If you only have room for one whisk in your kitchen, get yourself a balloon whisk. Shaped like a hot air balloon, the versatile balloon whisk hits all the curves of your bowl or pan and gulps in the air to lighten whatever you’re whisking. These whisks make the most of whipping eggs, cream and any batter. We tested more than 10 different whisks to find the ones to stock in your kitchen.
Best Overall: Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk
What We Like
- Comfortable grip
- Good balance
- Sturdy
What We Don’t Like
- Not heatproof
OXO is a trusted kitchen tool brand and this is yet another outstanding tool to make the most of your kitchen whipping a cinch. This whisk has a great balance of weighted handle-to-whisk ratio. The silicone handle that curves in the middle makes for a comfortable nonslip grip. The wire tines are sturdy and close enough to blend a dry mixture into a wet one. The balloon shape creates good air when whipping cream and eggs.
Best Silicone: Silicone Balloon Whisk
What We Like
- Safe for nonstick pots
- Unique tine design
What We Don’t Like
- Not as powerful as a metal whisk
If you’re whisking in a nonstick pan or pot, it’s important to make sure the tines on your balloon whisk are covered in silicone so as not to scratch the pan. This handle had decent weight to balance the whisk tines. The tines are arranged in a stacked spiral pattern, which is unique as most just crisscross. This shape really scoops batter and leads to less clogging of the whisk. It’s decent at whipping cream, but there’s nothing as powerful as a metal whisk for quickly whipping cream.
Best Value: Stainless Steel 10-Inch Balloon Whisk
What We Like
- Affordable
- Durable
- Comfortable handle
What We Don’t Like
- Design could be more efficient
This whisk has a classic restaurant-style handle that is big, cylindrical and sturdy. This whisk can take a lot of abuse without losing its shape, but we wish it did move around a bowl or pan a bit more efficiently. It does come with a ring looping the tines together which does speed up the whisking process. This ring just looks like a key ring and you can add it and remove it as you see fit.
Best Solid and Sleek: Stainless Steel Balloon Whisk
What We Like
- Compact shape
- Well balanced
- Easy to clean
What We Don’t Like
- May lose shape over time
For having a smaller modern handle, this whisk has a great balance. It’s an almost ideal shape and makes for a fast whip of heavy cream. The tines are well spaced and move through cream and eggs with ease really making them light and smooth. This whisk is a little cleaner in style and it’s a little more expensive, so it’s a classy splurge.