Char Chimney

The Best Grilling Tongs

Tongs are the tool a griller reaches for more than any other, and most people are using a pair that's too short. Here are six that fix that, from an OXO classic to an eight-dollar spare.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we pick

Tongs are the most-used tool at any grill and the one people think about least. Most households are grilling with a pair borrowed from the kitchen drawer — nine or ten inches long, designed for a salad bowl, and far too short to reach the back of a hot grate without putting a forearm over the fire.

Fixing that is cheap. The three things that matter are length, lock and grip. Sixteen inches is the sweet spot for a full-size grill; a locking ring means they store closed instead of springing open in a drawer; and the grip decides whether they’re comfortable when your hands are greasy. Scalloped or pincer tips hold a chicken thigh without shredding it, which flat-edged kitchen tongs will not.

Below are six pairs that cover every budget from eight dollars to twenty-one. If you’d rather give a full kit than a single tool, see our best grilling tools and tool sets, or browse the wider gear guides.

How this is funded:we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which gift we recommend, and we’ll tell you when we’d skip one. Full disclosure.

Quick picks

Our shortlist, with the price on every pick. Select a row to jump to the full write-up. We haven’t tested these ourselves — here’s exactly what we do instead.

#ProductBest forPrice
1
OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs

OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs

The default answer to 'which tongs should I buy'. Sixteen inches of stainless with OXO's cushioned handle and a pull-ring lock — the pair most kitchens end up owning and never replacing.

Best overall
$20.95 · View on Amazon

Price as of September 8, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

2
Cuisinart 16-Inch Stainless Locking Grill Tongs

Cuisinart 16-Inch Stainless Locking Grill Tongs

All-stainless, sixteen inches, a locking mechanism and a trusted kitchen name for right around ten dollars. If you want the function without the brand premium, this is the value pick.

Best value
$10.65 · View on Amazon

Price as of September 8, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

3
Eddeas 17-Inch Extra-Long 600°F Grill Tongs

Eddeas 17-Inch Extra-Long 600°F Grill Tongs

Seventeen inches is genuinely long — the difference between reaching the back of a full grate and giving up on it. Rated to 600°F, which covers anything a home grill throws at it.

Longest reach
$9.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of September 8, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

4
Esie Houzie 16- and 12-Inch Grill Tongs (2-Pack)

Esie Houzie 16- and 12-Inch Grill Tongs (2-Pack)

Two lengths in one pack, which is what most grillers actually want — the long pair for the fire, the short pair for the platter and the prep bowl. Better value than buying either alone.

Best two-length set
$9.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of September 8, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

5
Walfos 600°F Locking Kitchen Tongs (Set of 2)

Walfos 600°F Locking Kitchen Tongs (Set of 2)

A two-pack of locking tongs rated to 600°F that works as happily on a stovetop as a grate — the pick for someone who cooks indoors and out and hates hunting for tongs.

Best for indoor and outdoor
$15.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of September 8, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

6
Hotec 16-Inch Extra-Long Locking Kitchen Tongs

Hotec 16-Inch Extra-Long Locking Kitchen Tongs

Under eight dollars for genuine extra-long stainless tongs. Not a lifetime tool, but the cheapest way to fix the real problem — reaching across a hot grate with something too short.

Cheapest worth buying
$7.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of September 8, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

The picks in full

#1Best overall

OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs

The default answer to 'which tongs should I buy'. Sixteen inches of stainless with OXO's cushioned handle and a pull-ring lock — the pair most kitchens end up owning and never replacing.

A note before you buy. The safest tongs gift there is — almost nobody already owns a pair they like better, and the brand is instantly recognizable.

Why it’s a good gift

  • Sixteen inches keeps knuckles clear of the fire
  • Cushioned non-slip grip, even with wet hands
  • Pull-ring lock stores them closed

Worth knowing

  • The soft handle isn't for direct high heat
  • Costs more than generic stainless tongs

Best for: The one pair of tongs that just works

Details read from the Amazon listing, last checked August 10, 2026. Prices change; the number above is fetched live.

#2Best value

Cuisinart 16-Inch Stainless Locking Grill Tongs

All-stainless, sixteen inches, a locking mechanism and a trusted kitchen name for right around ten dollars. If you want the function without the brand premium, this is the value pick.

Why it’s a good gift

  • Full stainless — no soft parts near the heat
  • A brand people recognize, at a budget price
  • Locks closed for drawer storage

Worth knowing

  • Bare metal handles get hot if left on the grill
  • Less refined action than pricier tongs

Best for: Solid tongs at the lowest sensible price

Details read from the Amazon listing, last checked August 10, 2026. Prices change; the number above is fetched live.

#3Longest reach

Eddeas 17-Inch Extra-Long 600°F Grill Tongs

Seventeen inches is genuinely long — the difference between reaching the back of a full grate and giving up on it. Rated to 600°F, which covers anything a home grill throws at it.

Why it’s a good gift

  • Seventeen-inch reach for the back row
  • 600°F heat rating on the listing
  • Stainless build at a budget price

Worth knowing

  • Long tongs feel unwieldy on a small tabletop grill
  • Not as precise as a shorter pair for delicate food

Best for: Big grills and crowded grates

Details read from the Amazon listing, last checked August 10, 2026. Prices change; the number above is fetched live.

#4Best two-length set

Esie Houzie 16- and 12-Inch Grill Tongs (2-Pack)

Two lengths in one pack, which is what most grillers actually want — the long pair for the fire, the short pair for the platter and the prep bowl. Better value than buying either alone.

