I was making an omelet in my favorite pan one morning when I heard my husband commenting on how I will probably need a new pan soon if I continue to use this one so much.
Do you know what my response to him was? “With proper maintenance and right cooking utensils, a pan can last a long time.”
That includes a spatula that has many uses in the kitchen besides turning food in the pan.
Best Silicone Spatula
As I looked at mine, I realized how important this particular utensil is and decided to do a little research to help you find the perfect silicone spatula to use while cooking for your family and friends.
Here is what you should know before moving on to my reviews:
Why Should You Use a Silicone Spatula in Your Kitchen?
Silicone is a synthetic polymer created by adding carbon or oxygen to silicon, a natural element found in nature. It can be solid, liquid, or gel and is now used to make silicone bakeware, among other things.
As a result, you have a kitchen tool that won’t damage your pots and pans when you use it for cooking, unlike wooden or metal one that, despite being gentle, can still do some damage. Besides softness, durability, and flexibility, the main feature of silicone is that it shouldn’t absorb odors or color from food.
So, you can use spices, garlic, or any other strong-flavored ingredients and just wash the spatula with warm water and detergent, and it will be like new.
Further Reading: Greatest Omelette Pans You Can Have in 2022
Types of Spatulas
For starters, you might have to pay attention to the material of the handle. They are either made of plastic, silicone, or wood.
Some are made of metal, but you need to be careful while using them in cooking hot dishes. It gets hot rather fast, and you might burn yourself if you mistakenly grab the metal part of the handle instead of the plastic.
I was also under the impression that a spatula is a spatula and that other similar tools have another name that I did not bother to learn, but boy, I was wrong.
The Scraper
As it turns out, what we typically call a spatula, is a Scraper Spatula. They are most commonly used and usually have a wide silicone head with a wooden, plastic, silicone, or metal handle. The size varies as well, from small ones to big ones.
I use them in my kitchen to stir or mix the food in the pot or pan or to scrape the dough from the bowl when I bake cookies or something similar. The silicone head is very gentle, and it won’t scratch your plastic bowl or pan and damage the coating. It is perfect if you want your cookware to last a long time. (Also check out these recommended cookware sets)
The half spatula is very similar to the Scraper. One side of the head part is cut, so it looks uneven, and it can be smaller in size, but that is the only difference between these two.
I use them for stirring sometimes, but mostly I use them to scrape Nutella from the jar when my boys eat most of it, and I cannot reach deep enough. It’s also good for corners because of the straight angle it has.
See also: Finest 3 Methods to Melt Nutella
The Turner
As the name says, a Turner Spatula is used mostly for flipping or turning in a pan. I used this one for making our breakfast today, but you can flip almost anything with this one, from eggs and pancakes to burgers. It can be metal, wooden, or plastic, including a combination of these materials.
The silicone in this one is a bit harder, so it can support the weight of the food while turning. The top edge is also a bit sharper, so the spatula can slide under more easily. However, it is still gentle enough so you can’t damage your pan unless you are not careful and use the sharp side of the spatula for cutting food inside the pan.
The head part is very wide, and it can have holes in it or not. Mine does, because I use it to get fried meat out of the pan so the extra oil can drip through besides using it for flipping.
The Giant Spatula is a variation of the Turner because you only use it for turning bigger slices of food in your pan. It is usually a square, thin surface with a plastic handle along the length of it for easier grip while flipping.
I don’t own this particular spatula, but I have seen my neighbor use it. I just did not know it was also a type of spatula.
The Frosting Spatula
If you are as much of a cake-baking lover as I am, then you can’t allow yourself not to have a Frosting Spatula among your kitchen utensils.
It’s most often made of metal, but nowadays, it’s made of hard plastic or silicone as well, or even a combination of these materials. The blade part is narrow and thin, so it’s easy to smear frosting or cream of any kind. I even caught my son using it to apply spreads on his sandwich because, in one move of the hand, you can evenly smear anything, be it cold or hot.
The handle is most often plastic, and it is not in line with the blade part. It is always moved up a little with a bend between so, while you are using it, your hand is not touching the frosting.
The Scientific Spatula
One day, my younger son told me he needed a spatula for his chemistry project. So, I pulled out the drawer where I kept mine for kitchen use and gave him the first one I could grab. He started laughing so hard and then the older one joined him because he overheard the talk.
It turns out that there is a small delicate metal spatula that is spoon-like on one end and flat rectangular on the other. It is used mostly in chemistry in mixing and stirring fluids or adding powder with it.
