The Best Whisks of 2023

Not too different from the GIR whisk, this stylish Williams Sonoma number checks a lot of the same boxes. It has a satisfying silicone grip in a lovely shade of gray—but it's worth noting that this is the one and only color option. It's relatively lightweight, which allowed me to whip both heavy cream and coconut cream into pillowy peaks in about two minutes.

This whisk does well with any recipe and would look nice in most kitchens.

I love this KitchenAid balloon-style whisk because it's the perfect mini whisk with a sleek and shiny black handle. It’s lightweight and is so easy to use. Just a touch smaller than the GIR and Williams Sonoma balloon whisks—and a fraction lighter—it's super versatile, easy to handle, and convenient to store in any drawer or hang from a tool rack.

It feels sturdy and at $10 it’s a fantastic value. From egg dishes to cake batters, this whisk would be an excellent choice for any budding pastry chef.

This OXO Good Grips 11-inch Balloon Whisk performed almost just as well as the GIR whisk, with an almost identical size, weight, and silicone grip. While it seems to struggle just a little bit with non-dairy whipped cream, I otherwise found this whisk to be a very strong high-quality contender, as well as a budget-friendly option.

This looker is the whisk for the cook who has everything. A flat whisk is useful in some cases, but niche and not nearly as versatile as a balloon whisk. In fact, it will fail miserably at any task that requires incorporating air, such as when whipping egg whites. I got nowhere.

So what does a flat whisk actually do? It doubles as a spatula, which makes it awesome for things like omelets because it can beat the eggs well and then gently push them in the pan. Flat whisks are also great for sauces like béchamel because they glide along the bottom and sides of a saucepan with ease. Still, this whisk can't replace a standard balloon whisk like our top pick in terms of functionality.

This silicone whisk experience has taught me that wire whisks with a silicone coating will never be as efficient as their stainless steel counterparts—they simply don’t have that light, easy bounce in a bowl. And while the coating is technically “non-stick” with many foods, whipped cream leaves an unappetizing fatty film on the wires which takes more dish soap than I’d like to get clean.

It’s got a great stylish look, a comfortable grip, and feels high-quality with a beautiful chrome handle, but at this price point it’s the most expensive in the bunch and I don’t think it's worth the splurge.