Skim Away the Mess from the Food, with an Oxo Skimmer
Written: Apr 06 '04 (Updated Apr 06 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Stainless steel, rubbery handle, dishwasher safe, guaranteed by Oxo, long handle
Cons: Sometimes too flat, but it wouldn't be a skimmer if it were more rounded!
The Bottom Line: This isn't the most popular tool in my kitchen, but it really does come in handy especially for the fryer.
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| Javelina's Full Review: Oxo 15" Steel Skimmer |
After buying a deep fryer, an Oxo skimmer caught my eye at Linen’s N Things. This was the perfect opportunity to get a tool to fish things out of the fryer, as well as use it for other purposes.
This skimmer cost me $9.99. It was a choice between this skimmer and another one that was $2 more expensive, also by Oxo. However, the other skimmer had long slits in it, rather than little holes. Being that we sometimes fry French fries, I decided against it, because I didn’t want the fries catching in the slits.
So what is a skimmer? It is basically a flattened slotted spoon, the slots being small holes (not slats).
Linen’s N Things and Bed Bath & Beyond accept each other’s coupons (as competitors), and BB&B takes expired coupons as well.. As I slowly build my supple of kitchen tools, this is an important factor, and I make sure I’m on their mailing lists!
The Oxo 15” Steel Skimmer
The dimensions of the skimmer are 14" x 4" x 2" weighs in at 7 oz. It is made out of brushed stainless steel.
The handle is half metal and half rubber. Oxo has used their trademark Santoprene, textured with “fins” for additional grip. There is also a hole in the handle, for hanging or other storage.
This skimmer is dishwasher safe. I generally just wash my Oxo kitchen tools right away, so that they are on hand. Because I mostly use the skimmer to dip it into grease, I like to wipe it off and then wash by hand, occasionally throwing it in the dishwasher instead.
Satisfaction Guarantee
“We guarantee everything we make! If for any reason you are not satisfied with an OXO product, return it for replacement or refund.”
Oxo backs their products with a guarantee. This makes purchasing their products that much easier, in that I have increased faith in my investment. I love the fact that there is a guarantee, although I honestly doubt I will ever need to follow up on it!
My Thoughts
I mostly use my Oxo skimmer for getting things out of the fryer. Granted, we have a basket in our fryer, but I like being able to scoop things out of the fryer, allowing the oil to easily drain off. For example, we’ll fry up a batch of different items, and when some items finish faster than others, I need a way to quickly remove some items. It is durable, and obviously won’t melt or distort in the hot grease or against hot metal.
I wouldn’t consider this skimmer the most appropriate tool for removing small particles from a deep fryer. I still drain the oil from the skimmer through a fine screen, because the holes in the skimmer are too big to catch the “grainy stuff”.
I don’t usually this skimmer for other things, but it definitely has a variety of purposes. Obviously, you can skim things, like when the surface of a dish gets lumpy or separates out (like that foamy surface on potatoes).
Another use I have found is for when we make cheese. (If you haven’t tried it, believe it or not, cheeses like ricotta and fresh mozzarella are incredibly simple – and takes under ½ hour!) Anyway, it involves lifting the curds out of the whey, in which case, the skimmer is perfect! It helps get the curds (the “clumping” milk) out of the whey. Not only does it help avoid the mess, the mixture is still pretty hot, so the skimmer makes the job a lot easier.
You can use the Oxo skimmer to lift and separate out foods. For example, if you make a sauce and just want the thick, chunky parts, pick it up with the skimmer. Or, if you cook vegetables in water, you can lift them out. And if you sauté things, and it becomes a soupy mess, this might come in handy when it is time to serve. There are a plethora of possibilities, many of which helps to make foods either more appetizing or less caloric (less grease, less sauce, etc).
Although the Oxo website mentions using this for pick up veggies, I would have to say that it isn’t the most likely thing I would use a skimmer for. I would be much more likely to use my Oxo Slotted Spoon, which is more rounded and easier to scoop with.
The handle is comfortable, and is also nice and long so that you won’t get hot oil splashed on you as you’re trying to use this tool.
I can’t really think of anything negative to say about this product. I took a look at Zyliss’ versions of skimmers, which are also very nice. Sometimes I wish my Oxo skimmer had a little bit more – ever so slight - of a round shape to it to speed drainage. The whole point is that a skimmer has a flat shape to it, so I’m content.
Although this isn’t the most popular tool in my kitchen, the Oxo skimmer comes in handy for some cooking projects.
Oxo: http://www.oxo.com
My other Oxo reviews:
Oxo Apple Wedger
Oxo Ice Cream Spade
Oxo Safety Can Opener
Oxo Beak-Shaped Ice Cream Scoop
Oxo Citrus Zester
Oxo 14 Nylon Slotted Spoon
Oxo 14” Nylon Spoon
Oxo Garlic Press
Oxo Pizza Cutter
Oxo 4-pc Measuring Spoons
Oxo Swivel Peeler
Oxo Wire Cheese Slicer
Recommended:
Yes
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