This $11 Scoopolander Is One of My Most Used Kitchen Tools
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When I got married in 2011, one of the wedding gifts I received was a 6.75-quart Le CreusetDutch oven, and tucked in with it was a plastic perforated scoop. At the time, we oohed and aahed over the Le Creuset and shrugged about the scoop. But in the years since, it’s the scoop that has become one of my most used kitchen tools.
It does more than first meets the eye, this scooppluscolander. I reach for it several times a week to strain out short or stuffed pasta — at about a cup capacity, it’s especially handy for cooking kid-size portions — or a single serving of udon or beans, to retrieve boiled eggs or potatoes or blanched vegetables from scalding water, to remove solids from stock, or to rinse berries or grapes under the tap. I love that with this scoop, I don’t have to dig out my colander from the drawer, where it’s stacked with the mixing bowls to save space. I just leave it in myutensil crock, where it’s got a really small footprint. It also easily fits into the dishwasher, whereas the colander takes up a lot of space wherever I put it down (on the counter, in the sink, or loaded for the next dishwashing cycle). These days I only pull out the colander for spaghetti or larger quantities that need straining — and I do it resentfully.
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I have a slew of other spiders, slotted spoons, and smaller strainers, but they don’t hold as much and are therefore limited to skimming or testing a bean for doneness. They’re also all metal, so I keep them away from my enameled cast iron and nonstick.
The newer version of the Joseph Joseph scoop has two small prongs on the underside that allow it to rest across a pot without sliding in, and that makes it even easier to strain things on the stove and not have to go to the sink. I have not used my scoop to remove roasted potatoes from a sheet pan, but it’s heat-safe up to 392 degrees Fahrenheit, and could even be used to fish out anything you’re deep frying (where the temperature is usually under 375 degrees). And while I wish itweren’t made of plastic(nylon, to be specific), that does make it lightweight and easy to maneuver (especially when fully loaded) and prevents it from scratching anything. For being plastic, it’s remarkably sturdy and long-lasting. Mine is 14 years old at least, and I anticipate holding onto it for many more years.
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