Does Anybody Have a Ball Whisk? Do I Want One?

[HejazSunKat]

This:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004S4WO/qid=1067756520/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1_etk-kitchen/103-5798742-4191037?v=glance&s=kitchen&n=284507

showed up in my Amazon Gold Box today and while I passed it I'm wondering if anybody's got one and if so what do you think? Aside from it being a pretty cool looking gizmo does it have any advantages over a regular whisk?

[Mamasue]

:D No, I don't but I will put it on my Christmas List for Santa!

[sneezles]

Originally posted by Mamasue
:D No, I don't but I will put it on my Christmas List for Santa!

I already put it on mine! The concept just seems so much better for actually getting air into the egg whites. And if Santa doesn't bring it to me I'm buying it myself!

[avariell]

i have one... (for christmas one year a friend of mine went to a cooking store and got me every "weird" and "unique" wisk she could find.) it does make whisking things like egg whites or cream easier because of the extra agitator. while i don't think it is a kitchen tool i couldn't live without, it's fun to have it around

[LonghornGal]

Alton Brown did whisks on a recent show. He said this type is good for a roux or other thing where you've got a shallow pool to whisk. :)

And it does look darn cool.

[Little Bit]

I have one, but find it kind of noisy. I don't use mine much, but admit I haven't tried it out when making a roux.

The noisiness factor is an issue particularly when using a stainless steel bowl. (Admittedly, I dislike noisiness in general. If it isn't an issue for you, you might not object.)

I'm also a bit fearful that it might break/chip one of my glass bowls.

[phantomcg]

I've had mine for a little over a year and I love, love, love it! In fact I don't use any other whisk anymore.

Cheryl

[HejazSunKat]

Originally posted by Little Bit
I'm also a bit fearful that it might break/chip one of my glass bowls.

Wow! You must be a mean whisker! :D Seriously, that's a point to consider. I was actually wondering if it might be messy since it's splayed looking and I really don't need any help making a mess. It bugs me to find tiny dried batter speckles on the woodwork from some Black Forest Cake or batch of pancakes I made 6 months ago. Nobody mentions that so I guess it isn't a concern. I hate finding something interesting in my gold box early on and know that if I take it I won't know what ELSE was in there! :D Thanks for the input guys.

[Little Bit]

This thread inspired me to give my ball whisk another try, and I find that I really like it for blending together loose batters, (as for pancakes or cornbread), but not whisking egg whites, since it seems awfully noisy to me, (and, again, I'm reluctant to use it with my glass bowls).

It's okay for blending roux or gravy, too, but again, it's kinda noisier than I prefer.