Whisks

A stainless-steel or nylon whisk is used to:

• introduce air into foods to make them lighter or fluffier
• emulsify and blend ingredients
• smooth out lumps and uneven mixtures

There are many different varieties of whisks, with some whisks more suited to particular tasks than others.

Balloon Whisk

Made from several loops of stainless steel or wire bound around a handle, the balloon whisk is ideal for introducing air into food, and is particularly good for whipping eggs whites or cream.

Choose a whisk with evenly spaced thin wires that are firmly welded to a comfortable handle.

Rotary Whisk

Rotary whisks are designed to be less tiring to use than balloon whisks; however, they do not introduce as much air, and so cannot achieve the same volume, particularly with egg whites.

When buying a rotary whisk, it pays to choose a good quality model; cheap versions rarely work smoothly, especially at high speeds.

Coil Whisk

This whisk has one main circular loop, with wire coiled around it. It is a good tool for emulsifying liquids, such as mayonnaise or hollandaise, and is also very effective for beating lumps out of sauces. Its small size makes it ideal for working with small amounts of liquid, so is perfect for whipping one or two egg whites or for making sauces in shallow pans.

Ball Whisk

A ball whisk is made up of a series of straight wires, each ending with a metal ball. It is designed to introduce more air into mixtures than conventional whisks, and as there are no crossing wires, it is much easier to clean.