Hannah Crowley, executive editor of reviews for America's Test Kitchen (ATK), shared some insight the other day on fish spatulas. After lots of testing and experimenting, she found that they're absolutely perfect for much more than flipping fish. She says, "Fish spatulas are the best spatulas, even if you don't eat fish."

If you're not familiar with them, they have a long, slim, triangular-ish head attached directly to a handle. They were created to handle the challenge of turning over a notoriously delicate food.

And they do that superbly. But here's the "happy little accident," as Bob Ross says (remember Bob--the bushy-haired guy who taught oil painting on public TV decades ago?), is that because they're designed to pick up an especially flaky, sticky food, they also excel at picking up a whole slew of other foods too (chewy sugar cookies, eggs, you name it).

In her review of all sorts of spatulas, Hannah says, "The metal spatulas I grew up with had a square metal head connected to a wooden handle by a long skinny piece of metal. We've tested that style too, including in our new review. Fish spatulas like the Wüsthof Gourmet Slotted Fish Spatula blow them out of the water every time (sorry, I had to)." It's pictured in the photo below.

First of all, there's its design. Your hand is closer to the action, so you have more control. Second, the longer head with a slightly curved tip at the end gives you more runway to work with and better leverage.

Of course, if you're grilling, the ATK experts suggest setting aside your fish spatula and using a long-handled grill spatula for safety and comfort. But in most cases, the shape of a fish spatula is going to be easier to use and will get you better results.

So the take-away? If you don't have one, consider getting one. Fish spatulas, with their long, tapered heads, maneuver really well, no matter what you're flipping. From cookies to pancakes to delicate fillets of sole, this is a superior kitchen tool!

I'll close with one last tip from Hannah and her ATK team. "Keep your wood-handled spatulas out of the dishwasher, and NEVER let them sit in water. And consider occasionally wiping food-safe mineral oil over their handles to protect their beauty and longevity."