Why Every Kitchen Must Have a $10 Bowl Scraper

I take into consideration myself a minimalist throughout the kitchen. Presumably that comes from dwelling in tiny areas for a lot of of my grownup life, or from my time in kitchens, the place optimization and monetary system of movement are expert and sometimes moral imperatives. Over time, I’ve pared down my gear to the bare requirements. And if I wanted to decide on one instrument to have helpful throughout the kitchen—and even in every day life—it should be this bowl scraper from J.B. Prince.

I first encountered this express bowl scraper as a youthful intern at Rouge Tomate, in New York Metropolis. Considered one of many pastry cooks, Gael, was expertly fashioning plenty of of small diamond shapes out of razor-thin slices of mango. Each order consisted of about 20 to 30 gadgets, and as it’s possible you’ll suppose, there was some considerable waste. I was assigned to help him. As a result of the piles of fine diamonds collected, so too did the pile of mango trim develop on our favorite lowering boards. With out skipping a beat, Gael reached into his breast pocket, pulled out a tiny bowl scraper, and swiped all of the trim away in a single fluid motion. Within the meantime, I was drowning in mango trimmings. I didn’t have a scraper. I regarded longingly at his. Sensing my desperation, he handed me his private. “Maintain it,” he said. Gael possibly modified my life that day.

I do know what you’re contemplating. It’s solely a bowl scraper. It’s so small. It couldn’t be that useful. Correctly, let me set points straight.

First, let’s talk about in regards to the price. At a staggering $1.30, it’s seemingly probably the most value efficient piece of kitchen gear you may private.* Really, at one degree I owned a minimal of 10 of these scrapers at a time, doling them out to cooks in need and mates who didn’t know they wished one. And as we’ll see, this express bowl scraper may have the most effective benefit-to-cost ratio of any instrument available on the market.

*Sadly, that price jumps pretty a bit within the occasion you are looking for to order it on-line in the mean time; should you want to maintain costs lower than the roughly $10 supply and coping with cost in the mean time associated to the J.B. Prince scraper, we strongly recommend this barely greater model from Indigo True.

Subsequent, let’s take a look on the scale and improvement. This scraper measures four-and-a-half by three inches, which is the suitable measurement to comfortably slot in any chest or pant pocket. The material is troublesome, nonporous, nevertheless versatile plastic, with two sharp ends. One end is barely sharper and rounded with an asymmetrical bevel (very similar to the lowering fringe of a Japanese-style knife), whereas the other end is straight. Though it’s made out of plastic, it’s surprisingly sturdy. I’ve accidentally run every serrated and common knives all through the ground, resulting in scratches nevertheless certainly not cracks or breakage. These scrapers could even resist an errant chop from a heavy meat cleaver. And anecdotally, these scrapers are significantly heat resistant—as a lot as 400 ranges (though I doubt they’re marketed this way).

Nevertheless what can you actually do with this bowl scraper? In actual fact, there’s its meant operate, which it accomplishes masterfully. Scraping dough out of a bowl with this issue is a dream. The sharper rounded edge picks up dough effortlessly, and it feels identical to the scraper is glued to the ground of the bowl as you progress it all through. And for the reason that scraper supplies is nonporous, dough doesn’t stick or snag the least bit. I uncover the size of the scraper merely sufficiently large and the material merely regular enough to cope with medium-sized doughs, as a lot as 800 grams in entire weight—which isn’t any small feat for one factor that matches in your chest pocket.

Because of the flat, asymmetrical edge, lowering and dividing dough is a breeze. I reap the benefits of this scraper at any time once I make gnocchi, scale back logs for orecchiette, or ought to divide small elements of dough. As a result of it’s made out of plastic, I don’t have to stress about ruining a pleasing picket, granite, or marble desk ground, each. I moreover love shaping sticky doughs like high-hydration brioche with this instrument, using the flat facet to spherical and tighten elements.

Outside of dough work, this bowl scraper shines even brighter. Corralling scale back components out of your lowering board is a vital kitchen expertise, and using a fast, lightweight bowl scraper like this one makes the strategy nearly second nature. Need to quickly clear up the mess of carrot peels in your station and that explosion of whole wheat flour on the counter? Bowl scraper’s purchased your once more. Pushing purées or mashed potatoes by way of a fine-mesh tamis? Bowl scraper is the weapon of different. This scraper even performs successfully exterior of the kitchen. Need a bookmark? Bench scraper is finest than a bookmark (waterproof, stainless, obtained’t rip, obtained’t surrender). Acquired a knot in your neck? Use the scraper for myofascial launch, not not like an ordinary Gua Sha scraper. Really, no matter its straightforward design, I’m sure you may give you various makes use of for the scraper that don’t include meals.

So scrape collectively some free change and get your self a bowl scraper. You obtained’t regret it. And given the outrageously low price, what’s there to lose? Inside the exalted phrases of the minimalist luminary Marie Kondo, I guarantee that this little man will spark pleasure.

FAQs

What is the best bowl scraper?

In our analysis, we found the Indigo True Versatile Bowl Scraper was the easiest; it scraped bowls clear and sported an easy-to-hold grip. We moreover appreciated the KitchenAid Connoisseur Bowl Scraper, which is offered in a set with a smaller scraper, which makes it easier to scrub small nooks or crannies.

What’s a bowl scraper good for?

Other than the plain (scraping down bowls), bowl scrapers are moreover good for lowering up dough (say, for gnocchi) or shaping burger buns. As well as they double as as scraper, serving to you clear off your lowering board or deposit scraps of greens into your countertop compost bin.

April 2020