Best Grill Tongs for Steak: Two OXO Options Compared

The Short Answer

Choose the OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs when you want a simple, rigid-feeling stainless-steel tool with scalloped edges, soft grips and a familiar pull-tab lock. Choose OXO Outdoor Grilling Tongs when angled heads and a purpose-built outdoor profile are more useful on your grate. The bottle opener is incidental, not a reason for the ranking.

Tongs matter most in a true two-zone setup. The grilled steak guide shows how to move beef between direct and indirect heat, while the caveman steak guide explains why control and reach become even more important near exposed coals. For skewered food, use the handling pattern in the steak kabob guide rather than squeezing individual pieces.

The Two Exact Tongs We Would Shortlist

What to Check in Any Pair of Grill Tongs

Reach must preserve control. Short kitchen tongs put knuckles too close to flare-ups. Extremely long tongs amplify every small hand movement and can twist under a heavy steak. Around 16 inches is a useful middle ground for many home grills, but deep fireboxes and large ceramic cookers may justify another length.

Stiffness controls heavy food. Squeeze the handles and watch whether the arms flex sideways before the tips meet. A heavy porterhouse should move as one object, not swing between soft metal strips. Strong spring tension helps the tool reopen but should not fatigue the hand through a full batch.

Head shape decides the jobs. Scalloped edges grip the side of a steak and small pieces securely. A flatter leading edge slides under fish or vegetables more easily. Silicone tips protect nonstick cookware but are unnecessary over bare grill grates and may have lower heat limits than stainless steel.

How to Use Tongs Without Damaging the Steak

• Grip the steak firmly enough to control it but do not crush the center and squeeze juices onto the fire.
• Approach from the side and support a large bone-in steak near its center of mass rather than lifting only the bone tip.
• Hold a fat cap on its edge only while you maintain stable control and have a cool zone ready for flare-ups.
• Move the steak to indirect heat when flames surge; do not hover over an active flare-up while deciding what to do.
• Use a separate clean tool or wash the tongs after they handle raw beef before touching cooked food.

Tongs do not puncture the meat like a fork, but the practical advantage is control rather than a myth that one small hole drains all moisture. The larger food-safety issue is cross-contamination. Raw-meat residue on the gripping heads can transfer back to a finished steak.

Care and Honest Limitations

Open the tongs before washing so water and detergent reach the hinge and gripping edges. Remove cooked-on grease, rinse and dry before locking them for storage. Dishwasher-safe construction is convenient, but inspect the pivot after cycles for residue or increasing play.

A bottle opener, hanging loop or matching spatula does not improve steak control. Avoid oversized sets that duplicate tools you already own. One well-aligned pair of steel tongs plus a fast thermometer covers more real cooking work than a case of novelty utensils.

Tongs also do not measure doneness. Move the steak off direct heat, steady it and check the center using the steak temperature guide. Trying to hold a thermometer and suspend a steak over flame at the same time is less safe and less accurate.

If You Need Another Length or Tip Material

Verdict

The OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs are our simple steak-focused specification match: long enough for common grills, scalloped for edge grip and uncomplicated to store. OXO Outdoor is the alternative when angled heads and a larger dedicated grilling profile fit your grate better.

Choose by alignment, stiffness, safe reach and cleanability. If a pair twists around a heavy steak or cannot lock reliably, the extra features do not rescue it.

Where This Guide Fits

This page supports the broader best meat thermometer for steak guide. Use that pillar page for the complete cut family, buying framework and links to every closely related article.

Useful next reads include best cast iron skillet for steak, best smoker thermometer, best butcher paper for brisket, Cast Iron Steak, and Smoked Brisket for nearby cuts, methods and decisions.