5 Best Fish Bone Pliers Of 2023
Removing bones from your fish fillets is important. You don’t want the bone left on the cooked fish to spoil the entire evening, do you? Removing fish bones is easier with a pair of good-quality pliers.
But what are the best fish bone pliers? The best fish bone pliers are made of durable rust-proof materials, have a comfortable handle, sturdy construction, and jaws that provide control and a firm grip on the bones.
In this article, we will tell you why it is important to have a pair of fish bone pliers in your kitchen, how to choose one and what are the five best fish bone pliers you can buy.
How to Choose Fish Bone Pliers
Most of the time, you can ask the fishmonger to remove the bones from the fish fillets.
But what do you do when you come home to find out that there is a bone or two left on the fillet? Or if you’re already the one filleting the fish, you’ll really understand what the tedious process is like.
It goes without saying that those pesky bones need to be removed. And this can only be done with a good pair of fish bone tweezers.
It is not easy to get hold of the needle-like bones on the fillet. Only a well-made pair of pliers can help you get this bothersome job done successfully.
Having fish bone pliers is important for two reasons: First, you can remove the bones more quickly and easily with fish tweezers than with any other kitchen tool.
And second, you do can get the job done while leaving the beautiful fillet undamaged. We know those pristine fillets are not cheap. Damaging them and making them look bad and ruining your poached fish dinner is the last thing you want.
With a good-quality pair of fish bone pliers, you can clean your fish fillet to perfection in just a few easy steps:
- Lay the fillet on your working area with the skin-side down and feel the bones.
- Once you detect a bone, hold its tip with the tweezers and pull the bone out, gently pressing the flesh around the pin bone. When pulling the bones, follow the ‘grain’.
- Repeat until you have removed all of the pin bones from the fillet.
What to Consider When Buying Fish Bone Pliers
Similar to boning knives, fish bone pliers are specifically designed to debone your fish with precision. you can’t just grab a random pair of tweezers and expect it to pluck off all the pin bones on the fish fillet.
You need a good pair that is powerful enough to grab the bone and pull it out completely. Leaving half of the bone in the fillet is one of the worst things that can happen.
Leaving a bone on the fish fillet can cause major issues if it gets stuck in someone’s throat or somewhere else in the digestive tract.
Thus, if you are a fish lover and are on the hunt for a good pair of fish bone pliers to have at hand whenever you need to get rid of some pin bones, here is what you should consider:
Material
Fish bone tweezers should be made of rust-resistant, durable materials. Stainless steel fish bone tweezers are the most popular.
With some fish types, the bones may show quite a lot of resistance. So, you can’t be working with a pair of poorly constructed flimsy tweezers made of mediocre materials.
Jaw Type
You can find fish bone pliers with different types of jaws.
Some fish bone tweezers have needle-nose jaws. These tapered jaws have pointed tips. You can use this kind of tweezers to grab on the tiniest pin bones.
Pliers with pointed jaws are particularly helpful when you are trying to remove short or half-broken fish bones.
Another common jaw type for fish bone pliers is the flat, straight type. The ends of these tweezers are wider. But if they are well-made, you can still grab the thinnest pin bones with these pliers too.
The blades that pinch together usually have around two millimeters of surface and help you get a nice grip on the pin bones.
It is important that the pliers have anti-slip ends as the needle-like bones are very slippery. Some fish bone pliers have tapered, serrated jaws and ensure a precise grip on the pin bones.
Handle
It is important for the handle of the fish bone pliers to have an ergonomic design and provide a firm grip on the tool. If you are looking for a more comfortable experience, pick a pair of pliers with silicone handles.
The handles of some fish bone pliers have a spring detail to promote a fatigue-free experience.
Cleaning
When you are done working with the raw fish, you certainly need to clean the pliers. It is a good idea to pick a pair of dishwasher-safe fish bone tweezers for ease of cleaning.
5 Best Fish Bone Pliers
If you think fish bone pliers are an unnecessary purchase, you are wrong. They can only be if you never cook fish eat home.
But if you do cook fish at home, having a pair of specialized tweezers for plucking out pin bones is certainly worth it.
With little practice and patience, you will start using fish bone pliers skillfully, removing all those slipper bones with ease.
These are five of the best fish bone pliers you can choose from:
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Rosle Fishbone Tongs | Dishwasher-safe, 5.9” |
| 2. | iziusy Fish Bone Tweezers | Flat (4.4”) and slant (4.6”) shape |
| 3. | Chef’s Trade Fish Bone Pliers | Non-slip handle, curved tip |
| 4. | Mercer Culinary Fish Bone Tweezers | Comfortable handle, 5.6” |
| 5. | Shun Fish Bone Tweezers | Beveled tip, ergonomic shape |
All of these are made with stainless steel, to boot. So without further ado, let’s talk about each of these bad boys in more detail.
1. Rosle Fishbone Tongs
Rosle has been on the market since 1888. So, it is not surprising that it has one of the best fish bone pliers out there.
Made of stainless steel, these tweezers are durable and easy to take care of. They won’t rust and can be washed in the dishwasher.
The flexibility of these pliers is what makes them so great. It is what enhances the precision and comfort of these fish bone pliers.
The jaw of these pliers is unlike anything you have seen on other fish bone tweezers. The tips of the jaw are flat and wide and have grooved ridges which help you get a good grip even on the most stubborn pin bones.
With the Rosle fish bone tongs, you also get a lifetime warranty.
2. iziusy Fish Bone Tweezers
These fish bone tweezers come as a set of two pliers that have different jaw shapes.
One of the pliers is 4.4 inches long and has straight edges, while the other one is slightly longer, at 4.6 inches long, with slanted ends.
As the manufacturer claims, both tweezers help you get close to the bone you want to pluck out and help you remove it without damaging the fillet.
With the help of these flat and slant fish bone tweezers, you can not only remove the pin bones from the fillet but also any scales left on the fish.
These fish bone pliers have the perfect size to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. They are also easy to use and clean as you can wash them in the dishwasher.
3. Chef’s Trade Fish Bone Pliers
If you are looking for a pair of fish bone pliers with a tapered jaw, consider buying this pair of fish bone pliers by Chef’s Trade. They can be used for any kind of fish, from salmon to bass.
The thin and serrated tips of the jaw that are also slightly crooked will help you get a grip on the smallest and shortest pin bones and remove the most resistant ones with ease.
The handle is well-designed, with a non-slip finish and a spring detail for convenient use. The Chef’s Trade fish bone pliers are also dishwasher-safe.
4. Mercer Culinary Fish Bone Tweezers
The Mercer Culinary fish bone tweezers are an enhanced version of regular fish bone tweezers. The jaw has slanted edges for a firm grip on the pin bones.
The handle is not completely smooth, which is the case with most of the steel pliers on the market. This contributes to having a good grip on the plier when using it.
Made of satin-finish stainless steel, these tweezers not only look good but are also dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
The Mercer Culinary fish bone pliers come with a lifetime warranty as another evidence of their quality.
5. Shun Fish Bone Tweezers
If you use fish bone pliers very often and want to invest in a really good pair, then Shun fish bone tweezers are one of the best options you can go for.
These pliers are on the expensive side. However, there are many factors justifying their high price.
Firstly, these pliers are made of stainless steel. They are durable and dishwasher-safe.
Secondly, the beveled and sharp tips make it easy to grab even the smallest and most delicate bones with these pliers. Lastly, they have an ergonomic shape for a comfortable grip.
