Photo, Erik Putz.
My kitchen at home is quite small, with next-to-no storage space—which means I am ruthless when it comes to kitchen gadgets and utensils. For an item to take up precious real estate (counter, drawer, anywhere), it needs to either be multi-purpose or so fantastic that I don’t know what I would do without it.
So, last Christmas, when my husband bought me a set of four Oxo spatulas as a stocking stuffer, I skeptically looked at the long, skinny jar scraper and thought “what can you do that the other three can’t?” Well, let me tell you, it can do everything—and more.
Because of its thin shape, it can get into the tiniest of spaces... like those dang tomato-paste jars where spoons can't fit. And the long length means it reaches right to the bottom of tall pasta sauce and peanut butter jars. It even gets into all the nooks and crannies of my blender. The hard sides act like a squeegee, scraping out every last drop of smoothie. I’ve also found myself reaching for this handy utensil when I have to stir something in a small jar (like sourdough starter), to help lift baked goods out of pans, and to get into tight spots—like under the beater paddle at the bottom of my stand-mixer bowl.
It’s also super durable, heat-resistant up to 600F and won’t scratch your pots and pans (I’ve used it to scrape off burnt-on food). Plus, it’s all one piece, so there are no lips or crevices for food to get stuck in (one of my biggest pet peeves). For just under $10, this little tool is one you can’t afford to not have in your kitchen.
Use your spatula to scrape every last bit of peanut butter from the jar and make these cookies:
Originally published November 2017; Updated December 2019.
Subscribe to our newsletters for our very best stories, recipes, style and shopping tips, horoscopes and special offers.