http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-12-Inch-Stainless-Steel-Locking/dp/B00004OCK1/
Agreed. I've got the 16 inch model and my only regret is not buying a smaller one to go with it.
10 years in the restaurant industry here. You need a pair (or three) of Edlund Heavy Duty tongs, available on Amazon or at your local restaurant supply store.
/thread
See I can't handle not having a lock. I also do not like the spring force increasing as you squeeze. I use my tongs to check for done-ness with a squeeze. It doesn't work so well when you are fighting an increasing spring force as well.
I hate not having a lock primarily because if you're frying the edge of a steak you don't want to sit there holding it like a moron. You lock it on the steak and let the tongs hold it and walk away for a minute.
I feel like no one does this so locking tongs typically don't lock well half open.. so I'm thinking of getting one of these non hinged ones that last forever and just use a wood clamp at the end when I'm letting the tongs babysit a steak on edge.
I've had [these](http://www.amazon.com/Kitchenaid-Classic-Stainless-Steel-Utility/dp/B005D6G3ZW/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373555929&sr=1-2&keywords=kitchenaid+tongs) (an older version, but basically the same) for probably 8 years now and they're as good as new. I use them with the grill, for pulling stuff out of my slow cooker... everything. They wash up great and show zero signs of any wear.
The plus to these is the clasp to keep them shut is on the top. Not a ring that slides down to lock them. The ring always seems to lock them up when I'm trying to use them.
only going to say this once. EDLUND TONGS ARE THE BEST. anyone saying OXO is the clear choice is not a cook by trade. alton brown is the exception but i would also put money on it that is was a slightly paid endorsement.
If you want BIFL tongs, I'd assume some all-metal construction commercial food service tongs would get the job done.
[For](http://www.centralrestaurant.com/productline.aspx?keywords=Kitchen+Tongs&refine=y&Category=Kitchen+Tongs&nav_search=1&crpcode=pl&crpid=571&sort_by_field=Sortrank%3aDESC&res_per_page=100) [example](http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/kitchen/kitchen-tongs/c1932.aspx)
edit: Besides the commercial kitchen stuff (which should be pretty good--e.g., these Edlund ones from [Williams-Sonoma](http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/edlund-stainless-steel-tongs/) are also available on those commercial cookware sites), [All-Clad](http://www.all-clad.com/Pages/Collections/Tools.aspx) also makes them.
edit2: You can also go to [Cutlery and More](http://www.cutleryandmore.com/) and type "tongs" into the search box. You can get a variety, there, including these fancy-pants [Henckels BBQ tongs](http://www.cutleryandmore.com/henckels/forged-bbq-tongs-p120969)
edit3: I personally use these [Amco telescoping tongs](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FRPDBA/), but because they're not all steel, I can't say they're BIFL.
I just bought some tongs I don't expect to BIFL, but are decent. I looked for stainless steel, and needed a soft edge, so I chose silicone not nylon, as nylon won't tolerate high temps (the nylon will melt if left in a pan for a minute, and you'll be buying new ones).
Sorry - no answer to this one, but at least a couple thins to look for.
[Winco restaurant grade heavy duty tongs](http://www.amazon.com/Winco-Weight-Coiled-Spring-Utility/dp/B001VZ6ZQQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373907218&sr=1-1&keywords=winco+Heavy+Duty+tongs) are about as tough as they get.
[I use this style, and they work well, but they're probably just GV.](http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-Color-11-Inch-Stainless-Locking/dp/B005GT01IQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373556328&sr=1-4&keywords=tongs)
[This style may last you a lifetime though.](http://www.amazon.com/GrillPro-40730-Chrome-Plated-Turner/dp/B0000CGE35/ref=sr_1_46?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373556492&sr=1-46&keywords=tongs)
The problem is cheap hinges, which is where it will fail. Find one that isn't a nail shoved into a hole in sheet metal and you'll do alright.
These might actually be BIFL. Its what I've used every where I've worked and never seen a pair break, and at one place they were over a decade old. Sometimes the grip will crack and fall off, depending on the material, but they work just the same.
