According to my family and many of my friends, I might be obsessed with rubber spatulas. At present, I have no less than eight in my kitchen drawer. But I call that passionate, not obsessed.
Do I need eight spatulas? No. Do I feel better about having backups in case something happens to seven of them? Absolutely.
You don't need to be as passionate about rubber spatulas as I am, but I strongly recommend you invest in at least one good one, and that would be Rubbermaid's commercial high-heat spatula.
Rubber Spatulas vs Silicone Spatulas
First of all, let's clear something up: Rubber spatulas are really silicone spatulas.
While most people (myself included) call all of these “rubber” spatulas, they're actually made of silicone, which is what enables them to stand up to the higher temperatures. It’s kind of like referring to all food containers as Tupperware.
The Best Rubber Spatula: Rubbermaid’s High Heat Scraper
How often have you been left holding the handle of a fractured rubber spatula while attempting to scrape out cookie dough from a bowl?
Unlike the flimsy spatulas you encounter hanging from a clip display in the baking aisle of your grocery store, this silicone spatula is durable enough to withstand a plunge into the firmest of cookie doughs. I have yet to break one!
Are they the most decorative items I've ever purchased? Not really. But when it comes to getting the job done in the kitchen, I'm not looking for beauty contest winners. These are the very same rubber spatulas I used in commercial kitchens as a newbie chef, so I never doubt they'll take care of business in my home kitchen.
They're also high-heat resistant because the head is made of silicone, which means they can scrape off the sides of those pans of melted sugar.
I own the 9 1/2-inch and 13 1/2-inch sizes, both of which are ideal for those who do any cooking or baking. Grab the larger one for scraping down large mixing bowls full of batter. The small one is a go-to for smoothing icings or spreads on your next cake or bun recipe.
For me, a rubber spatula is as essential to a home kitchen as a cook is. However, it's much more acceptable to have more than one of the former than it is of the latter—at least in my kitchen.