We bought the one he needed, but I ended up using it in the end because it is very practical for mixing small amounts of fluid or when I am making a marinade or preparing dye for decorating cakes, and he needed it for that one time only.
Related: 9 Best Airbrushing Kits For Cake Decorating
Health Concern About Silicone
As I mentioned already, Silicone is a synthetic polymer, and, of course, before approving it for mass use for kitchen utensils, it had to pass the FDA approval first as a food-safe substance.
However, because using silicone in making various cookware is relatively recent, there hasn’t been enough follow-up research to determine whether silicone can react with the food we are preparing or not.
Unfortunately, even though the material is made of a natural element it is still human-made, so some people show a chemical sensitivity when using tools made of silicone.
Just to be on the safe side, I do not advise using silicone-made utensils if you belong to this group before further research is done.
For the rest of us, as long as we follow instructions on the cooking utensils made of silicone concerning temperature limits and maintenance, it is safe to use them in our everyday cooking.
Most Recommended Silicone Spatulas: Detailed Reviews 2022
A spatula is a practical and useful kitchen tool. I have had mine for a long time now.
With so many new brands and models, and given how many types of spatula there are, it took me a while to do proper research and pick the greatest ones you can use in the kitchen today.
Here is what the list looks like:
Basics Silicone Spatula Set (2 Small, 2 Large), High Heat Resistant to 480°F
There are no parts glued together, no seams where you need to pay special attention when washing or cooking. That means no places for bacteria to sneak in and develop if you happen to miss a place while cleaning it.
The handle has a steel core and ergonomic design that makes it very easy to hold. There is one slight miscalculation with it, though. The steel rod doesn’t go all the way up to the handle, which can make it tricky to use if you happen to hold it there. The silicone is not firm enough, so you cannot grab the entire handle like you want to.
They are non-stick and stain and odor resistant so just washing them by hand or putting them in the dishwasher is enough to clean them properly. They are flexible enough and perfect for scraping because one side has a right angle and one round angle, but they are not so good with turning and scooping.
They are also FDA approved and BPA free, and they can tolerate heat up to 480°F (almost 250°C), and their price is affordable considering you get 2 big spatulas and 2 small ones and a PDF book with cooking tips.
Things I liked
- Affordable/set has 4 spatulas
- Stain/odor resistant
- FDA approved/BPA free
- Steel core
- Molded with no separate parts
- Hygienic
- Ergonomic handle
- Perfect for scraping
- Tolerates heat up to 480°F (250°C)
- Dishwasher friendly
Things I didn’t like
- Only 2 sizes
- Miscalculation with the steel rod
- Not good for turning and scooping
di Oro Living Seamless Silicone Spatula Set – Built for High-Temperature Cooking
Just like with the previous set, at first glance, you’ll notice the seamless model in this set. The handles are ergonomic, and each has a steel core that goes through it and keeps it in place. There is a flaw in it, though. The steel is not so tough; when you apply too much pressure, it will not break, but it might bend. When you try to get it back straight, it might leave a bump depending on how bent it was.
This set has 3 different pieces, unlike the previous set, and it comes in 2 colors, but it is more expensive. It is FDA approved and BPA free with the non-stick coating, and it is stain and odor resistant. It can tolerate high temperatures, even up to 600°F (315°C).
Two things are hard to miss while inspecting this set and that is a slight rigidness you feel while using the spatulas. It appears that the silicone used here is not that flexible, so it might be harder to scrape. Also, be careful because the tip of any head part might break, no matter how careful you are trying to be.
The other thing is the result of washing them in a dishwasher. You don’t notice it much in the red color, but black might show a white residue like the color is starting to wash off. So even though it says they are dishwasher friendly, if you don’t want to keep replacing them with the lifetime warranty you get for this set, you need to wash them by hand.
Things I liked
- The set has 3 different spatulas.
- Stain/odor resistant
- FDA approved/BPA free
- Steel core
- Molded with no separate parts
- Hygienic
- Ergonomic handle
- Tolerates heat up to 600°F (315°C)
- Lifetime warranty
Things I didn’t like
- More expensive
- The steel core is soft and can bend.
- The silicone is not flexible enough.
- Tips of head part can break.
- Not dishwasher friendly
Wilton Easy Flex Silicone Spatula Set – A Versatile Set for Everyday Cooking
This very affordable set has 3 different spatulas for everyday use. The difference between this set and the ones before is that these spatulas are not molded. They have a silicone head and a plastic handle. This means taking extra care while washing, so pieces of food don’t get stuck, and bacteria and mold don’t develop.
