Serious Eats / Jesse Raub
Some jobs are just too small for a standard size utensil: an egg or two for breakfast, a vinaigrette for a lunchtime salad—it’s annoying to truck out the large mixing bowl and a 12-inch whisk for such a tiny task. Fortunately, there are a variety of mini whisks available. But that begs the question: just what qualifies as a “mini” whisk?
There doesn’t seem to be a standard size when it comes to naming; whisks that were labeled “mini” by some brands were 75% longer than others. When we did side-by-side comparisons of everything in our lineup, however, it became clear that once a whisk cleared 6.5 inches, it could no longer qualify. And even though three of the whisks we had didn’t make the “mini” cut, we tested every model anyway to better illustrate the differences.
The Winners, at a Glance
The Best Mini Whisk: Kuhn Rikon 6-Inch Balloon Wire Whisk
With its slightly elongated balloon-style loops, the Kuhn Rikon 6-inch whisk was easy to maneuver into corners without sacrificing maximum blending power. It beat and blended through all of our tests the fastest, and the extra-long handle loop provided key leverage for people with larger hands while still keeping it compact for easy storage.
The Best Mini Whisk For Smaller Bowls: Tovolo 6-Inch Mini Whisk
The Tovolo’s wide set loops allowed it to effortlessly whip through liquids in smaller bowls, making it perfect for beating a few eggs for breakfast. It’s also the shortest whisk of any of our winners, making it well-suited for people short on drawer space or with smaller hands.
The Best Small Whisk For Bigger Hands: Williams Sonoma Signature Stainless French Whisk
At 9 inches, the Williams Sonoma French whisk is definitely not mini (our favorite balloon whisks are only slightly longer at 11 inches). However, its handle was the most comfortable for people with bigger hands, and its narrow french whisk-style loops were still able to tackle all the small jobs the mini whisks did, sometimes even faster.
The Tests
Serious Eats / Jesse RaubEgg Beating Test: We cracked three eggs into a small bowl and timed how long it took to fully beat them together. We noted how each whisk shape was suited to the task, and how easy cleanup was. Vinaigrette Test: We made a simple vinaigrette for one with one tablespoon of red wine vinegar and three tablespoons of olive oil. We timed how long it took to emulsify with each mini whisk, how well the dressing was emulsified, and how well the shape of each whisk worked in a straight-sided liquid measuring cup. Tahini Sauce Test: We scaled down this tahini sauce recipe to see how each mini whisk could handle blending thicker ingredients for one to two servings, rating each whisk on how quickly it blended the sauce and how well mixed the sauce was.Cleanup and Usability Tests: We cleaned each mini whisk by hand and ran them through the dishwasher after every test. We also repeated the egg beating test to note how comfortable each handle was, how versatile each whisk was, and how the shape, size, and number of loops might be related to performance.
What We Learned
What Size Was Ideal for a Mini Whisk?
Serious Eats / Jesse Raub
The biggest factor in performance was overall length versus loop length. If the whisk was too small (under 6 inches), it was harder to maneuver in the mixing vessel. The Mrs. Anderson’s Mini Baking Whisk performed fine, but its skinny, wrapped wire handle felt like gripping a pencil, and its short length meant your hand would have to reach into the bowl for the loops to scrape the corners.
Too big, and the whisk was cumbersome for smaller tasks, and, at that point, you may as well just buy a balloon whisk. The silicone Williams Sonoma Prep Tools Mini Whisk felt clunky when trying to emulsify a vinaigrette for a single-serving, and was so long it threatened to tip out of the bowl we used for beating eggs.
The Kuhn Rikon mini whisk on the left has slightly longer loops than the Rosle Mini Egg Whisk on the right.Serious Eats / Jesse Raub
Even subtle differences in length made a huge impact. The Rosle Mini Egg Whisk was nearly identical to our winner, the Kuhn Rikon 6-Inch Balloon Wire Whisk, except for one key difference: the Kuhn Rikon whisk had loops that were .25 inches longer. That extra quarter inch beat eggs 30% faster, emulsified the vinaigrette easier, and mixed our tahini sauce smoother. Both whisks performed admirably overall, but it was clear that loop length was a huge advantage.
Whisk Shape Had To Match The Vessel
Serious Eats / Jesse Raub
Between a wide balloon whisk, narrow French whisk, and squared-off whisks, it was tricky to find one that worked for every mixing vessel. The sharp edges of the American Metalware Mini Bar Whip are designed for mixing drinks in a straight-sided glass, so it bonked around in bowls and couldn’t scrape the sides. Material Kitchen’s Mini Air Whisk had similar issues, though its flexible loops helped it contour to the bowl’s edges.
Rounder balloon whisks were great at matching rounded vessels. It was hard to top the Tovolo 6-Inch Mini Whisk when beating eggs in a small bowl. Its wide-set loops and big balloon shape passed easily through the whites, blending nicely with each pass, but it struggled to reach the corners when whisking a vinaigrette in a glass liquid measuring cup.
Finally, narrower whisk loops were best for taller and straighter vessels. Even though it classed out of the “mini” designation, the Williams Sonoma Signature Stainless French Whisk performed beautifully in a liquid measuring cup, but its size required a larger bowl for beating eggs.
The sweet spot in terms of shape was our winner from Kuhn Rikon. WIth a slightly tapered base that created elongated loops, its overall design was a subtle hybrid between a French whisk and a balloon whisk which tackled tasks easily and could be used in both bowls and straight-sided vessels.
Thicker Loops Were Messier
Jesse Raub / Serious Eats
Heavier gauge loops, like on the Williams Sonoma Prep Tools Mini Whisk, created a lot of splatter. This was also an issue with Mrs. Anderson’s whisk, though it was luckily still small enough overall to keep splashing contained. While it didn’t affect the performance of either whisk, it created more cleanup than necessary, which was an instant disqualifier.
