Norpro Anti-Freeze Spade & Ice Cream Scoop

When it comes time to serve up your favorite frozen sweets, whether it be classic ice cream or a more calorie-conscious frozen yogurt, you’ll find yourself looking at the problem of how to scoop that delicious treat into your bowl. An ice cream scoop will be the utensil that you’re looking for, but there are some significant differences in what style scoop might best suit you and your specific needs.

Ice cream scoops can range from plastic to metal. They can be a simple one-piece unit that seems like a hefty spoon, or they might have a spring-loaded handle that will allow the ice cream or frozen yogurt to arrive perfectly on your plate with a pleasing spherical aesthetic. It’s important to take these factors into account when you’re deciding which ice cream scoop is best for you.

If you do choose the metallic variety, you will first want to be sure that your ice cream scoop is made of stainless steel. This will give you peace of mind knowing that you have food-grade metals in your utensil. The last thing you want is for a painted scoop to start chipping and reveal a corroded metal. On the same note, any plastics should be BPA-free when coming into contact with the food you are consuming.

You may also want to consider the ergonomics of your scoop. When you first open that carton of frozen goodness, you might try to grab the thickest spoon in your drawer and dig in for a sample, but you’ll quickly find that your freezer can really make these frozen confections very hard, and you’re doing more damage to your spoon than anything else. Enter the ice cream scoop.

Your ice cream scoop should have a sturdy handle and a hard metal edge to allow you to comfortably insert it into the rather hard frozen treat that you’re trying to serve. You will be applying quite a bit of force to the ice cream scoop as you dig in to remove a scoop from the carton.  Products like the Professional Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop by BALCI have you covered on the comfort side.

The shape of your scooped product might be of interest as well. Some scoops have a more pointed tip, like a spade shovel, that allow you to dig in for a big scoop. If you are hoping for a perfectly spherical scoop, however, you might want to look for a product with a half-sphere design, which will allow you to drop a picture-perfect scoop of ice cream in your dish or cone.

Whether you’re purchasing an ice cream scoop for yourself or giving it as a gift to a lucky recipient, use these guidelines to think thoroughly about which product can best suit your needs.

• Don’t let the name fool you — ice cream scoops can do much more than just serve up that tasty dairy treat. This multi-functional kitchen tool can be used for baking, making salads and cocktails or even prepping your summer squashes for a nice roast in the oven.
• One common use for these utensils is as a melon baller. The small round scoops of fruit can be added to salads and refreshing summertime beverages. They add a fun and unique look to the dish while bringing the familiar flavors of your favorite fruits. Imagine serving your guests a cold, fruity drink that has cold watermelon spheres instead of ice cubes.
• Save time and make perfectly round cookies with this as well. The ice cream scoop will give consistent size and shape to all your homemade cookies while letting your hands stay nice and clean. And what makes the perfect topper for that fresh, warm cookie? A scoop of ice cream, obviously!
• After thinking of all these desserts and fruits, you might find yourself wanting a vegetable or something savory. Cut open a spaghetti squash and grab your new favorite ice cream scoop. This tool is perfect for digging into the middle of the squash and removing all the seeds before you roast it in the oven. No more struggling with a small spoon that wants to bend or dig into your hand — you now will have the right tool for this job, too.