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Grill Grate Cleaners

We love our longtime favorite grill grate cleaner for its ability to remove baked-on food from grill grates. Now, two new scrapers promise to do an even better job. One is a stainless steel rod topped with a wrench-shaped head that wraps around the grates to scrape them clean from all sides, like dental floss. The tool removed hard-to-reach food underneath the rounded grates of our charcoal grill, but we missed the ease of brush cleaning and the device wasn’t designed to work on the flat bars of our favorite gas grill. The second challenger works like a watering can with sharp bristles on the nozzle. After we were done grilling, we used it on the still-hot grill, filling the device with water, which was released through the brush at a turn of a knob. When the water hit the hot grates, it steamed and loosened grit. Unfortunately, water merely trickled out, minimizing steam cleaning. The bottom line: our original favorite still cleans up the competition.

Related Content
Good:
★★★
Fair:
★★
Poor:
★
N/A:
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*Prices subject to change
Product Tested Performance Comfort Price*
Highly Recommended
Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: Flexible
Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: Flexible

The 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 Knife
Wüsthof Classic Boning Knife

Hefty 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: Flexible
Mundial Boning Knife: Flexible

The 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 Knife
Shun Gokujo Filet Knife

Designed 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 Series
MAC Boning Knife—Chef Series

The 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 Knife
Messermeister San Moritz Elite Flexible Boning Knife

The 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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