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How to use a grill spatula

Updated: 23 October 2026

The burgers are on, the crust is stuck, and you already own a steel turner. The next ten minutes are a low angle under the food, a scrape only when you want that crust, and a wash that matches the handle. This is how to use a grill spatula on a UK barbecue or flat top. It is not a ranking. The listings are on the [grill spatula comparison](/hub/grill-accessories/grill-spatula). Peter F. checked care lines from Which?, the British Stainless Steel Association, and Zwilling UK on 20 October 2026. There is no lab cook. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The burgers are on, the crust is stuck, and you already own a steel turner. The next ten minutes are a low angle under the food, a scrape only when you want that crust, and a wash that matches the handle.

Our top picks

Anmarko Anmarko wood turner

Best overall

Anmarko Anmarko wood turner
7.4/10about £10.99
View offer
HULISEN HULISEN wide turner

Rank 2

HULISEN HULISEN wide turner
7.7/10about £9.99
View offer
Herogo Herogo spatula and scraper

Best value

Herogo Herogo spatula and scraper
5.8/10about £7.49
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Slide, do not stab
  2. 2.Scrape when the crust should come with the food
  3. 3.Wash steel and dry it
  4. 4.Wood is hand wash only
  5. 5.When to stop using the tool

Slide, do not stab

Hold the handle so the bevel meets the plate almost flat. A steep angle turns the corner into a chisel. Slide until the head is past the middle of the food, then lift once. On grill bars, drop the corner between the bars and come up under the meat. If the food still grips, wait rather than sawing. Sawing is how a thin edge folds. Jognee's UK reviews describe more flex than expected on a 120 g turner. If the blade folds, stiffness is on smash burger spatula. If the head is already bent, retire it.

Scrape when the crust should come with the food

Scraping is a different stroke. Traeger's sequence is smash once, leave the patty, then scrape under the crust so the browned bits come with the meat. A slant scraper, which is what Joyfair and AOCGDDS are sold as, is built for that stroke. Two UK reviews say a Joyfair piece failed within days. If the blade bends, stop. If the pan is non-stick, read metal or silicone spatula before the edge touches the coating.
Anmarko Anmarko wood turner

Testsieger

Anmarko Anmarko wood turner
7.4/10about £10.99
View offer

Wash steel and dry it

When the handle is polypropylene or ABS, the listing can mean the dishwasher. Which?, after a barbecue, says stainless spatulas can go in. That is the steel, not a wooden grip. The British Stainless Steel Association's ordinary clean is soap and warm water, then a rinse and a dry. Do not start with a harsh chloride cleaner. Zwilling prefers a hand wash and suggests not going above 55°C in a machine. Dry the blade. Jognee's specification says not dishwasher safe, which matches the wood.

Wood is hand wash only

Wooden handles are a short wash, then dry. Which? says not to soak them, not to boil them, and not to dishwash them. Food-grade mineral oil is the dressing when the grain looks dry. Olive oil can go rancid in the wood. The Anmarko single shows the conflict: a dishwasher Yes field and a hand-wash bullet. A UK review soaked the handle and it warped. Herogo's bullet already says hand wash. If the rivets shift, replace the tool.

When to stop using the tool

Stop when the rivets move, the head twists, the handle splits, or a coating flakes into the pan. If the blade already curves, retire it. If the only pan in front of you is ordinary non-stick, put the steel down.

Common questions

How do I get under a burger without breaking it?
Keep the bevel nearly flat and slide until the head is past the middle, then lift once. Wait if the crust has not released. A wide head covers the patty. A light flexible slice, which UK reviews describe on the 120 g Jognee, tears food when you force it. Stabbing with the corner breaks the burger and marks the plate.
When do I scrape instead of flip?
Scrape when the browned crust should come with the food. Traeger's sequence is smash once, leave the patty, then scrape under the crust. Flip when you are only turning something that has already released. Scraping a coated plate with steel is the wrong surface, not a better technique.
Can the steel go in the dishwasher?
Yes when the handle is polypropylene or ABS and the listing says so, as on the HULISEN and the Joyfair pair. Which? includes stainless spatulas and excludes wood. Zwilling still prefers a hand wash, and a limit of 55°C in a machine. Dry the blade. HULISEN reviews include rust spots after a cycle.
What do I do with a wooden handle?
Wash it by hand, do not soak it, and do not dishwash it. Which? is explicit. Dry it, and use a little food-grade mineral oil if the grain looks dry, not olive oil. The Anmarko single warped after a soak even though a field says dishwasher safe. Herogo's hand-wash bullet is the line to copy.
Why are there dark spots after one wash?
UK reviews on the HULISEN report rust spots after a dishwasher cycle and pitting after one cook. An Anmarko four-piece review reports rust patches after two uses. Detergent, a rinse, and a dry is the ordinary stainless clean. A mild non-scratch cream is the suggestion for light staining. A harsh chloride cleaner is not the first step.
When do I stop using a loose handle?
Stop as soon as the rivets move or the head twists. Jognee reviews describe that within a few uses. A moving joint is not reliable around food, and a home rivet repair is not the fix. Replace the tool. The same stop applies to a split handle or a coating that flakes into the pan.

Related pages

Grill spatula buying guide

Grill spatula

Best BBQ spatula: who each shape in this set is for

Metal or silicone spatula: which blade for a barbecue

Smash burger spatula: keep the head flat when you press

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines in this set. We did not run a lab test.

  1. Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations 2012 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. FSA — food contact materials (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Cooking Utensils (Safety) Regulations 1972 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. Weber UK turner 6318 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. Weber UK wide turner 6762 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Which? — dishwasher after a barbecue (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. Zwilling UK — BBQ use and care (retrieved 22.10.2026)