from water, vegetables from a blanching pot or a stew’s solids from its sauce. It also serves food at the table when you want to leave the juices behind.

Is stainless steel or nylon better?

Steel has thinner edges and resists heat, so it is better on bare steel and cast iron pans. Nylon is the choice for nonstick. OXO and KitchenAid rate their nylon heads to 450°F, so do not rest them against a hot pan edge for long.

Does the shape of the slots matter?

Less than you would think. America’s Test Kitchen found that all of its spoons drained water equally well. Choose by bowl shape, weight and grip first.

What is the difference between a slotted serving spoon and a slotted cooking spoon?

Serving spoons are often shorter and more polished, made for the table. Cooking spoons are longer and built to stay in a hot pot. Our serving utensil guide covers the table side.

Can slotted spoons go in the dishwasher?

Most listings here say yes, but ATK noted that its winning bowl scratched a little in the dishwasher. Check the listing for each spoon; the Winco listing does not state it.

Our final pick for the bean pot

Buy the Cuisinart if you cook on steel and cast iron, add the OXO nylon if you own nonstick, and go to the 13-inch Hestan if your pots are tall. For more on the rest of the drawer, see the best kitchen utensil set and our lead guide to the best serving utensils. And if you would rather let someone else watch the beans, Julia’s is at 5402 N Highway 6 in Houston: call to order.