Stop Using Your Knife As A Scraper Or Else You Won't Have It Very Long

For many cooks, it happens almost on autopilot. After chopping some aromatics or herbs, you want to create space for the next ingredient so you scrape the cutting board using your knife's blade and push the chopped onions or garlic to the side. Then, once all the chopping and dicing is over and it's time to cook, you again use your knife to scrape the ingredients from the chopping board into the cooking pot. But hear this, if you want to keep your knife in top shape, you must stop this habit.

Knives are built to cut vertically, but if you use one as a scraper, the side-to-side motion of the blade against a hard surface causes misalignment, making the knife blunt even with just a few strokes. To rectify this, you'll need to keep honing and sharpening your knife from scratch more often. However, there's an easy alternative if you must use your knife: Simply flip the blade over and use the spine.

That blunt edge of the spine is slightly thicker and therefore sturdier than the sharp side of the blade, so you don't need to worry about damaging it, and, most importantly, you get to keep the cutting edge intact. Another option is using your hand to push the ingredients from the chopping board to the next location. But there's an even better alternative tool for this task: a bench scraper.

Even though using the spine of a knife to scrape the cutting board works, a bench scraper is the best choice since it was specifically designed for this function. Interestingly, many home cooks don't know about this uncommon but useful kitchen tool, yet it's a game-changer in meal prep. Whether you go for a plastic variety like Surdoca plastic flexible bench scraper or a metallic one like the OXO good grips bench scraper, the design is perfect for a comfortable grip on the handle and an easy scrape on the chopping board.

Moreover, the bench scraper is also great for scooping veggies from the cutting board to the pan. Its wide surface area means you can carry way more ingredients than a knife blade could. But beyond scraping and scooping, the bench scraper serves many other functions, especially in baking. The edge of this gadget is kind of sharp, so bakers use it for cutting, portioning, and measuring dough. It can also help with the kneading process and even cleaning the workspace afterward. With all these functions, you don't have to worry about stocking up on a one-use item.