The set has one useful feature. The head can be separated from the handle so you can clean everything with little effort and just use a Q-tip for parts that are hard to reach. The head is also made of softer silicone, so it’s perfect for scraping but also firm enough for mixing and scooping.
The handle is made of plastic and is BPA-free. It also has an hourglass shape and fits very well in hand. However, it has some weaknesses.
One is that the thick/thin transition point, where the silicone head continues, is frail and prone to breaking if you try to use the spatula for mixing a hard dough. It is plastic, after all.
Another tricky part is the temperature which for this set is up to 500°F (260°C). However, that part applies only to the silicone head. The plastic can’t take that much heat and will start to crack at first until it ultimately breaks.
Spatulas are stain and odor-resistant, and even though it says they are dishwasher-safe, I do not recommend washing them there if you want the handles to last longer.
Things I liked
- The set has 3 different spatulas
- Stain/odor resistant
- BPA free
- Very affordable
- Ergonomic handle
- Tolerates heat up to 500°F (260°C)
- Silicone very flexible
Things I didn’t like
- Weak transition point
- The handle is not heat resistant
- Not dishwasher friendly
See also: Suggestions for Portable Dishwashers
Norpro Narrow Spatula – A Spatula Half for Turning, Half for Frosting
Even though it is not made of silicone but strong and flexible black nylon (plastic), I could not help adding this spatula to the review list. The price is affordable considering its usefulness.
The shape is unusual for a typical turner spatula because it is narrow but the firmness is right, and edges are soft enough not to damage my Copper Chef Pan while using it. It’s useful for getting cookies out of the baking pan (e.g, springform pan and lasagna pan) because the edges are thin enough to slide under easily and handling is easy due to it being narrow.
Despite reading that the heat resistance is 500°F (260°C) for this turner, keep in mind that the actual temperature limit is much lower. The thin edges will melt if you hold it in your frying pan a bit longer, they are plastic after all.
On the other hand, this turner is great as a frosting/icing spatula because of its narrowness and easy handling. You can use it for melting hot chocolate and smearing it on a cake.
Because it is plastic, washing it is also easy even when done by hand as I don’t advise washing it in a dishwasher for the same reason, as usual, it will last longer.
Things I liked
- Handle very firm
- Made of hard plastic
- Affordable price
- Unusual narrow shape
- Gentle with non-stick coatings
- Thin edges for smooth sliding
Things I didn’t like
- Narrow for a turner spatula
- Plastic is not heat resistant as advertised
- Not dishwasher friendly
See also: My favorite Lasagna Pan + other top options
OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Flexible Turner – Ideal Spatula for Pancake/Crepes Flipping
The name explains everything in this product. It is a large turner spatula made of a combination of metal, plastic, and silicone. The head is silicone molded around the steel handle with a plastic coating at the end for better handling. However, it is a bit expensive for one item only.
The silicone head can tolerate temperature up to 600°F (315°C) which is ideal for use when frying something hot in my Red Copper Pan. The edges are thin, and it’s very easy to slide the turner under the food you want to flip over. The silicone is also very flexible, which can be a bit tricky when cooking and you need to turn something heavier.
The place where the steel rod is connecting with the silicone is a bit gentle because the layer surrounding it is thin. That makes it prone to cracking and separating if you are using too much force while cooking.
What you need to pay attention to the plastic part of the handle. Although the silicone is heat resistant, the plastic is not. So, if you happen to leave the turner in your pan and the plastic is touching its edges, it will melt. Because of that, I do not advise washing it in a dishwasher even though it says it is allowed.
Things I liked
- Large head part for turning
- Silicone very flexible
- Tolerates heat up to 600°F (315°C)
- The handle is very firm
- Gentle with non-stick coatings
- Thin edges for smooth sliding
Things I didn’t like
- Expensive for one piece
- Weak transition point
- Plastic in the handle is not heat resistant
- Not dishwasher friendly
Further Reading: Most Recommended Crepe Pans in 2022
The Best Silicone Spatula You Can Get Right Now Is…
While doing this research for you, I found out that it is impossible to choose one type of spatula to recommend as the best.
As you can see, they each have their uses, strengths, and weaknesses. It all comes down to what type you need and what you use the most while cooking.
What I can do is suggest the di Oro Living Seamless Silicone Spatula Set as a start for those of you who haven’t yet used this type of kitchenware.
I would have chosen that set for myself if I needed one. It has 3 different types of spatula, it is safe, and it can help you make up your mind if you want to add the other types from this list.
The rest is up to you. 🙂