I Tested 12 Fish Spatulas to Find the Best for Flipping Fish, Burgers, and More

I have a confession to make: before this review, I wasn’t a huge fan of fish spatulas, preferring my little metal offset turner over the slotted, offset spats. But after testing them, I can truthfully say my opinion changed.

A fish spatula can be used for more than just flipping fish (though it should excel at its namesake task); it’s a versatile tool that can slide as easily under pancakes as it can hefty burgers. The slats in the blade allow any drippings, liquid, or grease to slip through, while the offset helps slide the blade over the edge of the pan and under whatever you want to turn. I’ve even started using fish spatulas to serve slabs of pie, since their angled blade edge and offset finagles nicely into pie pans. 

I tested 12 models to find a fish spatula that was nimble but sturdy, and that was also comfortable to hold and easy to wash. During testing, I set out to not only convince myself of a fish spatula’s merit but to also find one that I would use on a daily basis.

The Tests

• Fish Test: I used each fish spatula to cook, flip, and serve two salmon filets cooked in a cast iron skillet.
• Pancakes Test: I used each fish spatula to flip and serve two box mix pancakes cooked in a nonstick skillet.
• Flip Burgers Test (Winners-Only): I used our favorite spatulas to flip 4-ounce burgers in a cast iron skillet.
• Cleaning Tests: I hand-washed each fish spatula after every test, noting if it was easy or difficult to clean.
• Usability Tests: I examined how each spatula felt to hold and use, noting if they were unwieldy or nicely balanced and if they had a nice grip.

What We Learned 

Angled Edges Were Better Than Straighter Edges

Throughout testing, I found that spatulas with a more severe angle on the blade edge (like on the Wusthof, Winco, and Sur La Table, which had 72-, 74-, and 73-degree angles, respectively) were generally easier to slide under foodstuffs than ones with straighter edges, like the Lamson and Victorinox (which had 80- and 79-degree blade angles, respectively).

The blades with more angled edges gently cupped the food when they first slid under it, whereas the straighter ones had to be lifted at an odd angle and slid under all at once. While the MIU had less of an angled edge, it also had a more extreme offset, which aided its maneuverability. 

Bigger Blades Weren’t Better

While in some cases having more surface area can be useful, I found the bigger-bladed spatulas, namely the Mercer Hell’s Handle Large Fish Spatula (which had a 9-inch blade) and the OXO Good Grips Fish Spatula (with an 8-inch blade), were just too darn big; they dwarfed not only the food I flipped, but also my small hands. So unless you’re a grill master flipping ginormous burgers on a daily basis, stick to spatulas with blades under seven inches. 

A Good Handle Made a Difference

While it might seem insignificant, a bad handle is a deal breaker; if it’s uncomfortable to hold, you won’t want to bother using it. My favorite handles were smooth but grippy and had a bit of heft to them. My least favorite were the roughly hewn, wooden ones that almost felt itchy to hold. 

Sturdy Silicone is Best

While I was skeptical of silicone-edged fish spatulas, the offering from Sur La Table convinced me otherwise: Instead of ultra-flexible silicone that mashed into the pan, like on the Misen, the silicone lining on the Sur La Table was actually quite sturdy. I really noticed the difference when flipping salmon onto its side; the Misen struggled to lift it, since its silicone edge was so soft and flexible, but the Sur La Table was sturdy enough to turn it on its side with ease.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Good Fish Spatula 

A good fish spatula should be sturdy enough to lift and flip heavier items, like burgers, but also nimble enough to lift delicate fish filets. It should also have an angled blade edge (ideally 74 degrees or less) for easy maneuvering and a handle that is smooth and grippy. If it’s silicone-lined, make sure it’s sturdy.

Our Favorite Fish Spatulas

The Best Fish Spatula

Wusthof Fish Spatula

$65 at Amazon $15 at Walmart View on Wusthof.com

What we liked: With a smooth, comfortable handle and a 72-degree angled blade, this spatula felt like an extension of my hand. It easily swooped under fish and burgers alike and deftly flipped flat pancakes. I've been using it for more than two years and it's still in fantastic condition and flipping perfectly.

What we didn’t like: This is quite expensive for a fish spatula. There also isn’t a left-handed oriented version of this spatula, and the spatula is recommended to be hand-washed.

Key Specs 

• Materials: Synthetic polypropylene, stainless steel
• Weight: 3.7 ounces
• Edge angle: 72-degree angle
• Blade length: 6.5 inches
• Care: Hand-washing recommended 
• Left-handed option: No
  

The Best Budget Fish Spatula

Winco Fish Spatula

$13 at Amazon $12 at Walmart View on Katom.com

What we liked: This is a great affordable spatula. I liked the blade’s angled edge, which slid easily under fish, burgers, and pancakes, and its smooth handle. 

What we didn’t like: The handle, while mostly smooth, was roughly hewn where the metal piece inserts into the spatula. Like our overall winner, there isn’t a different option for left-handed folks.

Key Specs 

• Materials: Stainless steel, wood
• Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Edge angle: 74-degree angle 
• Blade length: 6.5 inches
• Care: Dishwasher-safe, but we'd recommend hand-washing any product with wood
• Left-handed option: No

Alternative Budget Pick

MIU France Large Stainless Steel Slotted Turner

$28 $25 at Amazon

What we liked: This was a nimble little spatula that excelled at flipping fish; the more extreme offset scooped up the fragile filets nicely. It also held up to flipping hefty burgers, and was comfortable to hold. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe, which is nice. 

