Pampered Chef Bamboo Tongs = No More Toasted Fingers
Written: Sep 16 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Bamboo is awesome, $2, very versatile in the kitchen, durable
Cons: Have to attend a party, ordering even a $2 item means shipping charges (ouch)
The Bottom Line: These are great tongs, not just for toast but around the kitchen. Bamboo is such a wonderful product!
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| Javelina's Full Review: Pampered Chef Bamboo Tongs 2237 |
Recently, I found myself attending a Pampered Chef party. I wanted to go for the element of being fun, but am otherwise rather addicted to products like Oxo, Zyliss, or Kitchen Aid. That, coupled with the fact that I’m getting married very soon, I can’t be spending lots of money on kitchen things (considering my wedding registry), especially when they aren’t “my” brands. I didn’t want to be guilty of making a major faux paux, so I picked out some small items from the Pampered Chef catalog.
Pampered Chef
I wanted cheap, I bought cheap. These tongs cost me $2.00. Granted, they would have been cheaper at Linens ‘N Things, when you consider that you have to pay shipping and handling when you buy something at a Pampered Chef party. But these are super cheap, so I can’t complain or be splitting pennies over $2.
The Pampered Chef Bamboo Tongs
”Safely remove bagels, toast and English muffins from your toaster.” There are always other things you can think of to use these for, but the most obvious purpose is to dig hot items out of a hot toaster – safely. You certainly don’t want to stick a fork into a toaster! You also don’t want to burn your fingers doing so!
These are just your typical tongs, and from brand to brand, I haven’t seen anything vastly different. The tongs are indeed made from bamboo, which is a strong material. If you have ever tried to cut down grown bamboo plants, you’re in for a struggle. The fibers are extremely tough. I have a bamboo cutting board, and it’s the best thing – sturdy and strong!
The tongs are joined at the top, so that the tongs are one piece. The Pampered Chef logo is embossed (or should I say burned) into the side of the tongs.
"To remove food from toaster, squeeze Tong arms to bring ends together."
”Wash in warm, soapy water; rinse and towel dry before using for the first time.” I actually didn’t do this, but I can tell you I encountered no dire consequences by disregarding the instructions.
”Ribbed ends securely grasp toast, bagels, waffles, etc.” I am addicted to carbs, and although I control myself, enjoy toasted bread, bagels, and English muffins. I only recently got a new toaster, and before that I had a pretty bad Hamilton Beach toaster, so digging a bagel out of the toaster is much easier when you have a pair of tongs, and the ribbing helps. One thing is getting a bagel out of the toaster when it’s near the top, it’s another thing when it is mangled beneath the surface…
”Bamboo resists staining, cracking, and warping.” I haven’t noticed any particular wear and tear to the tongs, but the worst case scenario is getting a piece of burnt bread out of the toaster, which doesn’t do any damage.
”Wipe with damp cloth or wash by hand in warm, soapy water; rinse and towel dry. Do not soak in water.”
There is a Three-year guarantee on this item, as with all Pampered Chef items.
Parting Thoughts
These tongs are actually a lot better than they looked in the catalog. They are strong and have some substance to them. The two pieces are fairly wide, and the bamboo is strong. In fact, the hinge isn’t flimsy – it does take some effort to squeeze the two sides of the tongs together. The wood is also very smooth, and I like both its appearance and performance.
This is a good item to have around for several reasons. First, you don’t need a lot of space to store these – they fit right on the side of the cutlery tray in our kitchen drawer. Obviously, you don’t want to stick anything metal in a toaster, because of the risk of electrocution. Wood doesn’t conduct electricity, and doesn’t conduct heat like metal, so it’s perfect for digging items out of the toaster.
Secondly, even if your toaster is perfect and pops your toast up just perfectly, it can be really hot. Or, you’re serving someone beside yourself, and don’t want to touch their food, it makes for a great serving item.
I would definitely recommend this for people with kids. You definitely don’t want to burn your fingers, but it would also make a point to children about not sticking fingers or metal in the toaster, and to have a serving tool available when giving other people their food.
I don’t use this just for toast. I use it for other things as I find the need for it. For example, if we’re cooking something in the oven, I’ll throw in a few mozzarella sticks or jalapeņo poppers. They are usually done first, so I like to just open the oven door and grab up those items. However, on a non-stick cookie sheet, it’s virtually impossible to scoop them up, so the tongs come in handy, and are really the only solution short of taking out the whole cookie sheet.
There isn’t really anything I can find wrong with these tongs, although they aren’t dishwasher safe. However, I can’t imagine that these will get so soiled from taking toast, etc. out of the toaster.
More Thoughts… Why I Love Bamboo!
I have a bamboo cutting board, and it is awesome. The thing about bamboo products is that they are much more sustainable than traditional woods. Some species of bamboo grow up to 2 feet per day!
The website where I got my cutting board states, “Bamboo is 16% harder than maple wood, 1/3 lighter in weight than oak, yet in some instances as strong as steel. Bamboo holds the promise of a sustainable, cost effective, and ecologically responsible alternative to the widespread clearcutting of our old growth forests.” How great is that!
http://www.totallybamboo.com/
Overall
Once you use a pair of toaster tongs, you won’t ever go back. This item is extremely cheap (pretty much anywhere you go or whatever brand), and fit pretty much anywhere. The Bamboo Tongs aren’t likely to get dirty or break, and even if they do, you’re not out very much money. Although this isn’t the most ingenious or fancy idea, it’s a must have.
Pampered Chef: http://www.pamperedchef.com
Anyone up for a “Bridezilla” write-off…? :)
Recommended:
Yes
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