Flexible Skewers
The stainless steel Fire Wire Flexible Grilling Skewer (two for $9.95) is supposed to simplify outdoor cooking: a bendable, 27½-inch-long cable with a loop at one end and a stainless steel tip at the other. The extra-long cable holds twice as much food as regular foot-long skewers and can twist along curves to save grill space; unused wire hangs over the grill to function as a stay-cool turning handle. But as soon as we loaded on our chicken kebabs, the wire showed its shortcomings. First, it was so flexible, it took the use of both hands for flipping (imagine trying to turn a piece of string). Worse, the smooth, round cable tended to spin through the meat instead of flipping it. And the “stay-cool” handle? As with all skewers, raw food and cooked food must be added and removed from the same end. However, since it never touches the heat, the Fire Wire’s tip doesn’t get hot enough to kill harmful bacteria, forcing us to wash the tip of the fully loaded skewers before we could slide off the cooked food. We think our favorite sharp-edged skewers are flat-out better in every way.
- Good:
- ★★★
- Fair:
- ★★
- Poor:
- ★
- N/A:
- ----
| Product Tested | Performance | Comfort | Price* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highly Recommended | ||||
 |
Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: FlexibleThe nonslip grip and narrow, straight blade let testers remove the smallest bones with precision and complete comfort. Perfectly balanced with enough flexibility to maneuver around tight joints. The low price was a bonus. |
★★★ | ★★★ | $19.95 |
| Recommended | ||||
 |
Wüsthof Classic Boning KnifeHefty in weight, this knife was a solid performer when removing poultry bones, and the handle was easy to grip, even when covered in chicken fat. Piercing silver skin was a challenge since the tip wasn’t sharp enough and the long narrow blade produced slightly jagged cuts. |
★★ | ★★★ | $99.95 |
| Recommended with Reservations | ||||
 |
Mundial Boning Knife: FlexibleThe sharp tip performed well when removing silver skin, but it was too flexible when maneuvering around poultry joints, leaving testers feeling a lack of control. The heavy handle was slightly unbalanced and became slippery once covered in poultry fat. |
★★ | ★★ | $19.95 |
| Not Recommended | ||||
 |
Shun Gokujo Filet KnifeDesigned to replicate a samurai blade, this expensive knife was a disappointment. It struggled to pierce the silver skin, although long cuts were smooth and even. Minimal flexibility and extreme curve got in the way when maneuvering around joints. The smooth handle was hard to grip and slippery. |
★★ | ★ | $179.95 |
 |
MAC Boning Knife—Chef SeriesThe large, cumbersome handle reminded testers of an outdoors knife for fishing and hunting. The blade was too wide to maneuver around joints and it struggled to pierce silver skin. Unlike other knives, this boning knife could only slice in one direction, making intricate cuts around joints difficult. |
★ | ★★ | $34.95 |
 |
Messermeister San Moritz Elite Flexible Boning KnifeThe blade was so flexible it led to erratic cuttings; testers said the knife was hard to control. The blade was not sturdy enough to maneuver around joints and the lightweight handle felt flimsy and unbalanced. |
★ | ★ | $53.60 |
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