What we didn’t like: The end of the blade wasn’t as angled as our other winners, making it a little more work to finagle it under very flat foods, like pancakes. As with our other top picks, this spatula does not come in a left-handed version.

Key Specs 

• Materials: Stainless steel, plastic
• Weight: 2.4 ounces
  
• Edge angle: 79-degree angle 
• Blade length: 6.5 inches
• Care: Dishwasher-safe
• Left-handed option: No

The Best Silicone-Lined Fish Spatula

Sur La Table Silicone Edge Slotted Fish Spatula

$30 at Amazon $30 at Sur La Table

What we liked: The silicone that lined the angled blade of this spatula was sturdy and, paired with an angled blade edge, made this spatula adept at lifting, flipping, and nudging food in the pan. 

What we didn’t like: The silicone was slightly difficult to clean, especially after it was used to flip and maneuver greasy foods, like burgers—the fat sort of clung to it. It’s also only available right-hand oriented.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel, silicone
• Weight: 4.5 ounces
• Edge angle: 73-degree angle
• Blade length: 7 inches
• Care: Dishwasher-safe
• Left-handed option: No

The Best Left-Handed Fish Spatula

Lamson Flexible Slotted Spatula (Fish Turner) for Lefties

$40 at Amazon $32 at Walmart View on Lamsonproducts.com

What we liked: This is a sturdy fish spatula that comes in a left-handed orientation, one the few out there with this option. It did a decent job in all of our tests, though we do wish the blade was slightly more angled. 

What we didn’t like: The roughly hewn wooden handle was a bit uncomfortable to hold (though it is available for purchase with a smoother, Polyoxymethylene handle, which we’d recommend), and the straighter-edged blade made it a tad more difficult to slide under food.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel, wood or Polyoxymethylene
• Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Edge angle: 80-degree angle
• Blade length: 6.5 inches
• Care: Hand wash
• Left-handed option: Yes

The Competition 

• Victorinox Flexible Slotted Spatula: While this wasn’t a bad spatula per se, the handle was very rough—almost itchy to hold— and the blade had a straighter angle than most of our winners, at around 79 degrees. 
• Mercer Hell’s Handle Large Fish Spatula: With a whopping 9-inch long blade, this massive spatula is great if you’re slinging fish, pancakes and burgers from a flat top at a diner. But for home cooks, it’s just too large to be practical. 
• OXO Good Grips Fish Spatula: This was another large spatula with an 8-inch blade that made it unwieldy. The blade is also soldered on, which isn’t a very secure way to attach metal to metal (welding, where the metal melts and adheres, is more secure). And while there is a smaller version available, we still think the soldered blade and straighter edge are not ideal.
• Misen Fish Spatula: While I liked the grippy, silicone-lined handle, the silicone on the blade’s edge was a little too soft to firmly and decisively slide under and flip foods. 
• All-Clad T198 Stainless Steel Flexible Slotted Spatula: This was a terrible spatula with a super bendy metal blade that struggled to hold everything we set it against—even pancakes. It drooped, it sagged, and when I washed it, the bendy blade flung water everywhere. 
• KitchenAid Classic Flex Spatula: The handle on this spatula felt cheap and bulky, but the blade, while narrow and rather straight, did a surprisingly good job flipping food. 
• Sabatier Black Flex Angled Fish Spatula: While the blade on this spatula did a decent job sliding under food, the handle was a bit large and boxy.
  

FAQs

Are there any benefits to having a silicone-lined fish spatula?

A silicone-lined fish spatula can be used with nonstick and enameled cast iron cooking surfaces without fear of scratching. So if you cook with either of these surfaces quite a bit, a silicone-lined spatula is an ideal choice. Regular metal spatulas could scratch and damage the nonstick or enamel coating. 

What is a fish spatula good for?

As their name suggests, fish spatulas are great for flipping all manner of fish, but especially delicate filets like cod, haddock, and flounder. And because they have slots, they are also good for flipping burgers, since they allow grease to fall away when you lift up the burger. Fish spatulas can also be used to flip pancakes and roasted vegetables, and all manner of flipping and serving tasks. 

Why is it called a fish spatula?

Fish spatulas are excellent for flipping fish, which is how they got their name; their light, nimble, and bendy blades can slide under delicate fish fillets (or small whole fish) without breaking them apart.

Can you use a metal fish spatula on a cast iron pan?

You sure can! Cast iron, unlike nonstick, is incredibly durable—folks even use chainmail scrubbers to remove crusted gunk from the surface. So a flexible metal fish spatula is totally fine, too.

Is a fish spatula good for grilling?

A fish spatula is a great utensil to have on hand when you're manning the grill. It's flexible and slotted, allowing grease to drip through—a boon when flipping burgers. The nimble metal blade easily slides under delicate proteins like fish, making removal mess-free.

Why We're the Expert

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Serious Eats. 
• Prior to this, she tested equipment and ingredients for America’s Test Kitchen. She's worked as a journalist and has done stints as a cook and bartender. 
• She has written dozens of reviews for Serious Eats, including petty knives, tinned fish, and tortilla presses, among others. 
• For this review, we tested 12 fish spatulas by using them to flip salmon filets, pancakes, and burgers. We also hand-washed each spatula.