Pig Tail
The Pig Tail Food Flipper—a slender stainless steel rod with a wooden handle on one end and a sharp, pointed, curled tip on the other (shaped like its namesake)—is designed to flip foods at the grill or the stovetop without marring their surface. The manufacturer's website and packaging claim that it "replaces tongs, forks, and spatulas." We tested the Pig Tail by flipping a rack of ribs, a hot dog, a couple of chicken cutlets, a filet mignon, strips of bacon, and French toast (the latter being an odd choice but one that was featured in a demonstration video).
The Pig Tail handled each of these tasks with varying degrees of success--from excellent for the hot dog, chicken, and bacon to fair for the French toast, which it tore. The filet mignon turned over easily, but some of its juices escaped through the tiny holes made after flipping it. (These holes could be seen on the surface of the steak.)
Our tool of choice for all of the above uses is generally a pair of tongs. Would we trade them in for a Pig Tail? No. Tongs hold food more securely, and they seem to be safer as well. One member of the test kitchen staff poked her finger with the extremely sharp tip of the Pig Tail while cleaning it. We'll save our $14.95 (the cost of a 12-inch Pig Tail) and hang on to our tongs.
- 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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