Customer Reviews

Master Chef Spatule Pelton Spatula

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

'Cook's Illustrated':

"While they may be called fish spatulas, these flexible, thin spatulas are equally adept at flipping chicken cutlets and steaks. We tested five popular brands--three metal and two nonstick--by flipping numerous batches of flaky haddock fillets (in large and small skillets) and found (once again) that price is not indicative of value.

Priced around $7, the Matfer slotted Pelton fish spatula outperformed the Global, which cost eight times as much. The Matfer received raves for its comfortable handle, long blade, and exceptional performance. Because of its smooth, slippery plastic and Fiberglas composition (exoglass), the spatula nimbly flipped fish without scarring the delicate flesh (as the metal spatulas did), and it is completely safe for nonstick skillets.

We recommend fish spatulas with one caveat: They are designed for right-handed cooks. Some companies make left-handed versions as well, but Matfer does not."

JG caveat: Since this is not an Amazon site product, the ridiculously high $5 shipping charge may direct the purchaser to a gourmet shop, or cooking supplies store such as 'Bed, Bath and Beyond'.

I have had this product for many years now (between 5 and 10 years) and I love it. After I had used it for a few months, I got rid of all of my traditional shaped (rectangle head) spatula turners since I love the Matfer so much. It is comfortable in the hand and must have been ergonomically designed for turning. I am right-handed and due to the angle on this spatula, I assume that it would not be comfortable for lefties.

I use this spatula to turn foods in a pan (flip eggs, roasted veggies, etc) and especially for removing cookies from the pan. It is great for nonstick cookware. It has the right amount of flexibility. The grey color has discolored over several years (now a kind of yucky yellowish/brownish grey) and the front edge has worn slightly. But it has held up very well with my frequent use. The only thing I don't like is that sticky foods will get stuck in the slots and is more work to clean. Overall, I would definitely purchase again and I recommend this product.

Ordered this spatula because I was looking for a heat resistant spatula that would not scratch my cookware.

Upon receiving this item it is rather badly molded and has a lot of flashing around the edges causing it to be sharp and uneven and therefore not good for turning delicate items like crepes.

Not happy with the product and even remotely decent quality control should have found the one I received to be defective.

I ordered this spatula based upon the positive reviews it received, coupled with my need for a non-stick safe utensil suitable for a smaller pan. What I got was a cheap plastic turner that is virtually indistinguishable from any number of other MUCH cheaper plastic turners carried by the discount stores. How America's Test Kitchen designated this a category winner is beyond me, though I'll give them the benefit of doubt and assume that when priced at $5 it was no worse than others in the comparison and won on low price alone. Let no one convince you that this is anything other than a cheap drugstore utensil and it certainly does not possess any magical "french gourmet" qualities. All those positive reviews surely were written by the same folks that are convinced the emperor really is wearing beautiful garments*.

While I have to admit that this spatula is not particularly any worse than others in the $2 or $3 range, I've also got to mention the absurdity of charging $12 for a product that is no better made than a plastic picnic fork. The product arrived in a cardboard sleeve replete with french slogans and assurances of authenticity. It also was replete with mold flashing and needed a fair amount of owner finishing to render it safe to cook with. The blade front is not formed particularly well and tends to stick to items like fried eggs when one tries to separate 2 or 3 prior to turning to the second side. Additionally, the shaft is noticeably not up to the task of lifting heavier items such as chops, small filets, or fish, either for turning or for removing to plate. I'm not sure exactly what it's made of but whatever qualities the designers were looking for (other than possibly high heat resistance) clearly weren't met.

It's very possible that there just isn't any perfect tool when it comes to these sorts of utensils as I don't have a specific recommendation for a better performer. Silicon tools tend to be too thick to comfortably slip under fragile foods such as eggs and fish; nylon has a very low melt temperature leading to early demise; and the harder plastics tend to scratch teflon and other non stick surfaces. All I can assure you is that this tool by Pelton is no panacea and is seriously overpriced for what it is.

* I like ATK as much as the next person, but the more I look into the products they recommend, the more I'm convinced there's a crazed bunch of ATK groupies that see a review and then stampede to amazon to be the first to promote the product. It's ridiculous; most of these reviews are authored within days of the ATK recommendation (including the subsequent re-telecasts) and these culinary ditto heads are offering up testimonials of how well these things hold up and how utterly perfect they are. Take ATK 5 star reviews with a large grain of sea salt.

This spatula was recommended by Cooks Illustrated. I agree with their recommendation. I never appreciated how bad my pervious non-stick spatulas were to use. The Matfer Pelton's shape and thin edge make it a useful addition to my kitchen tools.

I fry a lot of foods and found the Matfer Pelton Spatula to be as good as its word for use on non-stick pans. It is both thin and flexible, and gets under delicate foods without gouging them, but has enough rigidity to handle their weight. Wide slots drain quickly. Haven't tested it beyond oil temperature of 375 degrees F. No signs of melting or degradation.

I've had this spatula for over two years now and I simply love it. It has a wonderful shape, feels comfortable and will not scratch your non-stick pans. It goes right into the dishwasher and have never had a problem with it melting. There has been some small wearing on the end of it, but nothing as bad as any of the wooden ones I've used over the years. My only complaint is that I use it more often than I run the dishwasher, so frequently end up cleaning it by hand!

I recently purchased this after reading rave reviews... and well, add my raves to the list! It is flexible, yet sturdy, and very ergonomic for a right-handed person. I can flip pancakes (and fish) much better/easier. (No, it doesn't whiten my teeth, make my breath smell better, or guarantee a better quality date [LOL] - but who ever thought I would be this jazzed about a spatula?)

I have already begun sending all of my other spatulas to the donation box, and use this one on stoneware (cookies/bread sticks), non-stick (anything fried), griddles (pancakes), you name it. (OK, I did keep my little Oxo Silicone "Cookie" SpatulaOxo Good Grips Silicone Cookie Spatula, as it's curved edge perfectly scrapes the eggs off of the rounded non-stick fry pan during scrambling.)

I am ordering another one of these as I use it so much I need a spare so I don't have to stop and wash when it's in the dishwasher. It may sound crazy - but you will LOVE this spatula if you buy it.

When I first saw this I thought it looked thin and not very durable. It is very hard plastic and looks like it was pressed right out of a mold. But it works fine for small items like eggs. Don't try to flip a burger, though, it will fall right off the side.

Based on the write up and feedback of this item I decided to purchase it. I was very disappointed. The tip began to MELT as I was flipping hamburgers. My burner (electric stove) was set at medium/low and this SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
Be weary. Do more research before purchasing this item. Don't be fooled like me.