When a Rubber Spatula Isn’t Enough, Use a Bowl Scraper

Because you want to turn every last bit of batter into brownies, right?
A grey Lazymi bowl scraper removing brownie batter from a bowl into a Bakelicious brownie pan.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Styling by Joseph De Leo

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When I whip cream, pour batter, or mix dough, I’m intent on getting every last bit out of the mixing bowl and into my dessert. Baking is all about precision, after all, and if can’t effectively scrape the bowl clean…that just doesn’t feel precise. Sure, a bit of leftover batter has never ruined a recipe, but it’s annoying to feel inefficient. When I scrub brownie batter out of a bowl, I can’t help but think, I could have baked that! And if I’ve gone to the trouble of weighing ingredients to the gram, do you really expect me to immediately forgo the diligence and say, Eh, I got enough out of this bowl, I’m good?

A rubber spatula helps, sure, but getting everything out of a bowl still feels tedious when I use one. Most of the time I feel like I’m paying baking taxes. Like I’m forfeiting a quarter cup or more to subterranean bean counters—or, I guess, batter counters—living in my sink drain.

Thankfully, Epi contributor Clarice Lam, a professional baker, introduced me to the joys of a bowl scraper. “It’s so satisfying to get all of the goop out of your mixer bowl,” Lam told me.

A bowl scraper, much like its more popular sister the bench scraper, is perfectly designed for scraping every last bit of whatever. But bowl scrapers differ from bench scrapers in a couple of ways: They’re typically flexible like a rubber spatula, and they have curved edges. Basically, they’re designed to fit into the curves of a bowl, whereas stiff, flat-edge bench scrapers are designed to scrape your counter or a cutting board.

But not all bowl scrapers are created equal. The best, according to Lam, are larger than average, have extra-flexible edges, and can be maneuvered around a range of sloped sides—steep-sided mixing bowls and shallow-sloped serving bowls alike. Lam also likes the bowl scrapers that have a sort of asymmetrical D-shape, versus the kind that look like squat tombstones. The asymmetrical curve, she notes, means better maneuvering around shallow and steep bowls. Her favorite bowl scraper has a stiff silicone body, with softer, more flexible edges. The stiffness really allows for control and stability, while the edges still offer the ultimate maneuverability.

The bowl scraper comes in handy for batters, whipped creams, glazes, sticky sourdough, and just about any other viscous thing that you might want to dislodge from a bowl. You can also use the flat edge to smooth out frosting on the tops and sides of cakes. No disrespect to the rubber spatula: Her long handle means she’s better suited for getting to the bottom of blenders, jars, and other hard to reach places—but a bowl scraper is who you should rely on for any and all bowl duties. Those batter-grabbing tax specialists living in your drain or your trash can may not be pleased with you, but the loved ones enjoying your brownies will be.

Bowl Scraper