How to Choose the Right Whisk
Most people use a classical balloon whisk for cooking. However, this device can have different shapes and sizes, and each type is meant for different tasks. A correct whisk can help you mix ingredients more effectively and make the cooking process more convenient.
5-Minute Crafts made a compilation of 7 popular types of whisks. We’ll tell you which one is better to use for certain purposes and will also share our recommendations on choosing one.
1. Balloon whisk
A balloon whisk is a classic tool. Its working surface consists of several large wide loops that look like petals and that are intertwined with each other.
Such whisks are narrow at the base and widened at the top, which creates space inside the device. This allows you to not only mix the ingredients but to beat them as well, saturating the mixture with oxygen. In addition, the large size of the whisk and its curved shape allows even small food particles to be picked up from the round bottom of the bowl.
Best for: whipping egg whites and heavy cream as well as for mixing dry ingredients. With the help of this classic whisk, it’s convenient to cook meringues.
2. French whisk
A French whisk is more narrow than the balloon whisk, less convex, and has the shape of an ellipse. It helps mix the ingredients with flat bottoms better. Moreover, thanks to the narrow shape, such a whisk is convenient for mixing ingredients in small bowls or containers, like jars or glasses.
Best for: whipping batter, cooking salad dressings, custards, and thick sauces, like béchamel.
3. Flat whisk
Metal wires in this whisk are positioned in such a way that they form a flat surface that becomes slightly rounded in the upper part. Such a shape helps mix ingredients in pans with high sides (sauté pans) better.
Best for: mixing sauces, gravies, custards, and cheese sauces.
4. Spring whisk
A spring whisk looks like a small spring spiral located on a long handle. This shape makes it an ideal tool for mixing a small number of ingredients in small pottery. Moreover, a spring whisk is good for scraping up ingredients from a flat bowl bottom or from the sides and corners of a pan. To do that, you need to press down on the whisk so that it flattens slightly.
Best for: mixing sauces and whipping milk foam for cooking milk and coffee drinks.
5. Ball whisk
This whisk looks like a bunch of metal stiff wires, each of which has a metal or silicone ball on the tip. Balls help to mix light textures and whip them gently, saturating them with oxygen.
Best for: whipping eggs, mixing batter, soups, meringues, souffle, and cream stuffing for pies.
6. Dough whisk
A dough whisk is designed for making thick dough. It’s made of one thick metal wire which wraps itself, creating loops that are different in size. The wire on this type of whisk is quite stiff. It allows to scrape off flour lumps from the walls and mix them with other dough.
Best for: mixing bread, pancakes, waffles, and cupcake dough.
7. Coil whisk
This is quite a rare shape of a flat-shaped whisk. The base of the whisk has a thick metal wire, which is wrapped with a thinner wire in the shape of a spring. Such a whisk is perfect for mixing ingredients that are prone to forming lumps. It can have different shapes, which is why it’s easy to select a whisk for any shape of bowl.
Best for: cooking powder-based sauces and drinks, like cocoa.
Useful tips
- Opt for whisks made of stainless steel. They’re less prone to rust.
- Before buying a whisk, take one into your hands and imitate the whipping motion. It will help you understand if the handle’s shape and thickness are convenient for you.
- Pay attention to whisks whose handles are covered with a layer of silicone. It’s more convenient to hold them in your hands while cooking.
- Try not to buy a whisk that has a super long or heavy handle. This whisk will likely fall out of a bowl if you leave it in it.
- If you plan to use a whisk for a non-stick pan, look for a device that has metal wires coated with nylon or silicone. It will prevent your pans from scratching.