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Best grill tongs for flipping steaks and vegetables: Amazon

Grill tong length in inches for safe reach above hot grates, whether the tong is locking or scalloped-tip, handle material (stainless versus silicone-wrapped), spring tension and whether the tong is dishwasher safe determine which grill tongs suit steak, chicken and vegetable grilling.

By Pickspry EditorialUpdated 4 picks

The short answer

OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs at $15 are the best grill tongs for most home grillers: the 16-inch length positions hands 16 inches from the grate surface, the locking mechanism compresses the tongs flat for drawer storage and the silicone-wrapped handle stays cool at grill-side temperatures and provides non-slip grip when hands are moist or greasy.

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Quick picks

How we chose

Grill tongs are evaluated by length, tip design (scalloped, serrated or flat), handle material, locking mechanism, spring tension and dishwasher safety. Specs from manufacturer product pages. We did not test these products.

The picks, in detail

4 picks reviewed
01
Best grill tongs for most home grillers
OXO OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs

OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs

Brand: OXO

Best for

Home grillers who want a versatile set of tongs that locks for compact storage, grips food firmly without piercing it and keeps the handle cool enough to handle without heat-resistant gloves, where OXO Good Grips uses stainless steel arms with silicone-wrapped handles and a push-button locking ring.

Skip if

Tongs shorter than 16 inches are preferred for precision work on a small stovetop grill pan. OXO 16-inch tongs are designed for outdoor grill use where the extra length provides safety distance from the heat. For indoor grill pan work where 16 inches is unwieldy over a stove burner, a shorter 9-inch or 12-inch pair of tongs provides more control. For outdoor grilling where full arm extension is used, 16 inches is the appropriate length.

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OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs use stainless steel arms with a silicone grip wrap over the handle section. The push-button locking ring slides over both arms to hold the tongs closed for storage. The scalloped stainless tips grip food surfaces without puncturing the meat. The tongs wash in the dishwasher. The spring tension is calibrated for one-handed operation without excessive hand fatigue during extended cooking sessions.

OXO International is a New York kitchenware brand established in 1990, known for ergonomic handle designs across their kitchen tool line.

At $15, OXO Good Grips 16-inch is the best value silicone-handle locking tong in this guide.

Specifications

Specifications for OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs
Length16 inches
HandleSilicone-wrapped stainless
LockingPush-button ring
TipScalloped stainless
Price$15

Specs from OXO Good Grips 16 inch locking tongs stainless steel silicone handle grill, BBQ Amazon search

02
Best budget grill tongs
Winco Winco Stainless Steel 12-Inch Utility Tongs

Winco Stainless Steel 12-Inch Utility Tongs

Brand: Winco

Best for

Budget grillers who want a professional kitchen-grade stainless steel tong at the lowest price, where Winco Utility Tongs use a single-piece stainless steel construction with no plastic or silicone components that would melt if inadvertently placed across a grill side, rated for commercial kitchen use.

Skip if

Grill-side heat protection for the handle is required. Winco stainless steel tongs use an uninsulated metal handle that conducts heat when the tips are near flame or resting on a hot grill surface. For extended grilling where the tongs are frequently set down near the grill, silicone-wrapped handles (OXO) or the Cuisinart locking design provide handles that remain cooler than uninsulated stainless.

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Winco Utility Tongs use a single-piece stainless steel construction stamped from a single sheet with a coiled spring at the top that holds the tongs open. The 12-inch length accommodates standard indoor and outdoor grill work. The scalloped tips grip most food surfaces. The all-stainless construction is dishwasher safe indefinitely without handle degradation. Winco tongs are rated for commercial kitchen use, providing a durability standard beyond typical consumer tongs.

Winco is a commercial kitchen equipment and supply brand. Their utility tongs are sold to restaurant supply stores and through Amazon in both commercial and consumer markets.

At $10, Winco 12-inch is the most affordable professional-grade grill tong in this guide.

Specifications

Specifications for Winco Stainless Steel 12-Inch Utility Tongs
Length12 inches
HandleUninsulated stainless steel
LockingNo
ConstructionSingle-piece stainless
Price$10

Specs from Winco stainless steel 12 inch utility tongs commercial kitchen restaurant, grade Amazon search

03
Best locking grill tongs
Cuisinart Cuisinart Locking 16-Inch Grill Tongs

Cuisinart Locking 16-Inch Grill Tongs

Brand: Cuisinart

Best for

Home grillers who want 16-inch locking tongs from a recognizable kitchen brand at a price competitive with the OXO, where Cuisinart Locking Tongs use stainless steel arms with a rubber grip handle and a sliding lock ring that holds the tongs closed.

Skip if

Silicone grip handles that resist grease as effectively as silicone are needed. Cuisinart uses a rubber grip rather than silicone. Silicone handles (OXO) are more grease-resistant and easier to clean than rubber handles over long-term use. For occasional grilling where the handle grip is not washed repeatedly, the Cuisinart rubber grip provides adequate non-slip performance. For grillers who cook regularly and wash their tongs frequently, silicone-wrapped handles maintain their grip texture longer.

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Cuisinart Locking 16-Inch Tongs use stainless steel arms with a rubber overmold grip on the handle section. The sliding ring lock closes the tongs for storage. The tips are stainless scalloped design. The tongs are dishwasher safe. The 16-inch length provides the same grill-side reach as the OXO tongs at a slightly lower price.

Cuisinart is a Connecticut kitchen appliance and accessories brand established in 1971. Their grill accessories line includes tongs, spatulas and grill brushes sold alongside their kitchen appliances.

