Update International (PT-9) 9" Pom Tongs

My son bought himself a Hookah for his 18th birthday. He could have done worse things. He got all set up with the Hookah and the Shisha and the coals, invited his friends over for hookah and had his hookah experienced older sister make sure they were doing things right. One thing he didn't count on was the fact that the coals get hot. Very hot. His sister whipped out her tongs (it's like she knew) and told him to get a set. He's used everything from Kitchen tongs to bent paper clips to move the hot coals around because evidently these things are like the one ring and impossible to find. Most people who have some guard them like it was the One Ring. I found these on Amazon, the only thing that I had issue with was that they are considered an add on item so i had to order at least 25.00 in Amazon items in order to get them to ship. Otherwise, these are sturdy, well made and keep fingers from being blistered.

IN GENERAL> Works great for either cooking, or serving.> This tong stays open until I close it, unlike some scalloped-jaw tongs, POM tongs don't lock closed on you when you don't want them locked closed.> Magnetic, will stick to a magnetic utensil rack, or hang from a hook rack.> Simple, easy-to clean surfacesNOT SO GOOD FOR:> Not ideal for gripping round objects (like eggs, olives, or small fruit), or pasta, for which scalloped-jaw tongs are better.> The sharp teeth can get a good grip, but can easily tear or damage soft items, such as soft vegetables.EXAMPLES OF USE:> Great for frying bacon.> Excellent for serving most horderves, albeit you the 6" version might be better Update International PT-6 Stainless Steel Pom Tong, 6-Inch> Excellent for serving slices of turkey, roast, or pieces of fried chicken, etc.> Good for serving cole slaw or "compact" salads and firm vegetables.> I use the 6" version for picking bones, bay leaves, etc out of soups before serving.> Click on “Stoney” just below the product title to see my other reviews, or leave a comment to ask a question.

They're metal tongs and perform as such.

Decent size to hold charcoal disks while lighting. Not perfect because the disks slip out a lot, but as long as it’s over a safe surface it’s fine for now. Might be beginner error as I get used to using it. I’ll try to remember to update later if that changes. I did carefully run my hands over them to see if there were sharp edges and mine seems fine.

Very sturdy and just the right size. I love them

Extremely useful - I love not having to burn my fingers when I light my charcoal. They're absolutely cheaply made, which is to be expected IMHO. Make no mistake about that. But they serve their purpose - and do so quite well. I admit they'd probably not stand up to heavy physical abuse, but they are perfect for what I need. Their price is unbeatable and I'd say these are absolutely worth the money. You just need to realize you're paying next to nothing, so you do get what you pay for (which is cheaper materials). However, I feel they'll hold up for many years to come for me (since I'm not using them for anything except holding charcoal tablets while I light them to burn incense).

It is only just an OK SS Tong. It made of extremely thin Stainless Steel. This thing is so light weight it will slip out of your hand if you are not careful and hang onto it with a heavy grip. Be advised that if you are handling hot objects the heat will work its way up to the point where you grip the Tong. I guess the same but opposite effect could happen if you are handling cold objects like ice, although I do not have direct experience with the latter. If you need a tong that is 6 inches long and do not want to spend a lot of money, look no further than the Update International PT-6. If you need to buy a Tong that you can brag about to our friends this is not it. BTW: This product did not come with instructions.

I owned tongs similar to these, if not absolutely identical, that I purchased for about fifty cents in 1985 when I first set up housekeeping during my college years. Recently, the old tongs were either lost or misplaced, which broke my heart after 33 years. Tongs rank highly among those essential kitchen tools you don't realize how much you need until they vanish. These "Pom Tongs" were available on Amazon for $3.16. (Nothing like inflation, friends.) They are stiffer than the pair I owned originally, harder to squeeze, but they are shiny stainless steel and reliably durable. If I don't lose them too, they will certainly outlive me.