Handle Length Was Key For Leverage
Serious Eats / Jesse Raub
While we liked the Williams Sonoma whisk’s handle, which was longer and had a gentle palm swell, the whisk itself wasn’t exactly mini. The key to a comfortable mini whisk grip, we found, was having an extended handle loop.
The elongated loop on the Kuhn Rikon whisk’s handle made it long enough to rest comfortably in larger hands. The loop itself added an extra .75 inches to the handle length, matching the 3.75-inch length of the larger French whisk from Williams Sonoma and the Material whisk. The loop also made the Kuhn Rikon’s handle an inch longer than the models from Tovolo, American Metalware, and Mrs. Anderson’s.
Stainless Steel Performed Better Than Silicone
Serious Eats / Jesse Raub
While it may be ideal for use with nonstick surfaces and ceramic bowls, silicone-coated whisks were just too slippery. We found that both the Material Air Whisk and the Williams Sonoma Mini Prep whisk passed through the liquids too smoothly, and didn’t create as much turbulence as stainless loops, which meant it took longer for the eggs to beat together and for the vinaigrette to fully emulsify. Performance issues weren’t drastic, but it was enough of a difference for us to take note of.
The Criteria: What to Look for In a Mini Whisk
Serious Eats / Jesse Raub
The best mini whisks have a long, wide handle and thin-gauge loops that are long enough to mix and blend efficiently. The whisk should be compact for easy storage, and be made from sturdy and durable stainless steel.
The Best Mini Whisk: Kuhn Rikon 6-Inch Balloon Wire Whisk
What we liked: The almost hybrid-style shape (a combination of a French and balloon whisk) of this whisk excelled at every task, and its extra-long handle loop gave it just enough length for a comfortable grip It had the fastest egg-beating time of any mini whisk, and deftly brought together the vinaigrette and tahini sauce with very little effort. It was also durable—even the most vigorous whisking didn’t bend the loops, and it made it through the dishwasher without a scratch.
What we didn’t like: Even though the loop helps extend the handle, an extra quarter of an inch of actual handle would probably increase grip comfort for those with large hands.
Price at time of publish: $15.
Key Specs
Material: Stainless steelWeight: 2 ouncesTotal length: 6.25 inchesHandle length: 3 inchesLoop length: 3.25 inchesNumber of loops: 6Care instructions: Dishwasher-safeSerious Eats / Jesse Raub
The Best Mini Whisk For Smaller Bowls: Tovolo 6-Inch Mini Whisk
What we liked: When it came to mixing in smaller bowls, the wide set loops on this whisk cut through the eggs and mixed our sauces without creating too much turbulence. And, like our top pick, it’s sturdy and well-constructed with a smooth, rounded handle.
What we didn’t like: The wider balloon shape couldn’t get into the corners of a taller liquid measuring cup, and the shorter handle was harder on those with large hands.
Price at time of publish: $12.
Key Specs
Material: Stainless steelTotal length: 6 inchesHandle length: 2.75 inchesLoop length: 3.25 inchesNumber of loops: 6Care instructions: Dishwasher-safeSerious Eats / Jesse Raub
The Best Small Whisk For Bigger Hands: Williams Sonoma Signature Stainless French Whisk
What we liked: Even though it’s too long to be considered a mini whisk, the narrow loops on this French whisk were still tight enough to tackle the same small jobs with ease. It excelled at working into corners, and it was the fastest whisk we tested. Its handle, which featured an oblong palm swell, was comfortable to grip at different angles. If you can palm a basketball, you might want to skip mini whisks and snag this one instead.
What we didn’t like: Because of its size, this whisk needed bigger bowls and taller vessels to accommodate its whisking action. It also takes up a lot more drawer space,
Price at time of publish: $32.
Key Specs
Material: Stainless steelTotal Length: 9 inchesHandle Length: 3.75 inchesLoop Length: 5.25 inchesNumber Of Loops: 8Care Instructions: Dishwasher-safe
Serious Eats / Jesse Raub
The Competition
Material Kitchen Mini Air Whisk: The squared-off loops on this whisk were not as effective as traditional loops in our tests, and its overall length disqualified it from being “mini.”Rösle Mini Egg Whisk: Though it looks nearly identical to our winner, the slightly shorter loops couldn’t beat eggs as quickly. Plus, it’s more expensive. Williams Sonoma Prep Tools Mini Whisk: The thicker-gauge loops really made a mess of things, splashing liquids up and out of bowls. This whisk was also too long to be truly considered “mini.” American Metalware Mini Bar Whip: The angular loops on this whisk bumped up against the sides of the bowl, and its miniscule handle made it hard to control.Mrs. Anderson’s Mini Baking Whisk: The wire wrap handle on this whisk was just too thin to get a good grip, and it struggled to beat eggs swiftly.
FAQs
What size is a mini whisk?
There are no strict standards, but usually a mini whisk is considered to be smaller than 6.5 inches in total length. Some companies will use the “mini” label for whisks up to eight inches, but in our testing those whisks were usually too large to tackle the same tasks.
Why do I need a mini whisk?
Mini whisks are great for smaller tasks or when cooking for yourself. They can be used to beat a single egg, whisk one serving of a vinaigrette, or even blend dry ingredients for spice mixes and baking tasks. Their strength lies in having shorter loops that work well with smaller bowls.
Is a silicone or stainless mini whisk better?
A silicone coating is helpful for not scratching a pan or ceramic mixing bowl or for mixing sticky batters, but neither of those tasks is well-suited for a mini whisk. Most mini whisks are too small to use over a heat source or to mix a batter and, in our testing, we found uncoated stainless steel loops preferable.