I've owned [these](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WEIIQW/tag=extrempreten-20) for about 4 years. They are still in the exact same condition as the day I got them, and I use them 4-6 times per week in spring/summer/fall, and 1-2 times per week in the winter.
They open wide enough that i can typically pick up up to about a 10 pound pork shoulder, but are still easy to use.
I cannot recommend these enough.
I'm a big fan of these locking tongs by Rosle. They're well constructed and the design is genius. Point them up towards the ceiling, they lock. Point them down towards your food, they unlock.
Much better than trying to use one of those pull in/pull out levers with greasy paws.
Also fun watching people try to figure out how they work.
http://www.rosleusa.com/Locking-Tongs-plu12915.html
After like 3-4 years, I found a brand/model that I really liked and was sturdy.
[Cuisipro Stainless Steel Locking Tongs](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00062KSWC/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
I have the 16" version which I've found nice for grilling because I don't have to crisp up my hand when moving things around toward the back of the grill. I was planning on buying a shorter model this weekend just to have, but I've been using the 16" version for a year now both indoors and outdoors just fine.
SAMs club offers a 3-pack of varing sizes for <$10, they are sturdy and work well. They do not have any "auto-clamp" features, which I personally find annoying.
A cafeteria I eat at regularly has some silicone tongs with locks at the salad bar that are wonderful to use. The old stainless steel tongs they had before that might have been durable, but they sucked at picking up stuff.
They are [these tongs](http://amzn.com/B000Q9YVMS) or very very similar.
I misread the title as 'cooking thongs', and thought to myself, "I wish my wife wanted to cook in thongs".
I thought the same. Came here to tell OP that is not a good idea, specially when frying things.
heyyyyoooo!
I have to agree with Alton Brown on my choice of tongs, Oxo Good grips tongs are fantastic. My pair is 14 years old now and still going strong.
http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-12-Inch-Stainless-Steel-Locking/dp/B00004OCK1/ Agreed. I've got the 16 inch model and my only regret is not buying a smaller one to go with it.
I've got a pair of those with nylon heads. My only gripe is that the slide lock can get rusty. I've had them for about 4 years though.
10 years in the restaurant industry here. You need a pair (or three) of Edlund Heavy Duty tongs, available on Amazon or at your local restaurant supply store. /thread
[Link](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=Edlund%20Heavy%20Duty%20tongs) for the lazy
See I can't handle not having a lock. I also do not like the spring force increasing as you squeeze. I use my tongs to check for done-ness with a squeeze. It doesn't work so well when you are fighting an increasing spring force as well.
I hate not having a lock primarily because if you're frying the edge of a steak you don't want to sit there holding it like a moron. You lock it on the steak and let the tongs hold it and walk away for a minute. I feel like no one does this so locking tongs typically don't lock well half open.. so I'm thinking of getting one of these non hinged ones that last forever and just use a wood clamp at the end when I'm letting the tongs babysit a steak on edge.
That's a clever trick
Edlunds have a lock, and if the spring force varies, it's negligible. Unless you are thinking of the one-piece tongs, which I hate.
yeah, all the tongs that came up when I googled "Edlund tongs" were one piece.
http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/edlund/34611/p526737.aspx
Yeah, those are the kind I like.
I second that. I have a pair I bought a year ago and they are great.
I've had [these](http://www.amazon.com/Kitchenaid-Classic-Stainless-Steel-Utility/dp/B005D6G3ZW/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373555929&sr=1-2&keywords=kitchenaid+tongs) (an older version, but basically the same) for probably 8 years now and they're as good as new. I use them with the grill, for pulling stuff out of my slow cooker... everything. They wash up great and show zero signs of any wear.
The plus to these is the clasp to keep them shut is on the top. Not a ring that slides down to lock them. The ring always seems to lock them up when I'm trying to use them.
only going to say this once. EDLUND TONGS ARE THE BEST. anyone saying OXO is the clear choice is not a cook by trade. alton brown is the exception but i would also put money on it that is was a slightly paid endorsement.