Why it’s a good gift

  • Two lengths cover grill and prep duty
  • Heavy-duty stainless in both sizes
  • Cheaper than a single premium pair

Worth knowing

  • Two pairs is clutter if they only wanted one
  • Finish is basic compared with premium tongs

Best for: Someone who keeps grabbing the wrong-size tongs

Details read from the Amazon listing, last checked August 10, 2026. Prices change; the number above is fetched live.

#5Best for indoor and outdoor

Walfos 600°F Locking Kitchen Tongs (Set of 2)

A two-pack of locking tongs rated to 600°F that works as happily on a stovetop as a grate — the pick for someone who cooks indoors and out and hates hunting for tongs.

Why it’s a good gift

  • 600°F rating covers grill and pan
  • Two per set, so one lives by the grill
  • Locking design for tidy storage

Worth knowing

  • Neither pair is as long as dedicated grill tongs
  • Mid-weight build, not restaurant-grade

Best for: The cook who grills and cooks indoors equally

Details read from the Amazon listing, last checked August 10, 2026. Prices change; the number above is fetched live.

#6Cheapest worth buying

Hotec 16-Inch Extra-Long Locking Kitchen Tongs

Under eight dollars for genuine extra-long stainless tongs. Not a lifetime tool, but the cheapest way to fix the real problem — reaching across a hot grate with something too short.

Why it’s a good gift

  • Extra-long reach for the price of a sandwich
  • Stainless throughout, dishwasher-friendly
  • Locks shut so it stores flat

Worth knowing

  • Lighter gauge than heavy-duty tongs
  • Spring tension softens with heavy use

Best for: A cheap second pair to keep by the grill

Details read from the Amazon listing, last checked August 10, 2026. Prices change; the number above is fetched live.

How long should grilling tongs be?

Sixteen inches is the answer for most people. That is long enough to reach the far side of a 22-inch kettle or a three-burner gas grill without leaning over the heat, and short enough to stay controllable when you’re turning something delicate. Twelve-inch tongs are kitchen tongs; they work on a small tabletop grill and nothing bigger.

Seventeen or eighteen inches has its place — a big barrel smoker, or a grill loaded front to back with a crowd’s worth of food. The trade-off is leverage: the longer the tong, the more the tips wobble and the harder it is to grip something heavy at the end. If someone owns one pair, make it sixteen. If they cook for crowds, the extra inch earns itself.

Locking, spring tension and tips

A lock is a small thing that decides whether tongs live in a drawer or on the floor of it. Pull-ring locks, like the OXO’s, are the easiest to work one-handed; slide locks are cheaper and stiffer. Either is better than none.

Spring tension is what you feel first and notice longest. Too stiff and your hand tires within one cook; too soft and a loaded burger slips. This is the single hardest thing to judge from a listing, and the main reason a known brand is worth a few extra dollars on a tool you use constantly.

Then the tips. Scalloped, slightly cupped tips grab a sausage or a chicken thigh and hold it; flat, straight-edged tips slide off round food and tend to tear skin. If a listing shows the tips clearly, that’s the detail worth zooming in on.

Handle material and heat

Full-stainless tongs can go anywhere — leave them resting on a hot grate and nothing melts — but bare metal handles conduct heat, so they get uncomfortable if you do that. Soft-grip handles like the OXO’s are far more pleasant to hold and far less happy about being parked on a live grill. Neither is wrong; they just ask for different habits.

For someone who cooks indoors and out, a set rated to 600°F covers a pan as well as a grate. And whichever pair you give, an instant-read thermometer alongside it is the combination that actually improves their food, not just their reach.

Frequently asked questions

How long should grilling tongs be?

Sixteen inches suits most grills — long enough to reach the back of a 22-inch kettle or a three-burner gas grill without leaning over the heat, short enough to stay controllable. Twelve inches is really kitchen length. Go to seventeen or eighteen only for a big smoker or a grill you regularly load front to back.

Are locking tongs worth it?

Yes, for storage rather than cooking. A locking ring holds the tongs closed so they slide into a drawer instead of springing open and jamming it. Pull-ring locks like the OXO's are the easiest to work with one hand; cheaper slide locks are stiffer but still beat no lock at all.

Should grilling tongs be all stainless or have soft grips?

It depends on their habits. All-stainless tongs can be parked on a hot grate without melting, but bare metal handles get hot to hold. Soft-grip handles are far more comfortable and won't heat up in the hand, but shouldn't be left lying on the grill. Neither is wrong — they just suit different cooks.

Can I use kitchen tongs on a grill?

You can, and most people do, but they're usually too short — nine or ten inches puts your hand and forearm right over the fire. They also tend to have flat tips that slide off round food like sausages. A sixteen-inch pair with scalloped tips costs under ten dollars and fixes both problems.

What's the difference between grill tongs and kitchen tongs?

Length and tip shape, mostly. Grill tongs run 16 to 18 inches to keep hands away from heat, and use scalloped or cupped tips that grip round food. Kitchen tongs are typically 9 to 12 inches with flatter tips designed for tossing salad or serving pasta.

Do I need two pairs of grilling tongs?

Many grillers end up wanting them — one long pair for the fire and a shorter pair for the platter and prep bowl, which also avoids carrying raw-meat tongs to cooked food. A two-length set like the Esie Houzie pack covers both jobs for less than a single premium pair.

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