At $14, Cuisinart Locking is the best value rubber-handle locking tong in this guide.

Specifications

Specifications for Cuisinart Locking 16-Inch Grill Tongs
Length16 inches
HandleRubber grip stainless
LockingSliding ring
TipScalloped stainless
Price$14

Specs from Cuisinart locking 16 inch grill tongs stainless steel rubber grip BBQ, handle Amazon search

04
Best short grill tongs for precision
Weber Weber Original Stainless Steel 9-Inch Tongs

Weber Original Stainless Steel 9-Inch Tongs

Brand: Weber

Best for

Weber grill owners and grillers who prefer shorter tongs for precision flipping of burgers, chicken pieces and chops in confined grill spaces, where Weber 9-inch tongs provide more control over small or delicate food items than 16-inch tongs through a shorter lever arm that reduces over-extension.

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A standard 16-inch reach is needed for safety at a full-size grill. Weber 9-inch tongs require reaching hand closer to the grill grate surface than 16-inch alternatives. For grillers who cook at high temperatures (above 500F) or who use a large offset smoker where the grate is at arm's length, the 9-inch handle does not provide adequate heat protection. The shorter tongs are best for compact grills (Weber Go-Anywhere, tabletop grills) or for low-and-slow cooking where grate temperature is moderate.

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Weber 9-Inch Tongs use stainless steel arms with a coil spring. The short 9-inch total length provides mechanical advantage for gripping small items but requires the hand to operate closer to the grate than longer tong designs. The tongs are Weber-branded to match Weber grill aesthetics. The stainless construction is dishwasher safe. Weber 9-inch tongs are sold as a standalone tong or as part of Weber grill tool sets.

Weber is an American grill manufacturer founded in 1952 in Chicago. Their grill accessories are designed to complement their kettle and gas grill product lines.

At $12, Weber 9-inch is the best value precision short tong in this guide.

Specifications

Specifications for Weber Original Stainless Steel 9-Inch Tongs
Length9 inches
HandleStainless steel
LockingNo
ApplicationPrecision work, compact grills
Price$12

Specs from Weber Original stainless steel 9 inch tongs grill flip burger short handle, control Amazon search

Grill tong comparison

Product Length Handle Locking Price
Winco Utility 12 in Stainless No $10
Weber Original 9 in Stainless No $12
Cuisinart Locking 16 in Rubber grip Yes $14
OXO Good Grips 16 in Silicone Yes $15

Compare the picks

Side by side comparison of every pick
Specification
OXO OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs
OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs
Winco Winco Stainless Steel 12-Inch Utility Tongs
Winco Stainless Steel 12-Inch Utility Tongs
Cuisinart Cuisinart Locking 16-Inch Grill Tongs
Cuisinart Locking 16-Inch Grill Tongs
Weber Weber Original Stainless Steel 9-Inch Tongs
Weber Original Stainless Steel 9-Inch Tongs
Our verdictBest grill tongs for most home grillersBest budget grill tongsBest locking grill tongsBest short grill tongs for precision
Length16 inches12 inches16 inches9 inches
HandleSilicone-wrapped stainlessUninsulated stainless steelRubber grip stainlessStainless steel
LockingPush-button ringNoSliding ringNo
TipScalloped stainlessNot listedScalloped stainlessNot listed
Price$15$10$14$12
ConstructionNot listedSingle-piece stainlessNot listedNot listed
ApplicationNot listedNot listedNot listedPrecision work, compact grills
BuyCheck priceCheck priceCheck priceCheck price

Questions people ask

What length grill tongs should I use?

Grill tong length depends on grill size and cooking temperature. For a standard two-burner or three-burner gas grill, 16-inch tongs provide comfortable reach across the grate without requiring the hand to extend over the heat. For a large offset smoker or a grill where the cooking grate is more than 16 inches from the user, longer 18-inch or 20-inch tongs are available. For compact grills (tabletop charcoal kettle, small gas grill) or for indoor grill pan work, 12-inch tongs provide better control. The key rule: the tong tip should be able to reach the far side of the grate surface while the handle end stays outside the heat zone. When in doubt, longer tongs provide more safety margin than shorter ones.

Should grill tongs have silicone tips or stainless steel tips?

Stainless steel tips are preferred for grill use over silicone tips. Stainless tips resist the heat of a grill grate (which may be 500F to 600F surface temperature) without melting or degrading. Silicone tips are rated to lower temperatures than grill grate surfaces, and direct contact between silicone tips and a 600F cast iron grate surface can cause tip degradation. Silicone tips are appropriate for non-stick cookware on a stovetop where the surface temperature stays below 450F. For grill use, stainless steel scalloped tips provide durability and secure grip without temperature risk. Stainless tips can scratch non-stick grill grates; for porcelain-coated grates, use tongs with care to avoid dragging the tips aggressively across the coating.

Can I use regular kitchen tongs for grilling?

Regular kitchen tongs can be used for grilling if they are all-stainless construction (no plastic handles or silicone tips that melt at grill temperatures) and long enough to provide safe hand distance from the heat. A standard 9-inch kitchen tong places the hand within 9 inches of the grate surface, which may be uncomfortably close for high-heat grilling above 400F. If using kitchen tongs at the grill, verify the handle material will not melt or off-gas at the operating temperature and use oven mitts for additional hand protection when working close to the heat. Dedicated grill tongs (16-inch stainless) are not significantly more expensive than kitchen tongs and are designed for the specific heat and length requirements of outdoor grilling.

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