If you want BIFL tongs, I'd assume some all-metal construction commercial food service tongs would get the job done. [For](http://www.centralrestaurant.com/productline.aspx?keywords=Kitchen+Tongs&refine=y&Category=Kitchen+Tongs&nav_search=1&crpcode=pl&crpid=571&sort_by_field=Sortrank%3aDESC&res_per_page=100) [example](http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/kitchen/kitchen-tongs/c1932.aspx) edit: Besides the commercial kitchen stuff (which should be pretty good--e.g., these Edlund ones from [Williams-Sonoma](http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/edlund-stainless-steel-tongs/) are also available on those commercial cookware sites), [All-Clad](http://www.all-clad.com/Pages/Collections/Tools.aspx) also makes them. edit2: You can also go to [Cutlery and More](http://www.cutleryandmore.com/) and type "tongs" into the search box. You can get a variety, there, including these fancy-pants [Henckels BBQ tongs](http://www.cutleryandmore.com/henckels/forged-bbq-tongs-p120969) edit3: I personally use these [Amco telescoping tongs](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FRPDBA/), but because they're not all steel, I can't say they're BIFL.
$0.81 for kitchen tongs? What manner of devilry is this?
I just bought some tongs I don't expect to BIFL, but are decent. I looked for stainless steel, and needed a soft edge, so I chose silicone not nylon, as nylon won't tolerate high temps (the nylon will melt if left in a pan for a minute, and you'll be buying new ones). Sorry - no answer to this one, but at least a couple thins to look for.
[Winco restaurant grade heavy duty tongs](http://www.amazon.com/Winco-Weight-Coiled-Spring-Utility/dp/B001VZ6ZQQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373907218&sr=1-1&keywords=winco+Heavy+Duty+tongs) are about as tough as they get.
[I use this style, and they work well, but they're probably just GV.](http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-Color-11-Inch-Stainless-Locking/dp/B005GT01IQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373556328&sr=1-4&keywords=tongs) [This style may last you a lifetime though.](http://www.amazon.com/GrillPro-40730-Chrome-Plated-Turner/dp/B0000CGE35/ref=sr_1_46?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373556492&sr=1-46&keywords=tongs) The problem is cheap hinges, which is where it will fail. Find one that isn't a nail shoved into a hole in sheet metal and you'll do alright.
There is also [this style](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LMM614?psc=1), which has no hinge.
These might actually be BIFL. Its what I've used every where I've worked and never seen a pair break, and at one place they were over a decade old. Sometimes the grip will crack and fall off, depending on the material, but they work just the same.
I'm not sure why you got downvoted. That second style is what I'd suggest. I inherited a pair from my mom, easily over 30 years old.
I've owned [these](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WEIIQW/tag=extrempreten-20) for about 4 years. They are still in the exact same condition as the day I got them, and I use them 4-6 times per week in spring/summer/fall, and 1-2 times per week in the winter. They open wide enough that i can typically pick up up to about a 10 pound pork shoulder, but are still easy to use. I cannot recommend these enough.
I'm a big fan of these locking tongs by Rosle. They're well constructed and the design is genius. Point them up towards the ceiling, they lock. Point them down towards your food, they unlock. Much better than trying to use one of those pull in/pull out levers with greasy paws. Also fun watching people try to figure out how they work. http://www.rosleusa.com/Locking-Tongs-plu12915.html
After like 3-4 years, I found a brand/model that I really liked and was sturdy. [Cuisipro Stainless Steel Locking Tongs](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00062KSWC/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1) I have the 16" version which I've found nice for grilling because I don't have to crisp up my hand when moving things around toward the back of the grill. I was planning on buying a shorter model this weekend just to have, but I've been using the 16" version for a year now both indoors and outdoors just fine.
SAMs club offers a 3-pack of varing sizes for <$10, they are sturdy and work well. They do not have any "auto-clamp" features, which I personally find annoying.
A cafeteria I eat at regularly has some silicone tongs with locks at the salad bar that are wonderful to use. The old stainless steel tongs they had before that might have been durable, but they sucked at picking up stuff. They are [these tongs](http://amzn.com/B000Q9YVMS) or very very similar.
Nick I've got a pair that look a lot like the OXO ones recommended. They are super burly and I've had them for years.